Mossyrock Fish Hatchery specialist Mario Troche unloads a net full of Rainbow Trout into a holding truck in April in Mossyrock.
More than 100,000 hatchery rainbow trout are destined for Washington lakes this fall thanks to a stocking effort by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife that is meant to buoy inland fishing opportunities through the holiday season.
Those “catchable size” hatchery trout will be dispersed to at least 45 lakes, including waters in Lewis, Thurston, Grays Harbor, Cowlitz, Pacific and Pierce counties. Millions of smaller trout were released in lakes and ponds this spring, and those that haven’t been caught yet are sure to be plump after a summer to fatten up.
“Fall can be one of the best times of the year to reel in a nice-sized trout, and fishing should be terrific over the next few months,” said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW inland fish program manager, in a press release. “Most of the stocked trout are 13 to 15 inches long, with a few larger ones in the mix.”
In Lewis County, Fort Borst Park Pond and South Lewis County Park Pond are slated to receive 2,000 rainbow trout weighing 1.25 pounds each on Nov. 20. In Thurston County, seven lakes are set to be stocked, including Offutt Lake, which is tabbed to be planted with 1,000 trout weighing 1.3 pounds each on Nov. 20.
Those trout stocking efforts will also serve to prepare area lakes for the traditional Black Friday fishing event on Nov. 24. On the day after Thanksgiving, families are encouraged to forgo shopping sprees in favor of reeling in fish in the great outdoors.
The complete fall trout stocking plan is available for review online at wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/fall-into-fishing/.
Up to date stocking information is available in weekly trout stocking reports online at wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/weekly/.
In order to fish, anglers are required to possess a current Washington freshwater fishing license.
