Lake Celilo Fishing
A 8,750-acre Washington reservoir in Klickitat County, on the Oregon line.
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Getting to know Lake Celilo
In Klickitat County, Lake Celilo measures 8,750 surface acres by the WDFW figure. The Oregon line runs through it, leaving close to 56% of the outline on the Washington side. Groceries and fuel are closest in Goldendale, roughly 11 miles out. The county lies inside WDFW Region 5.
The layers tally 2 launches on it, 2 public.
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.
Boat ramps around Lake Celilo
- Maryhill launch on Lake CeliloDiscover Pass, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
- Maryhill launch on Lake CeliloDiscover Pass, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
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.
Latest level on Lake Celilo
USACE Northwestern Division water management data, TDA.Elev-Forebay.Inst.1Hour.0.CBT-REV, reading for October 31, 2026 PST, retrieved October 31, 2026; series datum not stated. Provisional.
Every level shown for Lake Celilo carries its agency and date.
Washington limits for Lake Celilo
| 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 |
Start with the statewide table for Lake Celilo; any Special Rule overrides it.
Where the river coincides with the boundary between Washington and Oregon, the license of either state is valid. Anglers must comply with the laws of the state in which they are fishing. An angler licensed only in Oregon may not fish on the Washington shore or in Washington sloughs or tributaries, except camas slough, where the license of either state is valid from a floating device. An angler fishing the Columbia River is restricted to one daily limit even if licensed by both states. Salmon and steelhead anglers may not possess in the field, fish mutilated so that size, species or fin clip cannot be determined, until the angler has reached their automobile or principle means of land transportation and has completed their daily angling. Anglers may fish with either a saltwater, freshwater, or combination license in the waters of the Columbia River between a line from rocky point, on the Washington shore, to tongue point, on the Oregon shore, and the buoy 10 line described below. For sturgeon rules in the Columbia River tributaries, see rules for adjoining mainstem waters.
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.
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The largest lake listed alongside is Lake Bonneville at 19,452 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation | Launches | 2026 plants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Celilo | 8,750 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Horsethief Lake | 12 miles west | 84 | 163 ft | 0 | 8 |
| Spearfish Lake | 13 miles west | 17 | 192 ft | 0 | 6 |
| Lake Bonneville | 17 miles west | 19,452 | 0 | 0 | |
| Rowland Lake | 25 miles west | 71 | 77 ft | 2 | 7 |
| Northwestern Lake | 33 miles west | 80 | 297 ft | 0 | 0 |
WDFW Fish Washington lake layers, access layers and the 2026 trout plant report; retrieved October 31, 2026.
A few miles from Lake Celilo
Nearby lakes worth a look from Lake Celilo
- Horsethief Lake12 miles west
- Spearfish Lake13 miles west
- Lake Bonneville17 miles west
- Rowland Lake25 miles west
- Northwestern Lake33 miles west
Paid fishing guides around Lake Celilo
- Klickitat River Guides Fish Hunt Lodgingcharter, Klickitat, (509) 369-2366
Where to book a room for Lake Celilo
- Goldendale11 miles
- Dallesport15 miles
- White Salmon30 miles
County guides for Lake Celilo
- Klickitat Countyseat: Goldendale
Piscifun gear a Cascades angler could bring to Lake Celilo
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Lakes, rivers and sound close to Lake Celilo, pictured
Photo: Bonnie Moreland, Public domain
Photo: Bruce Fingerhood, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jeff Hollett, Public domain
Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain
What people planning Lake Celilo want to know
What part of the Evergreen State holds Lake Celilo?
You will find it in Klickitat County, about 11 miles from Goldendale.
How much surface does Lake Celilo spread across in the WDFW layer?
About 8,750 surface acres, with about 56% of the outline in Washington.
Which listed launch sits closest to Lake Celilo?
Yes: 2 launches appear in the access layers, Maryhill launch on Lake Celilo among them.
What fish does WDFW list for Lake Celilo?
The WDFW layer names no fish for it.
What daily limit applies on Lake Celilo?
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).
Can a visitor from Idaho fish Lake Celilo?
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. Where the river coincides with the boundary between Washington and Oregon, the license of either state is valid. Anglers must comply with the laws of the state in which they are fishing. An angler licensed only in Oregon may not fish on the Washington shore or in Washington sloughs or tributaries, e
Does Lake Celilo get hatchery trout?
The plant report has nothing for it in 2026 to date.
Is there a tackle store on the way to Lake Celilo?
No shop on our list sits within 25 miles; bring bait along.
What was the newest reading at Lake Celilo?
See the level panel (USACE NWD water management (dataquery)).
Save a free Saturday for Lake Celilo
Fees, limits and catch record card rules are on the license page.