Day Lake, Skagit

[db77]

Just wondering if any one has fished this lake lately? I live on Whidbey Island and would hate to drive over there just to find the road gated or no access for some reason.

[Bscman]

First, let me tell you I'm not familiar with Day lake...and I don't have a map handy at the moment to confirm if my "thoughts" are correct.

I would assume Day Lake would be the lake that feeds Day Creek...accessible off South Skagit Highway, from the "town" of Day Creek?

If so, the road is gated off (and has been for some time, IIRC).
The access was via Potts Road in Day Creek, which turns to gravel (rocky creek road) after a short time....not long after if turns to gravel you come to a gate which has closed every time I've tried it for the past several years. It would leave several miles of "non-motorized" roads to get to the lake.

Again, I'm going off memory (which is often wrong) so if I'm way off....ignore me! LOL.
Also, if I am wrong, where the heck is Day Lake?

[db77]

Thats the one. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

[Bscman]

I was able to check Google Earth last night (still haven't dug out my maps) to verify I was thinking of the right lake.

Once Potts Road turns to Rocky Creek Road, you have a short trip of gravel road before coming to the gate. There is some room on the shoulder for a rig or two to park. My best guess is you will have about 10 miles of gravel road to follow before reaching the lake, with SEVERAL junctions along the way.

The lake is at 1,610' elevation...My best guess is the gate is around 600'....so you're looking at 1,000' in elevation gain, plus ups and downs. It looks like a large, long lake--over one mile long, and ~600-800 feet wide.

You might get lucky and they have decided to open it to vehicle use since I was last to the gate (Nov. '07).

Also worth noting...there are a handful of smaller lakes 2-3 miles West of Day lake, also accessible by the same road system. Not sure of their names (if named) or if any hold fish. They appear to be between .4-2.0 acres in size, and there are at least seven or eight.
Also worth noting...the complex road system in and around Day Lake also appears to adjoin the road system shared by the Walker Valley ORV Park. With some planning, it's likely you could find your way to the lake on dirtbike/4-wheeler via Walker Valley if you have them.

Good luck! If you decide to make the trek, be sure to post a report (or PM me). You've peaked my interest in this lake, and I may be willing to dust off the dirtbikes and see if I can find my way there a little later in the season.

[db77]

I have wanted to fish this lake for about five years or so but just found the reports and forum about six month ago. If you read the reports for Day Lake one of them mentions the gate. I tried to get to it off the fire roads off lake Cavanaugh Rd a few years back but ran into gates on them. The report from 3/22/07 mentions catching a cat fish in the lake.

[Bscman]

There looks to be two roads from lake cavanaugh that will get you there...one of which has had a gate since the early 90's, the other being put in place in the mid 90's from my best recollection. I used to hunt these areas frequently years ago. It used to be a GREAT area for deer, and I ran into houndsmen a hand full of times in search of cats.
Strangely, I never heard mention (or saw) any sizeable lakes up there. Day lake was a suprise to me.

Once you get past either gate from Lake cavanaugh, I would guess it to be smooth sailing. I don't recall other gates up there in the past--many of the roads are quite old, though, with cuts at least 20-30 years old...and likely overgrown quite a bit.
Then again, the DNR has done a lot bar ditches and gates in the Walker Valley are the past few years so there could be a couple of suprises.

The access road closest to Lake Cavanaugh does still have some logging activity. From time to time I've been up there when the big yellow gate was open--however there is signage warning the gate may be closed at any time.

I mentioned the possibility of a dirtbike trek into the area to my girlfriend and she seemed up to the idea. I have a short vacation coming up, along with some other commitments that will take me into mid July, but I just might try and make the trek some time early August. If I do, I will surely PM you.

In the mean time, I'll keep asking around to see what else I can learn about this lake.
Based on it's size, and the two reports here on the site, I think it's probably safe to say there should be some pretty good size fish hiding in there.

[db77]

Please find out what you can, and let me know what you find out. Thanks

[Bscman]

Ding Ding Ding!!!
Got some info for ya!

Lake is 156 acres, a little over 1 mile long. Inlet stream on the S.E. edge, outlet at the N.W. end. Several other small streams dump into the lake along all shores.
Most water is fairly shallow and snag-filled. Most of the shorelines are fairly dense brush, with limited openings for shore-fishing.

As I suspected, access can be gained via lake cavanaugh road at the deer creek mainline (gated). After a series of intersections and jumping from road to road, you get to the lake (in about 9 miles).

The day creek (potts road) access is a grand total of ~11.4 miles to the lake.

Coastal, brook, and rainbow trout are in the lake for sure...don't know what else may be in there.

The creek inlets along the south shore are apparently the best areas to fish...lots of smaller fish with occasional larger fish. They tend to be aggressive fighters and have a tendency to go airborne.

Spinners tossed around snags and flies trolled along the shores tend to get fish.

[db77]

Well good to hear. So let me get this straight, both roads are gated or just the one off Lake Cavanaugh road. Also if you could get a small boat up there is there any where to launch it on the shore. thank you for the info

[Bscman]

Both access points are gated.
My sources say the Day Creek area access point (potts road) has been gated since '92.

