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Kokanee
Photo: Thomas Quine, CC BY 2.0 
Smallmouth Bass
Photo: Yellowstone National Park, Public domain 
Grass Carp
Photo: Pengo, CC BY-SA 2.5 
Steelhead
Photo: Oregon State University, CC BY-SA 2.0
Washington lakes and reservoirs
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American Lake Fishing
A 1,091-acre Washington lake in Pierce County.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Carr Inlet: WorldIslandInfo.com, CC BY 2.0
Pierce County
American Lake: what to know first
WDFW lists American Lake at 1,091 surface acres in Pierce County. The water lies at roughly 238 feet of elevation. Allow about 2 miles of driving to North Fort Lewis, the nearest town. Management on record is mixed-species water managed with a trout emphasis. For WDFW purposes the county is in WDFW Region 6.
The access layers show 1 launch on the water, 1 of them public. Anglers on foot get 2 shore fishing sites. WDFW names it in 4 Special Rules. Hatchery crews have put in 6 trout plants during 2026. Shore access, by WDFW: good.
1,091surface acres
238 ftelevation
1launches
62026 plants
WDFW Fish Washington lake layers on geodataservices.wdfw.wa.gov (surface acres, elevation, management emphasis, shoreline access, species), USGS NHD outlines, Census 2023 places, retrieved October 31, 2026.
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Which fish WDFW records in American Lake
The WDFW layers, records and plant report name these fish at American Lake.
WDFW Fish Washington species layers (presence, not abundance), WDFW records and the 2026 trout plant report; retrieved October 31, 2026.
Access
WDFW and park ramps on American Lake
- American Lake boat launch1 ramp, concrete surface, Discover Pass, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Casting from land at American Lake
- American Lake shore accessshore fishing site, Over 400 feet of shore fishing at boat launch
- American Lake fishing piershore fishing site, Public docks, over 300 feet of shore fishing
Second-choice ramps close to American Lake
- Luhr's Landing on Nisqually ReachNisqually Reach, 8 miles west
- Lake Saint Clair boat launch on St. Clair LakeSt. Clair Lake, 12 miles southwest
- Bay Lake boat launchBay Lake, 12 miles northwest
- Long Lake boat launch (west)Long Lake, 13 miles southwest
- Pattison Lake boat launchPattison Lake, 14 miles southwest
- Hicks Lake boat launchHicks Lake, 14 miles southwest
WDFW Water Access Sites and Shore Fishing Sites layers (geodataservices.wdfw.wa.gov) and the Washington State Parks boat launch layer, retrieved October 31, 2026. A Discover Pass is needed to park at WDFW access sites and State Parks launches.
Stocking
2026 stocking at American Lake
The 2026 plant report lists 6 releases for American Lake (17,158 fish), latest at the top.
- AMERICAN LakeRainbow, 1,929 fish at 2 per pound, June 22, 2026, Puyallup Hatchery
- AMERICAN LakeRainbow, 4,000 fish at 2.2 per pound, May 28, 2026, Puyallup Hatchery
- AMERICAN LakeRainbow, 2,124 fish at 1.62 per pound, May 15, 2026, Chambers Cr Hatchery
- AMERICAN LakeRainbow, 100 fish at 1.1 per pound, May 15, 2026, Lakewood Hatchery
- AMERICAN LakeRainbow, 4,001 fish at 2.19 per pound, April 13, 2026, Chambers Cr Hatchery
- AMERICAN LakeRainbow, 5,004 fish at 2.4 per pound, March 23, 2026, Chambers Cr Hatchery
WDFW Trout Plants report (rows January 2 to October 27, 2026), read October 31, 2026.
Limits
Taking fish home from American Lake
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 |
| Smallmouth Bass | No min. size in lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Only 1 smallmouth bass over 14" may be retained. Daily limit 10. | Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 |
| Walleye | Min. size 12" in lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Daily limit 8. Only 1 over 22" may be retained. May be caught, retained, and released alive from a livewell until daily limit is in possession. | Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 |
| Channel Catfish | No min. size in lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Daily limit 5. | Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 |
| Burbot (Freshwater Ling) | No min. size. Daily limit 5. | Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 (p.23 general rule for |
| Crappie, Northern Pikeminnow, Peamouth Chub, Perch, Suckers, Sunfish, | No min. size. No daily limit. | Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 |
| Grass Carp | Closed unless otherwise listed in Special Rules. | Closed |
| Kokanee | No min. size. Daily limit 10. When fishing with bait, all kokanee that are lawful to possess and are equal to or greater than the minimum size are counted as part of the daily limit whether kept or released. | Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 (p.23 general rule for |
| Tiger Muskellunge (Tiger Muskie) | Min. size 50". Daily limit 1. | Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 (p.23 general rule for |
| Whitefish | No min. size. Daily limit 15. | Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 (p.23 general rule for |
| Steelhead | Release all wild steelhead. Min. size 20". Daily limit 2. Open during salmon or game fish seasons unless as otherwise listed. | Open during salmon or game fish seasons unless as otherwise listed |
| Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, Golden Trout, Tiger Trout | In lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: No min. size. Daily limit 5. | Year-round (statewide lake season, p.23) |
| Trout (combined rivers and lakes same day) | The combined daily limit for an angler that fishes in both rivers and lakes on the same day is 5 trout, no more than 2 may be from rivers. | see the pamphlet |
| Lake Trout | No min. size. No daily limit. | Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 (p.23 general rule for |
| Eastern Brook Trout (EBT) | No min. size. No daily limit. | Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 (p.23 general rule for |
| Dolly Varden/Bull Trout | Closed unless otherwise listed in Special Rules. | Closed |
For American Lake, read the statewide rows first and then the water-specific lines.
