Kids can fish in all lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks and saltwater fishing areas open to other anglers. Many of these waters, especially lowland lakes, have Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife access areas open to public fishing. These access areas are included in the current Fishing in Washington pamphlet. Some of these access areas have only a few yards of shoreline fishing while other have room for dozens of anglers at a time. Visit Where to fish on the Go fishing website.
Many county and city parks, national forest campgrounds and other public areas are also located on the shores of lakes and streams where it’s possible to fish from the water’s edge.
There are a number of lakes and ponds just for kids. See the list below for one near you.
| County |
Water |
Open
To: |
Open
Season |
| Adams |
Para-Juvenile
Lake (shared with Grant Co.) |
juveniles
only |
April
1-Sept. 30 |
| Asotin |
Headgate
Pond |
juveniles,
seniors, disability licenses |
Last
Sat. April -Oct. 31 |
| Benton |
Columbia
Park Pond (formerly "Lagoon") |
juveniles,
disability licenses |
Year-round |
| Chelan |
Enchantment
Park Ponds |
juveniles-only |
Currently closed
for rearing Steelhead,
check back in July |
| Clallam |
Lincoln
Pond |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Peabody
Creek |
juveniles-only |
Last
Sat. April-Oct. 31 |
| Valley
Creek |
juveniles-only |
Last
Sat. April-Oct. 31 |
| Columbia |
Dayton
Pond |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Douglas |
Pit
Lake |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Garfield |
Pataha
Creek (within Pomeroy city limits) |
juveniles-only |
June
1-Oct. 31 |
| Grant |
Para-juvenile
Lake (shared with Adams Co.) |
juveniles-only |
April 1-Sept. 30 |
| Columbia
Basin Hatchery Creek (from hatchery outflow to mainstream Hatchery
Creek) |
juveniles,
disability licenses |
Year-round |
| Columbia
Basin Hatchery Creek (excluding the section described above) |
family
fishing* |
Year-round |
| Grays
Harbor |
Mill
Creek Pond |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Vance
Creek #1 |
juveniles,
seniors, disability licenses |
Last
Sat. April-Nov. 31 |
| King |
Coal
Creek (near Snoqualmie) mouth to I-90 |
juveniles-only |
Last
Sat. April-Oct. 31 |
| Kimball
Creek (near Snoqualmie) |
juveniles-only |
Last
Sat. April-Oct. 31 |
| Mill
Pond (Auburn) |
juveniles-only |
Last
Sat. April-Oct. 31 |
| Old
Fishing Hole Pond (Kent) |
juveniles-only |
Last
Sat. April-Oct. 31 |
| Kittitas |
Mercer
Creek (within Ellensburg city limits) |
juveniles-only |
June
1-Oct. 31 |
| Naneum
Pond |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Wilson
Creek (2 branches within Ellensburg city limits) |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Klickitat |
Jewitt
Creek |
juveniles-only |
Sept.
1-Oct. 31 |
| Little
Klickitat River (within Goldendale city limits) |
juveniles-only |
Last
Sat. April-Oct. 31 |
| Lewis |
Fort
Borst Park Lake |
family
fishing* |
Last
Sat. April-Feb. 28 |
| Blue
Creek (check Fishing in Washington regulation pamphlet for area) |
Wheelchair-bound
anglers only |
Dec.
1-Dec. 31 |
| Lincoln |
Goose
Creek (within Wilbur city limits) |
juveniles,
disability licenses |
Year-round |
| Okanogan |
Jasmine
Creek |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Silvernail
(Silver Nail) Lake |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Pacific |
Cases
Pond |
juveniles-only |
Last
Sat. April-Oct. 31 |
| South
Bend Mill Pond |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Pierce |
DeCoursey
Pond |
juveniles-only |
Last
Sat. April-Nov. 31 |
| Wapato
Lake |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Skagit |
Northern
State Hospital Pond |
juveniles-only |
Last
Sat. April-Oct. 31 |
| Snohomish |
Fortson
Mill Pond #2 |
juveniles-only |
Last
Sat. April-Oct. 31 |
| Jennings
Park Pond |
juveniles-only |
Last
Sat. April-Oct. 31 |
| Spokane |
Bear
Lake |
family
fishing*, disability licenses |
Year-round |
| Thurston |
Long's
Pond (Lacey) |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Walla
Walla |
Jefferson
Park Pond |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Lions
(Lyons) Park Pond (College Place) |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Whatcom |
Fishtrap
Creek (Koh Road to Bender Road) |
juveniles-only |
June
1-Oct. 31 |
| Johnson
Creek (Northern Pacific Railroad tracks to Lawson Street footbridge
in Sumas) |
juveniles-only |
June
1-Oct. 31 |
| Whatcom
Creek (from stone bridge at Whatcom Falls Park to Lake Whatcam) |
juveniles-only |
Last
Sat. April-Oct. 31 |
| Whitman |
Garfield
Juvenile Pond |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| Yakima |
Sarge
Hubbard Park Pond |
juveniles,
disability licenses |
Year-round |
| Yakima
Sportsmen's Park Ponds |
juveniles-only |
Year-round |
| * family
fishing = juveniles, juniors and adults when accompanied by
a juvenile |
