Trout stocking crews active across Washington

Preparations continue for April 22 opening day

By The Daily World • April 17, 2017 10:00 pm
After a quick battle for his catch, Bryson Brown holds up a trout that he entered into the Grays Harbor Poggie Club kids-only fishing derby held at Failor Lake in 2015. (Daily World File Photo)
After a quick battle for his catch, Bryson Brown holds up a trout that he entered into the Grays Harbor Poggie Club kids-only fishing derby held at Failor Lake in 2015. (Daily World File Photo)

OLYMPIA — Trout stocking crews are working to plant fish throughout the state in preparation for April 22, when several hundred lowland lakes open for a six-month fishing season.

Although many lakes are open year-round, the fourth Saturday in April marks the traditional start of the lowland lakes fishing season, when hundreds of thousands of anglers are expected to turn out to fish.

WDFW fish hatchery crews have been stocking more than 16 million trout and kokanee in lakes statewide. Those fish include 2.3 million catchable trout, nearly 150,000 larger trout — averaging about one pound apiece — and millions of smaller trout that were stocked last year and have grown to catchable size.

At this point, we are about half finished with the stocking effort, said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW inland fish program manager. “We are working hard to have it all done in time for opening weekend,” he said.

Many of the triploid trout are coming in at about a pound, but there are several thousand that are three pounds or more, said Thiesfeld. “These are all high-quality fish that are significantly larger than our regular catchable trout, and those three-pounders are outstanding fish,” he said.

On the west side of the state, the department is going to add some of these fish to each of our regular plants in lakes that haven’t been stocked yet, said Thiesfeld. “We expect these larger fish are going to make some kids very happy.”

To participate on opening day, Washington anglers must have an annual freshwater or combination fishing license valid through March 31, 2018. Licenses can be purchased online or at hundreds of license dealers across the state.

Anglers who catch one of 1,000 tagged fish can also claim prizes provided by license dealers and other sponsors located across the state. The total value of prizes is more than $25,000. For a list of lakes with prize fish and details on how to claim prizes, visit http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/derby.

Plantings in Grays Harbor County over the past month include:

• FAILOR LAKE — 2,760 rainbow trout, including 660 that average 5 pounds each, and 35 steelhead.

• LAKE ABERDEEN — 215 rainbow averaging 5 pounds each and 100 more averaging 1.5 pounds each.

• LAKE SYLVIA — 1,500 rainbow, including 75 averaging 5 pounds, 325 averaging 4 pounds and 100 averaging 1.5 pounds.

• VANCE CREEK POND (Adult) — 505 rainbows averaging pounds each and 100 rainbow averaging 1.5 pounds each.

• VANCE CREEK POND (Juvenile) 1,400 rainbows with 250 averaging 4 pounds each and 150 averaging 1.5 pounds each.