FISHING -- Hog Canyon and Fourth of July lakes -- two area winter fishing lakes -- opened Friday and anglers are finding some bright, feisty rainbows.

Traditionally, the winter lakes have opened Dec. 1, but this year the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife began its new schedule of opening the winter lakes on Black Friday -- the first Friday after Thanksgiving -- running through March 31.

Other winter lakes on that schedule include Hatch and Williams lakes in Stevens County.

Fourth of July Lake south of Sprague continues to uphold its reputation for producing large trout. The first fish caught in a preseason hook-and-line sampling session at Fourth of July last week was a 24-inch rainbow, said Randy Osborne, district fisheries biologist.

Hog Canyon Lake, accessed from the Fishtrap Exit off Interstate 90, is producing rainbows in the 11-14 inch range. Fourth of July has a larger size range of fish running 10-24 inches.

Rules at both lakes limit anglers to keeping no more than five fish a day with no more than two trout longer than 14 inches. Anglers tend to catch and release more fish at Fourth of July, since there's good chance they'll reach their size limits well before they'd have a chance to keep five trout. Fourth of July is especially popular with fly fishers as long as the surface is unfrozen.

Ice was forming around the lakes this weekend, with thin ice cover on Hog Canyon and ice to the narrows of Fourth of July, allowing hike-in fishing.  I'm seeking an update on current conditions.