THE NEWS TRIBUNE Published: April 24th, 2008 01:00 AM | Updated: April 24th, 2008 07:25 AM
Here is a rundown on the Pierce County lakes stocked by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Alder Lake (2,931 acres): This large Nisqually River reservoir is five miles south of Eatonville. With a year-round open fishing season, species including rainbow and cutthroat trout, kokanee, largemouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie and bullhead catfish can be found in this lake. The kokanee fishery is expected to be good this year. Try flashers and wedding ring-type lure with bait for terminal gear.
Facilities: There are several boat ramps and good bank access.
American Lake (1,125 acres): Eight miles southwest of Tacoma near Fort Lewis. With a year-round season, good fishing for rainbow trout and kokanee can be expected. Additionally, yellow perch, bullhead catfish, rock bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and cutthroat also are available. Chumming is permitted. A "Fishing Kids" derby scheduled for May 17 is designed to introduce youngsters age 5 through 14 to fishing. For information, contact Pierce County Parks at 253-798-4176.
Facilities: WDFW boat ramp off of Portland Avenue Southwest (take Exit 122 from Interstate 5) has a two-lane concrete plank ramp and vault toilets, while two county parks provide access, bank fishing and toilets. Private and military resort facilities are also available.
Bay Lake (118 acres): About seven miles south of Vaughn on the Longbranch Peninsula. Open: Last Saturday in April through Oct. 31. Stocked with rainbow trout and also will get a bonus plant of larger triploid and jumbo diploid rainbow trout this year. Provides fishing for largemouth bass, bluegill, perch, pumpkinseed sunfish and brown bullhead catfish.
Facilities: The WDFW access off Sanford Road KPS has a rough gravel ramp but adequate parking.
Bonney Lake (17 acres): Located a couple miles southeast of Sumner and has a year-round open fishing season. Stocked with catchable-size and larger triploid rainbow trout. Bullhead catfish, yellow perch and pumpkinseed sunfish are also caught.
Facilities: This small lake has WDFW boat ramp on the northwest shore, off of 74th Street East, with a shallow gravel ramp, no restroom and limited parking.
Bradley Lake/Pond (13 acres): One mile south of Puyallup, just east of the South Hill Mall. With a year-round open season and stocked with rainbow trout (catchable-size and larger triploids) make this small shore-access-only pond a local option to consider. A warm-water fishery for largemouth bass, crappie, perch and brown bullhead catfish adds to angling opportunity. Adult coho salmon might be planted October-November if excess hatchery returns are available.
Carney Lake (39 acres): Located four miles north of Vaughn on the Kitsap-Pierce County line. The fishing season is split: last Saturday in April through June 30, closed during July and August, and reopening Sept. 1 through Nov. 30. Stocked primarily with 8- to 12-inch, and a few larger, rainbow trout. Adult coho salmon may be planted October-November if excess hatchery returns are available.
Facilities: The WDFW access has a ramp and toilet facilities, but internal combustion engines are prohibited.
Clear Lake (155 acres): About five miles north of Eatonville, just west of Highway 161. Open: Last Saturday in April through Oct. 31. Primary species are rainbow trout and kokanee. Chumming is permitted. Landlocked salmon rules apply. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass are available here as well.
Facilities: The WDFW access on the northwest shore has a boat ramp with toilets. A private resort is on the west shore.
DeCoursey Pond (1 acre): This small side-channel off Clarks Creek is located in Clarks Creek Park west of the Puyallup Fair & Events Center. It is open only to juveniles (younger than 15) the last Saturday in April through Nov. 30. Rainbow trout are planted annually, and adult coho salmon may be planted in October-November if excess hatchery returns are available.
Florence Lake (42 acres): On Anderson Island, just south of Guthrie Road and has a year-round open season with largemouth bass, bluegill and brown trout available.
Facilities: There is an undeveloped boat ramp on the north shore, in Lowell Johnson County Park.
Hart (Harts) Lake (109 acres): Located seven miles southeast of Yelm and about five miles southeast from Highway 702 on Harts Lake Road. This year-round open season lake will get a bonus plant of larger triploid and jumbo diploid rainbow trout this year, along with the regular annual planting of catchable-size rainbows. Channel catfish are stocked, and largemouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie, bullhead catfish, bluegill and pumpkinseed sunfish are also present.
Facilities: A WDFW access on the northeast shore has a boat ramp and toilets, with some bank access also available.
Kapowsin Lake (512 acres): Thirteen miles southeast of Puyallup and with a year-round open season, Kapowsin is stocked with catchable-size large triploid and jumbo diploid rainbow trout. Good fishing is available for rainbow trout, plus warmwater species including largemouth bass, crappie, yellow perch, pumpkinseed sunfish and rock bass.
Facilities: The WDFW access along the north shore is open and provides a boat ramp, dock, and parking. There also is bank access on the west shore, and boat rentals and small-boat launching are available from a private resort.
Ohop Lake (235 acres): About one mile north of Eatonville. Open: Last Saturday in April through Oct. 31. Anglers can expect to find 8- to 12-inch stocked rainbow trout, plus black crappie, yellow perch, largemouth bass, bullhead catfish and pumpkinseed sunfish. Ohop will also receive a bonus plant of triploid and diploid rainbow trout this year.
Facilities: There is a WDFW boat ramp and toilets on the south shore, with bank access along the county road.
Rapjohn Lake (56 acres): Four miles northwest of Eatonville, two miles south from Highway 792 and three-fourths of a mile east from Highway 7. Open: Last Saturday in April through Oct. 31. Primary species include rainbow and brown trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch and crappie. Rapjohn will also receive a bonus plant of larger triploid and jumbo diploid rainbow trout.
