Fishing near Sammamish, Washington
King County, population 67,455.
- under a mileto nearest paged water
- 8launches nearby
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Rods packed and leaving Sammamish
Sammamish, a city inside King County, had 67,455 residents in 2020. No paged water beats Pine Lake (King County) for distance, under a mile toward the southwest. Lake Sammamish, at 4,853 acres, is the widest lake within reach. The shortest tow is 2 miles, to Beaver Lake boat launch on Beaver Lake – Sammamish.
Salt water starts with Elliott Bay, about 16 miles away. Bank anglers can try Pine Lake fishing pier, under a mile out. Pine Lake (King County), under a mile out, took WDFW hatchery trout in 2026.
Census 2020 population and Gazetteer point for Sammamish; miles are straight lines.
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| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | WDFW program | Fish WDFW maps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Lake (King County) | under a mile southwest | 86 | 0 | Mixed species – Trout emphasis | rainbow trout, largemouth bass, brown bullhead |
| Beaver Lake – Sammamish | 2 miles east | 60 | 1 | Mixed species – Trout emphasis | rainbow trout, largemouth bass, brown bullhead |
| Lake Sammamish | 3 miles west | 4,853 | 6 | Mixed species – Trout emphasis | coastal cutthroat trout, kokanee, largemouth bass |
| Phantom Lake | 4 miles west | 64 | 0 | Warmwater emphasis | largemouth bass, brown bullhead, yellow perch |
| Tradition Lake | 5 miles south | 17 | 0 | Warmwater emphasis | largemouth bass, yellow perch |
| Larsen Lake | 5 miles west | 10 | 0 | Warmwater emphasis | coastal cutthroat trout, largemouth bass, brown bullhead |
WDFW Fish Washington lowland and high lake layers (surface acres as published, management emphasis, mapped species); retrieved October 31, 2026.
Where Sammamish anglers find salt water
| Water | Kind | Distance | Launches | Piers and shore | Marine area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elliott Bay | regional marine water | 16 miles west | 0 | 5 | 10 |
| Seattle-Bremerton (Marine Area 10) | WDFW marine area | 21 miles west | 3 | 22 | 10 |
| Tacoma-Vashon Island (Marine Area 11) | WDFW marine area | 22 miles southwest | 0 | 8 | 11 |
| Colvos Passage | regional marine water | 25 miles southwest | 0 | 2 | 11 |
| Port Gardner | regional marine water | 29 miles north | 1 | 3 | 8-2 |
For lakes and rivers the Freshwater license costs $39.95 with Washington residency, $115.85 without it. Marine water needs the Saltwater license instead ($40.71 resident, $81.70 nonresident) or a Combination license covering both.
WDFW Recreational Marine Areas, WDFW and State Parks marine launches, WDFW piers; retrieved October 31, 2026.
River fishing a few turns from Sammamish
- Raging River7 miles, SWIFD lists chinook, chum and coho, 1 mapped launch, 1 USGS gauge, 16 mi in Washington
- Snoqualmie River8 miles, SWIFD lists chinook, chum and coho, 4 mapped launches, 3 USGS gauges, 43 mi in Washington
- Tolt River9 miles, SWIFD lists chinook, chum and coho, 1 mapped launch, 1 WDFW shore or access site, 1 USGS gauge, 8 mi in Washington
- Duwamish River13 miles, SWIFD lists chinook, chum and coho, 2 USGS gauges, 5 mi in Washington
- South Fork Snoqualmie River14 miles, 2 USGS gauges, 31 mi in Washington
- Sammamish River14 miles, SWIFD lists chinook, coho and kokanee, 1 mapped launch, 14 mi in Washington
Gauge stations posting near Sammamish
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Issaquah Creek Near Mouth Near Issaquah, Wa | 28 cfs, 3.88 ft gage height | Nov 1 8:15 pm |
| Raging River Near Fall City, Wa | 14 cfs, 9.90 ft gage height | Nov 1 7:30 pm |
| Snoqualmie River Near Carnation, Wa | 747 cfs, 44.71 ft gage height | Nov 1 8:15 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 1, 2026 8:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
USGS NHD flowlines, WDFW SWIFD salmon and steelhead distribution, WDFW and State Parks launches and USGS gauges; retrieved October 31, 2026.
Ramps and lake points near Sammamish, plotted
- Beaver Lake boat launch on Beaver Lake – SammamishBeaver Lake – Sammamish, WDFW, 2 miles
- Lake Sammamish launchLake Sammamish, State Parks, 2 miles
- Lake Sammamish launchLake Sammamish, State Parks, 2 miles
- Lake Sammamish launchLake Sammamish, State Parks, 2 miles
- Lake Sammamish launchLake Sammamish, State Parks, 2 miles
- Lake Sammamish launchLake Sammamish, State Parks, 2 miles
- Lake Sammamish launchLake Sammamish, State Parks, 2 miles
- Richter boat launch on Snoqualmie RiverSnoqualmie River, WDFW, 6 miles
Spots without a boat around Sammamish
- Pine Lake fishing piershore fishing site, Large fishing dock, under a mile
- Beaver Lake – Sammamish shore accessshore fishing site, Over 100 feet of shore fishing , 2 miles
- Beaver Lake – Sammamish shore accessshore fishing site, Limited shore fishing near boat ramp, 2 miles
- Lake Sammamish fishing pier near Issaquahshore fishing site, Boat ramp and loading docks provide limited shore fishing, 2 miles
- Phantom Lake fishing piershore fishing site, Public pier, 4 miles
- Phantom Lake shore accessaccess point (no launch), 4 miles
WDFW Facilities layer and the State Parks boat launch layer; retrieved October 31, 2026.
