Lenice Nunnally Lakes Fishing: Seasons, Tactics, Access

Two spring-fed lakes in Grant County, north of Ephrata, anchor one of the most consistent stillwater rainbow trout fisheries in the Columbia Basin, where the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife manages a flagship fly-fishing destination. Lenice typically produces quality holdover rainbows while Nunnally responds well to fresh stocker trout and, in cool years, a small kokanee run. Most anglers plan their trip around spring ice-off or fall turnover, then chase callibaetis mayfly hatches in between.

This guide covers the seasonal calendar, the techniques that produce, the regulations you’ll clear before launching, and the trip-planning details that turn a long drive into a successful weekend on the water.

Two Lakes, One Basin: How They Actually Differ

Grant County’s landscape north of Ephrata was shaped by ancient ice age floods, leaving a chain of spring-fed lakes scattered across the Columbia Basin. Lenice and Nunnally sit among the most heavily fished, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife manages them as part of a larger stillwater complex that includes nearby Spectacle Lake and a series of smaller broodstock waters.

Location and Access Geography

From Ephrata, head north toward the Grand Coulee area and turn off the highway onto the dirt roads that loop between the lakes. The roads handle most passenger vehicles in dry weather, but they turn greasy after rain, so a truck or SUV saves you a long walk back to pavement. Lenice sits closer to the main road, while Nunnally requires a slightly longer drive on narrower track.

How Lenice and Nunnally Compare

Lenice tends to be slightly deeper and clearer, holding rainbows that have grown through multiple seasons into the 16 to over 20-inch range. Nunnally is shallower and warms faster in summer, which can push trout toward the thermocline earlier and create more surface activity during callibaetis hatches.

Feature	Lenice Lake	Nunnally Lake
Primary target	Holdover rainbow trout	Stocked rainbow trout
Typical depth profile	Deeper, more stable column	Shallower, warms faster
Best spring window	First two weeks after ice-off	Peak stocker activity in March
Summer hatch focus	Chironomids in deeper water	Callibaetis on the surface flats
Kokanee presence	Occasional	More frequent in cool years

Wind direction shapes both lakes the same way: a steady breeze from the west pushes baitfish and chironomid pupae toward the eastern shoreline, where cruising trout stack up in predictable lanes. Water clarity stays high through most of the year because of the spring-fed geology, which means light leaders and long casts matter more here than on stained reservoirs.

Stocking Cycles and the Seasonal Calendar

WDFW stocks Lenice and Nunnally with rainbow trout on a predictable spring schedule, typically beginning in March and running through early May. Freshly planted trout school up in the first few weeks, feeding aggressively in shallow water before they spread out across the basin. A current Lenice Nunnally Lakes fishing report will tell you which week the stocking truck showed up, and that single detail can shape your whole approach.

Spring Ice-Off Through Early Summer

After the last ice leaves, water temperatures sit in the low 40s and trout hug the shallow mud line where the bottom warms first. This is the window for slow-trolled small spoons behind lead core line, or for chironomid rigs fished just off the bottom in 8 to 12 feet of water. Callibaetis mayflies begin showing up in late April on warmer afternoons, and a size 14 Adams or Parachute Adams fished on a long leader can pull cruising fish to the surface before the hatch fully develops.

Summer Stratification and Insect Hatches

By late June, the lakes stratify, with a thermocline forming between 15 and 25 feet depending on the year. Trout slide down to the band where oxygen and temperature overlap, and chironomid fishing under an indicator becomes the most consistent method. Callibaetis hatches peak from mid-June through July, and a well-timed dry fly session at dusk can outperform any subsurface technique during a heavy emergence.

Fall Turnover and Late-Season Opportunities

Cool nights in late September and October break down the thermocline, sending oxygenated water through the entire column. Trout roam the whole lake for a few weeks, feeding heavily on leeches, damselfly nymphs, and the last callibaetis of the year. This turnover window often produces the largest fish of the season, especially on Nunnally Lake where shallower depth allows the column to mix more completely.

