If you are at a lake and catch five trout, you can continue to fish for warmwater fish. Your gear must be consistent with what you are fishing for if you are going to convince an officer that indeed you were not fishing for trout. If you happen to catch a trout and let it go, then no problem.

As far as minimum size, the minimum size of planted trout is generally going to be eight inches. BUT, in cases like some of our waters, fish that are less than eight inches will get planted out as excess fish from the hatcheries.

Cowtliz Hatchery dumps their excess fish into South Lewis County Park Pond and into Swofford Pond. These fish are generally 4-6 inches. Unfortunately they do show up in the catch sometimes and it makes anglers pretty unhappy. Which I understand.

But we either plant them or bury them and its better to plant them out even if it means they are feed for warmwater fish/birds. Some will grow up but most won't make it.

We have a few other lakes that we do this in as well (Lake Sacajawea in Longview).

Our fingerling lakes are closed during winter (Mineral Lake, Swift etc.) to protect the little guys and let them grow up.

I don't know if the above scenario goes for other lakes in the state or not, but it might give you an idea of why there are some little fish that do show up.



stace