by Joe Heinlen, December 06, 2011

Rufus Woods Triploid Trolling Techniques

Rufus Woods Reservoir is the Premier Reservoir to fish for the Largest Triploid Rainbow Trout in all of the Northwest. You see the photos and read the reports that are posted all over the Internet and you have an idea just on the information that you have read or your friend or acquaintance has explained to you, on where to fish when you make your Trek over the Mountain Passes.

Arriving at your destination, the excitement level is over the top, since you and your fishing partner had been discussing the opportunity of hooking and catching a giant Rainbow Trout during the 4 hour journey that you have now accomplished.

After walking down to the launch and taking precautions by spreading a little sand on the launch due to the ice buildup, you launch the boat and secure it to the dock. You have accomplished 50% of your goal just by launching your boat. To reach your goal of being 100% success at Rufus Woods, you must now implement the fine details on location, presentation, speed, and depth.



“Location” on where to fish is most important. Over the last 16 yrs. of fishing Rufus Woods, I have my set locations that I will fish daily based on my experience. This does not mean that I will not try a location that I have not been successful at in the past. The rainbow trout in Rufus Woods adapts to change very fast.

“Presentation” varies so much for me on Rufus Woods because the reservoir changes every day. I like to have an arsenal of lures and flies in different colors, designs and sizes onboard. My lures of choice to start the morning are Woolly Bugger style flies in black and brown marabou color when trolling. When casting to the shorelines, Warden Lures black and brown Roostertail in ¼ oz or a ¼ oz Kastmaster spoon by Acme in green/silver will work most of the time. Slow troll the flies and slow roll the spinners and spoons to be successful. Triploid Rainbow Trout do not reach that football body shape because they are a high energy fish. They will lie in the weed beds or next to or under the big rocks and pick off freshwater snails and Stickleback fish. Triploids are lazy most of time. A slow presentation at .75 to 1.2 mph. will always work.

Bait is also allowed on Rufus Woods. The question I am asked all the time is what type of bait I use. My answer is straight to the point. I do not use scent or bait so I am not sure what is working at Rufus Woods. The State Rules and Regulations for Rufus Woods Reservoir is: 2 Trout Limit: When using scent or bait of any kind, once you have caught 2 trout, your limit is reached even If you released an uninjured Rainbow trout. I have been noticing recently at Rufus Woods that the catch and release with bait is occurring. How I know it’s happening more now is that I am catching more with leaders hanging out of the mouths of smaller trout. You would think that this would keep a trout from trying to feed, but it actually affects the trout in the opposite way. The trout has swallowed dough bait with a red coated hook and cannot digest the hook or the bait. The hook is usually imbedded in the throat cavity and now the trout cannot swallow any food because of the blockage. Now after a week, the trout is the hungriest fish in the reservoir and will try to eat anything that passes him. The sad point is that the trout is actually starving to death. Recently a customer caught a Triploid 1.5lbs. Trout that would have weighed in the 4 lb range because of the fishes length, but had a hook lodged in the throat cavity with the leader trimmed. Please follow the rules and regulations for Rufus Woods.



“Depth” is difficult to pinpoint because the water level fluctuates every day. Instead of focusing on depth, try focusing on weed beds. Troll the Woolly Bugger fly along the outside of the weed beds next to the shoreline or if casting the spinner or spoon over the weeds without letting it sink, retrieve until the Weed bed disappears. Let your spinner or spoon sink at this point because the triploid trout will be lying in the weeds, like a Largemouth Bass, and will follow the lure out to the edge where the weeds disappear. By letting the spinner or spoon sink, the lure looks injured to the trout which can trigger the fish to strike. Trout are predators and react out of instinct. Fish On!!!!!

I am going to touch more on “Location” for my conclusion. First thing in the morning, You just fished over a location that your best buddy said to fish, or a location where you have been successful during a previous adventure but were not at all successful. Do not give up on that “Location”. Leave this location and fish another location on the list but go back and fish that spot again. The flow could have changed, The sun is now high in the sky, the bait fishermen have left that spot, the duck hunters got their limits, the cows finally climbed back on the shore, The bear finished his bath, All of these episodes are things that have happened to me over the years and I have gone back to the location in the same day and had great success. Any change that happens, I always look at it as a positive change. I will conclude with a “Saying” that my Father used on my brother and I, while growing up. “If at first you don’t succeed”, you keep on sucking until you do succeed!” I love this saying! Tight lines to all and stay warm and safe on your next adventure to Rufus Woods!

By Joe Heinlen- Lake Chelan Adventures

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