SPRAGUE LAKE

Sprague Lake, just 45 minutes west of Spokane off Interstate 90, is one of those waters that holds more secrets and more potential than most anglers will ever discover.

Survivors of about 10,000 rainbows stocked in the lake last year were running about 16 inches long last fall and are running 2-5 pounds this spring. Another 25,000 trout scheduled for stocking this spring should grow to pleasing proportions by late summer, said Chris Donley, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department district biologist.

But stocked trout are only a fraction of the Sprague Lake smorgasbord.

A few walleye anglers have begun unlocking the secrets to hooking a booming population of walleyes, which are especially abundant in the 16- to 20-inch length range. The minimum size for keeping walleyes is 16 inches.

“Lots of walleye have been caught using bottom bouncer rigs,” said Scott Haugen of Four Seasons Campground. “Some fishermen also experimented and caught walleye using flies, Rooster Tails, jigs and plugs. People trolling not only worked the lake bottom, but also caught the suspended ones closer to the water surface.”

Crappie are making a little-known comeback in the lake, Haugen said, noting that a decent number of the fish should grow longer than the 9-inch minimum size limit this year.

Channel catfish of impressive sizes up to 14 pounds are being taken by anglers devoted to finding the tasty bottom-dwellers. Last year was the third great year in a row for Sprague catfish anglers and this year should be another, Haugen said.

The lake also holds largemouth and smallmouth bass, perch, bluegills and bullheads.

A small contingent of fly fishers has learned to tap the lake’s growing population of large carp by wading the shallows and sight-fishing bonefish-style in the heat of summer.

Rich Landers