There are a number of similar sized lakes relatively close to Riffe Lake, including The go-to baits are nightcrawler (or a piece), corn and shrimp, or combinations of two of the three, according to Lip Rippers Fishing Adventures. Because of this lake's size, changing water levels, and dangerous winds, this is not a beginner boater's lake.Trolling for Coho and ChinookBecause this lake is so deep, downriggers are almost necessity here, although deep divers might make a good alternative. All rights reserved. It is a popular water for smallmouth bass. But you might find a spot where either is biting. Itll take some serious scrambling to reach water in many spots, especially in big middle of the lake. There are no Kokanee (landlocked sockeye salmon) in this lake. Rooster tails, flatfish lures, and small pink hoochies are great options. Denny. Get information about river flows and lake levels at MyTPU.org/LakeLevels. Riffe Lake Trout / Landlocked Salmon Fishing Link to Cowlitz River / Tacoma Power Website : Cowlitz Fish.net For information not available at this link, call 360-888-502-8690, this gives you options to listen to, one being the pool heights of all the Tacoma Power impoundments and the boat launches that are usable. During the day the maximum temperature will be 42F with a min temperature of 21F around Riffe Lake . Riffe Lake is a massive Cowlitz River reservoir that anglers should get to know better if they like to catch lots of land-locked coho salmon and smallmouth bass. 10.12 acres $19,700 Terrace Heights, WA, 98901, Yakima County This is a Pre-Listing 10.12 Acres in Yakima, Washington Message For Full Property Detail Report The town of Yakima is rapidly expandingand this 10.12 acre lot is right in the path of progress, this is a phenomenal long term investment. Once you've keyed onto the fish, try trolling in a circle, always changing up speed and depth to find the largest school. The launch at Mossyrock Park is usually a good bet year round. Unfortunately, recent reports suggest that the sheer numbers and voracious appetites of the triploid trout might be reducing forage and stunting normal growth rates for the coho, which anglers say seem to be shorter and skinnier than usual for this point in the season. Fishing improves throughout the spring, peaking before the spawning period in May and June. This is a massive, 13 mile long lake, so finding the fish is the most time consuming part. Find more places to go salmon fishing in Washington and also pick up some tips to catch more salmon in our simple how-to fishing guide. Please ensure to adhere to the fishing regulations for the state. Catchable Rainbow Trout are planted in the spring. Fish at any of the aforementioned shore access areas using a worm, power bait, or power eggs. Some swear by cured shoepeg corn. Coho salmon Tiger muskie Read up on the best catfish fishing baits and techniques. If the winds pick up enough to make controlling your boat difficult, try trolling with the wind. Questions? However, a delay from the state Department of Ecology in permitting Cookes plan to raise rainbow/steelhead instead and the imminent shutdown of their hatchery due to the coronavirus crisis, meant the fish had to go or otherwise be destroyed, like two previous batches. Learn More, Get Special Offers Delivered Right to Your Inbox. On the hook, especially on light tackle, smallmouth are strong fighters for their size. Open in Google Maps. Coastal cutthroat trout also are native to the Cowlitz and its tributaries and occasionally make their way into the reservoir, where they can be caught to nice size. By 2022, we would expect fewer but larger trout here. Winds may gust up to 6mph. The best way to fish crawdads is to set a baited trap in fairly deep water, allow it to "soak" overnight, and pull it in the morning. Kokanee is also a popular species to fish for at Riffe Lake. Mayfield Lake fishing is very good for Trout. Wind from the North, do not go forth. They also are great fighters for their size, prone to making strong runs and sometimes spectacular leaps. Learn More, 02/05/2023 View photos, research land, search and filter more than 1 listings | Land and Farm Mossyrock Park boat launch remains useable during most low-water conditions. Get a next-day email alert when this lake get stocked! Triploids are created when trout eggs are exposed to a heat or pressure bath, causing a chromosome to split. There are 3 boat launches, 2 of which are not accessible during low water conditions. Cloud Cover & Rain Updated Just Now Got into the fish by the buoys at the dam. Submit a new fishing report with a photo and win prizes every week! Fishingfool16. Its less so about the direction but the cause for the direction. Like other catfish, these fish are easily caught on bait whenever you locate them. These particular fish come from famed Rufus Woods broodstock. Currently, most of the fish are being caught most on or near