Lake Fishing in Washington State

Regulations

• Washington lakes are open for fishing from boats and public piers where available. Fishermen must have a valid freshwater fishing license issued by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to fish in the state's lakes. Also, fishermen must be able to produce their license, catch record card and identification to law enforcement or they will be fined. Washington has hundreds of lakes, and regulations may vary slightly among them. Some species of fish are protected in certain lakes, and some lakes have bag limits and size requirements different from the state's general regulations. Anglers should read the Department of Fish and Wildlife's annual Sportfishing Rules Pamphlet for rules particular to the body of water they wish to fish.
  
  

Top Lakes

• Washington Lakes compiles fishing reports from actual anglers and assembles a ranking list for all lakes in the state. Williams Lake, Silver Lake, Louise Lake, Wapato Lake, Badger Lake, Tarboo Lake, Fishtrap Lake, Fragrance Lake, Downs Lake, Sylvia Lake, Whatcom Lake, West Medical Lake, Clear Lake, Padden Lake and Hog Canyon Lake are rated as the top 15 lakes in the state, in that order.
  
  

Contamination

• Washington's lakes have been contaminated by mercury, PCBs and other chemicals. The Department of Fish and Wildlife issues guidelines on recommended consumption to reduce the effect of these contaminates. Special guidelines are available for Lake Washington, Lake Whatcom, Lake Roosevelt, Lake Chelan and Green Lake. These guidelines are especially relevant to children and pregnant women. Preparation of fish is also important. The state recommends removing skin and fat before cooking because PCBs are stored in them.
  
  

Fish

• Wahington's lakes are well-populated with fish, and the Sportfishing Rules Pamphlet aids anglers by listing fish species present in certain bodies of water. The vast majority of lakes are listing as home to all game fish. According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, bass, burbot, catfish, crappie, grayling, northern pike, tiger musky, sucker, sunfish, grass carp, trout, landlocked salmon, walleye and whitefish are the species that make up the category of game fish.
  
  

Resorts and Guides

• Washington is home to many lake fishing resorts as well as guides. Fishermen may wish to enlist the help of a guide to increase their chances of catching a trophy fish, as well as the use of high quality boats and equipment the average or beginning angler may not posses. Resorts offer fishermen an opportunity to get away from crowded public docks and enjoy leisure time on the lake.