Scooteney Reservoir

Situated about nine miles southeast of Othello, west of Highway SR-17, this body of water has a year-round open fishing season. Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill sunfish, crappie, and Yellow Perch produce good action throughout the year. The lake has a large population of Lake Whitefish that largely goes unfished. This lake is popular for ice fishing when conditions allow.

The Bureau of Reclamation campground has a developed access area with boat launch, a small dock, and toilets.

Scooteney Reservoir is one of the waters on which we conduct our annual Fall Walleye Index Netting (FWIN) surveys. The FWIN methodology was developed in Ontario, Canada as a means of monitoring a wide variety of biological parameters in Walleye populations in a standardized fashion using gill nets. Our latest report can be found here. https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01600/

Two-pole fishing is allowed

Shoreline access: Good - Shoreline fishing areas are scattered throughout the lake.

Species you might catch

Lake information

County: Franklin
Acreage: 710.70 ac.
Elevation: 925 ft.
Center: 46.712992, -119.039345
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Fishing resources

Catchable fish plants

Release Location: SCOOTENEY RES (FRAN)
Stock Date	Species	Number Released	Number of Fish Per Pound	Facility
Mar 30, 2000	Channel Catfish	18	3	COLUMBIA BASIN HATCHERY

Fishing prospects calendar

Largemouth bass

Fishing improves throughout the spring as waters warm and fish move onshore, peaking during the spawn. Summer is a slight lull though dawn/dusk hours can be very good. Catch improves in Fall as waters cool, vegetation begins to die back, and prey becomes more available. Winter is the hardest time because fish are offshore and slow moving.

Smallmouth bass

Walleye

Fishing peaks before and after the spawn, with the spawning period (April) being more difficult. Summer fishing is excellent, with a lull during the heat of the summer, while Fall sees an improvement as waters cool, vegetation dies back, and prey becomes more available. Winter is tougher, but still fair, since Walleye are readily caught during the winter months in deeper water.

Yellow perch

Yellow Perch can be caught year-round. Fishing is best in the summer after they finish spawning in April-May. Fish can be readily angled through the summer from both the shore and boat. Catch begins to decline in the fall as water temperatures cool and fish move offshore forcing anglers to pursue them in boats. Successful fishing for Yellow Perch in the winter involves either targeting schools in deep water from boats or through the ice.

Channel catfish

Fishing improves throughout the spring, peaking before the spawning period in June and July. Fishing may pick up in early Fall, followed by a decrease in action as waters cool. Winter is a difficult time to target this species.

Yellow bullhead

Fishing improves throughout the spring, peaking before the spawning period in May and June. Fishing may pick up in early Fall, followed by a decrease in action as waters cool. Winter is a difficult time to target this species.