First off, sorry I have been a ghost lately. Just have been literally swamped with work.

To those who are new, I am your friendly local Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Inland Fish person!

Okay here's the scoop by County:

Clark:
Battle Ground Lake - shore access is not great and usually people sit on the good spots for awhile so to get one you need to get there early. There is a trail all the way around the lake, a bit rough in spots. Pay launch. Boat ramp is a little rough if you have to back down very far. We have catchable eastern brook although the catchable program has been eliminated. There are excess adult hatchery steelhead, rainbow broodstock and rainbows.

There are some beautiful bass in this lake. A little trivia for you. Did you know that in the 40s we tried to use this water for warmwater fish only?! Didn't really work, but the bass populations are doing good.

Other info: this is not a power bait lake! It just doesn't work that great. Use cocktail shrimp, mealworms, biscuit dough, corn, marshmellows, worms and your various lures/flies.

Klineline Pond
Urban lake with A LOT of fish. Browns, cutthroat, rainbow and broodstock rainbow. We used to plant excess adult hatchery steelhead but that program was not very successful. There are some warmwater fish.

NO FLOTATION DEVICES ALLOWED!! Also, there are grass carp in this lake and they are illegal to retain. Lake can get exremely crowded, especially on weekends. DO NOT fish Salmon Creek or risk getting cited. It does not open until June 1.

Lacamas Lake
Despite rumors of polluted waters there are beautiful trout to be caught here. Browns in the 3lb. range. Great yellow perch populations. Used to be an excellent bass fishery, however, those numbers have been in decline.

Severe weed problem at the lake, expect to get gear tangled from time to time. Round lake sits across the bridge but is connected to Lacamas. Great park, good fishing access. Lacamas itself has VERY limited shore access. WDFW boat launch. Must have decal.

Vancouver Lake
Again, despite rumors of water pollution, great water for channel catfish and blue catfish. White crappie, bass, bullheads (yellow and brown) and bluegill. Some starry flounder. WDFW access area, must have decal - do NOT launch from here - not a very good site. Over in Felida there is a pay launch that I always use for the shock boat - pretty decent.

VERY shallow shifting lake bottom. Don't go zipping through the lake or you could go from 4ft. to 1ft. in the blink of an eye and find yourself air born. Really neat water that is often ignored.

Wildlife Refuge lakes are not open to fishing!!!

Fargher Pond
Brown trout planted here. Seems to be good fishing.

HOT SPOT:

Canyon Creek!!! June 1 this area opens and it is really great fishing. Beautiful area.

Stacie...or anybody for that matter,

Are there any panfish in Battleground or is it just a bass and trout lake?

I don't understand the decal thing for boats. I have a raft, 5 person, do I need the same thing for that? Where do I get this? I purchased my fishing license online, can I get it there as well?

When does the fishing get good for Vancouver Lake, being a "warm water" species lake.

Are you talking about the stewardship decal? The yellow ones that we issue? Those come with your license - or rather they should be. If you did not get one, contact the dealer you went through and they should send you one.

There are some panfish in Battle Ground but not anything worth writing home about. Mostly bass and trout, but some very nice bass!

Fishing should get better at Vancouver as we start getting warmer weather. I think the end of this month (again weather depending) is when it should really start picking up. June should be great for catfish!

stace

I've alway's thought Lacamas Lake was a fun lake to fish, and I alway's did well there. If you put the time in you will learn how to skirt the edge of the weed bed's and you will be rewarded with Brown after Brown. I wished I still lived close enough to fish there. When I was in Vancouver I hit the lake at least 3 time's a week, it got to the point that it wasn't if we were going to limit out but how long it would take. I recommend this lake to anyone who want's to put the time in and really learn it. It would be time well spent. Enjoy!