Every year the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) raises millions of trout and kokanee in its hatcheries and releases them into hundreds of lakes across the state. Knowing when and where those fish go in is one of the easiest ways to have a good day of fishing.
What gets stocked
- Catchable rainbow trout - usually about 2 to 3 fish per pound (roughly 10 to 12 inches), ready to be caught right away.
- Jumbo and triploid trout - bigger fish, often 1 to 1.5 pounds or more, released in smaller numbers.
- Fry and fingerlings - small fish that grow in the lake for a year or more before they are a good size.
- Other species - brown trout, cutthroat, tiger trout and kokanee in some lakes.
When stocking happens
The biggest push comes in spring before the lowland lake opener in late April, but many western Washington lakes are also stocked in fall and winter, and some year-round lakes get fish every few weeks. Our Washington stocking report updates daily from WDFW's own data.
How to read the numbers
The stocking report shows the number of fish and the fish per pound. A lower "fish per pound" number means bigger fish: 2.5 per pound is a typical catchable trout, while 0.5 per pound means each fish weighs about 2 pounds.
Using the report to plan a trip
- Look for lakes stocked in the last 1 to 2 weeks with catchable or larger fish.
- Check the lake page for today's weather and best times.
- Go early - freshly stocked lakes get busy, and the first few days after a plant are the easiest.