Fishing Swofford Pond  

 

 

 

 

 

   History / Info ;  Swofford Pond is a 216.5 acre impoundment with an elevation of 781 feet, located near the south shore of Riffe Lake, 4.3 miles east of Mossyrock WA, off the road leading to the Mossyrock Park and boat launch.  There is an unimproved boat launching area. 

 

     Swofford was originally designated to rear juvenile steelhead.  When that proved to be unsuccessful, the focus turned towards managing this water for warm-water fish, and it is open to fishing year a round.

 

    Internal combustion engines are NOT allowed, and one of these motors cannot even be attached to the boat.   Therefore only oars or electric motors can be used.

 

 

 

    Bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, largemouth bass, and brown bullheads are available, with a special size and possession limit on bass.  Channel catfish have also been stocked, which are protected by a 20-inch minimum size regulation, but a couple of fish in the 20-pound class are caught each year.  Swofford also receives plants from WDFW of several thousand catchable-size rainbow and brown trout in the spring, (March to May) and there are some large carry-over browns in the lake.

 

    And recently, a confirmed sighting of a 5' sturgeon  swimming under a kayack.

 

    About only 1/4 of the shoreline is fishable and provides family type fishing on the northeast and eastern shore at the dam.   This bank access is very close to the road, and available up to the face of the earthen dam.  During summer there are considerable amounts of pond grass along some of the shore.  The method generally used is a worm or small jig under a bobber and out just beyond the weeds.

 

     With this limited access, therefore use of boats are useful for the dedicated fisherperson here, however the  parking area is limited.  This launch is designed primarily for car topper boats or 12' to 14' small boats.  This launch is located on the SE corner, over and beyond the dam is the boat launch and Port-A-Potties / garbage cans.  

 

Here is THE boat launch, looking west



 

Here is a Channel catfish that came out of this pond

    Fishing this pond with a boat, is usually more productive along the southern shore, but deep enough to be clear of the weeds.  One method, since this is a dam impoundment, there will be a slight downstream flow, therefore run toward the western end and let the current slowly push you east.  Here a nightcrawler would always be a good bet, next would be a small jig, or spinner like a rooster tail, or even a small plug, either cast and drift or on a troll if the other is unproductive.



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Originated 03-15-2022 Last Updated 01-08-2023                                                                                       
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