While fishing through the summer and fall at the middle net pens on Rufus Woods Reservoir this past year, I watched the progress of the construction of the new boat ramp. The ramp is at the site of the jointly managed public access area on the Colville Indian Reservation. Anglers are allowed to fish here with either a Washington State Fishing license or a Colville Tribal fishing license. This has been an extremely popular site with bank fisherman over the years. A couple of years ago work was completed on an RV park with full hook ups, a camping area and two heated restrooms with showers. What was to be included in the final phase of the construction was a new boat launch. The WDFW was able to acquire the funding needed to build the ramp and work was completed over this past summer and fall. Access to this site had been closed to non-tribal members, due to COVID concerns of the Colville Tribe. The closure was extended through January 1st of this year. I just learned that the closure has been extended again, until further notice. Fishing licenses to non-tribal members for reservation waters will not be sold.
This new boat launch will be available to anglers when the Colville Tribe opens their reservation lands to non-tribal members.