← Washington fishing maps

Best kokanee lakes in Washington

41 Washington waters list kokanee (official records or labelled estimates), 40 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — 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 · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Chinook SalmonWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 11 public access sites
2. Lake Crescent — 570 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
3. Lake Sammamish — 25 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 11 public access sites
4. Osoyoos Lake — 208 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 10 public access sites
5. Palmer Lake — 70 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
6. Curlew Lake — 120 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, MuskellungeWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
7. Sullivan Lake — 320 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, KokaneeWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
8. Deer Lake — 75 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Lake Stevens — 150 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Mason Lake — 90 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, KokaneeWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Badger Lake — 105 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. American Lake — 90 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. Lake Pleasant — 50 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout, Brown BullheadWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Bumping Lake — 89 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Lake Sutherland — 80 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Loon Lake — 100 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Lake Sawyer — 50 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
18. Deep Lake — 45 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Lake Cavanaugh — 80 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Deep Lake — 115 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
21. Alta Lake — 75 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, KokaneeWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
22. Mountain Lake — 120 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
23. Patterson Lake — 85 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
24. Davis Lake — 140 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. Lost Lake — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 16 more Washington waters holding kokanee.

Find the closest kokanee waters to you →

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 · best pink salmon lakes · best chum salmon lakes · best pacific chinook salmon lakes · best pacific coho salmon lakes · best english sole lakes · best lingcod lakes

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