An area that isn’t lacking for lakes

W.T. Wooten Wildlife

Area south of Pomeroy boasts eight human-made lakes, which are stocked with plenty of catchable fish

By MATT BANEY FOR DAYTRIPPING

For those who are superstitious anglers, the Tucannon Lakes might be a good place to wet their next line.

Why? If they aren’t getting good vibes from one body of water, they can just move on to the next one. There are eight of them to choose from.

The man-made lakes are located on the W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area in southeastern Washington, in a crevasse of the Blue Mountains. The lakes, which were formed in the 1950s by damming the Tucannon River, are stocked with rainbow trout, which are generally catchable for the young, the old and even the unlucky.

The lakes are south of Pomeroy and can be accessed via Tucannon Road. They are, from north to south, Spring, Blue, Rainbow, Watson, Bea-

> Tucannon Lakes and W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area ver, Deer, Curl and Big 4. All of them are relatively small, with the largest being 7.8 acres. They are also close to each other, with Spring Lake, the one farthest north, just 5.5 miles from Big 4 Lake, the one farthest south.

LOCATION: About 1 mile west of Pomeroy on U.S. Highway 12, turn south on Tatman Mountain Road, which becomes Linville Gulch Road, then Blind Grade Road. Finally, turn left on Tucannon Road, which leads to the first of eight lakes.

DIFFICULTY (1-5 SCALE): 2.

DON’T FORGET: Washington fishing license, fishing gear, snacks.

DID YOU FORGET THE SNACKS?: The Last Resort RV park, which travelers pass just before reaching the Tucannon Lakes, has a small store, as well as cabins, RV spots, tent sites and other amenities.

The lakes are open yearround, other than Curl, and the best fishing is said to be in March through May or in the fall. Most of the lakes have boat launches, but a boat isn’t required to make a haul. (And motorized boats aren’t allowed.)

Anglers will need a Washington fishing license, as well as a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife vehicle access pass (which comes with the fishing license) or a Discovery Pass to park. Spring, Rainbow, Watson, Big Four and Curl lakes all offer restrooms in their parking areas.

On holiday weekends, the lakes can get busy, with more than half of the visitors generally coming from the Tri-Cities. But it’s also a close destination for people coming from the east, with the trip from Pomeroy to Spring Lake taking about 25 minutes.

The W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area is a 16,000-acre unit was formed in the 1940s. Its primary management emphasis is big game winter range, fish habitat, recreational fishing and camping.

Camp Wooten State Park is a well-appointed camping option that can accommodate 240 overnight guests. It features a mess hall; appliances; a walk-in cooler, refrigerators and freezers; separate cabins; and restrooms and shower

Placid waters show off Rainbow Lake on a sunny and calm April 27 in the W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area.

Austin Johnson/for Daytripping facilities. There’s even an indoor pool.

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195 Asotin

Pomeroy 12 Tucannon Lakes and W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area

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