From my best recollection, the Lake Cavanaugh access (deer creek mainline) has been gated since the mid-90's as well. From time to time I have seen this gate open due to current logging activity--but I wouldn't recommend going in there, as they won't wait for you to exit before locking up. However, access via ATV through Walker Valley ORV Park is possible. The easiest route would be to park at the Lake Cavanaugh Road access area and make your way up the gravel roads to the lake. It would be a breeze on a dirtbike.

There is a "boat launch" at the lake...or, at least, a poor gravel excuse for a boat launch which would suffice for a small boat....the problem will be getting the boat up there. An infatable raft could be the ticket.
Apparently the launch used to be good for smaller boats (aluminum) but not much else...I doubt it has been maintained in the last decade or so.

IF you're into 4-wheeling, you may be able to gain access to Day Lake via the 4WD trail system of Walker Valley ORV park (speculation). I do recall seeing jeeps up there in the past with 10-12ft aluminum boats on the roof. I always wondered why people took the extra hassle of bringing a boat up there--it makes more sense now.

I used to hunt and dirtbike in and around the area near Day Lake and never stumbled across it. There is a LOT of land up there.

[db77]

Well I know a guy here in town that own an Off-road shop and knows the area around walkervalley well, maybe I will take my map into him and see if he knows a route to the lake. If I could get to the lake I wonder if it would be worth making a weekend camping trip of it. Thank you agian for the info.

[Bscman]

Well I know a guy here in town that own an Off-road shop and knows the area around walkervalley well, maybe I will take my map into him and see if he knows a route to the lake. If I could get to the lake I wonder if it would be worth making a weekend camping trip of it. Thank you agian for the info.

I'll PM you directions tomorrow--I have them written down somewhere downstairs.
I have road numbers and estimated distances to travel down each road--however, some roads will not be properly signed...so a good topo map will probably help.

[db77]

Sounds good
Do you think it would be possible to get a boat on a trailer up to the lake going through Walker Valley.

[Bscman]

Hmmm...

I think you'd have trouble with gates trying to get a boat in. If you could get past the main gate on the trailhead, I think you'd be golden though.

How heavy is the boat? Maybe sneak the trailer under the gate and bring a buddy or two along to man handle a johnboat or something over the gate!?!?!?

Other than that, I think you'd have a tough time getting a boat in there...unless the DNR was really friendly and opened the gate for ya--but I can't really see that happening.

[Bscman]

Okay, I found the directions.
I know I said I'm PM them to ya, but I figured if I posted them here maybe some fellow fisherman could benefit as well.

From Lake Cavanaugh Road:
8.8miles up from hwy 9, on Lake Cavanaugh Road, you come to Deer Creek mainline on the left.
On the mainline, travel 1 mile past gravel pit to a 4way intersection- Go right.
Travel this road 5.1 miles to an old shop (nothing but foundation remains). The road forks, go left.
0.2 miles up this road, a rights enter from the right. Take the right.

After 2 miles you come to another fork - The left climbs above the south side of the lake, and the right fork continues around the southeastern end of the lake, climbs above the north side, and re-joins the other fork at the northwest edge of Day Lake. The right fork is the one to go on.
At 1.7 miles past the fork is a small gavel road on the left that parallels the road you were just on. This "spur" is .2 miles long and reaches the inlet end of Day lake. Parking and a old, gravel boat launch can be found here.

There are a few trails from the Walker Valler ORV Park that weave through some of these roads, though most of them are older (less popular) trails. Some of the roads intertwine through a fairly complex road system, at least one more reaches back down to Lake Cavanaugh Road.
Obviously, they can also be taken out the other side to Day Creek.


Now, here is the *problem.*
I thought the Deer Creek Mainline was also the lake cavanaugh entrance to walker valley. As it turns out, the walker valley entrance is about 1.5 miles BEFORE you reach the Deer Creek mainline. This isn't really a problem, it just adds a bit more distance to the trek.

If you park at the ORV parking trailhead, take the first right IMMEDIATELY after crossing the gate. Stay on this main road for 2.4 miles, and it will join the Deer Creek Mainline. Had you started on the Deer Creek Mainline, the trek to here would only have been .9 miles....so you've got an extra 1.5 miles of road to travel.

I hit up Google Earth and copied this topo for ya. It shows the entrace point(s) from Lake Cavanaugh road, as well as Day lake. I mapped out *most* of the roads required, but the map gets fuzzy as you come into the valley were Day Lake sits.
I couldn't make out the roads well enough due to picture quality, so I stopped marking the trail. This should give you a rough idea of what you're looking at, though.



The road just to the south of both push pins (bottom of the page) is Lake Cavanaugh Road. If you're unsure how to get to Lake Cavanaugh Road, it starts from Highway 9 about 1.3 miles south of the Big Lake Bar and Grill, right near the south end of Big Lake (~ M.P. 44).

About half-way up Lake Cavanaugh road you'll run across Summer Lake adjacent to the road.
There's no real boat launch, and the "trail" is always fairly muddy and wet, but it holds a decent population of Crappie, some smaller cutthroats, and some largemouth bass.