A Great Place to Fish: Ferry County!

Fisher: Bob Hackiewicz holding up a 49.5 in. Muskie that was 24 in. in girth. Catch and release

Fisher: Bob Hackiewicz caught a 49.5 in. Muskie that was 24 in. in girth; catch and release. He and his wife caught five muskie over the course of their vacation. Photo: Deb Jolley

Ask, “How’s the fishing?” to anyone who has fished Curlew Lake, as well as Ferry County’s many other lakes and rivers, and the answer you’ll likely receive is, “The fishing is great!”In the spring and early summer, you’ll find it hard to beat our trout fishing; come summer and fall you’ll enjoy reeling in large-mouth bass; and our record-setting Tiger muskies provide spring-through fall angling fun.

High-Elevation Fishing

Like high-elevation fishing? Grab your waders or your boat and head up to the the clear, clean waters of Swan Lake, Ferry Lake, Fish Lake, and Long Lake. These four jewel-like lakes offer great opportunities to catch cutthroat and rainbow trout, while enjoying a serene environment, only disturbed by the sounds of nesting loons. Nestled in the Scatter Creek area of the Colville National Forest (with elevations between 3200 to 3600 feet), the lakes are approximately eleven miles southwest of Republic. The lakes are small and intimate, and stocked regularly with rainbow and cutthroat trout. Combustion engines are banned from all four lakes. Motorized boats are not allowed at Long and Fish Lakes. For up-to-date boating and fishing rules visit Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Fish Washington’s Ferry County Web page.

Young fisherman displays rainbow trout caught in Curlew Lake, WA.

Fisher: Deb Jolley on Curlew Lake, WA. Photo: Bob Hackiewicz

"Sandy" Sandoval displays bass caught in Curlew Lake, WA. Photo by Diane Sims. — “Sandy” Sandoval displays bass caught in Curlew Lake, WA. Photo: Diane Sims

Curlew Lake Fishing

If your preferences run to dropping a hook off a dock, troll fishing, or fly fishing from your bass boat, Curlew Lake is where you want to be. With its year-round fishing season and night-fishing, Curlew Lake is a great place to limit out on rainbow trout and bass, or bring in one of the lake’s show-stopping tiger muskie. Curlew Lake holds the current Washington State record for largest catch of a tiger muskie. The tiger muskie weighed 37.88 lb and measured 50.38 inches in length; it was caught by David Hickman of Richland on July 26 using a white spinner for bait. The lake is stocked yearly with fry-planted and net-pen-reared rainbow trout. In the spring and early summer, come fish for trout; in summer and fall reel in large-mouth bass.

Family fishing together in small boat on Curlew Lake, WA 99166. — Generations of families have grown up fishing and vacationing on Curlew Lake, WA. Photo: Diane Sims

The lake is located on Hwy-21, just four miles northeast of Republic, Washington. Dotted along its shoreline are a handful of lake resorts (Tiffany’s, Black Beach, and Fisherman’s Cove), most with campsites and cabins over looking the lake. All have camping and RV facilities. Most accept pets. On its eastern shore rests beautiful Curlew Lake State Park, with its public boat ramp, swimming and fishing areas, public restrooms, picnic sites, and fire pits.