Other Fishing Options for Kids and Families

In addition to the juveniles-only and other special user fishing waters listed previously, young anglers may fish in any lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks and saltwater fishing areas open to other anglers. Many of these waters, especially lowland lakes, have Department of Fish and Wildlife access areas open to public fishing. Over 250 lakes with WDFW access areas are identified in the current Fishing in Washington sportfishing rules pamphlet. Some of these access areas offer only a few yards of shoreline fishing while other have room for dozens of anglers at a time.

Washington’s state park system also offers many good fishing opportunities for anglers, young and old. More than 50 state park facilities are on freshwater lakes and streams, another 48 are on saltwater, and two parks have both fresh and saltwater fishing. For more information, contact the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission at (360) 902-8844, or by email at infocent@parks.wa.gov.

Many county and city parks, national forest campgrounds and other public areas are also located on the shores of lakes and streams where it’s possible to fish from the water’s edge.

More than 50 public fishing piers scattered throughout Puget Sound offer good angling opportunities for kids or families interested in saltwater fishing. These piers, located from Port Angeles to Olympia, offer everything from saltwater perch and greenling to Dungeness crab, coho and chinook salmon. More information on these public piers is available on the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website, or by contacting the department at (360) 902-2700 and asking for a copy of “Public Fishing Piers of Puget Sound.”