Chopaka Lake

Chopaka Lake sits at about 2,900 feet in the hills of northern Okanogan County, a few miles south of the Canadian border, a lake of about 150 acres reached on a rough, steep road. It is fly fishing only, with one trout of 18 inches or more, and it is known across the Northwest for its callibaetis and chironomid hatches on rainbows that run large.

The season opens on the fourth Saturday in April and runs through October. Late May and June bring the best of it: chironomids in the morning, then callibaetis duns and spinners, with fish rising across the lake on calm days. Damsels and leeches work along the weed beds, and fall fishes well too. Motors are not allowed on floating devices. A Bureau of Land Management campground sits at the lake.