Once the fall bite peaks, anglers quickly hit a wall of paperwork, gear restrictions, and seasonal closures that govern how that pursuit actually unfolds.

“Check surface water temperature at the launch before rigging. Anything above 68°F means trout have gone deep, and your chironomid depth needs to follow them down another 5 to 10 feet.

Regulations, Licenses, and Selective Gear Rules

Both lakes fall under WDFW’s selective gear classification, which restricts you to artificial lures or flies with a single barbless hook. Live bait is not allowed, and bait anglers should plan a different trip. A Washington freshwater fishing license is required for anyone 15 or older, and a Discover Pass covers parking at the state-managed access points.

License and Pass Requirements

Annual and combination licenses are available through the WDFW licensing system, and a one-day or two-day catch record card works for short trips. The Discover Pass functions as your parking permit at WDFW-managed launches; without it, you risk a fine that costs more than a full weekend of fishing. Some access roads cross private land, so watch for posted boundaries near Lakeside Ranch and other inholdings.

Selective Gear and Catch-and-Release Sections

Artificial lures with a single barbless hook means no treble hooks on spoons or plugs unless you crush the barbs flat. Flies must imitate fish or invertebrates, and lead-core trolling setups are legal as long as the lure itself meets the single-hook rule. Portions of the complex are designated catch-and-release, and the boundary lines shift between rule cycles, so verify your exact location against the current WDFW pamphlet before casting.

Where to Confirm Current Rules

The WDFW fishing pamphlet, updated each March, lists the exact season dates, bag limits, and any emergency rule changes for the current year. Emergency closures tied to drought, low water, or fish-kill events have been issued in past seasons, and those changes appear on the WDFW website under the Emergency Rules tab. Treat any forum post or social media update as a starting point, not as a substitute for the official document.

Proven Techniques for Stillwater Rainbow Trout

The Nunnally Lake trout fishing Washington anglers rely on centers on three presentations: chironomid rigs under an indicator, slow-trolled lures on lead core line, and streamer or leech patterns stripped on a sinking line. Each method has a window where it outperforms the others, and the best anglers carry all three setups in the boat.

Chironomid Rigs and Depth Control

A standard chironomid rig uses a 12 to 15-foot leader tapered to 5X or 6X fluorocarbon, with the fly tied 18 to 36 inches below an indicator. In early spring, set the indicator so the fly sits 2 to 4 feet off the bottom; as the water warms and the thermocline drops, lengthen the leader and slide the indicator up. Size 14 to 18 chironomid pupae in olive, black, and wine cover most of the calendar, with a size 22 Griffith’s Gnat working as a surface emerger during the last hour of light.

Trolling Setups for Trophy Fish

Lead core line and lead line both have a place here. Lead core sinks at roughly 1.5 times the line length in feet, so 100 feet of line puts a lure at about 15 feet deep when fully extended. Lead line sinks faster, and a 50-foot lead core section followed by 100 feet of lead line can push lures into the 25 to 30-foot range where summer trophy trout suspend. Small silver or brass spoons, 2.5 to 3.5 inches, in patterns like Needlefish, T-Spoon, and Apex have measured up consistently for holdover Lenice rainbows.

Streamers and Leeches in Cooler Months

During fall turnover and early spring, sinking-line presentations outperform indicators. A slow-stripped black or olive leech pattern on a type 3 or type 6 sinking line covers water quickly, and a larger articulated streamer fished on a pause-and-pull retrieve can trigger reaction strikes from fish that have seen every chironomid pattern in the box. Concentrate effort along drop-offs, the mouths of any small inflows, and the wind-blown shoreline where wave action pushes food toward the bank.

• ▸Match the fly to the column. If fish show on the fish finder at 18 feet, your indicator and leader need to deliver the fly to that exact depth.
• ▸Watch the wind. A steady wind concentrates plankton and insects along a specific shore, and trout follow that food line predictably.
• ▸Adjust the leader length monthly. Spring rigs run short; summer rigs run long; fall rigs split the difference as the column mixes.

