by Jason Brooks, March 28, 2016

Lake Chelan, Washington’s deepest and largest freshwater lake is a mecca for those in the Evergreen State that seek sunshine, fresh mountain air and plentiful lake trout that grow to enormous sizes. With sunshine that gleams 300 days a year and a lake that is 55 miles long and over 1,400 feet deep there is plenty of room for all that like to use the lake. For fishermen the size of the lake can be a bit intimidating, but with the lake almost void of boats in the non-summer months the “hot spots” never get too crowded. The water is glacier fed and crystal clear along with a self-sustaining ecosystem of Mysis shrimp and plenty of prey fish for the Mackinaw, or Lake Trout, to grow to sizes that can compared to those caught in the upper reaches of Canada. In fact the current state record of 35.63 pounds came from Lake Chelan in 2013.

How to find the fish is fairly simple so don’t be intimidated by the lakes size. My father, Al Brooks, is a retired guide on the lake and has caught Mackinaw from end to end. A few years ago a fellow guide, Anton Jones of Darrell and Dad’s Family Guide Service and my father took a few biologist out on a hunt for Mackinaw. The idea was to fish the entire lake to see if the landlocked char are throughout the lake or, as thought back then, to only be in the lower end of the lake and its “shallow” waters.

The lake is comprised of two basins. The lower basin, known as the Chelan basin starts at the southeast end of the lake at the town of Chelan and ends around the area known as the narrows, just past a large point that sticks out into the lake and named for the local Native American tribe that once roamed in the area, Wapato Point. This lower basin goes to almost 300 feet in places, but is mostly around 150 feet deep with a muddy sediment bottom.




The upper basin is the Lucerne basin and goes from the narrows to the other end of the lake at the settlement of Stehekin. This basin has been sonared to be around 1,475 feet deep. That is over 375 feet below sea level. Due to this basin steep sides carved by a glacier thousands of years ago, with shelves that drop off several hundred feet, it was believed that the Lake Trout had not migrated up to the northwest end of the lake and being void of the fish.

During that explorative trip my father took; every place they stopped on their up lake journey produced Mackinaw. This disproved the theories that the char was stuck in the lower basin and caused serious concerns for the native cutthroat populations that spawned in tributaries in the completely roadless up lake area. This stretch of the lake is pristine with only one trail that leads along the north lakeshore. Kokanee also use the upper streams for spawning and provide an excellent fishery as well. Since that trip to sample the Lake Trout there have been some modifications to the fishery, mostly in protecting the cutthroat with restrictions of fishing the streams and the mouths of the streams. However, the WDFW and U.S. Forest Service biologist were already well aware of the problems that the Mackinaw was creating.

Back in the late 1980’s and into the early 1990’s the Lake Chelan Sportsman Association put on an annual Landlocked Chinook derby in May. These are prized fish, known for great eating, not for any serious size. WDFW had also introduced the Mysis shrimp into the lake thinking that they would be a food source for the Chinook. But by the early 90’s there were very few landlocked Chinook being caught and it was realized that the Mysis Shrimp were competing for the same zooplankton that the Kokanee were feeding on. Lake Trout were first planted around 1980 to help eat all the shrimp but once again a hard lesson had to be learned. The Mackinaw not only ate the Mysis shrimp but everything else since they are a top predator fish. By the end of the last Salmon derby the Mackinaw were becoming a nuisance. Their numbers climbed to the point that there were rumors of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) hiring commercial netters to come in and fish out the Lake Trout that were wreaking havoc on the cutthroat and kokanee. Again, the Lake Chelan Sportsman’s Association stepped in and began holding an annual Mackinaw derby. This was in an agreement that 1,000 fish could be caught in the three day tournament. They came close with over 900 fish landed and averting the commercial fishery. The derby went on for two more years but participation fell off and it ended. One thing remains until this day and that is the Mackinaw fishery is still exceptional.

Though they are found throughout the large lake the lower end is the most popular. This is mostly because of its close proximity to the town of Chelan and Manson, and boat ramps.



Mills Bay Boat Ramp

Also, if you do decide to venture up lake to the far end keep in mind that you should treat the lake more like a mini ocean as thermal winds created by the high mountain peaks and the deep gorge can create severe swells. Do not try and go up lake in anything shorter than a 20 foot boat with a deep vee to cut the waves and have plenty of gas as there are no facilities of any kind until you reach the far end. This includes no cell service and very little radio traffic as the steep canyon walls cut off all signals. There is a daily ferry service that always keeps an eye out for those that might need help, or a ride back (they will not tow a boat, but if you can moor it then you can pay for a ride to town). In the lower basin you can catch fish just about anywhere you wet a line, though there are a few spots that are much better than others.

Starting with “Mack Bar” an underwater island of sorts just to the southeast of Wapato Point. To find Mack Bar look at a map of the lake and draw a line from the tip of Wapato Point across the lake to an area known as “Sunnybank”. Just off the south shore on this line is Mack Bar. For some reason the Lake Trout really like to hang out here. Since you are in the area and if you don’t do well at the bar then head on over to Wapato Point. Right at the tip of the point about 100 yards off shore is a shelf about 100 feet deep. Fishing off the point seems to always produce fish. Continue fishing up lake and you will notice on the sonar that the bottom has a steep drop off as you start into the Lucerne Basin. Fish the contouring shelves that go along the north shore around Wapato Point and towards Manson Bay.

