Any Info about Cedar Ponds Lake, Dagger Lake, Tomtit Lake

[budleaver]

[I am interested to learn how accessable the mentioned lakes are from shoreline. These lakes are located on DNR property South of Sultan from Ben Howard RD. The road into the area is now blocked by a gate and restricted to use by any motor vehicle. I want to hike in and possibly stay for a couple days, so any info about access, fish species especially trout will be appreciated.

Thanks

Bud

[budleaver]

I did not consider that Hancock would be the owner as I have talked briefly with a DNR rep. I asked if this area was managed through the Sedro Wooly office and I did not get an answer, but assumed that the area was in their jurisdiction when I last drove in and found the road gated and posted. My recollection was a DNR sign, but I do not remember. You have given some info that I was looking for anyway, so I will be going in for a wekend trip, with my dog along. Thanks

Bud

[Fish On!]

Sorry to tell you this but that's all private land. I grew up fishing those lakes and was one of a handful that was allowed to fish there. Cedar Ponds is private. Dagger is all locked up and private. You can take the back way into Tomtit, but you will have to come in off the Ben Howard Rd and walk, bike for about 8 miles.

The gate will often times be open durring the week, but it gets locked at random times. I was locked in there for 12 hrs several years ago the day after Thanksgiving by a guy that drove right by me. At that time there was no sign what so ever on the gate saying it would be locked. I went by there the other day and see there's a big sign saying the gate can be locked at anytime. I met a homeless guy that had a key to the gate and he said people get locked in all the time.

Last time fishing Tomtit I was shot at by the caretaker from Dagger and threatened, so I'd suggest staying out of there. The old road is almost impassable anyway and the only way to fish any of those lakes is from a boat. Almost zero shore fishing. I haven't fished Dagger Lk, in over 30 years. It had all native cutts that averaged 12-16 inches. Tomtit had native cutts too, but somebody dumped in some bass and that wrecked the trout fishing.

Lots of great fishing memories from that area enough to write a book. I was just up at Cedar Ponds a few weeks ago and it's like a survivalist camp. Run down, garbage, old wrecked cars, not a place you would want to hang around too long. Cedar Ponds never had much for fishing other than some huge eastern brook.

[mallard83]

A couple friends and I hiked into Tomtit from Ben Howard a couple of weeks ago and it is only about 3.5 miles each way, but you have to know where you are going or good map/gps. Very little shore access on Tomtit, we did manage a few small cutthroat.