Good Catch -- Summertime And The Fishing Is Easy At Stocked Lakes And Ponds

Thought about going fishing lately?

Think of the smell of fresh air and fresh catch. The quiet of the outdoors broken only by the splashes of rainbow trout on the line. And then, the gratifying aroma and taste of your dinner invoking primal connections with nature.

Well, what's stopping you?

Even if you've never baited a hook before, there's no reason to be afraid of good old-fashioned angling. It's a sport for all ages and abilities. And even if you're a seasoned veteran, there are plenty of new holes to be found where you can sink your line.

Believe it or not, it's relatively easy and inexpensive to get started. A great way to get the flavor for the sport is to go where the fish like to bite: stocked lakes and trout farms.

Many places offer lessons, rent boats and gear, and will even assume the unenviable task of gutting and cleaning your catch.

And at many locales, you're practically guaranteed to catch a fish - important to keeping the neophytes from discouragement.

"A lot of our customers don't want anyone to know where we are because the fishing's so good," boasts Kenna Bergstrom, co-owner of Mineral Lake Resort, where people of all skill levels pay by the day or stay the week to cast for trout near Eatonville. "Just a little bit of knowledge and a little bit of desire is all you need. I would say you don't even need luck. Of course, it never hurts."

Fishing opportunities in the area vary. At the most basic trout farm, fish are reared in small ponds specifically for the dinner table.

Fish are so plentiful and tame that trout farms charge for the fish like a supermarket - by the pound or inch. A 10-inch trout fresh from the water costs about $3.

"It's a lifesaver for many families," said Knut Olson, owner of the Gold Creek Trout Farm, a mile south of Woodinville. "Otherwise they would never take their kids fishing. Kids don't care. As long as they catch a fish, they don't care where they caught it."

Still, it tends to lack challenge. The next step, then, is to head to the woods and find a stocked natural lake, where the fish are a little more finicky, but the scenery makes up for it.

One of the better spots in the area is Mineral Lake on Highway 7 south of Eatonville.

As Mount Rainier looms large over the 277-acre lake, visitors yank huge trout from the water from rowboats or from the dock. The lake is stocked heavily every year.

At the Mineral Lake Resort, you pay $5 a day to fish from the dock or you can rent boats. The dock and a couple of flat pontoon boats are wheelchair-friendly.

Ferne Harris of Federal Way finds the fishing so good at Mineral Lake that she has returned to the resort every year for the past 40.

Now 80 and a great-great-grandmother, she spent a recent week with four generations of her family there - and she was pulling trout from the water left and right.

"I can't do any hard fishing like I used to," she said as she cast her bait from a folding chair. "Here, we can fish off the dock. And the fishing's usually good."

Her grandson, Tim Sargent of Maple Valley, chuckled. Harris was doing as well as anyone on the dock.

"That's one of the fun things," Sargent said. "There are big fish in this lake and you never know when you'll get one."

If the trout farms seem a little artificial and you don't want to pay someone for sitting on a dock, Western Washington has plenty of natural lakes for fishing, too. It's almost as simple as picking one off a map. The bites may not come as often, but when they do, it may seem more rewarding.

Lake Washington has lots of fish and lots of public access. So does Green Lake in Seattle.

Outside the city, Lake Ballinger near Edmonds, Pine Lake in Issaquah, and Cottage Lake near Woodinville have had good reports this year, said Jerry Beppu, owner of Linc's Tackle and Honda on Rainier Avenue South. The Kitsap Peninsula is speckled with natural lakes, too.

To help find a good spot, pick up a free copy of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife's Fishing in Washington guide at a local sporting goods store, or wherever you buy your gear. (You may also request the guide by calling 360-902-2200 or writing the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife at 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091.) The 120-page guide lists every fishing lake in the state, including what type of fish swim there, and fishing regulations, such as how many fish you're allowed to catch and when you're allowed to catch them.

Whatever type of lake you choose, be prepared to get hooked.

"The main thing about fishing is you find you forget all other problems and pressure," said Beppu. "You don't think about all the problems of daily life. You get away from all that."

--------------- Getting Started ---------------

Unless you're at a privately stocked trout farm, adult anglers have to get a license, available at most fishing stores.

For adults and teens over 14, it's $17 for the entire season, which ends on Oct. 31. But a one-day permit is only $3. Three-day passes cost $9. Kids 14 and under don't need a license.

Fishing gear can be expensive. Luckily, newcomers don't have to - and shouldn't - pay a lot.

The most basic trout farms generally rent or provide a pole. That's a good way to try the sport out before buying into the gear.

Eventually, though, you'll need your own "tackle." Start with a pole and a basic spinning reel, about $30 for a decent setup. Line, hooks, weights and bait will run another $10.

A reputable tackle dealer will be happy to spool the line onto the reel, attach the hooks and other accessories, and provide a simple lesson on baiting and casting.

"It doesn't take much," said Jerry Beppu, who owns the 50-year-old Linc's Tackle and Honda on Rainier Avenue South and caters to ultra-beginners. "Then you can fish through the rest of the year. That will cover everything you'd catch in our local fresh water here."

--------- If you go ---------

Paying money for access to the right fishing hole has become common and popular lately. Here are some places to go. Most trout farms will rent or sell gear, but call ahead for details.

Trout farms:

Gold Creek Trout Farm - You catch, they clean. Pay by the inch. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Groups by arrangement. 15844 148th Ave. N.E., Woodinville. 425-483-1415.

Springbrook Trout Farm - Includes tours of their own hatchery. Pay by the inch. Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays. Open 10 a.m. to dusk Wednesday through Sunday. 19225 Talbot Road S., Renton. 253-852-0360.

Double Rainbow Lake Resort - Stocked with a ton of trout a month. Pay by the pound. Open 9 a.m. to dusk every day. 15709 Double Rainbow Lake Road, a mile outside Wilkeson. 360-829-1307.

Tingley Fish Farm - Small, out-of-the-way set of ponds in Skagit County. Pay by the inch. Open daylight to dark every day. 2075 Mountain View Road, Mount Vernon. 360-422-5492.

Camano Island Trout Farm - Eight ponds of fish. Pay by the inch with a $1.50 minimum. Call ahead to make sure someone's there. 649 W. Laura Drive, Camano Island. 360-387-1397.

Cascade Kamloops Trout Farm - Kamloops trout supposedly fight better. Bring your own tackle. Pay by the inch. Open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day. 1240 Darrington St., Darrington. 360-436-1003.

Stocked natural lake:

Mineral Lake Resort - Day fishing or cabin rentals, boat rentals, tackle for sale, large dock. Pay by the day. License required.

From Seattle, follow Highway 167 from Southcenter to Highway 512 to Puyallup. Exit to Highway 161 toward Mount Rainier, or exit to Highway 161 off I-5 at Tacoma. Continue south through Eatonville to Highway 7. Turn left. At Elbe, turn right and continue four miles. Turn left on Mineral Road North. 148 Mineral Hill Road. 360-492-5367.