Fish Black Friday for big rainbow trout

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is offering anglers opportunities for tight lines rather than long lines on the day after Thanksgiving.

The “holiday specials” include thousands of large trout averaging 15 to 16 inches long and weighing up to 3 pounds.

Additionally, the department stocks millions of smaller trout each spring, many of which will have grown to catchable size.

No Eastern Washington lakes will be stocked on Black Friday. However, the following Eastern Washington lakes have been stocked with fry plants in recent years: Hatch and Williams in Stevens County; Fourth of July in Lincoln and Adams counties; and Hog Canyon in Spokane County.

For up-to-date stocking information this fall, anglers should follow the department on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, accessible from wdfw.wa.gov, or see the department’s weekly catchable trout stocking report at wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/weekly/.

Anglers 15 years and older must have a current Washington freshwater fishing license valid through March 31, 2019, to participate.

Licenses can be purchased by telephone at 1-866-246-9453, at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov, or at hundreds of license vendors across the state.

For details on license vendor locations, visit the WDFW website at wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/vendors/.