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Best cutthroat trout lakes in Washington

53 Washington waters hold cutthroat trout, 51 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The native trout of the West, named for the orange slash under its jaw. A shoreline cruiser that hunts drop-offs, inlets and rocky points for baitfish and insects.

1. Willapa Bay — 94 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Cutthroat TroutWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
2. Grays Harbor — 116 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Cutthroat TroutWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
3. Lake Washington — 214 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Yellow PerchWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
4. Lake Crescent — 570 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
5. Riffe Lake — 360 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
6. Lake Wenatchee — 240 ft max · survey depth data · Cutthroat TroutWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
7. Mason Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
8. Badger Lake — 105 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Diamond Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Lake Pleasant — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout, Brown BullheadWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Dungeness Bay — 162 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Cutthroat TroutWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
12. Bumping Lake — 89 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. Sequim Bay — 126 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Cutthroat TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Lake Cavanaugh — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Marshall Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Cutthroat TroutWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Mountain Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
17. Leland Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Liberty Bay — 66 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Cutthroat TroutWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
19. Kitsap Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Tiger Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
21. Mission Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Devereaux Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Summit Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
24. Lake Roesiger — 115 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. Benson Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 28 more Washington waters holding cutthroat trout.

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When to fish cutthroat trout in Washington

• Spring 3–15 ft — Pre- and post-spawn cutthroat gang up at tributary mouths and cruise gravel shorelines — swing a spinner or fly through the inlet current.
• Summer 10–35 ft — Summer cutthroat hold along the first shoreline drop and off rocky points, sliding deeper as the surface warms — troll or cast the 15-30 ft edge.
• Fall 5–25 ft — Cooling water brings cutthroat back onto rocky points and gravel shoals to feed hard before winter.
• Winter 10–40 ft — Cold-tolerant like all trout — cutthroat hang on the deep shoreline drops and basin edges through the cold months.

Also in Washington: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best chinook salmon lakes · best coho salmon lakes · best steelhead lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best kokanee lakes

Cutthroat Trout elsewhere: British Columbia · Montana · Wyoming · Alberta · Utah · Colorado · New Mexico · Idaho · Nevada