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Best kokanee lakes in Washington

29 Washington waters hold kokanee, 28 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. Landlocked sockeye. A plankton-eating school fish glued to its preferred temperature band — find the school, catch a limit.

1. Lake Chelan — 1400 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Lake TroutWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 11 public access sites
2. Lake Crescent — 570 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
3. Osoyoos Lake — 208 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 10 public access sites
4. Palmer Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
5. Sullivan Lake — 320 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, KokaneeWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
6. Lake Stevens — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, KokaneeWhy #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. American Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow 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. Loon Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Lake Sawyer — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, KokaneeWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
13. Lake Cavanaugh — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Alta Lake — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, KokaneeWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
15. Mountain Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
16. Patterson Lake — 85 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Devereaux Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Summit Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Spectacle Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, KokaneeWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Lake Roesiger — 115 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
21. Benson Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Ward Lake — 67 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. Crater Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
24. Devils Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Conconully Reservoir — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brook TroutWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 4 more Washington waters holding kokanee.

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When to fish kokanee in Washington

• Spring 10–30 ft — Schools roam the upper column over open water while it's cool — short leaders, slow trolls.
• Summer 30–70 ft — Kokanee compress into the 50-55°F band at the thermocline over the deepest basins — precise depth is everything.
• Fall 5–40 ft — Spawners turn crimson and gang up off tributary mouths and gravel shorelines; remaining fish scatter with turnover.
• Winter 20–80 ft — Deep suspended schools — an electronics game through the ice.

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 cutthroat trout lakes

Kokanee elsewhere: British Columbia · Montana · Wyoming · California · Utah · Colorado · New Mexico · Idaho