Me and my 2 best friends always get together and fish the opening day of trout(the one time a yr I fish for trout). Every year we all agree on were we are going to fish and out of which boat. This year if the weather looks good we know what we are doing. But if it's not, we want to so something really different. Take out the big boat. 19'6" glasply hardtop cuddy. Can anyone suggest a lake within the Olympia area, say 1 hrs drive, were we have a chance of catching something that will take a boat of this size? I know Blake lake, but fishing is usually very slow until that lake warms a bit. Summit? Mineral? Long?

Trying to maneuver a boat that big on an opening day lake may be a hair raising experience. Besides it's more fun to pack five 200 pound guys in to a 12' boat so you only have an inch of free board and only a matter of time before someone goes for a swim.

American Lake?

I used to do the Opener at Summit until last year. What a fiasco. Either get there waaaay early or get there waaaay late. I'm done fishing Opening day I think. At least I am with my boat. What a clusterf***. I'll let someone else get that headache.

Mine's only a '17 fiberglass T-top and I felt like I was trying to operate a State Ferry out there among the phalanxes of those little aluminum lake boats...some of which decide to travel counter to the direction of the lake traffic and right up through the middle of them--not even bothering to face forward to see what they're about to hit or whose gear they are about to wind up into thier Minn Kota.

fish hunter- were is American lake?

Just West of Tillicum by Ft Lewiss.

American is a year-round lake. You can fish it now. Usually best fishing is in April and May.