This Black Friday, skip the shopping and hit the water for big rainbow trout

Every fall, WDFW stocks lakes across Washington – including Battle Ground Lake and Klineline Pond – with thousands of ‘holiday special’ trout weighing up to three pounds and averaging 15 to 16 inches in length

OLYMPIA – Forget about standing in lines on the day after Thanksgiving this year, and think instead about casting a line in one of the many lakes the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is still stocking this November.

Every fall, WDFW stocks lakes across Washington with thousands of “holiday special” trout weighing up to three pounds and averaging 15 to 16 inches in length.

“The Thanksgiving weekend is one of the best times of year to go fishing in Washington, and it’s also a great time to introduce visiting friends or relatives to the joy of fishing,” said Steve Caromile, inland fish program manager with WDFW. “Hitting your local lake offers a great alterna