Sullivan Lake Fishing
A 1,283-acre Washington lake in Pend Oreille County.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: Patrick Lordan, CC BY 2.0
Starting out on Sullivan Lake
The Fish Washington layer gives Sullivan Lake 1,283 acres; the water lies in Pend Oreille County. At around 2,592 feet, the climate on its banks follows the elevation. Colville, about 33 miles away, is the closest Census place. Its WDFW management emphasis: trout-emphasis water. Its county sits in WDFW Region 1.
No launch on it appears in the WDFW or State Parks layers. For fishing without a boat there are 3 shore fishing sites. The 2026-27 pamphlet lists 2 Special Rules here. 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.
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Species WDFW ties to Sullivan Lake, 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.
Putting a boat on Sullivan Lake
With no listed ramp at Sullivan Lake, carry in a small boat or use a ramp nearby.
Bank access on Sullivan Lake
- Sullivan Lake shore accessshore fishing site, Limited shore fishing
- Sullivan Lake fishing pier near Metaline Fallsshore fishing site, Public dock, shore fishing
- Sullivan Lake fishing piershore fishing site, Public dock, shore fishing
Fallback launches for Sullivan Lake
- Deep Lake boat launchDeep Lake, 14 miles west
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 Sullivan 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 |
Statewide rows govern Sullivan Lake unless the Special Rules band changes them.
Special rules printed for Sullivan Lake
| Water as printed | Species | Rule and season |
|---|---|---|
| Sullivan Lake | Trout | Min. size 14". Daily limit 2. (Year-round) |
| Sullivan 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 100 (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.
Sullivan Lake in the WDFW sport fish records
| Species | Weight | Angler | Water as printed | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Trout | 22.00 lbs | R. L. Henry | Sullivan Lake, Pend Oreille County | May 22, 1965 |
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.
Nearby lakes set beside Sullivan Lake
Anyone wanting more room can drive to Boundary Reservoir, 1,579 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation | Launches | 2026 plants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sullivan Lake | 1,283 | 2,592 ft | 0 | 0 | |
| Boundary Reservoir | 5 miles northwest | 1,579 | 1,994 ft | 0 | 0 |
| Little Lost Lake | 7 miles west | 5.2 | 3,114 ft | 0 | 0 |
| Leadbetter Lake | 8 miles north | 23 | 2,532 ft | 0 | 0 |
| Caldwell Lake | 11 miles south | 17 | 2,545 ft | 0 | 0 |
| Muskegon Lake | 12 miles east | 5.1 | 3,467 ft | 0 | 0 |
WDFW Fish Washington lake layers, access layers and the 2026 trout plant report; retrieved October 31, 2026.
Near Sullivan Lake
Neighbouring lakes to Sullivan Lake
- Boundary Reservoir5 miles northwest
- Little Lost Lake7 miles west
- Leadbetter Lake8 miles north
- Caldwell Lake11 miles south
- Muskegon Lake12 miles east
Gear stores used by Sullivan Lake anglers
- Eagles Landing RV Resortmarina, Cusick
Lodging towns for anglers working Sullivan Lake
- Colville33 miles
- Kettle Falls38 miles
Sullivan Lake county by county
- Pend Oreille Countyseat: Newport
Piscifun reels and line rigged for Sullivan Lake
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The shoreline country around Sullivan Lake, in pictures

Photo: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, CC BY 2.0

Photo: Bjorn, CC BY-SA 2.0

Photo: Thaddeus Roan, CC BY 2.0

Photo: FunGi_ (Trading), CC BY-SA 2.0
Before you drive to Sullivan Lake: common questions
Where in Washington is Sullivan Lake?
The WDFW point falls in Pend Oreille County, about 33 miles from Colville.
What size does the Fish Washington layer give Sullivan Lake?
Near 1,283 acres.
Which listed ramp suits a first trip to Sullivan Lake?
Carry in a kayak, or tow to a nearby ramp.
Which gamefish are on record at Sullivan Lake?
WDFW names rainbow trout, brown trout and kokanee.
Does WDFW print Special Rules of its own for Sullivan 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). A 2026-27 Special Rule overrides part of that.
Do I need a Washington license to fish Sullivan 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.
Were trout planted in Sullivan Lake in 2026?
WDFW shows no 2026 plants for it through October 27.
Who sells worms and PowerBait near Sullivan Lake?
Stop at Eagles Landing RV Resort in the same county.
Has Sullivan Lake produced a Washington record?
Brown Trout, 22.00 lbs, by R. L. Henry (May 22, 1965).
Plan a Cascades-to-coast trip around Sullivan Lake
Check the daily limit before a fish goes on the stringer.

