OLYMPIA – Anglers across Washington can look forward to the beginning of lowland lake fishing and the annual Trout Derby kickoff on April 25, when hundreds of lakes statewide open for the season. This year, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) plans to stock nearly 15.5 million total trout and kokanee in more than 500 lowland lakes and ponds.

“Opening day is one of our biggest days for anglers to get out on the water,” said Steve Caromile, WDFW Inland Fish Program Manager. “Spring weather can be hard to predict, but we’ve had a mild winter and hopefully that will lead to plenty of success for weeks to come.”

In 2025, nearly 200,000 anglers participated in opening day fishing statewide.

In preparation for opening day, WDFW staff are stocking 2.1 million catchable-size trout, measuring 11 to 13 inches in lakes statewide. Staff have also stocked more than 157,000 jumbo trout averaging more than 14 inches in the last two months.

In addition to the catchable and jumbo trout, an estimated 13.1 million fingerling, fry, and put-grow-and-take trout and kokanee planted one or two years ago will be in the catchable-size range during the 2026 season.

Anglers can find detailed hatchery trout and kokanee stocking plans on the WDFW fish stocking webpage. To keep track of when catchable trout are stocked in real-time, anglers can visit the catchable trout plants reports page.

Stocking may occur before a lake is open to fishing. Regulations, not stocking schedules, determine when fishing is allowed. Anglers should check the current regulations and have the appropriate recreational fishing license before fishing any water.

Trout Derby returns for 11th year with more than 900 prizes

The annual WDFW Trout Derby also kicks off April 25 and runs through Oct. 31. For the Trout Derby, WDFW has placed special green tags near the dorsal fin on trout stocked in more than 100 lakes statewide. Anglers who catch a tagged trout win a prize donated from a nearby business.

Now in its 11th year, the Derby features more than 900 prizes valued at nearly $45,000. Businesses have donated a wide variety of prizes including gift cards, fishing gear and tackle, Seattle Mariners tickets, rounds of golf, local aquarium admission, a kayak, a guided lake fishing trip for two, handheld GPS units, stays at local resorts and campgrounds, and more.  

“We’ve got hundreds of prizes for those who catch a tagged fish, and we plan to stock most of the same lakes as we have in the past,” Caromile said. “The Trout Derby has been very popular over the past 11 years. The generosity of our license vendors and donors is what makes the Trout Derby a huge success, and something many anglers look forward to.”

Anglers can find tagged trout for Trout Derby in lakes located in the following counties: Asotin, Chelan, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Pierce, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, and Yakima.

Find more information on the WDFW Trout Derby webpage.

How to participate

Everyone aged 16 and older needs a fishing license to fish in Washington. To participate in the opener and the Derby, anglers can choose between the 2026 Get Outdoors package, annual freshwater, annual Fish WA, annual combination, or temporary combination license. One- to three-day temporary combination licenses are not valid for the first eight days of the lowland opener, except for active-duty military personnel serving in any branch of the U.S. armed forces. There is no additional fee to participate in the Trout Derby.

New for 2026, mobile licensing is available through the agency’s MyWDFW mobile application and the Fish Washington® app. For more information about the mobile licensing, including frequently asked questions and how-to videos, visit WDFW’s website. Anglers can also buy licenses online; by telephone at 360-902-2464; or at hundreds of license dealers across the state. 

There are more than 7,000 lakes, ponds, and reservoirs in Washington, and hundreds of WDFW-managed water-access areas, including some with areas that are accessible for people with disabilities. Other state and federal agencies operate hundreds more. Find details on water-access areas on WDFW's water-access webpage. 

Anglers parking at WDFW vehicle water-access areas are required to display the WDFW Vehicle Access Pass—provided when you buy eligible annual fishing licenses—or a Discover Pass. Anglers visiting Washington State Parks or Department of Natural Resources lands need a Discover Pass. Anglers can find information on parking passes on WDFW’s parking webpage. 

Please be respectful of fellow anglers and other recreationists, obey posted signage at all water-access areas, obey all parking regulations, and have a backup plan in case your preferred destination is overcrowded. 

Before heading out, anglers should also check WDFW’s fishing regulations webpage for permanent regulations and emergency rules page for rule updates affecting fisheries. 

WDFW employees and their immediate family members are not eligible to claim fishing derby prizes. 

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.