Northwest Fishing Reports

Washington fish and game just announced they are thinking about buying 80 acres of access at Chapman Lake so the public could access this lake once again. This property is the old resort owned by the Caplin family that has been closed for a few years. Earlier this year I talked with Mary Caplin and her dad about leasing or possibly buying the resort but she would never commit to any thing. Chapman lake has always been a great bass and spiny ray fishery as well as an outstanding kokanee fishing. Even with on public access to the lake fish and game continued stocking the lake. Last year their records show they stocked another 100,000 kokanee, this has been getting the attention of several folks around this area, why continue spending sportsman's dollars in a lake that only a few land owners could fish. Fish and game has a link on their website for public comment, I hope somebody that knows how will connect that link to this forum. I personally hope they buy the land and open it up to the public, I think it would be a great place to fish, but if they don't open it up to the public then they need to stop the stocking program.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/acquisitions/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have missed Chapman. It was a truly great Bass lake, and not bad for good sized crappie. It would be a great boon to have it back. It had fair numbers of bass, but the size was the real draw, with some fish pushing the state record. Hope they do it.

Miss Chapman myself. Used to fish it for Bass with a person who called it "calf ropin". He fished it with top water (Jitterbug) in the evening 20 pound mono wound around a 16 Oz. can just rowing next to the bank. When they bite it was hand lining them in. Good pair of gloves and a moon lite nite.

Sure hope this works out.

I happened to speak to the district fish biologist for this area and he mentioned that he saw this thread and he told me that WDFW looks at each and every comment. He also mentioned that he liked seeing the positive comments and that they are just as important as the negative comments in the process. So if you would like to comment on this proposed aquisition, you can easily submit your comments by either emailing them to teamspokane@dfw.wa.gov or mailing them to John Whalen, WDFW, 2315 N. Discovery Pl., Spokane Valley, WA 99216-1566. Lastly, comments must be submitted by March 21.

Well if they are listening, my vote's in favor. I'd much rather they spend our money on this than anything in Olympia!

I got a reply from Fish and Game a couple days ago about Chapman Lake. They said that If everything goes good and they get enough public support the monies to buy the property might(and he said this is a "big" might) be available the summer of 2015. That's not what I wanted to hear but I guess its a start. Please drum up all the support you can. Thanks

I like the area. Williams used to be my favorite trout opener lake. Sounds like Chapman would be a good acquisition.
Accepting comments until March 21.
Details about the proposed Chapman Lake access acquisition are available for review at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/acquisitions/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Comments may be submitted by March 21 via email to teamspokane@dfw.wa.gov or by mail to John Whalen, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2315 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley, WA 99216-1566.

Got this via WDFW email update notification and have already sent my comments in support of purchase.

Btw, WDFW is only planting kokanee fry in the lake to help sustain the fishery. Reasons given following the Badger Lake rehab meeting last year was to prevent the kokanee fishery from crashing while they continued working with the owners in an attempt to restore access. WDFW hasn't stocked kokanee fry in Chapman since 2012 - http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01489/wdfw01489.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you want your voice and comments to be heard, please send an email to the address listed above.

Bump
Email teamspokane@dfw.wa.gov with a note of support for the acquisition of public access to Chapman Lake. We've got to jump on these opportunities when we can for us and future generations. My understanding is that there is no other public access on this lake yet. I haven't heard of any negatives on this acquisition. Please take a couple of minutes to shoot an email of support for this acquisition. It's the right thing to do! Thanks! Mark
teamspokane@dfw.wa.gov

MarkFromSea wrote:Bump
Email teamspokane@dfw.wa.gov with a note of support for the acquisition of public access to Chapman Lake. We've got to jump on these opportunities when we can for us and future generations. My understanding is that there is no other public access on this lake yet. I haven't heard of any negatives on this acquisition. Please take a couple of minutes to shoot an email of support for this acquisition. It's the right thing to do! Thanks! Mark
teamspokane@dfw.wa.gov

There has been no public access to this lake since the resort closed the gates which, IIRC, was at the end of the 2010 season.

hewesfisher wrote:

MarkFromSea wrote:Bump
Email teamspokane@dfw.wa.gov with a note of support for the acquisition of public access to Chapman Lake. We've got to jump on these opportunities when we can for us and future generations. My understanding is that there is no other public access on this lake yet. I haven't heard of any negatives on this acquisition. Please take a couple of minutes to shoot an email of support for this acquisition. It's the right thing to do! Thanks! Mark
teamspokane@dfw.wa.gov

There has been no public access to this lake since the resort closed the gates which, IIRC, was at the end of the 2010 season.

So, it's time to rally the troops? What do you you want Hewes? I really like the area that Chapman is in, used to fish near there a lot, not so much now with gas prices. Boost the troops or let it die? If you want it, let's get it done! Pump it up here and the other sites! Got about a week to get the emails in....decision time at the time of the year that not as many people are looking for this kind of info.... smaller pool of potential supporters. I've popped it onto WDFW facebook posts... I'll keep doing that but it wouldn't hurt for others to do the same. If NO public access is secured, end the koke plants, I agree. SO, get that public access!

Email teamspokane@dfw.wa.gov with a note of support for the acquisition of public access to Chapman Lake.

Did that. What's next?

Any updates?

Comments closed yesterday, I haven't heard anything, I sent the requested email of support and posted a few notices on WDFW FB page as well as my and WALakes. If they purchase it, I'll make a point of hitting it. The current opener on the lake coincides with Lake Williams so I'd have divided interests between the 2 lakes. It's a great opportunity for future generations more so than I, I think that makes it even more important to make the purchase, to gain access for those future generations as the small resorts of our youth disappear.

Don't expect anything to happen that quick. We'll be lucky to have access by 2015.

2015, I think that's what was written in the original WDFW comment request.???

You could also stop by the big horn show and give them your input in person. Last day is today. Hey, nice seeing you eastside walakers!

Disappointed I couldn't make it Mike, but work took precedence. Hope you come back again next year!