Box Canyon Reservoir Fishing
A 9,317-acre Washington reservoir in Pend Oreille County.
Pick for rainbow troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Sullivan Lake: Patrick Lordan, CC BY 2.0
Starting out on Box Canyon Reservoir
The Fish Washington layer gives Box Canyon Reservoir 9,317 acres; the water lies in Pend Oreille County. At around 2,035 feet, the climate on its banks follows the elevation. Newport, about 8 miles away, is the closest Census place. Its WDFW management emphasis: warmwater-emphasis water. Its county sits in WDFW Region 1.
No launch on it appears in the WDFW or State Parks layers. The lake layer calls bank access good.
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.
What swims in Box Canyon Reservoir
Species WDFW ties to Box Canyon Reservoir, from its lake layer, records and plants:
WDFW Fish Washington species layers (presence, not abundance), WDFW records and the 2026 trout plant report; retrieved October 31, 2026.
For the rainbow trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Putting a boat on Box Canyon Reservoir
With no listed ramp at Box Canyon Reservoir, carry in a small boat or use a ramp nearby.
Fallback launches for Box Canyon Reservoir
- Davis Lake boat launch (east)Davis Lake, 4 miles west
- Marshall Lake boat launchMarshall Lake, 6 miles east
- Sacheen Lake boat launchSacheen Lake, 7 miles southwest
- Diamond Lake boat launchDiamond Lake, 7 miles south
- Horseshoe Lake boat launch (east)Horseshoe Lake, 13 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.
Fish an angler can bag at Box Canyon Reservoir
| 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 |
Statewide rows govern Box Canyon Reservoir unless the Special Rules band changes them.
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.
Nearby lakes set beside Box Canyon Reservoir
Anyone wanting more room can drive to Diamond Lake, 754 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation | Launches | 2026 plants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box Canyon Reservoir | 9,317 | 2,035 ft | 0 | 0 | |
| Davis Lake (Pend Oreille County) | 4 miles west | 148 | 2,182 ft | 1 | 0 |
| Bead Lake | 6 miles northeast | 718 | 2,833 ft | 0 | 0 |
| Marshall Lake | 6 miles east | 190 | 2,728 ft | 1 | 0 |
| Mystic Lake | 7 miles northeast | 19 | 2,971 ft | 0 | 0 |
| Diamond Lake | 7 miles south | 754 | 2,343 ft | 1 | 2 |
WDFW Fish Washington lake layers, access layers and the 2026 trout plant report; retrieved October 31, 2026.
Near Box Canyon Reservoir
Neighbouring lakes to Box Canyon Reservoir
- Davis Lake (Pend Oreille County)4 miles west
- Bead Lake6 miles northeast
- Marshall Lake6 miles east
- Mystic Lake7 miles northeast
- Diamond Lake7 miles south
Gear stores used by Box Canyon Reservoir anglers
- Eagles Landing RV Resortmarina, Cusick
Lodging towns for anglers working Box Canyon Reservoir
- Newport8 miles
- Deer Park22 miles
- Chewelah24 miles
Box Canyon Reservoir county by county
- Pend Oreille Countyseat: Newport
Piscifun reels and line rigged for Box Canyon Reservoir
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
The shoreline country around Box Canyon Reservoir, in pictures
Photo: Patrick Lordan, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bjorn, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Thaddeus Roan, CC BY 2.0
Before you drive to Box Canyon Reservoir: common questions
Where in Washington is Box Canyon Reservoir?
The WDFW point falls in Pend Oreille County, about 8 miles from Newport.
What size does the Fish Washington layer give Box Canyon Reservoir?
Near 9,317 acres.
Which listed ramp suits a first trip to Box Canyon Reservoir?
Carry in a kayak, or tow to a nearby ramp.
Which gamefish are on record at Box Canyon Reservoir?
WDFW names rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye and brown bullhead.
Does WDFW print Special Rules of its own for Box Canyon Reservoir?
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).
Do I need a Washington license to fish Box Canyon Reservoir?
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.
Were trout planted in Box Canyon Reservoir in 2026?
WDFW shows no 2026 plants for it through October 27.
Who sells worms and PowerBait near Box Canyon Reservoir?
Stop at Eagles Landing RV Resort in the same county.
Plan a Cascades-to-coast trip around Box Canyon Reservoir
Check the daily limit before a fish goes on the stringer.