Black Friday Fishing: WA Stocks 1000s Of Trout In Local Lakes

OLYMPIA, WA — Western Washington lakes will be well-stocked with fish for the holidays, providing anglers the perfect excuse to skip Black Friday lines and cast a few of their own.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife will have distributed thousands of "holiday special" rainbow trout in dozens of lakes by Thanksgiving, each averaging 15 to 16 inches long and weighing up to three pounds.

"The Thanksgiving weekend is one of the best times of year to go fishing in Washington, and it's also a great time to introduce visiting friends or relatives to the joy of fishing," said Steve Caromile, WDFW's inland fish program manager. "Hitting your local lake offers a great alternative to the chaos of Black Friday."

Lakes across the region will benefit from the boon, including Beaver Lake and Green Lake in King County, Lake Kapowsin and Bonney Lake in Pierce County, and Lake Ballinger and Lake Tye in Snohomish County.

Here are a few freshly-stocked lakes to visit from WDFW:

• Battleground and Klineline lakes in Clark County
• Kress Lake in Cowlitz County
• Cranberry Lake in Island County
• Leland Lake in Jefferson County
• Beaver and Green lakes in King County
• Rowland Lake in Klickitat County
• Fort Borst Park Pond and South Lewis County Park Pond in Lewis County
• Spencer Lake in Mason County
• Lake Tanwax, Lake Kapowsin, and American, Bonney, and Harts lakes in Pierce County
• Lake Ballinger, Gissburg Ponds, Silver Lake, and Lake Tye in Snohomish County
• Lake St. Clair, Long’s Pond, and Black, Long, Offutt, and Ward lakes in Thurston County
• Elton Pond North in Yakima County

Anglers 15 and older must have a current freshwater fishing license to participate, which can be purchased online, through local vendors, or by phone at 1-866-246-9453. Readers can find more information on lakes and trout stocks on the WDFW website.