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Best rainbow trout lakes in Washington

209 Washington waters hold rainbow trout, 192 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 classic stocked cold-water trout. Depth is everything: rainbows follow the temperature layer they like.

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. Columbia River — Reach 1 of 5 — 117 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, SteelheadWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
3. Lake Crescent — 570 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
4. Potholes Reservoir — 142 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
5. Lake Sammamish — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 11 public access sites
6. Osoyoos Lake — 208 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 10 public access sites
7. Osoyoos Lake — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
8. Sprague Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Lake Tapps — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, MuskellungeWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
10. Lake Cushman — 147 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
11. Palmer Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
12. Cle Elum Lake — 67 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
13. Curlew Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Muskellunge, Yellow PerchWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
14. Sullivan Lake — 320 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, KokaneeWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Deer Lake — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Lake Stevens — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, KokaneeWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Mason Lake — 90 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. Badger Lake — 105 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Black Lake — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. American Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
21. Diamond Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Lake Goodwin — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Long Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
24. Lake Pleasant — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout, Brown BullheadWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. Bumping Lake — 89 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 184 more Washington waters holding rainbow trout.

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When to fish rainbow trout in Washington

• Spring 5–20 ft — Post-ice-out trout roam shallow; fish inflows and windblown shorelines.
• Summer 8–30 ft — Rainbows hold near cold inflows, current seams and the thermocline — find the cool water and you've found the fish.
• Fall 10–35 ft — Fall feeding on rock shoals, current and channel edges as water cools.
• Winter 8–40 ft — Trout are comfortable in cold water — one of the best winter targets; streams and tailwaters fish shallow, deep lakes hold on basin edges.

Also in Washington: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish 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 · best cutthroat trout lakes

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