Offut Lake this Friday

Swiftdraw, other year-round lakes in the area are St Claire and Kapowsin (further East). Both can be good bass lakes, and also get stocked with trout. I haven't fished St Claire, but know guys who like it. I think it gets power boats, though.
I've fished Kapowsin, and its a fun lake. Lots of water to explore. All the stumps and tree tops make it too insanely hazardous for power boatsd to go fast, so its a good yak lake, although it often gets windy in the afternoons. Lots of fish species there. I'm not a bass angler, though, and don't make the long drive very often since my friend quit running a boat rental operation there a few years back.
I like to drive less and fish more, so I often stay closer to home. Year-round lakes closer to me are Nawahtzel (62 miles, just E of Matlock), Sylvia (behind Montesano), & Black (near Oly).  I usually head to Nawahtzel (on light wind days) until the general lake season opens, as I know where to look for the trout there and I like the drive to the lake up the Satsop valley. Spencer, near Shelton, is also good for trout. Sylvia is a very small lake, and I don't fish it much, even though it gets stocked.

Once the general lake season opens, I hit up a bunch of different lakes all over the place, mainly those with less (or none!!!) development on their shores. I prefer to paddle and fish in lakes that have drop-offs, flats, shoals, sunken logs, weedy and brushy shorelines, since i go after the trout with flies.

There's a whole bunch of good lakes there within an hour's drive of Oly that open up in the end of April. There's way too many on my list of lakes to hit (before i die) to list here!

Hi ConeHeadMuddler
Wow thanks for all the info I will definitely research these locations!!
Perhaps we can fish together some time in the near future.

Thanks again

Chuck

I took my girls to the fishing dock Saturday around 4pm.  No bites or anything, but they had a good time.  Launching from the 'resort' would be... well it wouldn't be fun.  There is a WDFW launch on the north side of the lake.

Was a easy launch for me??
Well I do have Wheels for my yak.

They indicated to me that the only access was down that switchback staircase that leads to the dock.

They indicated to me that the only access was down that switchback staircase that leads to the dock.

Am thinking that the access that Swiftdraw used (old concrete boat ramp) is for those paying to camp there, and they don't say anything to non paying camping folks about it.  I have launched at the WDFW site and it is an easy gravel launch to work with.
holt

I payed for day use of the dock   

We initially drove to the public launch on the north side of the lake, but there was nowhere for the kiddos and my GF to fish, so we went to the resort and paid to fish from the dock.

They indicated to me that the only access was down that switchback staircase that leads to the dock.

There is also a walking path just a few feet (west) from the staircase.

SD

Lake St. Clair is a good trout lake and does have a good share of Bass around the docks and other places. yes there are motorboats and skiers during the warm months on that lake..

a few more lakes if you want to go towards Mt. Rainier is.. Rapjohn, Harts Lake, Ohop, Alder Lake is a few up in my area of the Graham and Puayllup area.. you have Spannaway Lake to but its a 8.00 boat launch fee for a non powered boat.

SG

Lake St. Clair is a good trout lake and does have a good share of Bass around the docks and other places. yes there are motorboats and skiers during the warm months on that lake..

a few more lakes if you want to go towards Mt. Rainier is.. Rapjohn, Harts Lake, Ohop, Alder Lake is a few up in my area of the Graham and Puayllup area.. you have Spannaway Lake to but its a 8.00 boat launch fee for a non powered boat.

SG

Thanks for the info 

SD

I'll personally be heading to Riffe and/or Kapowsin this weekend, unless the weather is really bad.