Cougar

Big & Little Cougar Lakes sit at over 5000 feet in elevation and are popular with hikers and equestrians. Take in the great view of "House Rock" as you enjoy the sandy banks of the lake fishing for small, abundant Eastern Brook Trout.

Getting here:

From 410/Chinook Pass Hwy turn onto the Bumping River Road & proceed past Bumping Lake onto a dirt road to the USFS Rd #1800 junction. Continue on Rd #1800 until it ends at Trail Head #970. Hike Trail #970 (with ford of upper Bumping River), pass by Swamp Lake to junction with Trail #958. Continue to Cougar Lakes on Trail # 958A (total distance approx. 5.5 miles).

Species you might catch

Lake information

County: Yakima
Acreage: 78.40 ac.
Elevation: 5019 ft.
TRS: T15R11E SEC4
Center: 46.812707, -121.440605
Open in Google Maps

Find high lakes

View larger map

Fishing resources

Fish stocking info
10 most recent catchable (3 fish per pound or larger) fish plants in this lake
Stock Date Species Number Released Number of Fish Per Pound Facility

Visit the Catchable Trout Plants page for a more detailed search of trout plants in this or other bodies of water. To view or download the source data for this table visit the WDFW Fish Plants dataset on the Washington State Open Data Portal

Fishing prospects calendar

Rainbow trout

Fishing success for Rainbow Trout is generally best in the spring when thousands of fish are stocked statewide, but they can be caught year-round in most waters with a little patience and persistence. Success remains high into June and gradually declines as water temperatures increase and fish move offshore to stay cool. Fish that escaped the spring harvest return to the nearshore areas in the fall as waters cool off. Some waters may also be stocked again in the fall further boosting catch rates.
Chart showing fishing prospects throughout the calendar year

Photos
Cougar
Photo by WDFW