Grimes Lake

I heard about this. What a sad day for me and for all of us who have enjoyed (loved, loved) this lake. I have so many great memories.

One early July morning, Darc, Ruben and I pulled into the parking lot. We had our donut float tubes and an 8-foot Livingston that we used to motor out to the main body of the lake. In those donut tube days, we wore neoprene waders (this was about 35 years ago). We got the Livingston down off the top of Darc's truck canopy and started readying our gear. It was HOT. We got our waders on and were about to shove off when Ruben said something like "Man, it's too hot in these waders. Maybe we should go home....." We talked about it and I suggested skipping the waders and fishing in our shorts - wet tubing. We pulled off our waders, motored down the channel, anchored the Livingston and eased into our float tubes. Ah! Nice. The water was about 70F (that's not too warm for Lahontans plus they live in cooler thermoclines). One benefit of not wearing waders back in our beer drinking days: you don't have to kick ashore to pee.

As we were slowly kicking around we found a place (we now call it "The Bucket") where the water was noticeably cooler. We'd found one of Grimes springs. In time, we figured out that dangling (fishing a full sinking line vertically) in that cooler water was money.

I'm going to miss Grimes.
 
troutpocket said:
Me too, @Buzzy

It took me a few visits to get a handle on the fishing but once I figured out a few things it became a special place. I’ve not experienced another place like it. View attachment 150516
Click to expand...
Rod - I remember very clearly one day when you had it DIALED in with your midges! Such a special place.

I understand that a lot of the lakeside land is state and federal. Any of you Onyx (sp) guys can you confirm? I wonder about the possibility of a bulldozed road from the north? WDFW just opened a shooting range near the south end of Lake Lenore so...... why not a crummy road to Grimes? It's not like the road into Grimes and the launch are well kept.
 
I think they should open it up year round and figure out a hike in access point. Looks like 50 percent of the lake is public. Wasn't it a special season due to a hunting lease on the west shoreline? I see no reason to keep the short season. Screenshot_20250423_082756_onX Hunt.jpg
 
Buzzy said:
Rod - I remember very clearly one day when you had it DIALED in with your midges! Such a special place.

I understand that a lot of the lakeside land is state and federal. Any of you Onyx (sp) guys can you confirm? I wonder about the possibility of a bulldozed road from the north? WDFW just opened a shooting range near the south end of Lake Lenore so...... why not a crummy road to Grimes? It's not like the road into Grimes and the launch are well kept.
Click to expand...
Checking into currently..
 
Any reason given why the landowner decided to cancel the lease?
SF
 
Access from the north for a road would be difficult to impossible. Best I can tell there is an old 4x4 track that ends at the launch from 6 and H. This would be the best route to maintain access.
 
509 said:
There is a Douglas County road that comes pretty close to the lake. The county has not maintained it for years, but it is legal road access.
Check the road atlas for Douglas County.
Click to expand...
Are you talking south of lake?

It almost looks like just a corner of the launch is on private. If there is a road like ONX makes it seem I see no reason why hiking in wouldn't be an option. Hell open it year round and add a little parking area off the main road. This would be the best option verses hiking in from north or west. Screenshot_20250424_060309_onX Hunt.jpgScreenshot_20250424_060356_onX Hunt.jpg
That doesn't mean the land owner won't put a gate across the road with a bunch of no trespassing signs.

Someone would have to take it to court after doing the research. Maybe 100 of us should walk the road with tube's. Make it a party. Call it the March for Grimes!
 
Billy said:
Are you talking south of lake?

It almost looks like just a corner of the launch is on private. If there is a road like ONX makes it seem I see no reason why hiking in wouldn't be an option. Hell open it year round and add a little parking area off the main road. This would be the best option verses hiking in from north or west. View attachment 150715View attachment 150716
That doesn't mean the land owner won't put a gate across the road with a bunch of no trespassing signs.
Click to expand...


This is my understanding of the situation, Grimes Road cuts across Witte Farms LLC property to get from Jameson Lake Road to the BLM property and WDFW access site. This is the property for which the lease is not renewed, they must not have ever signed a permanent easement with the state for access.

But the access site is on BLM or WDFW property, and there is that rough 4x4 road that connect into the Access Site from the east. I just cruised the Douglas County Parcel viewer and it looks like that rough road stays on BLM or WDFW property all the way back to H and 6 roads. So it shouldn't get gated by Witte Farms.

Grimes Access Map.jpg
 
If there's another way to legally access it, I guess the next question is will WDFW continue to stock it annually? :unsure:
 
Merle said:
This is my understanding of the situation, Grimes Road cuts across Witte Farms LLC property to get from Jameson Lake Road to the BLM property and WDFW access site. This is the property for which the lease is not renewed, they must not have ever signed a permanent easement with the state for access.

But the access site is on BLM or WDFW property, and there is that rough 4x4 road that connect into the Access Site from the east. I just cruised the Douglas County Parcel viewer and it looks like that rough road stays on BLM or WDFW property all the way back to H and 6 roads. So it shouldn't get gated by Witte Farms.
Click to expand...
It has been years since I looked at the Douglas County road atlas. I was looking for a access road so I could spend the night at Grimes Lake instead of leaving.

As I remember the road ended up somewhere on the north end. It was owned by the county, but not used. I did talk to somebody in the county and they basically said you don't want to drive it.

BUT it is legal access and it is easier to reconstruct a existing road, than to get the ok to build a new road from BLM.

Did you look at the road atlas for Douglas County? That will give you more info than the parcel map.

It will probably be difficult to get Douglas County to improve that road, but BLM might do it under a cooperative agreement particularly if it provides access to Grimes Lake.

These days, the fishing community might need to raise funds for access and a boat launch and camping area.

Somebody probably should contact the game department and ask their thoughts on the future of Grimes Lake from their perspective. And BLM as well. Jameson Lake resort probably gets some decent revenue from Grimes Lake fisherman. They would "balance" the discussion when it came to County Commissioners and Douglas County property owners.

The simplest solution is for the state of Washington to simply buy the land and the road access. Otherwise it might lead to another Chopaka Lake outcome.

I wonder if the LLC would be interested in selling.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top