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Riffe Lake Fishing Report | August 25, 2025

Report by Pete Fisher
Pete Fisher fishes Washington waters with the Gig Harbor Fishin Club.
What is working right now

Riffe Lake gave up five coho and one rainbow on a kayak trip in late August 2025. The water is low but great for kayak launching. Fish held deep, 100 to 150 feet, with the best hookups at 95 feet on the downrigger. Fish the dam area near Mossyrock Park over 200 to 300 feet of water. Pink Gulp Maggots and tuna Fire Gel added scent.

What is biting at Riffe Lake right now?

Coho salmon and rainbow trout. Pete Fisher caught five coho and one rainbow on a kayak trip on August 25, 2025. He normally targets coho here but the lake also holds big rainbows. The first rainbow came at 50 feet, then the action turned on once he dropped deeper to the fish.

What depth are the fish holding at Riffe Lake?

Fish were holding deep, 100 to 150 feet, over water 200 to 300 feet deep. Pete caught one rainbow at 50 feet, then dropped to 95 feet on the downrigger and hooked five more fish within an hour. That 95 foot depth was the key once he matched the marks on his sonar.

What lures are working at Riffe Lake?

Pete ran a Brad’s Moon Jelly Herringbone Dodger with a Mack’s Kokanee Pro spinner, then added pink Gulp Maggots and tuna Pautzke’s Fire Gel. Those brands are not products we carry, so match the moon jelly dodger and pink spinner presentation from your own kokanee and trout box.

Where should I fish on Riffe Lake?

Fish the dam area, just outside Mossyrock Park, over water 200 to 300 feet deep. Pete’s fish came in and around the dam and on the eastern shore. The water level is low but the Mossyrock Park boat launch is perfect for launching a kayak on this big 13 mile long lake.

What are the conditions at Riffe Lake?

The lake is low but great for kayak launching. It is a big body of water, 13 miles long and about a mile wide at the widest, an impoundment of the Cowlitz River. Fish were deep at 100 to 150 feet. Longer-term outlook and water temperature were not specified in this report.

Watch the full report

From the report (Pete Fisher): I was seeing a lot of fish at 100 to 150, and so I dropped down to 95 feet on the downrigger and started hooking up. Once I did that drop to 95 feet, it probably took me less than an hour to get the remaining five fish. All of our fish came over water that was 2 to 300 foot deep, in and around the dam. Today, we caught five Coho and one rainbow trout.

Riffe Lake August 25, 2025 FAQ

How deep are the fish at Riffe Lake now?

Fish were holding 100 to 150 feet, with the best hookups at 95 feet on the downrigger.

What species are biting at Riffe Lake?

Coho salmon and rainbow trout. Pete caught five coho and one rainbow on his kayak trip.

Where should I fish on Riffe Lake?

The dam area outside Mossyrock Park and the eastern shore, over water 200 to 300 feet deep.

Is Riffe Lake good for kayak fishing?

Yes. The water is low but the Mossyrock Park boat launch is perfect for launching a kayak.

What scent works at Riffe Lake?

Pete used pink Gulp Maggots and tuna Fire Gel. Those are not brands we carry, so match locally.

How big is Riffe Lake?

It is 13 miles long and about a mile wide at its widest, an impoundment of the Cowlitz River.

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