During the busy spring and summer months, the city operates a boat-rental facility from the northwest side of the lake by Evans Pool. Numerous parking areas and street parking let anglers carry float tubes, pontoon boats or small car-toppers to the water. But there is no boat ramp on the lake.

The first rainbows are planted around mid-March, when the hatchery trucks begin arriving. They continue deliveries until 20,000 of the five-to-the-pound fish are stocked. Just to add some weight to the stringer, the Department of Fish and Wildlife tosses in several hundred triploid trout. Those that survive the first few days rapidly gain weight in the lake’s nutrient-rich water.

Green Lake also receives special fish plants. Two years ago, the Washington Farm Bureau, a state senator, and Troutlodge got together to release 6,000 surplus 12- to 16-inch rainbows, right in front of evening news TV cameras. That should give you an idea of the attention this enclave gets from time to time.

Once word gets out of new fish in the lake, bank-fishers appear on the south and west shores. Still-fishing with a heavy slip sinker and a floating bait, like marshmallows or PowerBait, is very popular. Some anglers use a chunk of night crawler topped with marshmallow to suspend the bait off the bottom.

Green Lake regulars pack a lunch, bring a bucket to sit on, stake out their spots and enjoy all the scenery while waiting for fish to bite.

Trolling isn’t as popular here as on other lakes. Anglers who do troll from their own boat or a rented one, favor small Dick Nite spoons, Triple Teasers and Rooster Tails. Flatfish in F3, F4 and F5 sizes, trolled on a long line with no weight, are popular. With no lead on the line, even a medium-sized fish makes for a sporting battle

Casting lures from shore, or one of the many fishing piers or public docks, results in many fish caught. A small Rooster Tail cast along the shoreline and retrieved just outside the first weedline will take fish.

Kastmasters are popular for those who want to fish further out from shore. The red-and-white Daredevle works for trout and has attracted more than a few tiger muskies that got away after bending out the hook.

Green Lake is evolving into an after-work destination for fly-fishing locals who need to wet a line but haven’t the time or gas money to get out of town. Wader-clad, float-tubing fly-fishers probing weedbeds and lily pads in search of trout, juxtaposed with the thousands of runners, walkers, skaters and bikers streaming past, show this lake is vital to Seattle’s outdoor culture.

Green Lake has substantial chironomid hatches in April and May, and hatchery trout quickly adapt to them. A TDC or Ice Cream Cone on a floating line under a strike indicator is one way to go. For more active fishing, use black or green Woolly Buggers on sink-tip lines.

If the fish are hitting emergers, try casting a dark, soft-hackle fly as close to the rise ring as possible, then slowly strip line. After taking an emerger, trout will often circle, looking for more food, and see your fly.