The Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is stocking more than 82,000 jumbo rainbow trout in 30 lakes statewide ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, offering anglers a chance to get outside for Washington’s annual Black Friday fishing.
These jumbo rainbow trout weigh up to 3pounds and measure up to 17 inches each, according to a news release from WDFW.
"We know not everyone is keen on shopping before dawn,” said Kirt Hughes, WDFW fish management division manager. “WDFW offers Black Friday Fishing as a great alternative, so skip those lines and get outdoors with friends and family during a busy time of year.”
This year, WDFW will stock the following lakes and ponds with jumbo trout before Nov. 27:
In total, WDFW is stocking more than 237,000 trout in 70 lakes statewide this fall, including jumbo trout. For up-to-date stocking information, anglers can refer to the catchable trout stocking report on the WDFW website.
“Trout fishing is easy and affordable,” said Hughes. “You can fish from a boat or at one of more than 100 fishing docks, piers, or bank locations statewide. We are stocking many of the lakes with jumbo trout, and they are close to local communities and have plenty of bank fishing opportunity.”
Visit WDFW’s lowland lakes page for more information on these and hundreds of other lakes throughout the state, including information about shore-fishing access. Find helpful basic trout fishing tips and jumbo trout stocking information in the WDFW Black Friday fishing blog.
Anglers 16 years and older must have a current Washington freshwater fishing license, valid through March 31, 2027, to participate. Licenses can be purchased online or at any of the hundreds of license vendors across the state.
WDFW offers two mobile applications to support outdoor recreation across the state. Fish Washington is tailored for anglers, providing fishing regulations, digital catch cards and license management. MyWDFW serves both hunters and anglers, offering electronic tagging, harvest reporting and access to licenses and permits. Learn more on the WDFW website.
