Northwest Fishing Reports

Although the WDFW notes boat launch sites for lakes in the WA Fishing Reg's; they do next to nothing to note WDFW Access Sites that provide adequate space for lake bank fishing access. I don't think a Regional Lake Bank Fisherman's Access Guide put out by each WDFW Regional Office would be cost prohibitive or too great an effort. I sent an Email to the WDFW suggesting such an idea...We'll see.

Boat ramp, access guide, all the same thing. Every one of them has bank access of some sort. No they don't all have a nice dock or even a flat spot to put a chair or a fence to separate it from the parking space. It's just access.

Sorry to take exception Bodofish, but not all access sites provide anything resembling reasonable bank fisherman access. In fact at a good many, setting up a chair at the ramp will get you rightfully yelled at or run over.

Boat ramp, access guide is NOT the same thing.

T-Bone wrote:Sorry to take exception Bodofish, but not all access sites provide anything resembling reasonable bank fisherman access. In fact at a good many, setting up a chair at the ramp will get you rightfully yelled at or run over.

Boat ramp, access guide is NOT the same thing.

You are absolutely right but in the eyes of WDFW access is access. I'd expect to be asked to move if I set up a chair in the middle of a launch. As I said earlier, Access is Access, there's no mention of any special area for setting up anything. I've been to many access sites and I can't think of a one that didn't have a place to stand and hold a rod. One exception may be lake Boron as its just sort of a little slot between houses and I can't say I've ever seen anyone launch a boat there. I'm going go out on a limb here, access is pretty much enough room to stand there and a pit toilet or honey bucket. Other than that, you're on your own. They're certainly not a park and clearly don't try to be. I'll bet I could guess the lake you got yelled at for camping on the launch but why don't you throw us a bone and fill us in? Maybe there's a more park like alternative that would make you happier, lots of folks here would love to help.

Google Earth and Google Street View (when available) are valuable tools when scouting new ground.

Just sayin'

onmygame

Bodofish, you keep missing the intent of my request to the WDFW, but you did touch on it. All WDFW are not equal with some providing plenty of bank fishing access (like W. Medical Lake) and others virtually none like the accesses you describe. Without even knowing me; I am amused that you put me in a chair blocking a boat launch. I've lived in both Western and Eastern WA and on tours to find more bank fishing access, the accesses you some how put in were immediately rejected without even a cast.

I guess too I don't understand your near hostility to my request that the WDFW mark Lake Accesses with Bank Fishing Friendly (or something to that effect) in the Reg.'s; much like the YES/NO on the two poles. Better yet, each Regional Office could provide a guide or list of the Lake Access Sites with real bank fishing opportunity...My original idea.

From the tone of your posts, I sense you like to be "The Straw That Stirs The Drink". Sorry, but after 20 years in law enforcement and putting up with that type of individual at two major retail gun counters; I'll chose to bow out. My intent was (I thought) a helpful idea for the bank angler or person new to a WDFW Region. In this, the "Me Generation", I guess you and others took it as a "Golly, tell me where to go". I've fished in this state from the bank and from a boat for over 35 years and I have plenty of locations; my simple intent was to help others.

Good fishing; be it by boat or bank.

If you look on WDFW site and go to "Fish Washington" you can get information on access. It is not as quick as your idea, but the info is there.

T-Bone's suggestion was valid. There is a big difference re lakes that have bank-friendly fishing as opposed to generalized access points. On my first day here, one poster called me a "troll" for looking for responsible people to fish with. I'm now more careful what I post or respond to. This seems a great fishing site with helpful tips and interesting fishing stories. Tight lines!

I'm sorry you thought I was hostile. Certainly not the case, I'm just a bit more to the point than most.
First, I'll point out you're on the best fishing information site on the web. Bar none, use it. Go to the Lakes Index and look up where you want to go. Check out the reports. Then ask for input. It's how forums are used.

I didn't paint you in a chair, you did that all by yourself, you were the one that got yelled at for fishing from a ramp. I'm sorry if the shoe fits. And if you want to talk about hostile, you are the one bringing a gun to a fishing web site. Don't try and paint me as the bad guy, I've given you more than one chance to just ask, just ask.

We still don't know where you want to go fish. I don't know if you learn that passive aggressive stuff in law enforcement or where it comes from. It doesn't work on me. If you want something, just ask, don't beat around the bush expecting any of us to guess, Just ask. There's many very giving people here who would be more than happy to help you with just about anything you need. Just ask.

I'm sorry you didn't like my opinion, it is what it is. I'm still not missing your point at all. You still want the State to print or publish a list of access properties that conform to what to what you think an access property should be. I've told you how to do that. All of the properties have access to the water, some are more friendly to your needs than others. Access is still access, pure and simple.

A very good example would be the Rock Lake thread on this forum.

Wow, has this thread gone a little weird.
I own a boat so fishing from shore is not an issue for me. I do however think it would be a GREAT IDEA if the state would print out some kind of publication showing areas and access locations that have bank fishing accessible space. I didn't take T bone's comments as asking for anything. Simply bringing up what sounds like a good idea.

I too think it be a great idea, only problem id see is we would have phone book size regulations pamphlet lol. And ya the thread went weird.

AJ's Dad wrote:Wow, has this thread gone a little weird.
I own a boat so fishing from shore is not an issue for me. I do however think it would be a GREAT IDEA if the state would print out some kind of publication showing areas and access locations that have bank fishing accessible space. I didn't take T bone's comments as asking for anything. Simply bringing up what sounds like a good idea.

It's already available on top of all the great information on northwestfishingreports.com.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/water_access/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/washington/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The rub is as I have explained, there is a difference in opinion of what constitutes access. The state provides access to the shoreline and in all cases that I've seen, a pit or honey bucket. They do not provide or document a special bank angling area as part of the "Water Access Sites". They are not boat launch sites, they are not bank fishing sites, they are not picnic sites, they are "Water Access Sites".

And yes it is a good idea, I agreed with him. And yes you are right, he didn't ask for anything. Perhaps questions would have been more in order. In addition I suggested a course of action, should he want it to be come a reality. Sending an email to the local office is not enough. Complaining about it on a web forum does not sway WDFW. Asking for support from forum members is another step towards making it a reality. The key is asking.

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
Hunter S. Thompson

Agreed with the OP, that would be a nice addition. It could go right along with the "two pole" thing like you said. Seeing you are in Eastern WA I would look for (based on my limited experience around here) something like "Bank Fishing Opportunities (Medical, W. Medical) "Limited Bank Fishing Opportunities" (Sacheen), "Public Fishing Dock" (Liberty, Newman, Silver), etc. Most are going to avoid the fishing docks, but heck they are there. But there is a major difference between the Medicals where you can walk halfway around the lake and fish from wherever you want and somewhere like Sacheen that has a "Public FIshing" sign at the launch but only 10ft or so of realistic room if you were planning on shore fishing. Being able to know a bit about the lake before you head out would be helpful. I do usually try to mention something about bank access when I report on a place for the first time.

It would be a nice resource to have in the regs book, but I highly doubt in this age of budget crunches WDFW would devote someone's time on staff to do the research and add it to the regs.

The original concept of this web site was to provide this type of information (and more). I will admit, it too requires digging and research. It's not all sitting in a lake overview easy to find. Sometimes you have to dig into the reports, look at various information, watch a video, etc to find it.

Let's try to "un-weird" this thread, shall we?

Based on the interest in this thread for such data to be made available - maybe it would be a good idea for someone who wanted to put a book / guide together for publication.

There would be a limited demographic, but if I know anything about sport fishermen - it is that if they want it, they will buy it.

onmygame