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Rufus Woods Lake Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

The Columbia's triploid pond: net-pen rainbows to double digits in a windswept canyon pool between two dams.

3/5

Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Water temp

~54 F est.

Air / High

65 / 69 F

Wind

WSW 3 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view

Friday

4

September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Rufus Woods Lake rewards those who follow the bait as the water cools. Today brings a mixed sky, wind WSW around 3 mph, rising pressure near 1014 hPa and a high of 69. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Similar at 73 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp65 F

High / Low69 / 51 F

WindWSW 3-5 mph

Pressure1014.4 hPa, rising

Sky / Rain51% cloud, 13%

Sunrise / Sunset06:19 / 19:32

MoonLast Quarter, 50%

Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 69/51 F, wind 7 mph, rain 13%

Fair or better. Calm and stable: plan around the solunar majors at dawn and dusk.

Species guide

The species that matter on Rufus Woods Lake: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Rufus Woods Lake calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

Rainbow trout

Brown trout

SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Rufus Woods Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data

Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 67 F, wind to 9 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 75 F, wind to 20 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 79 F, wind to 12 mph.

Before you go

License

Washington requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Washington license; Colville tribal permit on reservation-side accesses: check CCT rules. Trout: 2/day quality rules common: verify current.

Access

Seaton's Grove, Bridgeport-area accesses, tribal day-use sites (permit).

About this water

51 Columbia miles between Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams, WA. The triploid trophy pool.

Fishing Rufus Woods Lake: the full guide

The triploid economy

Rufus Woods pools the Columbia between Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee: famous for one thing done spectacularly: triploid rainbows escaped and released from the net-pen farms, growing to 5, 10, even 20 pounds on pellet-and-plankton abundance. The Colville Tribes' net pens seed the fishery: the canyon current builds the shoulders.

Working the pens and the seams

The fleet concentrates near the net pens (fish orbit the free calories): marabou jigs, Power Eggs drifted on the bottom, and slow-trolled plugs along the current seams. Bank anglers do genuine business at the day-use sites: heavy spinning gear, patience and a net that means it. Winter fishes best of all: the triploids feed hard in cold water.

Beyond the rainbows

Walleye ride the same seams (a quiet Columbia-pool fishery: blade baits on the breaks), smallmouth hold every rock slide, and kokanee school the upper pool. But nobody drives the canyon for them: the 10-pound rainbow photos own this lake's identity.

Canyon practicalities

Access is spare: Seaton's Grove and the tribal day-use areas (Colville permits where marked: buy them: the fishery is their stewardship), wind funnels the canyon most afternoons, and services live in Bridgeport. The drive is the filter: crowds stay thin, fish stay fat.

Common questions

How big are Rufus Woods rainbows?

Five-pounders are standard, tens honest, twenties documented: net-pen triploids on Columbia calories. Winter and early spring produce the giants.

Do I need the tribal permit at Rufus Woods?

On Colville-side accesses and waters, yes: the tribes run the net pens that make the fishery. Buy it gladly: it funds the fish you're chasing.

Is fishing good at Rufus Woods Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Banks Lake21 mi Lake Chelan43 mi Lake Roosevelt43 mi Moses Lake68 mi Potholes Reservoir76 mi Icicle Creek76 mi

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