Riffe Lake fishing is very good, lots of silvers and a few trout to be caught. Riffe Lake, historically known as Mossyrock Lake then as Davisson Lake, is a reservoir formed by Mossyrock Dam. The Taidnapam Park fishing bridge is at the very upper end of the lake, where the Cowlitz River enters. Spri How do we do it? Hatchery winte Silver Lake is an excellent fishery for Largemouth Bass. Currently, most of the fish are being caught most on or near the surface. Often, shore and boat anglers suspend the bait several feet beneath a bobber when the fish are still running shallow enough. We're giving away a $25 VISA Gift Card each week to one lucky angler. Some days the fish are at 40 feet, other days they are as deep as 90-100 feet. However, weve seen some reports of nice triploid rainbows caught from the bank in the upper part of the reservoir. You still may end up catching more smallmouth than largemouth. . Remember, regulations are there to protect fish species and enable fishing for generations to come. But here's the kicker, I flat lined a rod 150ft back using a 2 inch mag . Trolling southeasterly at 30 feet near the island along an underwater ridge. If you are new to the lake a couple of tips. Because this lake is so deep, downriggers are almost necessity here, although deep divers might make a good alternative. 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. Got into the fish by the buoys at the dam. Riffe is best known for its resident coho and smallmouth bass fishing. There are launch points at the SW and NE ends of the lakes. Battle Ground Lake - WDFW planted an additional. Bank fishing by the dam with a sliding bobber with Shrimp and worms can also produce fish. Bullheads often will like siltier bottoms found in coves and shallows. Once you've keyed onto the fish, try trolling in a circle, always changing up speed and depth to find the largest school. Website: This is the third and final report on my week of fishing at Riffe Lake. Moon phases have a signifigant impact on fishing. It is well worth the effort to learn the lake. Winter is a difficult time to target this species. Recommended gear for trolling a hoochie or wedding ring spinner about a foot behind an Arrow flasher, tip hooks with shrimp. There is a 5 fish limit on both triploids and landlocked salmon. Winter Steelhead are starting to show up in the Kalama river. from a south easterly direction which means fishing is poor. Get notified by email right after a lake near you has been stocked! Wind from the East, fish bite the least. He has since expanded the blog to include gear reviews, fishing reports, and even recipes for cooking up your catch. The Riptidefish.com mission is to offer you all the information and encouragement to get you excited about fishing around Seattle and Washington State. My fishfinder has measured spots as deep as 300 feet! Anglers dont always have the upper hand. Took us a couple of hrs to figure out that I really did need to use Kokanee gear and not my standard trout plugs or fast speed. Due to Mossyrock Dams super deep outlet, theres little risk the fish will pass downstream, Kinne also indicated. The kokanee are averaging respectable sizes with very few dinks in the mix. Try starting out by the dam and keep a close eye on your fishfinder. It's a good idea to call Tacoma Power or check their website for current water levels. This is a massive, 13 mile long lake, so finding the fish is the most time consuming part. If the winds pick up enough to make controlling your boat difficult, try trolling with the wind. Swofford pond is open year round and offers a boat launch, but combustion engines are not allowed. Reports in 2021 so far are that the sterile rainbow trout have grown into nice keepers and some days are hard to keep off the hook if you are specifically targeting the coho. 2 lb. For one, Riffe runs cold and smallmouths are native to more northerly climates than largemouths. Copyright 2023Sportsman's Warehouse. Crappie and Perch are hanging out in the canals for the winter. Fishing spots, fishing reports and regulations in Riffe Lake. Best technique use Arrow Flash dodgers and lake trolls with a wedding ring or a This is a great opportunity to net yourself a huge trout in Riffe Lake!Here is some background on Riffe Lake and its unique fishery, for those unfamiliar. It can take some work to find the schools, but easy limits can be had in less than an hour once you've found them. In my week camping there I caught fish every time I went out and they were good quality fish. Smallmouth bass love rocky and hard-bottom structure but will use all types of structure. Rainbow and cutthroat trout are also available. Coastal cutthroat trout (resident) Riffe Lake is a 13 mile long reservoir formed by Mossyrock Dam. Fishing is best for Coastal Cutthroat in the spring and fall. But they werent exactly meant to be let loose in the lake more like Puget Sound netpens instead. From Interstate 5 near Napavine, expect the drive