Brook trout, cutthroat and some strains of rainbow are adaptable and prolific in their spawning habits, sometimes using springs to spawn in high lakes. Uncontrolled reproduction in high lakes can lead to overpopulation. Such trout lakes are characterized by dense populations of slow growing trout with large heads and skinny bodies. Essentially, they are eating themselves out of house and home.
WDFW allows for a more liberal harvest in some of these over-populated lakes and stocks others with predator species to bring these populations under control. The agency encourages anglers to fish these lakes and has identified where over-populated lakes exist through the high lakes mapping tools. Anglers are strongly encouraged to seek out these lakes and remove the legal number of trout each day they fish. Reducing the over-abundance of trout in these lakes lessens the impact these populations are having on lake ecology and native aquatic fauna.
Find an overabundant fish lake
Name | Acres Sort ascending | Elevation | County | Location (opens in Google Maps) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Blanca | 160.10 acres | 3976 feet | Snohomish | 47.940573, -121.34106 |
Berdeen | 125.60 acres | 5018 feet | Whatcom | 48.71593, -121.464573 |
Hozomeen (HM-2) | 97.30 acres | 2827 feet | Whatcom | 48.959828, -121.036569 |
Lyman | 73.50 acres | 5603 feet | Chelan | 48.193334, -120.910499 |
Chiwaukum | 68.50 acres | 5214 feet | Chelan | 47.72505, -120.887102 |
Klonaqua - Upper | 65.20 acres | 5191 feet | Chelan | 47.591968, -121.078666 |
Found | 62.90 acres | 4027 feet | Skagit | 48.434211, -121.253438 |
Tomyhoi | 61.90 acres | 3726 feet | Whatcom | 48.974521, -121.681236 |
Goat (Snohomish County) | 58.40 acres | 3165 feet | Snohomish | 48.017787, -121.350916 |
Echo | 51.20 acres | 3823 feet | Pierce | 47.041233, -121.424106 |
Dewey | 50.60 acres | 5116 feet | Yakima | 46.855944, -121.482124 |
Delta | 45.60 acres | 3235 feet | King | 47.591733, -121.310016 |
Kaleetan | 41.60 acres | 3864 feet | King | 47.466207, -121.494398 |
Iceberg | 36.50 acres | 4797 feet | Whatcom | 48.854069, -121.717971 |
Shield | 35.80 acres | 6699 feet | Chelan | 47.496981, -120.780756 |
Robin - Upper | 34.90 acres | 6183 feet | Kittitas | 47.586466, -121.099525 |
Shovel | 34.40 acres | 4143 feet | Kittitas | 47.53831, -121.202894 |
Cedar | 34.40 acres | 4206 feet | Pierce | 47.074207, -121.838999 |
Doubtful | 29.90 acres | 5390 feet | Chelan | 48.473985, -121.047633 |
Shuksan | 29.00 acres | 3698 feet | Whatcom | 48.773767, -121.573469 |