Water-specific rules for American Lake
| Water as printed | Species | Rule and season |
|---|---|---|
| American Lake | All species | Chumming permitted. |
| American Lake | Kokanee | No min. size. Combined daily limit of trout and kokanee is 5. (Year-round) |
| American Lake | Trout | No min. size. Combined daily limit of trout and kokanee is 5. (Year-round) |
| American Lake | Other game fish | Statewide min. size/daily limit. (Year-round) |
Special Rules as printed in the 2026-2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules (WDFW pamphlet, in effect July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), pamphlet page 80 (pamphlet PDF), read on eRegulations October 31, 2026.
Anglers 16 and older need a Washington Freshwater license ($39.95 resident, $115.85 nonresident for 2026-27) or a Combination license; salmon, steelhead and sturgeon also take a catch record card.
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026-2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules (WDFW pamphlet, in effect July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), PDF page 27 (pamphlet PDF; eRegulations statewide freshwater page), read October 31, 2026.
Compare
Where American Lake ranks among nearby water
Of the five closest Washington lakes with pages, Steilacoom Lake has the most surface water at 306 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation | Launches | 2026 plants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Lake | 1,091 | 238 ft | 1 | 6 | |
| Lake Louise | 2 miles north | 38 | 274 ft | 0 | 3 |
| Steilacoom Lake | 2 miles northeast | 306 | 213 ft | 0 | 3 |
| Waughop Lake | 3 miles north | 30 | 241 ft | 0 | 0 |
| Spanaway Lake | 6 miles east | 251 | 318 ft | 0 | 1 |
| Florence Lake | 6 miles west | 65 | 200 ft | 0 | 0 |
WDFW Fish Washington lake layers, access layers and the 2026 trout plant report; retrieved October 31, 2026.
Nearby
Just past American Lake
Other lakes in the American Lake area
- Lake Louise2 miles north
- Steilacoom Lake2 miles northeast
- Waughop Lake3 miles north
- Spanaway Lake6 miles east
- Florence Lake6 miles west
Grabbing bait and leader on the way to American Lake
- Bass Pro Shops Tacomasporting goods store, Tacoma, 6 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Tacomasporting goods store, Tacoma, 7 miles
- Cabela's Laceysporting goods store, Lacey, 11 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Puyallupsporting goods store, Puyallup, 13 miles
- Sportsman's Warehouse Puyallupsporting goods store, Puyallup, 13 miles
- Sportsman's Warehouse Federal Waysporting goods store, Federal Way, 16 miles
Guides and charters for American Lake
- Mount Rainier Flyreel Workscharter, Buckley, (360) 829-3691
- Wild Rivers Guided Fishing Tripscharter, Orting, (253) 222-6886
Overnight bases close to American Lake
- North Fort Lewis2 miles
- Fort Lewis3 miles
- Lakewood3 miles
Counties that touch American Lake
- Pierce Countyseat: Tacoma
Piscifun
Rods and reels from Piscifun ahead of a trip to American Lake
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Fish photos
Fish worth recognising before a day at American Lake
Photo: Thomas Quine, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Yellowstone National Park, Public domain
Photo: Pengo, CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo: Oregon State University, CC BY-SA 2.0
Answers
American Lake questions with short answers
Which Washington town is closest to American Lake?
WDFW maps it in Pierce County, about 2 miles from North Fort Lewis.
What acreage is on file for American Lake?
WDFW lists 1,091 acres.
Does American Lake have a public ramp in the WDFW or State Parks layers?
1 launch on file; try American Lake boat launch.
What can a Washington angler expect to hook in American Lake?
Expect rainbow trout, kokanee, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and yellow perch at the top of the WDFW list.
Which 2026-27 Washington rules apply on American Lake?
Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, Golden Trout, Tiger Trout: In lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: No min. size. Daily limit 5.; Year-round (statewide lake season, p.23). The pamphlet also prints Special Rules for this lake; see the limits band.
Which WDFW license do I carry on American Lake?
Anglers 16 and older need a Washington Freshwater license ($39.95 resident, $115.85 nonresident for 2026-27) or a Combination license; salmon, steelhead and sturgeon also take a catch record card.
Is American Lake on the 2026 plant report?
Yes; the newest plant on file is Rainbow, 1,929 fish at 2 per pound, June 22, 2026, Puyallup Hatchery.
Where can I pick up PowerBait and leader before American Lake?
Try Bass Pro Shops Tacoma, about 6 miles away for bait and tackle.
Pencil in a weekend on American Lake
Read the Special Rules, then pick the ramp nearest your spot.