The region’s top-producing rainbow trout-stocked lake on the April 28 official opening day of lowland lake fishing season, was Warden Lake in Grant County, where anglers averaged 4.09 fish caught and kept. Anglers at Grant County’s Deep Lake averaged catches over the five-fish daily limit, and kept 3.13 fish, on average, after releases. Park Lake, also in Grant County, had a 2.91 fish per angler average.

In Okanogan County, Wannacut Lake anglers averaged 3.4 trout harvested and Alta Lake averaged 2.92. WDFW Okanogan District Fish Biologist Bob Jateff reports overall angler effort was down a bit from previous years and fishing success seemed to be hampered by water clouded by recent heavy rains.

A couple of other lakes—Big Twin near Winthrop and Blue near Sinlahekin—opened April 28 but were not checked because they’re under selective gear rules and one-fish catch limits. Both should be good for rainbows in the 12-16 inch range. Blue Lake also has brown trout.

Chelan County’s Clear Lake saw an average harvest of 2.92 fish per angler on the opener. Anglers at Beehive Lake, also in Chelan County, averaged 2.73 fish harvested.

Douglas County’s Jameson Lake saw an average of only two fish harvested per angler on opening day. But WDFW District Wildlife Biologist Travis Maitland reports a lot more fishing pressure and success at Jameson than creel data indicates, since the creel reports are based only on completed angler trips.

Jateff also noted several Okanogan County selective-gear, catch-and-release waters continue to provide good fishing after their April 1 opener. Davis Lake near Winthrop and Rat Lake near Brewster both have rainbows in the 10-14 inch range, and Rat also has brown trout.

Spectacle Lake near Loomis, which has been open since April 1, has been producing rainbows in the 10-14 inch range with an occasional triploid up to two pounds. Spectacle also has yellow perch, bluegill, and bass available.

WDFW Fish Biologist Mike Schmuck reports walleye fishing on Moses Lake has been good on the Crab Creek arm (locally known as the “Alder Street Fill”) in downtown Moses Lake. Smallmouth bass fishing on Moses Lake and Potholes Reservoir has been good, with warm weather moving fish into shallower water. Largemouth bass fishing (catch-and-release only) is picking up on the Quincy Wildlife Area’s Stan Coffin Lake as water temperatures warm into the mid-to high-50s. Stan Coffin Lake also has a healthy channel catfish population with some fish up to five pounds.