Yeah that sucks. I read an article in the paper that said WDFW couldn't reach an agreement with the property owners for 2012 season. So let's hope for 2013! We should all get a petition going online. Maybe we could get a link here on WA Lakes.

I had heard that the old man that ran the resort there had died earlier this year . So that being said there is no way to launch a boat anymore but hey gotta look at it this way all the kokanee and largemouth will have a full year to grow!
keep ya linez tight

Isn't the lake otherwise surrounded by DNR land? Should be able to at least get a carry-in boat on the water to give it a go.

I hear some folks from out of state bought the resort. They fired Bruce, the guy in the sleeping bag that was kind of the overseer and he had to go to a nursing home. They also kicked out a few of my friends who spent their summers there. One of those friends and his son-in-law had just finished building a brand new dock for the place. I asked the WDFW Region 1 office in Spokane what was going on there and they said they weren't getting any response from the new owners. There is some DNR or BLM land on the N/W end of the lake, but they would have to put in a road and a launch before the public could use it. I understand that the remaining land surrounding the lake is privately owned. I asked the WDFW if they were going to continue to stock the lake with kokanee, and they said yes but only for a short while, pending the new owners cooperation. They want the kokanee population to continue, but not as a publicly paid planting for a private resort. I miss fishing that lake and loved the 5 mph speed limit. If & when it re-opens, I hope the maintain the speed limit.

sad

Chapman is indeed surrounded by private land with only a small strip of state land on the south side where the creek enters. I don't see how the state could ever develop that area for a public launch, and if you've ever been back there you'd know what I'm talking about. FWIW, this isn't new, public access to Chapman was closed all of last year as well. IMO, the state should cease stocking efforts UNTIL they get current landowner's agreement to reopen to the public. Private landowners have no exclusive right to public resources, so WDFW should have ceased planting last year.

Are you sure regarding the amount of private land surrounding the lake? I looked at the Spokane county assessor's records online and it looks like most of the lake is surrounded by DNR land.

Went there also awhile back! Sure enough it was close to the public...maybe next year!

I PM'd the user Chapman Lake here on the site and asked if they knew when the lake would open again. They actually replied and told me that they had people lined up to manage the resort this year, but those people backed out after the Spokesman Review stated the lake would be closed to the public again. I don't know how credible any of our stories are, but that user could be legit.

G-Man, you need to do a better search. Chapman lake is indeed surrounded by private land with the exception of a 530 acre parcel of DNR ground. This parcel only has ONE point of access that is not surrounded by private property. This single access point is the small strip of land I referred to, and can only be accessed from Cheney-Plaza road. The road is a narrow two-lane county road, and parking is very limited just off the shoulder. There is no road leading to the lake, and access can only be gained by hiking and a good ways I might add.

Other than this one small entry point, the entire parcel is an island bordered by private property, so yes, I am sure about the private land surrounding Chapman Lake. ;-)

has anyone heard if we can get in there this year

No you cannot. Gates are locked (as of 5/16/13) and to my knowledge, there has been no progress toward solving the access issues. WDFW is still stocking kokanee so the fishery will be there if/when access issues are resolved. Nice, only those who have cabins or access, a very limited few, can enjoy the public resources we ALL pay for. :-(

anyone know if anything new has happened with the lake being open. live a long drive from lake but really wanna get out there and fish it again.