Washington has an abundance of trout fisheries, and although other angling often attracts more attention, trout fishing is huge. Over 25 million fry, fingerlings and catchable trout and kokanee are stocked every year. There are streams full of wild trout and high-country lakes teeming with scrappy fish.

Washington offers excellent trout fishing for anglers of all skill levels. Photo courtesy of Washington Forest Service.

Region 1: Eastern Washington's desert trout
Washington's high desert region is speckled with good trout waters, although it has few good trout rivers. Numerous lakes and ponds are well stocked with trout.

Lake Roosevelt is the impoundment above Grand Coolie Dam, and according to WDFW biologist Chris Donnelly, it's well worth trying if you have a boat. "It's a phenomenal trout fishery," says Donnelly. "It's full of trout from 15 to 24 inches."

Most fishermen troll for the big rainbows and a few brown trout with Kwikfish and wobblers. The south end of the lake is usually best for trout.

Rock Lake is another large lake that produces some excellent catches for anglers with boats. The trout population here is dominated by brown trout, and there are a few rainbows as well. Trolling is the go-to method here.

Sprague Lake is a huge, open, shallow desert lake that treats trout very well. "It's a very productive desert lake with incredible growth rates," reports Donnelly. "Those trout will grow to seven pounds in just 2 1/2 years." The lake is in the prime of the rehab cycle, and fishing should be great here for the next few years.

For mid-sized lakes, eastern Washington anglers can target Williams Lake near the town of Cheney. The lake was rehabbed in 2003 and will still be good this year. Stockings of catchable rainbows and fingerlings of rainbows and west slope cutthroats are joined by strong plantings of the larger triploid rainbows and big holdover fish. Boat anglers can troll just about anywhere and bank-anglers can pay to fish from private resort docks where quick limits are the norm.

Good mid-sized lakes that are heavily stocked include Badger Lake and West Medical Lake. Fish Lake is a good place to intercept browns and brookies.

With single fish limits and selective gear rules, the local quality lakes offer excellent fishing for much bigger trout, although it's mostly catch-and-release fishing. Look to Amber Lake for big rainbows and west slope cutthroats, Coffee Pot Lake for big rainbows, and Medical Lake for rainbows, brown trout and tiger trout hybrids.

For anglers with a hankering for moving water, the Spokane River offers a shot at redband rainbows from June through August. Rock Creek and Trout Creek also offer good stream trout action during the high-water months in spring and fall. Flowing mostly through private lands, fishermen will have to ask to gain access.

For more information, call the WDFW at (509) 892-1001.

Region 2: North country trout
This region in north-central Washington has some of the best trout fishing in the state. There are over 200 lowlands trout lakes and over 400 high-mountain lakes that hold trout.

In Grant County, a handful of Seep Lakes below Potholes Reservoir offers some excellent trout fishing. These include the popular Lenice Lake chain, and Lake Lenore. WDFW fish biologist Jeff Korth describes these as "The jewels of trout fishing" in this district.

The Lenice Lake chain includes Lenice Lake itself, as well as Merry Lake and Nunnally Lake. All of these lakes are quality lakes with a one-fish trout limit. Anglers can find rainbows, browns and tiger trout here.