the surface. In my week camping there I caught fish every time I went out and they were good quality fish. Cowlitz: Is open for Hatchery Steelhead, Sea run Cutthroat and Salmon. But because of how low the water was, long 12-inch-wide hoses had to be snaked well down the bank before the fish were flushed out of 14,000- to 17,000-gallon tanks. This is the third and final report on my week of fishing at Riffe Lake. Trolling catches a lot of land-locked salmon at Riffe. Here is some background on Riffe Lake and its unique fishery, for those unfamiliar. There are 3 boat launches, 2 of which are not accessible during low water conditions. February 8, 2023 riffe lake Fishing Report. With fishing opening again on May 5th, and with 400,000 freshly stocked triploid trout, this is the perfect time to try fishing Riffe Lake. And you can catch those just about anywhere. Bank fishing by the dam with a sliding bobber with Shrimp and worms can also produce fish. For March: Winter Steelhead are now showing up in good numbers the u Find out if theres a raging torrent for torent or a calm mirror like surface using our daily updated stats for over 500,000 fishing locations. Join our memebers araea for free and get additonal informaiton about Riffe Lake including current water conditions, fishing activity and special wholesale offers . Mayfield Lake fishing is very good for Trout. Mossyrock Park also has shoreline access but its not as popular for catching salmon from the shore right there as it is for boaters heading out onto the lake. Bluegill can be caught year-round, but fishing is best in the warm months of Summer. 16 in. It is a popular water for smallmouth bass. Other lures sometimes fish best without bait, including spinners, spoons and wobbling lures like bright FlatFish. Coho Salmon with a Fisherman Catcher - Pink Hoochie. 17 in. Mossyrock Park has lots of camping and day-use amenities in addition to the reservoirs best west-end boat launch. A lot of fun. Below is directions to the southwest site. Thinking of heading out to Riffe Lake Near Mossyrock over the next few days. Bullhead catfish also are available in good numbers and decent sizes at Riffe, and actually taste better than you might think from these cool waters. Using this web site acknowledges your agreement to the. It's more of a wife tail but always fun to recollect. This is a deep, cold lake, perfect for temperature sensitive salmon. Determine which day is best for you the bag your best catch on Riffe Lake. There is a summer lull as fish move offshore into deeper waters to escape the summer heat in July and August. The Columbia River: Near Longview is open for hatchery Salmon and Steelhead. Denny. With the wind so light less ripples in the water makes it more difficult to mask the line and lure on Riffe Lake Riffe is best known for its resident coho and smallmouth bass fishing. Join for free today to access the capability once available. Hatchery winte If you come in the hot mid- to late summer, youll likely need to fish in water up to 100 feet deep, which means employing down-riggers or a ton of weight. Riffe Lake provides opportunities for bluegill, brown trout, coho salmon, black crappie, brown bullhead, chinook salmon, smallmouth bass and coastal cutthroat trout (resident) throughout the year. Remember to keep 6 feet away from other fishermen, and fill that cooler! The Fish Report - March 1st 2023. During the day the maximum temperature will be 40F with a min temperature of 26F around Riffe Lake . Thank you. We are constantly posting fishing reports, how-to tutorials, and detailed reviews of Washington's best fishing areas. Well cover this more in a blog post soon but for Riffe Lake on Sat 4th March will be from a south easterly direction which means fishing is poor. Prices and optons are listed including non resident fishing licenses. We're giving away a $25 VISA Gift Card each week to one lucky angler. It's a good idea to call Tacoma Power or check their website for current water levels. This is a fun experience, even just to watch. You wont find smallmouth bass at depths of 100 feet, like the late-summer salmon. So please call me on my current phone number listed above. Not sure what fish to prepare force when fishing on Riffe Lake . County: Lewis The launch at Mossyrock Park is usually a good bet year round. Remember, regulations are there to protect fish species and enable fishing for generations to come. Surf Perch off the beach Riffe also has some largemouth bass, although reports from the reservoir suggest this is a smaller fishery than the smallmouths these days. The average temperature will be 34F during the day. Our recommendation is based on aspects about the weather conditions, moon phase & water conditions. Worms and nightcrawlers also are effective bass baits, but note that if you are practicing catch and release fishing, bait-fishing is riskier because more fatal hookups occur. Total