Trip Planning: Access, Launch, and Nearby Amenities

Most anglers launch a small aluminum boat, pram, or float tube at one of the primitive access points along the dirt roads circling the lakes. Trailered boats handle the launch fine in dry conditions, but the ramp can become too soft for two-wheel-drive tow vehicles after heavy rain. Shore fishing is possible at a few marked pullouts, though limited shoreline access makes a boat the more practical option for serious effort.

Nearby Services Around Ephrata and Soap Lake

Ephrata sits about 20 minutes south of the lakes and offers gas stations, a grocery store, a few restaurants, and limited lodging. Soap Lake, roughly 30 minutes south, adds more motel options and a couple of tackle shops that carry stillwater-specific flies and leaders. For a broader selection, Moses Lake is roughly 45 minutes away and has full-service sporting goods stores, chain hotels, and emergency medical services if something goes sideways on the water.

Camping and Lodging Options

Bureau of Reclamation campgrounds around the Columbia Basin offer budget sites within an hour’s drive, and private RV parks near Soap Lake accept walk-ins during the off-season. Regional motels in Ephrata and Soap Lake run from around $80 to $140 per night, and reservations fill quickly during the Lenice Nunnally Lakes season opener in late April. Camping on or immediately adjacent to the lakes is limited, so plan to drive in each morning.

Even with a clean launch and a comfortable lodge lined up, small judgment errors on the water can undo an otherwise well-planned trip.

Pre-Trip Checklist

1. 1Pack sun protection. Open water reflects UV intensely and shade is rare across the basin.
2. 2Bring a backup battery. A spare trolling motor battery prevents a long row back to the launch.
3. 3Carry a basic first-aid kit. Cuts from hooks and hooks in fingers are the most common injuries on stillwater trips.
4. 4Screenshot your documents. Save your license, Discover Pass, and the current WDFW pamphlet in case cell service drops along the dirt roads.

Common Mistakes and Smart Adjustments on the Water

Most of the mistakes that ruin a Lenice Nunnally trip come down to assumptions that worked somewhere else. Stillwater trout in the Columbia Basin behave predictably once you understand the lakes individually, and a few specific adjustments separate a slow day from a banner one.

Fishing Both Lakes the Same Way

Lenice’s deeper column holds fish lower in the water column through midsummer, while Nunnally’s shallower profile can put fish on top during a callibaetis hatch. Running the same depth and the same fly on both lakes in July usually means catching fish on one and struggling on the other. Switch depths first, then switch patterns, before moving to a different lake entirely.

Ignoring Wind Lanes and Depth

Setting up downwind of a flat on a calm day often leaves you fishing the wrong water entirely. Trout stack along the interface where wind-driven plankton accumulates, and that interface sits 30 to 60 degrees off the wind line depending on the fetch. Position the boat upwind, cast along the wind line, and let the boat drift while you work the rig.

Failing to Verify the Current Pamphlet

Emergency rule changes have closed portions of the basin in past seasons, and assuming last year’s regulations still apply is the fastest way to earn a citation. Pull up the WDFW pamphlet on your phone before leaving the house, and check the access road for any new signage at the launch. Five minutes of verification prevents a fine that costs more than a full season of gas.

Overlooking Kokanee and Cutthroat Possibilities

While rainbow trout dominate the catch, occasional kokanee show up in cooler years, and a small cutthroat population exists in connected waters. A kokanee rod with a dodger and small hoochie fished on downriggers or lead core at 30 to 40 feet opens up a second species target, and a few anglers specifically plan trips for these bonus fish during fall turnover.

Bottom Line

Success at Lenice and Nunnally comes down to matching your depth and your pattern to the season, then verifying the rules and the access conditions before you drive. The lakes reward anglers who slow down, read the water column, and adjust instead of grinding through a single setup all day. Plan around spring ice-off or fall turnover for the best shot at a trophy, and treat midsummer as a chironomid and callibaetis game that demands precise depth control.

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