Trout planted in several lakes for spring-break fishing

OLYMPIA - Rainbow trout are being planted in lakes in Grays Harbor, Thurston, Pierce, Mason and Kitsap counties to offer spring-break fishing opportunities.

"This trout stocking provides a great opportunity for folks to enjoy early-season fishing during local schools' spring vacations," said Ron Warren, regional fish program manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

Lakes planted with "catchable" size trout include:

• Grays Harbor County: Lake Sylvia will receive 4,800 catchable-size rainbows measuring 7 to 9 inches in length, while Duck Lake and Vance Creek (Elma) Pond #1 will receive 4,300 trout of similar size. Each lake also will be planted with several hundred larger trout - averaging 3 to 4 pounds each - that were reared under a cooperative project with the Chehalis Basin Task Force.

  Duck Lake and Lake Sylvia are open to all anglers year-round, while Vance Creek Pond #1 will be open from March 26 to April 10 for anglers under 15 years old, seniors 70 years of age and older, and anglers with a disability who have a WDFW reduced-fee license or a designated harvester card. Vance Creek (Elma) Pond #1 will re-open April 30, the opening day of lowland lake fishing.

• Thurston and Pierce counties: Long's Pond in Thurston County will receive 2,000 rainbows measuring 10 to 11 inches in length and 200 slightly larger trout measuring 14 to 16 inches. Bradley Lake in Pierce County will receive 2,000 rainbow trout measuring 10 to 11 inches in length.

Only juvenile anglers under 15 years of age can fish at Long's Pond, which is open year-round. Bradley Lake is also open year-round, but from May 15 through June 7 the lake is only open to anglers under 15 years of age.

• Mason County: Lost Lake will receive 4,700 rainbows measuring 8 to 10 inches in length and 400 cutthroat trout weighing about one pound each. Spencer Lake will receive 5,000 rainbows measuring 8 to 10 inches and 900 cutthroat trout weighing about one pound each. Both lakes are open year-round to all anglers.
• Kitsap County: Island Lake will receive 1,900 rainbows measuring 8 to 10 inches in length and 200 cutthroat trout weighing about one pound each. Island Lake is open year-round to all anglers.

For fishing regulations at each lake, check the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/. Information on when and where fish are stocked in area lakes is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/weekly/.

All anglers 15 years of age and older are required to have a valid fishing license. Anglers are reminded that fishing licenses are valid from April 1 through March 31 each year. Licenses can be purchased on the Internet (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/), by telephone (1-866-246-9453), or at hundreds of license dealers across the state (listed on the WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/vendors/).