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For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 $79.99
Osoyoos Lake 10 mi
Photo: Pat Strosahl, CC BY-SA 2.0 
Lake Roosevelt 91 mi
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 
Methow River 40 mi
Photo: MYRIVERGUIDE.COM, CC BY 2.0 
Rufus Woods Lake 56 mi
Photo: Jan Helebrant, CC0 1.0
Washington lakes and reservoirs
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Palmer Lake Fishing
A 2,032-acre Washington lake in Okanogan County.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: B.D.'s world, CC BY-SA 2.0
Okanogan County
First look at Palmer Lake
By the WDFW lake layer, Palmer Lake covers 2,032 acres of Okanogan County. Expect an elevation of about 1,150 feet at the shoreline. Oroville lies near 9 miles from the WDFW lake point. WDFW treats it as mixed-species water managed with a trout emphasis. It falls within WDFW Region 2 by the plant report.
No ramp shows up on it in the layers we use. The shore fishing layer adds 2 shore fishing sites. The access field reads good.
2,032surface acres
1,150 ftelevation
0launches
2shore sites
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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Fish WDFW lists for Palmer Lake
Fish on file for Palmer Lake across the WDFW layers and plant report:
Rainbow trout Kokanee Largemouth bass Smallmouth bass Yellow perch Black crappie Pumpkinseed Bluegill Bridgelip sucker
WDFW Fish Washington species layers (presence, not abundance), WDFW records and the 2026 trout plant report; retrieved October 31, 2026.
Access
Launching on Palmer Lake
The WDFW and State Parks layers list no launch on Palmer Lake; the closest listed ones follow.
WDFW piers and shoreline sites on Palmer Lake
- Palmer Lake shore accessshore fishing site, 200+ meters of shore fishing area
- Palmer Lake shore access near Loomisshore fishing site, 500+ meters of shore fishing area
Concrete and gravel ramps by Palmer Lake
- Wannacut Lake boat launchWannacut Lake, 5 miles east
- Blue Lake boat launch (north)Blue Lake, 6 miles east
- Spectacle Lake (west) boat launchSpectacle Lake, 7 miles southeast
- Whitestone Lake boat launchWhitestone Lake, 10 miles southeast
- Conners Lake boat launchConners Lake, 10 miles south
- Forde Lake boat launchForde Lake, 11 miles south
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.
Limits
Daily limits, Palmer 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 |
The statewide freshwater limits are the default at Palmer Lake, with Special Rules on top.
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.
Records
State records caught in Palmer Lake
| Species | Weight | Angler | Water as printed | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgelip Sucker | 3.06 lbs | John E. Moore | Palmer Lake, Okanogan County | May 27, 1999 |
WDFW sport fish records (freshwater and saltwater record lists, kept by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)) as listed October 31, 2026. All Washington records.
Compare
Palmer Lake beside nearby lakes
Wannacut Lake is the biggest of these neighbours, 429 acres by WDFW.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation | Launches | 2026 plants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmer Lake | 2,032 | 1,150 ft | 0 | 0 | |
| Washburn Lake | 4 miles south | 13 | 3,076 ft | 0 | 0 |
| Chopaka Lake | 4 miles northwest | 133 | 2,911 ft | 0 | 0 |
| Wannacut Lake | 5 miles east | 429 | 1,858 ft | 1 | 0 |
| Blue Lake (Okanogan County) near Oroville | 6 miles east | 119 | 1,779 ft | 1 | 0 |
| Spectacle Lake (Okanogan County) | 7 miles southeast | 314 | 1,376 ft | 2 | 6 |
WDFW Fish Washington lake layers, access layers and the 2026 trout plant report; retrieved October 31, 2026.
Nearby
Not far from Palmer Lake
More Washington lakes around Palmer Lake
- Washburn Lake4 miles south
- Chopaka Lake4 miles northwest
- Wannacut Lake5 miles east
- Blue Lake (Okanogan County) near Oroville6 miles east
- Spectacle Lake (Okanogan County)7 miles southeast
Shops to stop at before Palmer Lake
- Cascade Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Omak
Hiring a guide on Palmer Lake
- North Cascade Fly Fishingcharter, Winthrop, (509) 996-3731
- Reel Lentless Guide Servicecharter, Brewster, (509) 449-0843
Cities and towns within reach of Palmer Lake
- Oroville9 miles
- Tonasket15 miles
- Omak33 miles
County pages covering Palmer Lake
- Okanogan Countyseat: Okanogan
Piscifun
Piscifun tackle sorted for the drive to Palmer Lake
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Photos
Photographs of fishing water around Palmer Lake
Photo: Pat Strosahl, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: MYRIVERGUIDE.COM, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jan Helebrant, CC0 1.0
Answers
Clearing up a trip to Palmer Lake
Which county line is Palmer Lake near?
Its WDFW point falls inside Okanogan County, about 9 miles from Oroville.
How many surface acres does WDFW list for Palmer Lake?
Roughly 2,032 acres.
Where does a trailered boat go in at Palmer Lake?
No listed ramp; use a nearby one or carry in a small craft.
Which species swim in Palmer Lake?
WDFW points to rainbow trout, kokanee, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie and pumpkinseed.
Does a minimum or slot size apply to fish kept at Palmer 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).
Is a catch record card needed on Palmer 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.
How many trout has WDFW put in Palmer Lake?
No 2026 trout plant names it so far.
Which Washington tackle counter on our list is handy to Palmer Lake?
Closest on our list: Cascade Outfitters in the same county.
Does WDFW credit Palmer Lake with a record?
Bridgelip Sucker, 3.06 lbs, by John E. Moore (May 27, 1999).
Put Palmer Lake on the list before the next plant
Buy the WDFW license online before leaving town.