MackDad_Couv
Freshly Spawned
Hi - I'm new to this site and newly a resident of Vancouver, WA. Looking for a good spot in the area to try out a float tube I bought. Any recommendations for a good lake to do that on sometime this spring?
SW WA early season lake options
- Thread starter MackDad_Couv
- Start date
SilverFly
Legend
Popular spot. It's small and gets a lot of pressure, but not so small you can't find space to cast and explore. Interesting lake really, being formed from a magma induced steam explosion.
While not nearly as deep as the more famous Crater Lake, BG is deep for a lake it's size with a max depth of 60'. That, with the many chilling subsurface springs, creates a favorable environment for hold-over trout survival.
I haven't fished it since my kids were still kids, but I've heard rumors of very large trout in deeper water. There are also now bluegill and bass.
FWIW, That's where I'd go to test a new tube or toon.
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@MackDad_Couv - thread drift but something you probably already have considered and will do: PFD. I won't go out in a float tube, pontoon boat or my pram without mine, and I mean wearing it, not hanging it off the seat or back of the float tube. Float tubes are great fishing tools.
Battle Ground Lake https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/locations/lowland-lakes/battle-ground-lake
Horseshoe Lake
wdfw.wa.gov
Kress Lake
wdfw.wa.gov
Are great places to try out a float tube.
Horseshoe Lake
Horseshoe Lake (Cowlitz County)
Horseshoe Lake was a part of the Lewis River until it was cut off from the river in 1940 during the construction of HWY 99. Water is pumped into the lake from a 16" culvert. The lake is managed as a catchable trout and warmwater species lake. Located in the city of Woodland, with a year-round...
wdfw.wa.gov
Kress Lake
Kress Lake is an old gravel pit acquired by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in 1981. It is a popular trout and warmwater fish lake. Catchable Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout are planted from January to May and then again in November. Channel Catfish were first planted in 1998 and...
wdfw.wa.gov
Are great places to try out a float tube.
Battleground lake has pluses and minuses. It's well protected from wind. When the weather gets warm it gets crowded, all the way around the lake so if you have to take a leak you're in trouble with going back to the put in and hiking up to a bathroom which is likely to have it's doors locked. A boat is best for solving that situation but there is a $7 launch fee. The parking lot is up a steep hill, I'm old enough it's no fun walking up that damn thing. However I've had fun days fishing there.
Horseshoe has a nice launch that's free and next to a very nice city park. You'll hear freeway traffic from I-5 but if you're catching lots of fish it's okay. There's easily access to chem toilets. I've enjoyable spring days there too.
Kress also has a nice launch and is off the freeway enough so you won't hear it. It also doesn't get as windy as it is sometimes at Horseshoe.
Farther away are Silver Lake out of Castle Rock and up past White Salmon is Rowland. Rowland is on the Columbia river and subject to high winds a lot of days. Fishing there can be very productive. Silverlake is more of a warmwater species fishery.
Go explore and have some fun!
Horseshoe has a nice launch that's free and next to a very nice city park. You'll hear freeway traffic from I-5 but if you're catching lots of fish it's okay. There's easily access to chem toilets. I've enjoyable spring days there too.
Kress also has a nice launch and is off the freeway enough so you won't hear it. It also doesn't get as windy as it is sometimes at Horseshoe.
Farther away are Silver Lake out of Castle Rock and up past White Salmon is Rowland. Rowland is on the Columbia river and subject to high winds a lot of days. Fishing there can be very productive. Silverlake is more of a warmwater species fishery.
Go explore and have some fun!
