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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Anglers find fish willing on opening day

No fibbing allowed, says Uncle Bob Williams, as he puts the tape on Marie Hokanson’s trout at Waitts Lake while her granddaughters, Kaitlyn, left, and Makayla Duke watch the action. The rainbow caught from the Winona Beach Resort dock on Saturday was exactly 19 inches long. (Rich Landers)

Saturday’s opening of Washington’s lowland trout fishing season was blustery, wet and cold, but anglers who toughed out the conditions were handsomely rewarded.

Overall, Spokane-region lakes produced some of the best opening day fishing in years, according to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife surveys.

“We arrived at 5:30 a.m. and we were the first ones here,” said Carolyn Kitchens, who was at Waitts Lake with her husband packing up their two five-trout daily limits by 10 a.m.

“Fishing was good; took us less than four hours of fishing,” Randy Kitchens said as they prepared to leave the Winona Beach Resort dock.

Angler turnout in the northeastern corner of the state ranged from significant at Waitts Lake to very light at Potters Pond.

McDowell, a fly-fishing-only lake on the Little Pend Oreille Wildlife Refuge, had only two pontoon boats on the lake at noon after a cold rain shower, and nearby Bayley had only five vessels despite what appeared to be good fishing.