Fishing

If you like to fish then Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation is the place to come for your next fishing adventure. Starvation Reservoir is one of the premier walleye fisheries in the state with numerous larger fish over 10 pounds being pulled from its clear waters each year. Four or more fishing tournaments are held annually with the Walleye Classic being the most popular. The reservoir is also home to Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, carp, and a few chubs. Kokanee Salmon were planted in 2016, 2017, and 2018 on an experimental basis and have done well.

DWR is asking anglers to harvest small Walleye at Starvation in 2020. Data collected in 2017 show a large pulse of 2-3-year-old Walleye in the system. Age 2 and 3 Walleye in Starvation range in size from 8″ to about 15″. Other netting results show a limited forage base of Yellow Perch, which we are trying to change by transferring Yellow Perch from an in-state disease-certified source. In addition, we are trying to establish an additional forage supply (Black Crappie). We are asking that anglers help us better protect the small forage fish by targeting and harvesting small Walleye this year. This will reduce competition among these age groups and make it more likely that the small Walleye will grow into big Walleye. It will also ease pressure on the forage base while we work to improve it.

Some anglers have mentioned that maybe Starvation Reservoir got its name from the fishing as they have found it can be really slow. Rangers have observed that it is almost always feast or famine. Our advice is, if one species of fish is not biting there is a good chance that another is. And, the more time you spend here the more you will realize just how good the fishing can be as you take home limits of fish every time you come.

Here are some useful links:

DWR fishing report

Need a fishing license?

Fishing guidebook

Having a hard time catching walleye? Watch this video (Spring 2015 Walleye Seminar).