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Best kokanee lakes in Washington

25 Washington waters hold kokanee, 25 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 Trout
2. Lake Crescent — 570 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout
3. Mason Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout
4. American Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow Trout
5. Palmer Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
6. Loon Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
7. Lake Cavanaugh — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout
8. Lake Stevens — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee
9. Badger Lake — 105 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout
10. Spectacle Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Kokanee
11. Summit Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee
12. Lake Roesiger — 115 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout
13. Alkali Lake — 12 ft max · survey depth data · Kokanee
14. Lake Sawyer — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee
15. Wapato Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee
16. Alta Lake — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee
17. Mountain Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout
18. Bonaparte Lake — 110 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee
19. Patterson Lake — 85 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee
20. Angle Lake — 52 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee
21. Pierre Lake — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout
22. Devereaux Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout
23. Benson Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout
24. Ward Lake — 67 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout
25. Beaver Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout

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 brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes

Kokanee elsewhere: Montana · Wyoming · Utah · Colorado · Idaho