On the other hand, lakes in the Okanogan Highlands and upper Yakima River turn on once the sun begins to broil the shrub-steppe and sagebrush. As a rule of thumb, an angler will do well to focus on lakes without trees early in the season, lakes with a fringe of trees in late spring, and lakes set amid forests during summer.

For years, legions of anglers drove over Snoqualmie Pass each March to fish the dozens of Seep Lakes downstream of Potholes Reservoir. Ranging from sprawling Soda Lake to remote Widgeon Lake, these lakes often turned out heavy stringers of rainbows, with fish topping the 10-pound mark. Two years ago, however, the WDFW switched the opening day on many lakes to April 1, arguing that more stable weather and water temperatures would produce even better fishing. Lakes affected include Cattail, Coot, Gadwall, Upper and Lower Hampton, Hourglass, Pillar, Poacher, Sago, Shoveler, Snipe, Teal and Widgeon. However, you can still fish in March at Soda, Warden, Long, Goldeneye, Chukar, Blythe and Canal lakes, among others. The celebrated Lenice-Merry-Nunnally chain and Lenore Lake's Lahanton cutthroats also remain open in March.

Anglers on sprawling Potholes Reservoir, which is open year 'round, catch trout before March, especially during warm winters. In recent years, around 150,000 catchable rainbows have been released in Potholes, where they quickly pack on extra weight. Within Adams County, Banks Lake has received more than 140,000 fry and 100,000 catchable rainbows in recent years, while Douglas County's springtime workhorse, Jameson Lake, also sees regular visits from hatchery trucks.

Okanogan County anglers take early-season rainbows at Bonaparte Lake, which has also turned out 20-plus-pound mackinaw, and at Spectacle Lake, which opens on March 1. "Actually, it is usually a little slow in March," said Teri Leep, owner of Spectacle Lake Resort (509-223-3433). "But they do catch rainbows up to 16 inches, mostly on Power Bait, worms or corn."

Leep says the fish become more aggressive in mid or late April. She says spinners - Wedding Rings and Rooster Tails - were popular last year, particularly in green or chartreuse. "Green is notorious on the lake," she said. "Chartreuse or spring green are also popular with Power Bait." Spectacle Lake also contains brown trout. Leep says that a 4 1/2-pound trout was taken last year, and an 8 1/2-pounder the year before that. "It seems the larger ones are taken by trollers in deep water."

Between 35,000 and 65,000 hatchery fry have been planted in Okanogan County's Alta, Pearrygin and Wannacut lakes, as well as Conconully Lake and Conconully Reservoir in recent years. In addition, these waters yield good numbers of 2-plus-pound holdover trout, and both of the Conconully stillwaters have been planted with catchable rainbows.

Anglers interested in bruiser Lahanton cutthroats can fish either Blue (the one near Wannacut) or Omak lakes, the latter of which is on the Colville Reservation and requires a tribal license.

As always, flyfishers will flock to Chopaka Lake for its mayfly hatches, but can find more solitude on Aeneas and Ell lakes.

When it comes to river fishing, quality trumps quantity in central Washington. Fewer streams remain open, as a result of ESA protections for steelhead and salmon. However, the Yakima River, especially the selective-fishery water between Easton and Roza dams, is the crown jewel of Evergreen State trout streams. The canyon water along Highway 82 is best early on, because it warms up earlier and is low and clear before irrigation releases swell the flow in summer. During late spring and summer's high water, the action switches upstream, to the area between Cle Elum and Thrall.

Although it is a long way from population centers, plenty of services are available once you arrive at the lake, including Curlew State Park and several resorts where you can launch or rent boats, obtain cabins or RV sites and buy supplies. Curlew Lake rainbows average a foot or so but range to 20-plus inches, and they respond to everything from Power Bait to wet flies to gang trolls.

Closer to Spokane, Medical and West Medical lakes are also productive. West Medical is open to all types of gear and receives over 100,000 rainbow fry annually. "It's been real good," said Ken Lewis, proprietor of West Medical Resort (509-299-3921). "Power Bait and worm/marshmallow and corn/marshmallow and Pautske eggs are popular. They also use a lot of Flatfish in black scale or frog or perch finishes." Medical Lake, which is adjacent to West Medical, is a selective fishery and is known for its brown trout.

Within Lincoln County, Roosevelt Lake is planted with as many as 500,000 catchable rainbows, while Fish Trap and Sprague lakes are popular during the early season. The foothills of the Selkirk Mountains are sprinkled with small lakes that contain a mixture of rainbow, cutthroat and brook trout. Pend Oreille County lakes like Diamond, Davis, Sachen and Brown, which is a fly-fishing-only water, tend to turn on later and are good summer destinations.

There is relatively little stillwater opportunity in southeast Washington. Anglers in search of large trout may want to gamble on Rock Lake, east of Ritzville; it contains large brown and rainbow trout and is most productive in spring and autumn. Faster action occurs in Asotin County's Golf Course and West Evans ponds, which are heavily planted with 8- to 9-inch catchable rainbows.

Trout fishermen more interested in rivers can enjoy the put-and-take rainbow on the mainstem Touchet River after it opens in June.