Potholes Reservoir is located about seven miles south of the City of Moses Lake. This body of water is open year-round and offers a variety of fishing opportunties for warmwater fish and trout. Most anglers fish for Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, and Largemouth Bass. Panfishing in certain years can be very good, but is inconsistent year-to-year. During the winter, early-spring, and fall months, trout fishing can be very good for rainbows up to and exceeding 20 inches. In certain years, the reservoir freezes over providing an ice fishery for Yellow Perch, Walleye, and Rainbow Trout. The Lind Coulee Arm of Potholes Reservoir is a popular spot to ice fish.
A cooperative net pen operation between WDFW and MarDon Resort releases 50,000 sub-catchable (6-8 inch) Rainbow Trout. These fish grow quickly in the productive reservoir and reach sizes 12 inches or greater by the fall. MarDon Resort and Medicare Beach are very popular areas to catch Rainbow Trout.
A large private resort, a state park, and several developed public access areas provide all necessary amenities for this large reservoir. See Washington State Parks website for ADA accessibility information.)
Potholes Reservoir is one of the waters on which we conduct our annual Fall Walleye Index Netting (FWIN) surveys. The FWIN methodology was developed in Ontario, Canada as a means of monitoring a wide variety of biological parameters in Walleye populations in a standardized fashion using gill nets.
Two-pole fishing is allowed
Good for ice fishing
Shoreline access: Good - Several locations to fish from shore.
Species you might catch
- Black crappie
- Bluegill
- Common carp
- Lake whitefish
- Largemouth bass
- Rainbow trout
- Smallmouth bass
- Walleye
- Yellow perch
Lake information
County: Grant
Acreage: 14281.50 ac.
Elevation: 1042 ft.
Center: 46.996189, -119.298678
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Catchable fish plants
Stock Date | Species | Number Released | Number of Fish Per Pound | Facility |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oct 16, 2020 | Rainbow | 3,020 | 2.5 | COLUMBIA BASIN HATCHERY |
Oct 3, 2018 | Rainbow | 3,045 | 2.31 | COLUMBIA BASIN HATCHERY |
Apr 13, 2013 | Rainbow | 50,000 | 2.1 | POTHOLES RES NET PEN |
Sep 7, 2001 | Channel Catfish | 1,859 | 2.2 | MESEBERG HATCHERY |
Sep 15, 1999 | Black Crappie | 54 | 2 | RINGOLD SPRINGS HATCHERY |
May 7, 1999 | Largemouth Bass | 2 | 1 | COLUMBIA BASIN HATCHERY |
Oct 3, 1998 | Yellow Perch | 675 | 3 | COLUMBIA BASIN HATCHERY |
Oct 3, 1998 | Rainbow | 7 | 2 | COLUMBIA BASIN HATCHERY |
May 11, 1998 | Black Crappie | 424 | 2.2 | COLUMBIA BASIN HATCHERY |
Apr 27, 1998 | Black Crappie | 68 | 1.33 | COLUMBIA BASIN HATCHERY |