Quail Lake

Quail Lake is located within the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge (CNWR) south of Potholes Reservoir.   WDFW fishing regulations and licenses apply to all lakes within this federal refuge.  Vehicle or walk-in access to these lakes is managed by the USFWS.  WDFW recommends that anglers review access and other regulations on the CNWR website.  Access to the lake is hike-in only (~1/2 mile).  Fishing at Quail Lake has been excellent the past five years for nice sized Rainbow Trout mostly 14 inches and larger.   

Two-pole fishing is allowed

Special fishing restrictions:

  • Fly fishing only for this lake

Shoreline access: Good - Most of the shoreline is accessible, but shoreline vegetation makes fishing tough.

Species you might catch

Lake information

County: Adams
Acreage: 11.60 ac.
Elevation: 961 ft.
Center: 46.903498, -119.192953
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Fishing resources

Catchable fish plants
Release Location: QUAIL LK (ADAM)
Stock Date Species Number Released Number of Fish Per Pound Facility
Feb 11, 2000 Brown Trout 501 2.9 COLUMBIA BASIN HATCHERY
Mar 9, 1999 Brown Trout 498 2.8 COLUMBIA BASIN HATCHERY
Visit the Catchable Trout Plants page for a more detailed search of trout plants in other bodies of water. To view and download the source data for this table visit the WDFW Fish Plants dataset on data.wa.gov.

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