FISHING

fish in. If you take a smaller craft, stick very close to the launch and go only on nice days. Remember that the wind can pick up quickly.

Many of us, including yours truly, first cut our teeth suspending bait below slip bobbers off of the big dropoff in front of the launch. Much of the protected water at the launch and under the bridge is quite shallow, but that changes immediately uplake (to the right) of the old bridge pylon no longer bearing a bridge. That pylon is next to the very rough launch, and to its right as you face the lake is a very productive ledge that trout cruise along. Lots of nice rainbows and browns are dragged ashore here, and the best way to catch fish and not lose gear is to use a bobber, ideally a slip bobber since it helps to vary depth from perhaps 4 to 12 feet with 6 to 8 feet being the sweet spot. I prefer to heavily weight my bobber such that the bobber is clearly visible but also such that a trout can easily pull it under with little to no resistance. For baits, I have had excellent luck here on size 4 single hooks with nightcrawlers, coon shrimp, and both fresh and cured roe.

CONCLUSION & CAUTIONS

Given its beauty, excellent yearround fishery, and easy access from Cheney, St. John or Sprague, for me it begs the question why Rock is not more visited. The answers lie in its remote-ish location, its relatively unimproved public access with only vault toilets and no concrete launch, its lack of reliable services close by and that it fishes best in winter when fewer anglers are on the water.

But another and more compelling reason holds down the crowds at Rock. The lake can be flat dangerous due to big wind and waves, towering cliffs in many places that preclude escape from the water in the event of an accident, and underwater rock reefs and pinnacles that can rip off transoms and sink boats. Run on plane only in the middle of the lake and at the lake’s far end, which is the deepest part of a very deep lake. Until you know the lake, avoid running at speed within a couple hundred yards of any shoreline, and beware all points on the shore! This conservative approach is a good one for staying safe and fishing at one of Washington’s most overlooked and excellent stillwater trout fisheries.

Launching with two-wheel-drive vehicles here can be unwise, especially when there’s ice. If you think ahead, act cautiously and learn the lake incrementally, Rock should be a safe, fun and unique lake to add to your quiver of choices. It’s a great place to get away from the crowds and to enjoy scenery that one almost earned Rock Lake state park status. I like it the way it is and am confident this article won’t ruin the lake further. NS