Waters stocked as lowland lake trout season beginsSubscriber Exclusive

Icehouse Lake, located at the Washington end of the Bridge of the Gods at Cascade Locks, was empty. The fisher folks that usually line up along the Highway 14 shore were nowhere to be seen.

Checking the WDFW trout stockings page, the lake had been stocked just a couple weeks ago with 2,000 catchable rainbow trout. That kind of stocking usually brings a lot of anglers, many with their families in tow, to the kid-friendly lake. This day I had the lake to myself.

The most popular method to catch trout in Icehouse is to fish bait on the bottom, and Berkley Powerbait is the preferred offering. However, only a few short bites were all I had to show after a half hour.

A spinner seemed to wake them up, though. Using lures is also the best way to fish if you want to practice catch and release. I had no lack of takers over the next hour, and put a few of the larger trout in the basket, while releasing the smaller fish.

After an hour, a lone fisherman finally joined me at the lake.

Local angler Blake Minster told me he was fishing with Powerbait, and he was getting some fish already. While he was doing well, he remarked that there were some smaller fish in the mix. He was also surprised at the lack of anglers.

“I think a lot of people do not know that they stock it this early,” he said.

He was also surprised that the usual cluster of families were not there.

“It’s a good lake to come to if someone has small kids,” he continued. “The bank access is really easy.”

Icehouse Lake is small, about three acres in size, and anglers can drive right up to the best spots to fish. That, and the easy bank access draws a lot of families with youngsters. It truly is a great place to introduce children to fishing.

“And, if they bring their kids right now, they will catch fish,” Minster added.

The fishing certainly was good, and eventually Minster took home his limit of rainbow trout.

He added a tip for drawing more bites on Powerbait. He said he adds a little garlic scent to his bait for added attraction. It seemed to work. He only needed about an hour to limit out.

The lowland lakes trout season has just kicked off, with stockings into a few of the Vancouver area lakes, as well as Icehouse Lake. Both Battle Ground Lake, in Battle Ground State Park, and Klineline Pond in Vancouver’s Salmon Creek Park, were recently stocked with 2,000 catchable trout each.

These stockings were just the start. Between now and the end of March, the lowland lakes stockings will continue to provide opportunities.

According to the WDFW trout stocking plan, Battle Ground Lake is scheduled to be stocked with 30,800 catchable and 2,100 jumbos over the course of the season. Klineline Pond will receive 32,000 catchables, and 2,100 jumbos.

The term “catchables” refers to trout over 8 inches, but they usually run a bit larger when stocked, about nine to 12 inches. “Jumbos” refers to larger trout, and they run about 1.5 pounds on average. The jumbos will be stocked out for the popular Black Friday fishing event.

The state also stocks some trophy-sized brood trout, with some reaching 10 pounds, into the lowland lakes each year.

Battle Ground Lake has a good boat launch, and a fine fishing pier that reaches into the lake. Boat anglers have an advantage here as they can fish the center of the lake, which is where the most trout hold. Powerbait is the preferred offering, although natural baits such as worms will also take the fish.

Klineline Pond is a bank-fishing lake, and once again, Powerbait is the most popular bait. When the fish have been recently planted, they will sometimes take lures such as trout spinners, but after a week or so in the lake they will want bait.

In Icehouse Lake, the trout will more readily take spinners or spoons, although the Powerbait is what most anglers will tempt the trout with. A yellow Rooster Tail spinner helped me catch about a dozen trout in Icehouse during my recent foray.

Other lakes will also see plentiful stockings, too.

In Clark County, Lacamas Lake, located near Camas, will be stocked with 10,500 catchable trout, spread over the season. Powerbait will rule here, but the fish will also take lures and natural baits.

In Cowlitz County, Kress Lake, just off I-5 near the town of Kalama, will receive 15,000 catchables. Also, 2,000 jumbos will be stocked ahead of Black Friday, and 2,000 brown trout will be stocked in the spring. The lake also receives excess steelhead.

Kress Lake offers a nice boat ramp, and several fishing decks which are wheelchair accessible.

Last summer the lake’s milfoil, an aquatic weed, was treated, and anglers will now have an easier time of fishing bait along the bottom. It will also make trolling the lake easier.

In addition to Powerbait, fly anglers also fish the lake, and some use spinners, spoons, and other lures to catch the fish.

Horseshoe Lake, located along I-5 near Woodland, offers mostly boat anglers a chance at stockings of 18,000 catchable rainbows. The lake’s milfoil makes bank fishing difficult.

Sacajawea Lake in Longview is stocked ahead of the Christmas holidays with catchables and some jumbo trout. About 15,000 will be stocked over the season.

In Skamania County, Little Ash Lake just west of Stevenson, will get 5,000 catchables, and 30 brood trout. Powerbait or spinners will work here.

Rowland Lake, about five miles east of Bingen, will receive at least 2,000 jumbos ahead of Black Friday, and some catchables as well.

Trout anglers have a lot of options this season. The biggest question may be choosing which lake to fish on any given day. With so many trout being stocked out, there are endless opportunities.