Northwest Reel Life April 2023 Volume 2 Issue 8 - Flipbook - Page 11
for any animal or plant
material on the watercraft
that might pose a risk to Lake
Samish. They will also be
checking to see if your boat
has been cleaned, drained,
and dried, as some aquatic
invasive species larvae can
be transported in any areas
on the boat that remain
damp or have standing
water in them. Inspectors
will also conduct a physical
inspection of the outside of
your boat to feel for any signs
of mussel larvae, algae, or
other organic material on the
hull that could pose a risk to
the lakes.
As currently planned for
2023, Whatcom County will
be staffing the inspection
station at the Lake Samish
WDFW Boat Launch. The
AIS program is sensitive
to the needs of anglers
participating in the kokanee
fishery at Lake Samish. They
are planning/budgeting to
staff the inspection station
5:30am-8:30pm 7 days a
week. Although the AIS
inspection program will be
a bit of an inconvenience,
having AIS inspectors onsite at Lake Samish will help
to reduce the unfortunate
vandalism problem at the
Lake Samish WDFW launch.
On a similar note: Boat motor
labels must have at least
one star to operate on Lake
Samish. Generally, any motor
that is certified and labeled
as meeting the 2006 or later
model year United States
EPA emissions standard will
be compliant.
https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/
locations/lowland-lakes/lakesamish
https://www.whatcomcounty.
us/3542/Samish-Park
https://
whatcomboatinspections.
com/annual-permits-andfees
SILVER LAKE – Whatcom
County
157.3 acre Silver Lake
in Whatcom County is
another unique recreational
opportunity. It is a family
friendly destination with
camping, good trout fishing,
and a WDFW boat ramp.
The WDFW boat ramp is
located at the north end
of the lake and has ample
trailer parking. The fishery
is primarily for planted
rainbow and coastal
cutthroat trout. Even though
the average depth is only
24 feet, holdovers are not
uncommon. The fishery is
friendly to whatever trout
fishing style suits your style,
but don’t be afraid to soak
some dough bait.
Silver Lake Park is a large
Whatcom County Parks
and Recreation facility
on Silver Lake. The park
has 3 campgrounds and
a RV accessible group
campground. There are also
cabin rentals, a handful of
hiking trails, a playground,
multiple picnic areas, an
equestrian center, seasonal
boat rentals, and a small boat
launch that is probably best
suited for hand carry boats.
https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/
locations/lowland-lakes/
silver-lake-whatcom
https://www.whatcomcounty.
us/3517/Silver-Lake-Park
FISH LAKE – Chelan County
Another family friendly trout
destination is Cove Resort on
492-acre Fish Lake in Chelan
County. For whatever reason
it is probably better known
for its winter, hardwater
perch fishery but it hosts a
solid spring and fall rainbow
trout fishery. The lake also
has a few respectable brown
trout available. The brown
trout fishery is kind of a
specialty, but if you stick
with it there are some true
trophies cruising around, just
waiting to be caught.
JUNE 2023 | 11