Planted trout around Sammamish
| Lake | Distance | Latest 2026 plant |
|---|---|---|
| Pine Lake (King County) | under a mile | Rainbow, 8,700 fish at 2 per pound, April 13, 2026, Tokul Cr Hatchery |
| Lake Boren | 7 miles | Rainbow, 1,350 fish at 2.2 per pound, May 26, 2026, Puyallup Hatchery |
| Langlois Lake | 8 miles | Rainbow, 3,200 fish at 2 per pound, April 10, 2026, Tokul Cr Hatchery |
| Lake Alice | 8 miles | Rainbow, 540 fish at 0.6 per pound, October 14, 2026, Tokul Cr Hatchery |
Each lake above took a WDFW hatchery plant in 2026; the latest one is listed.
WDFW Trout Plants report (rows January 2 to October 27, 2026), read October 31, 2026.
Fly shops and charters near Sammamish
Bait counters with a Sammamish listing or point
- Dick's Sporting Goods Issaquahsporting goods store, Issaquah, 4 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Bellevuesporting goods store, Bellevue, 5 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Tukwilasporting goods store, Tukwila, 15 miles
- Angle Maidenbait and tackle shop, Auburn
- Tow Boat Seattlemarina, Auburn
- Bellevue Marinasmarina, Bellevue
- Brandt's Landing Marinamarina, Bellevue
- Meydenbauer Bay Marinamarina, Bellevue
Guide boats working out of Sammamish
- Adventure Charterscharter, Seattle, (206) 789-8245
- Digital Anglerscharter, Redmond, (206) 819-7010
- Emerald Water Anglerscharter, Seattle, (206) 708-7250
- Fish Finders Private Charterscharter, Seattle, (206) 632-2611
- Screaminreels Guide Servicecharter, Duvall, (206) 849-2574
- Tight Lines Sports Fishingcharter, Des Moines, (206) 715-0879
Yellow Pages and chain store listings (miles only for shops with an exact point), guide and charter listings; retrieved October 31, 2026.
WDFW records close to Sammamish
| Species | Weight | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 4.50 lbs | Lake Washington | May 1, 1956 |
| Sockeye Salmon | 10.63 lbs | Lake Washington | July 20, 1982 |
| Atlantic Salmon, sea-run | 14.38 lbs | Green River (King County) | Sept. 22, 1999 |
| Largemouth Bass | 12.53 lbs | Bosworth Lake | Aug. 8, 2016 |
| Black Bullhead | 1.81 lbs | Cassidy Lake | Sept. 4, 2020 |
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) sport fish records list, as of October 31, 2026. Waters within 40 miles.
Washington limits for trips out of Sammamish
WDFW sells the 2026-27 Freshwater license for $39.95 to Washington residents and $115.85 to visitors 16 and up. Marine areas fall under the Saltwater license: $40.71 resident, $81.70 nonresident in 2026-27. Keep a catch record card on you for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut; WDFW issues it with the license.
| Species | Limit | 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 |
| Largemouth Bass | No size restriction/daily limit in rivers, streams, and beaver ponds. | 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 |
| Smallmouth Bass | No size restriction/daily limit in rivers, streams, and beaver ponds. | 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 |
| Walleye | No size restriction/daily limit in rivers, streams, and beaver ponds. | 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 |
| Channel Catfish | No min. size/daily limit in rivers, streams, and beaver ponds. | 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 rivers, streams, and beaver ponds: Min. size 8". Daily limit 2. | Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31 (statewide river season, p.23) |
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. Lake, river and marine pages print any Special Rule or marine area table.
Places that border Sammamish
Town pages a short drive from Sammamish
- Issaquah3 miles
- Ames Lake5 miles
- Bellevue6 miles
- Fall City6 miles
- Union Hill-Novelty Hill6 miles
County guide that takes in Sammamish
- King Countyseat: Seattle
What Piscifun sells for a morning at Sammamish
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How to tell one Sammamish fish from another, by photo
Photo: Pengo, CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Mike Cline, Public domain
Photo: USFWS – Pacific Region, Public domain
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Sammamish as home base for anglers, asked and answered
What is the nearest lake with a page to Sammamish?
Pine Lake (King County), under a mile southwest.
Which ramp is the shortest tow from Sammamish?
Beaver Lake boat launch on Beaver Lake – Sammamish, roughly 2 miles out.
What shore site sits closest to Sammamish?
Try Pine Lake fishing pier, under a mile.
Which shop sells bait closest to Sammamish?
Dick's Sporting Goods Issaquah lists a store 4 miles from the town point.
Which county courthouse handles Sammamish business?
King County.
What license price applies to anglers staying in Sammamish?
The nonresident Freshwater license runs $115.85 at 2026-27 prices. Salt water takes a Saltwater or Combination license.
Which lake near Sammamish has the most surface acres?
Lake Sammamish covers 4,853 acres and sits 3 miles out.
What other Washington towns sit near Sammamish?
Try Issaquah (3 miles), Ames Lake (5 miles) and Bellevue (6 miles).
How far is Sammamish from salt water?
Elliott Bay, regional marine water, about 16 miles away.
Is there record water close to Sammamish?
Black Crappie, 4.50 lbs, from Lake Washington, King County.
Which stocked lake is closest to Sammamish?
Pine Lake (King County), under a mile away, is the closest lake with a 2026 WDFW plant.
Choose a lake or river near Sammamish
Check the water page for Special Rules before keeping fish.