Lake Chelan fishing guide

Public access & launches

Public bank access at several points along Lake Chelan, computed from public land ownership and hydrography.

Explore public access points and the exact bank on the interactive map in the app.

Regulations

• Other game fishCHELAN CO.

  Season

  Year-round

  Statewide min. size/daily limit.

• SalmonCHELAN CO.

  Season

  Year-round

  Bag

  Daily limit 1

  Size

  Min. size 15"

  Min. size 15". Daily limit 1. No catch record card required.

• TroutCHELAN CO.

  Season

  Year-round

  Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout.

• All game fishCHELAN CO.

  Season

  Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31

  Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout.

• All speciesCHELAN CO.

  Gear

  Selective gear rules

  Selective gear rules.

• Bass

  Bag

  Daily limit 5

  (See DOH advisory ) May be caught, retained, and released alive from a livewell until a daily limit is in possession. Largemouth Bass: No min. size in lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Only largemouth bass less than 12" may be retained, except 1 over 17" may be retained. Daily limit 5. No size restriction/daily limit in rivers, streams, and beaver ponds. Smallmouth Bass: No min. size in lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Only 1 smallmouth bass over 14" may be retained. Daily limit 10. No size restriction/daily limit in rivers, streams, and beaver ponds.

• Bullfrogs

  (no license required) No min. size. No daily limit. Must be taken by angling, hand-dip netting, spearing (gigging), or with bow-and-arrow.

• Burbot (Freshwater Ling)

  Bag

  Daily limit 5

  No min. size. Daily limit 5.

• Channel Catfish

  Bag

  Daily limit 5

  No min. size in lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Daily limit 5. No min. size/daily limit in rivers, streams, and beaver ponds.

• Char

  Lake Trout: No min. size. No daily limit. Eastern Brook Trout (EBT): No min. size. No daily limit. Dolly Varden/Bull Trout: Closed unless otherwise listed in Special Rules.

As of 2026-08-28.Guidance, not legal advice — always confirm current rules with the state.Official Washington regulations

What’s in it

Recorded in/near this water. Occurrence-based unless a higher-confidence source is shown — see it per-species in the app.

More Washington fishing

Washington field notes

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Most of This Bay Belongs to Somebody

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Lake Chelan fishing — FAQ