catch for the day for all of us, minus the few that got away! It's more of a wife tail but always fun to recollect. Trolling for these land locked coho and chinook isn't too different from trolling for Kokanee or rainbow trout. Hannah Pennebaker graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a degree in Environmental Studies. Due to Mossyrock Dams super deep outlet, theres little risk the fish will pass downstream, Kinne also indicated. I no longer have my old land line phone number, so I can't get on line with you. Stocked rainbow trout also provide good fishing. Blue Creek: . Winter Steelhead are starting to show up in the Kalama river. Try starting out by the dam and keep a close eye on your fishfinder. During winter, the bite is slower, but anglers can have great success fishing through the ice when conditions are safe. Landlocked salmon rules apply. View Fishing Details, For March: We take a number of different data points to make our fishing recommendation. Crappie jigs look like shaky minnows and are the most common lure deployed, but very small crankbaits, spinners and other lures also catch them. For shore bound anglers, there is access on both sides of the dam as well as at the fishing bridge near Taidnapam Park.While you can catch a variety of species at Riffe Lake, such as bass, crappie, and bullhead, most anglers visit for the opportunity to fill their coolers with landlocked salmon. Use the same types of baits for still fishing. The lake also has several camping areas available. Other warm water species present include brown bullheads, along with a few bluegill and crappie. There are 3 boat launches, 2 of which are not accessible during low water conditions. Editor's Note - this article was first published in 2020. 10 miles from Riffe Lake. Caution must be used when fishing from a boat here. Many trout die from the stress of reproduction, triploids may live longer and grow larger. A few days later, WDFW announced the release of over 400,000 triploid trout into Riffe Lake. swear their catch improves when the moon is in a "New" or "Full" moon phase. Riffe Lake is a 13 mile long reservoir formed by Mossyrock Dam. If you are targeting the browns, try using lures that imitate smaller fish, which are a favorite brown trout forage. Overall, boaters have a clear advantage in a huge water like Riffe Lake, with a good ramp at Mossyrock Park on the southwest end and more launches around Taidnapam Park and Kosmos on the east end. Honestly, if youre looking for crappie, bluegill, largemouth and even channel catfish (as well as stocked trout in the spring), consider neighboring Swofford Pond. Riffe Lake is a 13 mile long reservoir formed by Mossyrock Dam. This is exciting news for anglers with cabin fever!Triploid trout differ from other trout because they have 3 sets of chromosomes and are therefore infertile. Moon phases have split fishing folk's opinion straight down the middle with the bigger impact on saltwater fishing but some freshwater anglers This is a very special fishery, and one of my favorites. Leftover hatchery chinook and coho salmon are stocked in this lake once quotas have been met for the nearby Cowlitz River. At an elevation of 774 ft. and 11325.9 acres, it's home to several species of fish, including bluegill, brown trout, coho salmon, black crappie, brown bullhead, chinook salmon, smallmouth bass and coastal cutthroat trout (resident). With green lights on all accounts, on April 7, 8 and 9 404,908 triploids were hauled via flatbed semi trailer up Highway 12 to the dam and the Kosmos area, at the upper end of the reservoir. Buoy 10 to Tongue point and the Ocean area 1 Crabbing off the jetty and in the lower Columbia is good! The best coho fishing here tends to be from mid-spring to early summer, and for good reason. It's a good idea to check your bait if you haven't had a bite in some time, or if you lost a fish. Winter Steelhead are starting to show up in the Kalama river. Kress Lake: Trout was recently stocked with over 2,000 rainbow trout and also surplus Steelhead. Riffe is best known for its resident coho and smallmouth bass fishing. Thank you. Elevation: 774 ft. The state record rainbow trout was a 30 pounder out of Rufus Woods Reservoir. Two weeks ago, Washington state governor Jay Inslee announced the re-opening of state parks and hunting. Below is directions to the southwest site. WDFW Hatchery Manager Eric Kinne said the state wasnt in a position to buy them, nor did it have a lake to put them into, but after Tacoma Power which operates the dam, launches and parks on Riffe expressed interest, agency fisheries scientist Ken Warheit visited Cookes facility on April 2, sampled the fish for PRV and ran the tests while other agency staffers expedited stocking and transportation permits. The state record rainbow trout was a 30 pounder out of Rufus Woods Reservoir. - Available by the dam and at theTaidnapam Park fishing bridge.