Roger that.
I'm familiar with east side stuff, big waters with plenty of public launches and no real private land going into the water.
Ya, lake Roosevelt for instance you're good if you can find public access down to the 1310' elevation line which really isn't a "high water mark", it's just the elevation in which it turns into a national park. Once below that 1310' line you can camp, fish whatever the NPS allows there. Down south that's a lot of land you can have public access, but up on the north end by Northport WA it's a tiny sliver then into nothing as that 1310' elevation goes under water just above northport. Up on the north end once the river goes above 1310 foot above sea level there's no "high water mark", private ground goes right into the water even though a high water mark is visible.,.,,.same water, different rules.
I live on a different river and my deed clearly says I own to "center of the main channel" under the river, so
technically if your in a tube and bump your butt on a rock you're trespassing. Now I'm not one of those anal retentive guys that freak out but there are a few who do freak out so I'll politely inform people that get out of the river and start walking along the shore how the property rights work on this river so they don't get shot (or if they do at least I did my PSA )
2 exceptions that I know of to the navigable water/ high water mark are the little Spokane and kettle river- those are both ones where the landowner owns the river bed- definitely want to keep your feet in the boat on those and expect some pissy and entitled land owners no matter what
If you bought and paid for it, is it really an entitlement?
