November 3, 2011
Contact: Aaron Bosworth, (425) 775-1311, ext. 102

King County's Beaver Lake to receive
2,300 large hatchery rainbow trout

OLYMPIA - Anglers will soon have an opportunity to catch lunker trout in Beaver Lake near Issaquah, thanks to the release of about 2,300 hatchery rainbows averaging about 2 to 3 pounds each.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is scheduled to release the fish Nov. 8. To facilitate fish planting, WDFW will close the Beaver Lake access site at sunset on Nov. 7 and reopen the site at sunrise on Nov. 9. Beaver Lake, however, will remain open to fishing while the access site is closed.

The trout were part of an educational display at WDFW's Issaquah Hatchery.

Beaver Lake is best fished by small boat, although anglers also can be successful fishing from shore, said Aaron Bosworth, fishery biologist for WDFW.

The lake's access site is most easily reached by way of East Beaver Lake Drive Southeast, off Southeast 24th Street in the city of Sammamish. Parking for vehicles and boat trailers is limited, and a valid WDFW Vehicle Access Pass or Discover Pass must be visible in vehicles parked at the access site. For more information about the Vehicle Access Pass and the Discover Pass, visit WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/discoverpass/ .

Beaver Lake is one of several westside lowland lakes open to fishing year-round. Internal combustion boat engines are prohibited on the lake. All anglers 15 years of age and older are required to have a valid fishing license.

The daily limit is five fish, only two of which can exceed 15 inches in length. When fishing with bait, all trout count as part of the daily limit whether kept or released. Anglers are advised to check the sport fishing rules pamphlet, which is available on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/ .