Surplus Steelhead Coming To Several WA Lakes, Ponds

OLYMPIA, WA — Anglers may find themselves with bountiful catches this spring after the state releases more steelhead into several year-round fishing spots. The boost is thanks to a surplus in winter steelhead from several Washington hatcheries — a bonus that officials expect will create a few "regional hotspots."

"This is part of an ongoing effort to give anglers an opportunity to harvest surplus steelhead with minimal to no impacts on wild fish," WDFW said Wednesday. "It is expected that hundreds of these high-quality "landlocked" steelhead — weighing an average of 8 to 10 pounds apiece — will be trucked to these lakes and ponds in the weeks ahead."

Here's where the surplus is going:

• Black Lake
• Cases Lake
• Snag Lake
• Western Lake
• Kress Lake
• Horseshoe Lake
• Lake
• Fort Borst Park Pond
• Inez (Vance Creek Pond 2)

WDFW said anglers should follow typical freshwater fishing rules for the hatchery steelhead, like following daily catch limits, which are listed in the latest pamphlets. While recording "landlocked" steelhead on catch cards is not required, the planted fish will have a tag on their dorsal fin with a phone number anglers can call to help the state track the program's success.

Here's how to identify hatchery steelhead from wild, from WDFW:

"Steelhead and rainbow trout are the same species, but rainbow trout are freshwater only, and steelhead are anadromous, or migrate out to sea before returning to spawn. Unlike most salmon, steelhead can survive spawning, and can spawn in multiple years. Release of wild steelhead is required in Washington state and can be distinguished from hatchery steelhead by a clipped adipose fin, found posterior to the dorsal fin and anterior of the caudal fin. Regular planted rainbow trout plants into these lakes will still have an adipose fin and may be kept."

Learn more about freshwater fishing in Washington on the WDFW website.