If you keep heading up lake you will see the Lake Chelan Yacht Club on the south shore. Right out front of the yacht club is another hot spot, especially in early spring and late summer. Early spring is when the Kokanee are on their down lake journey to warmer waters in search of the zooplankton. In late summer the landlocked sockeye begin their trek back up lake to their spawning grounds of the feeder streams. If you can locate schools of Kokanee, or know their travel routes then you will catch big Mackinaw.

Anton Jones makes it a habit to check out what the Lakers are eating and he often finds Kokanee over 9 inches inside the stomachs of Mack’s. This leads to how to fish for the Char.

Trolling off downriggers is the most popular method.



But keep in mind that you will be trolling with a lot of cable out, up to 300 feet. By using a 15 pound ball you can keep the blowback to a minimum since you are fishing a lake and there is no current to deal with. Long rods that can be heavily loaded to help decrease the slack is a must. I like using 9 foot medium action rod. The reels need to be loaded with a braided line, with 50 pound test my favorite since I can reel down on the downrigger clip and not worry about my line breaking. This brings me to the downrigger clip, and is probably the most important part of deep water trolling. Use a clip that is a wind on release. Pinch clips just can’t handle the pressure of all that line and a lure being pulled around at those depths and are prone to false releases. With wind on clips you need to watch for the bite and when the rod tip starts bouncing most of the time you will need to reel all the way down as far as you can and then pop the clip yourself. Only really big fish pop the clip and when that happens you get a serious adrenaline rush knowing you might just have a new state record on the other end!

As far as lures go my favorite is the Brad’s Killer Fish 14, a Kwikfish X11 or a Wordens Flatfish U20, notably each lure is small than the other. If you are targeting big fish go with the bigger lure, for an all-around lure go smaller. The Mackinaw prey on Kokanee and I like to fish silver or metallic colors. But since you are fishing so deep don’t overlook the UV coated lures as well.



Anton Jones likes the U20 in either green glow or purple with a UV finish.

Another great lure is the Cha Cha Squider trailing behind a Double D dodger from Mack’s Lure, a company just down the road from Chelan in Wenatchee. Tip this lure with a piece of anchovy, or catch a few northern pikeminow out of the lake prior to going for Lake Trout and use a fillet off these pesky predators. This is also a favorite bait for the second most popular way to fish for the Mackinaw, jig fishing.

Since the lake is so deep you can fish it with jigs but must use heavy weighted ones starting with a 2 oz. jig head being the most popular. Tip the jig with a white or glow rubber jig body such as those by Berkley. Tip the jig with a piece of northern pikeminnow, or if you don’t have time to catch a few while at the dock, then a slice of anchovy or herring. Head to Mack Bar or off of the tip of Wapato Point and drop your offering down to the bottom. I like to bottom bounce while jigging. I do this by once again using a long rod, such as the same 9 foot rod I use with my downriggers with lots of braided line, which is a must when jig fishing this deep for no stretch in your line. With the rod tip at the water I hit bottom and engage the reel. I then lift the rod, much like mooching for Salmon, but raise it way up. I then immediately drop the tip all the way to the water level and let the jig hit the bottom. Now I will slightly raise the rod about a foot off the bottom, pause and then jerk upward. This allows for a hook set for a fish that will inhale the jig during the pause. If there is no fish there then this pounding and fluttering is causing a commotion that only attracts these aggressive fish. And like all jig fishing, if you feel a tug, make sure you set the hook and tug back hard!

No matter if you troll or jig for the Mackinaw make sure you use a lot of scent. The scent will attract the fish and increase your catch rate dramatically. My top scents for Lake Trout are Bloody Tuna, Butt Juice, Flounder Pounder, and Nightcrawler all by Pro-Cure. I prefer their super gel’s as it is very sticky and last a long time. Each of those scents were produced for predator and opportunity feeding fish which is why they are so great for Mackinaw.

When it comes to eating Mackinaw you usually find two opinions. The first are those that rave about them. And with Lake Chelan’s waters being so pristine and with one of the main food sources being Mysis Shrimp the Char in Chelan have really bright orange meat full of fat and oils. The second opinion is that these fish taste really “fishy” and have a strong taste to them. If you try them barbecued and just think they are a bit too strong them give them a try smoked. We all know that truly good smoked fish first starts with good fillets, not boots of a fish. With the high oil content and marbleized fat in these Char they make a perfect smoking fish.



If you decide to give Lake Chelan a try for these unique Char you might want to keep a few things in mind. First, if you go during summer you will have lots of company in the way of jet skiers and ski boats. But this is also a great place to take the family for a summer vacation. The town is known for its tourist attractions, such as its small shops, many parks, golf courses, several wineries and other activities. If you do decide to take in the summer sun with the family then sneak out and do some early sunrise fishing to beat the boat traffic on the lake. My favorite time to fish the lake is the fall, when the weather is crisp yet warm and the valley is about to go into its winter sleep. Then again the calmness of the lake during a winter snow storm is hard to beat as well. Spring brings the winds and can be hit or miss, but after a long cold winter it’s good to get out and fish the lake. In other words, the Mackinaw are there any time of year and are always willing biters. The regulations for Mackinaw are pretty simple. There is no size or catch limits and no hook or bait restrictions. In other words, you can catch as many as you want; in fact WDFW wants you to catch as many as you can to help out the Kokanee and cutthroat.



If you're interested in hiring a guide, I can highly recommend Anton Jones of Darrell and Dad's Family Guide Service. He's been fishing the lake for many years and knows the lake like no one lese. Plus, he's a lot of fun to fish with!