05_2025_REELLIFE_digital - Flipbook - Page 15
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Westside Trout Roundup By
Hannah Pennebaker
It's that time of year again,
trout fishing has finally
kicked off! May is a great
time to take your family out
to your local lake. WDFW
stocks many lakes with
thousands of catchable size
rainbow trout every spring.
These fish are hungry and
active, and taste great on
the grill. There's nothing
like a relaxing day of fishing
followed by a good trout
dinner. Let's talk about
my favorite Western
Washington trout lakes. I
will include lakes with both
boat ramps and good shore
access on this list.
American Lake
Let's kick off this list with a
beloved Pierce County lake.
There are multiple boat
ramps and shore access
spots on this large lake. This
is a popular spot for jet skis
and pleasure boaters, so
exercise caution if you're
on a small boat. This lake
is deeper and larger than
most lakes in the area.
The fish can be a bit more
difficult to find since they
have room to spread out.
However, WDFW usually
plants twenty thousand or
more fish, so your odds are
pretty good! Try fishing the
shore or dock at Harry Todd
Park, or pay a small fee to
fish at Bill's Boathouse.
They also offer boat rentals.
If the trout aren't biting, you
can also try your luck for
yellow perch.
LAKE BALLINGER
This northern lake has good
shore access and a large
fishing pier. It's a great spot
for fishermen with small
boats, rafts, or kayaks.
Gasoline motors are not
permitted, so you won't
have to worry about getting
blown off the water by jet
skis or large boats. The
south end of the lake is a
bit deeper, and that's where
the fish tend to hang out.
MINERAL LAKE
This lake is a bit off the
beaten path, but you have
the best chance of scoring
a trophy trout here. There is
a fishing dock and decent
shore access. You'll have
company on weekends,
however. There are also
brown trout in this lake! A
word of caution for boatersthere are many stumps
on the lake, and some are
difficult to see. Keep an eye
out!
BLACK LAKE
Located close to Olympia,
this popular lake boasts a
variety of different kinds
of fish. If the trout aren't
biting, try for panfish! There
is good shore access at
the park and boat launch.
WDFW has planted over
twenty thousand trout here
this spring.
LAKE PADDEN
No list of West side trout
lakes is complete without
this one. It has some of the
best shore access around!
The shoreline is dotted with
families enjoying a tranquil
