Best Fishing Spots in Washington

The Cascades split Washington into two fishing states. West of the crest the climate is mild and maritime, waters sit low and fish through most of the year; east of it the country is drier and colder in winter, and lakes on the Columbia Plateau freeze in a way coastal waters never do. Mapped elevations run from 18 metres below sea level to 2,470 metres, with a median just over 700 metres, so alpine lakes in the Cascades and North Cascades open only after snowmelt clears the approach. Natural lakes outnumber reservoirs by a wide margin. Puget Sound adds saltwater fishing on an entirely separate footing, with its own licensing and seasons that change year to year, particularly for salmon. Our Washington coverage runs to 2,598 waters in 39 counties. The list leans towards natural lakes, with reservoirs filling much of the rest. The largest on the list is Franklin D Roosevelt Lake, at roughly 111 sq miles. Where depth is recorded, Lake Washington goes deepest at roughly 213 feet. Climate averages across these waters run 28°F in the cold month and 62°F in the warm one. Break-up sits near early March on average across the state. Occurrence records are dominated by rainbow trout, largemouth bass, Chinook salmon and cutthroat trout....