Northwest Fishing Reports

Hi,
I'm fairly new to Washington and I'm trying to find a good lake to take my wife camping this weekend. We're in Cheney so a place within two hours max would be good. We're looking for somewhere primitive but not in a spot where the risk of rattlesnakes might freak my wife out. We have a 12ft boat and a tent so a place to pitch a tent and light a fire that's reasonably close to a boat launch would be perfect. Any suggestions? We fish at Sprague right now.
Thank you

Well...if your wife is willing to go at it with a tent on the heels of a winter storm warning in the mountains, and a wind advisory in the lowlands with freezing temps at night...she's hardier than Iam!! haha
There are literally hundreds (perhaps a slight exageration) of lakes in that area...how bout Williams Lk? They have rental s there as a plan B.

correct me if I'm wrong but aren't there only a few lakes that are actually open before the 24th and is that the forecast for the weekend or just tomorrow? heard the weekend would be the mildest days of the week.

Thanks

Steamboat Rock on Banks Lake is a great spot. Nice camping,clean restrooms and a very nice boat launch.Also it has attendants there full time. Its one of my favorites.Moses Lake is nice.Conconully is nice.Potholes state park is good too.Have fun and welcome to Washington State.

How's the camping at Sprague? And, is it always windy out there? Man, is it hard to stay anchored.

Man, Banks Lake looks really cool. Has anyone stayed at Sunbanks resort. Before May 19th they're prices are pretty reasonable. Anyone been there? tell me what you thought

fishinator wrote:Man, Banks Lake looks really cool. Has anyone stayed at Sunbanks resort. Before May 19th they're prices are pretty reasonable. Anyone been there? tell me what you thought

SunBanks Resort is a beautiful piece of property...but the management of the property is shall I say, less than desireable in my experience. Try it out and see what you think...

Sunbanks is ok but better yet is a campground called Osborn campground in Osborn bay in Banks Lake. His campground is very resonable and there are primitive bathrooms but when you gotta go you find those restrooms just peachy.Its on Airport road off Hwy 155.They even have a decent boat launch.

sweet thanks for the info

If you head up north of Spokane, there are many lakes that have campgrounds, both private and forest service. However, many of the lakes are closed for fishing until the third Saturday of this month other than Sullivan. There, the forest service campgrounds may not be open yet and it is a long drive. It is beautiful up there though but it is bear country.

Lake Roosevelt is another option, about an 1 1/2 hours from Cheney, with USFS campgrounds that are nicely kept at Fort Spokane. You can shore fish (bank fishing has been pretty good lately) or use your 12' boat (do you have a motor??) if you like, either way you should catch fish.

thanks for all the advice and yes hewesfisher we do have a 4hp mercury and a 30lb thrust endura is that enough power to get around on that lake? I went on a guided trip with Ray Bailey last year for walleye up there. At least I think that's where we were. We launched at porcupine bay.

Also for everyone else..another question. I was asking about public primitive camping around the area, but to expand on that. Say I wanted to have a guys weekend with some serious beer drinking involved. Is there a good place to go, any of the local lakes in my area where you can camp and it's not on an official campground. Kind of roughing it a bit more and where we wouldn't have to worry so much about campground rules as far as noise and stuff like that. I'm trying to learn as much about the possibilities for stuff to do so I can take full advantage of the area.

Thanks for any help

There are two campgrounds I know of that dont mind drinking and 420.These are a campground in Vantage and the Osborn Bay that I mentioned earlier.In Vantage try Gettys Cove campground. It has nice restrooms and a sweet boat launch.Its on the Columbia not Banks Lake. Osborn Bay is another campground made for the liberal crowd. Most campgrounds in the area also faccilitate Concert goers at the Gorge.