to Riffe to be between 30 minutes and an hour heading east on Highway 12 past Mossyrock, depending on which part of the big reservoir you go to. Its a popular spot in the summertime. The launch at Mossyrock Park is usually a good bet year round. For March: Questions? South blows bait in their mouth.. This is the third and final report on my week of fishing at Riffe Lake. Call the Tacoma Power toll-free fishing hotline at (888) 502-8690 to check reservoir levels. The infamous Riffe Lake afternoon winds can be quite dangerous, whipping the smooth, blue morning waters into jagged white caps. Merwin has been fishing very good! Anglers, usually after the land-locked coho but occasional catching other salmon or trout, dangle baits down into the water some 40 feet below. As the water levels drop toward late summer and into fall, the east end ramps at Kosmos and Taidnapam tend to become inaccessible. Recommended gear for trolling a hoochie or wedding ring spinner about a foot behind an Arrow flasher, tip hooks with shrimp. There are no Kokanee in Riffe Lake. Our recommendation is based on aspects about the weather conditions, moon phase & water conditions. The browns of any size are not here in volume, but theyll occasional hit a trolled lure, some bait, or even a bass crankbait. The wild cutthroats and browns are targeted by a minority of anglers, but if you try this we suggest you work the waters near the mouths of incoming tributaries, particularly at the eastern (upper) end of the reservoir. Riffe also has modest fisheries for crappie and bluegill, although it runs pretty cold for fishing for these species to be exceptional. These phases cause bigger tides making fish more active 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. Learn More, 02/05/2023 Make sure you're reppared for the correct fish by having the best lures and bait for the fish that are likely in Riffe Lake . I only used Shoepeg corn with NTO Scent Spinner in white trout sized with Seahawk colored beads pulled behind an Arrowflash dodger. During the day the maximum temperature will be 41F with a min temperature of 33F around Riffe Lake . There are lots of silvers and a few trout to be caught. The lake supports naturally reproducing populations of black crappie, yellow perch, largemouth bass, bluegill, brown bullhead catfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, and Silver Lake is currently open from the fourth Saturday in April through October 31st and offers good harvest opportunity for stocked rainbow trout. Bull trout Wind from the North, do not go forth. Riffe Lake Near Mossyrock is located in Lewis County in Washington. Riffe Lake is a very large freshwater lake located in Lewis County, Washington. Many trout die from the stress of reproduction, triploids may live longer and grow larger. Leftover hatchery chinook and coho salmon are stocked in this lake once quotas have been met for the nearby Cowlitz River. Since these fish were just stocked, it's likely they will be hanging out in shallower depths than normal. Still fishing and trolling are both good options for boaters. . However, largemouths do have the potential to grow a bit larger than smallmouths in the Northwest. Total catch for the day for all of us, minus the few that got away! Only saw a couple my whole week out there. Pretty good cloud cover today at 75% although there may be times when the sun will break through but should be enough cloud cover to find a good spot on Riffe Lake. If youre specifically after rainbow trout in this area, keep Mayfield Lake just downstream and Scanewa Lake just upriver on your radar. There are a multitude of recreational opportunities are nearby. Should be good it's the end of the winter season. WDFW Fishing and Stocking ReportsWDFW Fishing RegulationsNational Weather Service forecasts, Riffe Lake Fishing: How to Catch Coho, Bass & More (2023), tips to catch more salmon in our simple how-to fishing guide, great fishery here is for smallmouth bass, Bass Fishing: Simple How-To Techniques and Tips, trolling and bait-fishing techniques will catch trout, best catfish fishing baits and techniques, Crappie like lures that imitate very small fish. More: Bass Fishing: Simple How-To Techniques and Tips. Also, WDFW plants steelhead upriver along with the salmon to spawn, and their young also can find their way into Riffe the same way the young coho and Chinook do. This is a deep, cold lake, perfect for temperature sensitive salmon. Water visibility is 5 feet and water temperature is 41.9 F. River flows could change at any time so boaters and anglers should remain alert for this possibility. Good news, the wind speed is currently at 13 mph is considered in the optimal range for fishing as the ripples caused by the wind on the water's surface will help hide the line an lure on Riffe Lake. If you are specifically trying to find largemouth bass at Riffe, wed suggest trying out some of the shallower cove areas where the water is a little warmer.