Win Money Catching Trout All Summer

Actually, you could win a part of $25,000 in prize money from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife from now through Halloween.

Here in Yakima County, WDFW planted several thousand trout in all the area lakes and ponds this spring. A few of them had tags, so keep your eye out if you fish these lakes: Clear Lake, I-82 Pond 4, I-82 Pond 6, Rotary Lake, Tim's Pond, Myron Lake and Lost Lake.

Depending on what scenery you want to look at, there are some diverse settings with those lake choices.

If you're crunched for time, I see folks on kayaks and more on Myron Lake.

I personally love using my kayak on Clear Lake and heading out toward the islands and back. The water is a bit deep and freezing in the dead of summer, so I would only go on really glassy days if you're new to kayak fishing. Any chop for a novice can mean danger and this is supposed to be about having fun!

Want to know what you can win in this year's WDFW Fishing Derby? Each prize coordinates with a unique, yellow, fish tag. The businesses that donated prizes to the derby will have tagged fish stocked in lakes near their locations.

When you catch a tagged fish, call the number provided on the tag for directions on how to claim your prize! DO NOT FORGET, do not throw out the tag when you clean your fish because you'll need it to redeem your prize!