Whistle Lake near Anacortes

[fly4trout]

I saw mention in the forum of this lake. For those who do not know, Whistle Lake is the old City of Anacortes water supply. It is located on the Community Forest Lands. A hike is required. The lake is about 30 acres. It holds cutthroat trout of some size, as well as various warm-water species. It's a very popular swimming/cliff jumping lake for the younger set on hot days. But alot of times, you have the place to yourself. And that's a good thing, because you won't find a more beautiful piece of water around. The trout seemed to be in low numbers. On the 2 late fall days I visited, I released 1 fish about 18", caught on a leech{What else?}.
Did anyone else fish this island gem this summer?
Oh, Yeah. I am friends with the Forest Lands Manager, and plan to talk to him about the recent stocking history, etc. I'll report back.

[Josh Root]

Ah Whistle, I love that lake. I can't count the times I went swimming there over the course of my 32 years. Never fished there though. Its a deep lake in many parts, and there is not much (if any) shore fishing to be found.

The Forest Lands manager is a great guy, and his boss has known me most of my life. Tell either of them I said hi next time you talk to them.

http://thumbs.photo.net/photo/947325-sm.jpg (http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=947325)
Whistle Lake, Many summers ago.

[A+Town Angler]

yeas there asre many on shore fishing spots, my friends and i have made. they are secret though, so if i told you i would have to kill you. lol

[fly4trout]

I always carry in my float tube. I bought a harness that clips on the D-rings. Handy. No place to cast from the shore.

[fly4trout]

I did some looking around, and talked to the Forest Lands Manager Jonn, and found out that Whistle Lake got 3,000 CT fry in '07 & '06, and 2,500 in '05. I'm sure the bass and perch are well fed, but there should be a few trout around.

[sprintcar13]

Wheres this lake at I spend quite a bit of time at my grandparents house in anacortes. Usually I spend my days at pass but I might have to try that lake.

[Krystoff]

After a quick search, I found the following information

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/getaways/040899/hike08.html

From Interstate 5 heading north, turn toward Anacortes (west) on state Route 20 north of Mount Vernon. Turn left in Anacortes on Commercial Avenue. Turn left again onto Fidalgo and left once more at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Turn right on Hillcrest (which becomes Whistle Lake Road). Whistle Lake Road then becomes Whistle Terrace. Take the road that goes downhill to the parking area, which is about two miles from Commercial Avenue. There are signs posted for the park, but they are not obvious.

[Ryan Francis]

I GREW UP IN ANACORTES, HAVE MAY FOND MEMORIES OF WHISTLE
LAKE, FISHED, SWAM MOSTLY GOT DRUNK AND JUMPED OFF THE CLIFFS, YEARS AGO THERE WAS A ROPE SWING AND A OLD LOG RAFT
WE WOULD SWIM FROM THE RAFT TO THE CLIFFS, I WOULD DIE IF I TRIED THAT NOW

[A+Town Angler]

I GREW UP IN ANACORTES, HAVE MAY FOND MEMORIES OF WHISTLE
LAKE, FISHED, SWAM MOSTLY GOT DRUNK AND JUMPED OFF THE CLIFFS, YEARS AGO THERE WAS A ROPE SWING AND A OLD LOG RAFT
WE WOULD SWIM FROM THE RAFT TO THE CLIFFS, I WOULD DIE IF I TRIED THAT NOW

dude dont spoil all thew great suprises!!! and yeah

[uncledave]

Ryan, if you jumped into Whistle Lake now, there may be a mass fish kill...

[fin clipped]

I ride my dirt bike there on the trails. Always get yelled at by mountain bikers. :rolleyes:

Funny how I can stay on the designated dirt bike trails and see mountain bikers on there, and they yell at you.

I have never fished there. Always been meaning to come there sans dirt bike and do some fishin'... just haen't done it yet.

Gary

[Ryan Francis]

DAVE, YOU BLOW!! REMEMBER I'M NOT FAT, I'M BIG BONED, YOU WILL NEVER FIND ANYONE THAT CAN REPALCE ME AS ANCHOR ENGINEER ON THE LAVRO

[A+Town Angler]

I did some looking around, and talked to the Forest Lands Manager Jonn, and found out that Whistle Lake got 3,000 CT fry in '07 & '06, and 2,500 in '05. I'm sure the bass and perch are well fed, but there should be a few trout around.

nope there arent min fact, there are none! i have fished for DAYS! any havent caufght crap!

[Chad Lewis]

Fin Clipped, I ride in the ACFL too. Always make it a point to stop and wait for mountain bikers/hikers. Haven't gotten yelled at yet :thumb:

Yeah, I'd like to check out the fishing on Whistle too. Going to be getting a kayak soon and it's on my list of lakes to terrorize with my new fishing machine. Maybe rig up something to tow the kayak with the dirt bike? Man, am I lazy sometimes......

[fly4trout]

I assure you there are trout in Whistle. On most evenings during the season you can see them rising. I have caught some smaller fish on a Raccoon emerger and a large one last fall on a Black Leech from the tube. Jonn said the city let the plant trunk in the gate to put fish in the last two years.

[fin clipped]

Fin Clipped, I ride in the ACFL too. Always make it a point to stop and wait for mountain bikers/hikers. Haven't gotten yelled at yet :thumb:

I always try to give way... pull over and wait for them to pass... even when they are on the wrong trail. I have accidentally ended up on a non-dirtbike trail. It was marked for motorcycles going one way, and then for mountainbikes/horses the other way. That was a couple of years ago. It's fixed now.

I was yelled at by 4 mountain bikers that I was ruining the park with all the noise and tearing up the "good" trails... I told them that I had no control over the fact that the "good" trails are designated as Dirt bike only.

When I come upon horses in the park I pull over and shut off my bike. Last thing I wanna do is scare a horse and have it buck off the rider...

I might head up there this weekend to take a ride...

Sorry for the derail...:)

Gary

[Porter]

Timely...The PI this AM has in it's Get Away section an article on Whistle Lake and the trails in the area.

[A+Town Angler]

I ride my dirt bike there on the trails. Always get yelled at by mountain bikers. :rolleyes:

Funny how I can stay on the designated dirt bike trails and see mountain bikers on there, and they yell at you.

I have never fished there. Always been meaning to come there sans dirt bike and do some fishin'... just haen't done it yet.

Gary


dude i probly yelled at you before i always mountain bike up there at whistle lots of fun!

[Chad Lewis]

All right, the new fishing machine is in my possession. I"ll be hitting Whistle this year in-between mountain bike terrorizing sessions :rofl: