Part of the reason for Williams downturn rests with its near neighbor, Badger Lake. Badger feeds water to Williams via a creek and many of the same bass, tench, sunfish and other species that have virtually destroyed the former outstanding trout fishery at Badger are starting to do the same at Williams. I truely wish a couple of stubborn homeowners on the Badger Lake shore would relent and allow WDFW to rehab the lake.

Thanks T-Bone for the information. I only go to Williams Lake once a year and didn't know what was going on, I only know the fishing is getting worse. Hopefully they get it solved.

Unfortunately any "rehabilitation" of Williams would most likely involve killing off the lake first with poison. It would be much more healthier for the eco-system to plant other fish such as German Browns to control the spiny ray populations.

And I think most anglers these days would prefere to catch trophy bass over trout

fishkin4, I'll friendly disagree. The launch area at Badger is virtually empty these days; unlike its trout fishing heyday that supported boats, bank anglers and even two resorts, the lake is a "Ghost Site" with only the occasional multi-thousand dollar, bass boat making an appearance.I hope Williams does not follow. Sadly the Spokane Area continues to lose trout lakes accessible to both bank and boat anglers. Silver Lake once was a trout fishing mecca, now dead except for perch and muskie fishermen. I fear Badger is soon to follow and I hope not Williams.

I'd have to disagree with fishkin4 also. Yes, although a trophy bass is quite a prize, I believe what really brings a majority of people to these lakes are the trout. With primarily elderly folk and children enjoying the fun, easy catch of trout, even a salmon fisherman like me enjoys looking for the large brown trout, tiger trout, and last years big carry over bows. These lakes have been killed off time after tie and the 16-18" average trout are not the same anymore. But anyone can see in lakes around the states that hatchery programs are needed to supplement the rising population and subsequent popularity of the sport.

Understood but I guess my main point is lakes like Williams could be managed naturally where both trout and spiny-ray flourish and create great fishing opportunity.I tend to cringe when I hear someone say they wish the state would would rehabilitate a lake. With just a little more biological effort lakes can offer both. Finding a happy medium by Introducing other aquatic species = natural balance is way better than killing off a lake in the long term scheme of things. IMO

I believe the regs read that all trout, kept or released, count toward the daily limit. I would be careful posting such numbers. Just to be on the safe side. ;)

Sorry Lakefisher-you are mis-informed. Page 95 of the fishing regulations states follow state rules for Williams Lake. Turn to page 17 in the regulations and I am aloud to catch all the fish I want and release them all day long as long as I don’t use bait of which I don’t use bait. And the Game Warden sure didn’t seem to mind when he did a game check on my boat and I told him we had caught 78 for the day and released all but 6. His response was “have a good day”.


TROUT: The combined daily limit for an angler that fishes in both rivers and lakes on the same day is 5 TROUT. In the combined
daily limit, only 2 TROUT may be from rivers, except as provided for EASTERN BROOK TROUT.
Brown Trout_Cutthroat Trout
Rainbow Trout_Lake Trout
Golden Trout_Kokanee
TIGER TROUT Landlocked
Gra yling_? Atlantic ,
? Chinook ,
? and Coho Salmon
In rivers, streams, and beaver ponds: Min. size 8". Daily limit 2. When fishing with bait, all TROUT
(except STEELHEAD) equal to or greater than the minimum size are counted as part of the daily limit
whether kept or released.
In lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: No min. size. Daily limit 5. When fishing with bait, all TROUT
(except STEELHEAD) equal to or greater than the minimum size are counted as part of the daily limit
whether kept or released.
Eastern Brook Trout
(EBT)
In rivers, streams, and beaver ponds: No min. size. Daily limit 5. Anglers may keep up to 5
EASTERN BROOK TROUT, but no more than 5 TROUT total, and no more than 2 can be other
TROUT species. In lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: Count as part of the 5 TROUT daily limit.
Steelhead Min. size 20". Daily limit 2. No more than 2 STEELHEAD may be retained as part of TROUT combined
daily limit. STEELHEAD may be caught and released until the daily limit is retained. No annual limit for
hatchery STEELHEAD.
WILD STEELHEAD RETENTION RULES: one wild STEELHEAD per license year may be retained
from one of the following rivers: Bogachiel River, Calawah River, Clearwater River, Dickey River, Hoh

I stand corrected.

T-Bone are you sure that you are talking about the Williams lake near Cheney because I'v never seen or heard of bass being in there.