Facilities: The WDFW access on the west shore, off of 384th Street East, has a boat ramp and toilets.
Silver Lake (138 acres): About 4.5 miles west of Eatonville, on the west side of Highway 7. Open: Last Saturday in April through Oct. 31. Rainbow and brown trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie and brown bullheads can be found here.
Facilities: There is no state access to the lake.
Spanaway Lake (262 acres): Located in the town of Spanaway, a bit west of Highway 7. Year-round open season, including the outlet downstream to the dam (approximately 800 feet). Species available include rainbow trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, rock bass, yellow perch, bullheads and crappie. Spanaway will also get a bonus plant of larger triploid and jumbo diploid rainbow trout this year.
Facilities: No state access, but a county park on the northeast shore provides boat ramp and bank access.
Steilacoom Lake (310 acres): Located three miles east of the town of Steilacoom. Open: Last Saturday in April through Oct. 31.
Facilities: This location has limited public access and has been providing some great catches. One will have to scout this location to see what options exist.
Tanwax Lake (172 acres): About five miles north of Eatonville. Open: Last Saturday in April through Oct. 31. Rainbow trout, largemouth bass, black crappie, yellow perch, catfish and pumpkinseed sunfish are caught. There is a 9-inch minimum size, 10-fish limit on crappie. Tanwax is also scheduled to receive a bonus plant of larger triploid and jumbo diploid rainbow trout.
Facilities: A WDFW access on the north shore provides a boat ramp and toilets. Two private resorts also provide boat rentals, dock and bank access.
LAKE Tapps (2,296 acres): Located three miles northeast of Sumner with a year-round open season, including the intake canal to within 400 feet of the screen at Dingle Basin. Largemouth bass, yellow perch, and rainbow trout are found, and tiger muskies have been planted. All tiger muskies under 50 inches must be released.
Facilities: This reservoir has a city boat launch on the northwest shore. A county park on the northeast shore also provides a boat ramp and bank access.
Wapato Lake (28 acres): This small lake located in Wapato Park in southeast Tacoma is open to juveniles only (younger than 15) and is open all year to fishing. This lake is not scheduled to receive any fish plants during the 2008-09 fishing season at the request of Pierce County, due to water quality issues in this lake. It is also uncertain whether access to the lake will be allowed.
Facilities: Contact Pierce County with access questions.
Waughop Lake (22 acres): In Fort Steilacoom County Park, about a mile east of Steilacoom. Open season is year-round. Rainbow trout are planted annually, including larger triploid rainbows. A warmwater fishery for largemouth bass, crappie, perch and brown bullhead catfish adds to angling opportunity. Adult coho salmon may be added in October-November if excess hatchery returns are available.
Facilities: No developed boat launch, but small craft can be hand-carried a ways to the lake.
Whitman Lake (29 acres): About six miles north of Eatonville, and just over a mile south of Kapowsin Highway via 144th Avenue East. Open year round, the lake is stocked with catchable-size rainbow trout and receives a bonus plant of jumbo diploid rainbow trout. Largemouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie and other sunfish are available. Whitman Lake Drive and Benbow Drive circle the lake.
Facilities: A WDFW access on the east shore provides a small, rough gravel boat ramp and toilets.
You will need a license
A resident freshwater fishing license, valid April 1, 2008, through March 31, 2009, costs $21.90 for adults 16 to 69 years of age.
Fifteen-year-olds can buy a license for $7.67, and seniors 70 years and older can buy one for $5.48. Children 14 and younger do not need a license. A combination fishing and shellfish license costs $42.16.
All licenses can be purchased at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov, by telephone toll-free at 1-866-246-9453 or at hundreds of license dealers across the state listed at wdfw.wa.gov/lic/vendors/vendors.htm.
Safety tips for boaters
Opening day of the trout fishing season always means plenty of boats on local lakes. If boaters don't follow the rules, trouble can happen.
Last year's opener on Mineral Lake is a good example. Three rowboats were swamped because other boats were going faster than the lakes 8-mph speed limit, causing unsafe water conditions. Lewis County sheriff's deputies will be patrolling the lake this year.
Also consider these tips:
Check the weather forecast: Be aware that storms can come up quickly and without warning. Always check local weather conditions and forecasts before heading out.
Wear personal flotation devices: Have one for each person on board.
Stay sober: Operating a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal.
Check your boat: The Coast Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadron offers a free vessel safety check. Common problems found: Lack of personal flotation devices, lack of visual distress signals or inoperable navigational lights. For a complete list of what boaters should check prior to heading out, or to schedule a free vessel safety check, visit www.vesselsafetycheck.org.
Jeffrey P. Mayor, The News Tribune
Swift Reservoir opening delayed
Anglers planning to fish Swift Reservoir will have to wait a month.
The state delayed the opener until May 24. Swift Reservoir, in Skamania County, is the uppermost reservoir of the three reservoirs on the North Fork Lewis River south of Mount St. Helens.
The delay is necessary because of the abnormally slow melting of the heavy snowpack in the basin. Spring runoff has yet to occur, resulting in unusually low water levels.
Last week the reservoir was about 82 feet below full pool. It needs to rise another 55 feet before the boat ramp is available for use. The water level is 50 feet below the 15-year average for this time of year.
The basin's snowpack is 170 percent of normal and includes an abundance of low-elevation snow. The cold weather that hit the region in late March and earlier this month not only kept any snow from melting, but added to the snowpack.
The Swift campground also is closed until the snow melts.
The 60,000 catchable rainbow trout scheduled to be planted for the opener will be planted the week before Memorial Day weekend.
The News Tribune
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Fishing reduces stress and gives you a break from our modern world where everything is going a million miles per hour
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Check & Clear 6
LOC: 38-54-14.60N / 097-14-09.07W
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