Fishing Articles
Banks Lake Triple Challenge
This past week was a terrific fishing week here in North Central Washington. I got out on Banks Lake and practiced for the Triple Fish Derby that is coming up toward the end of the month. There was a very successful kid’s derby on Moses Lake, and another very successful derby on Lake Chelan for kokanee. Things are really looking up this spring! It just gets better and better.
Last Wednesd...
Walleye Action in Central Washington
Spring has definitely arrived here in Central Washington. We are getting lots of sunny weather, with the occasional sprinkle. There are some blustery days, but anglers that get on the water early are enjoying a variety of early season fishing. Everything from kokanee to walleye and trout are being chased at a variety of lakes in the region.
I usually head down to the Columbia Basin Wildlif...
Hot Picks Around the State March 2014
Depending on the time of year we can get upwards of 500-700 fishing reports a month. Here are some of this month’s hottest fishing locations for you to make your April plans by.
Starting off with the tried and true, Lake Roosevelt started March strong and stayed that way for limits of rainbow trout, with a few shiny (and large) kokanee to throw in for good measure. Downriggeral had the fishery ...
Evergreen RV Show
Washington State is a truly remarkable place to own an RV. There are few places in the world where rain forests, ocean beaches, sage brush, and volcanic mountain ranges are all within a few hours’ drive of each other. Exploring, and even getting to know, some of these wondrous natural places can be even easier in your own RV. If fishing is your passion, imagine if the next time you drove by an ...
Chelan Spring Kokanee Essentials
Our Focus on Fishing this month is "All About Chelan". As in, All About Kokanee. In 2013, the word got out that kokanee fishing had rebounded big time on lake Chelan. Not only did the fishing start off red-hot, the kokanee were HUGE. 15-17" kokanee were the norm, and rumors of fish breaking the 20" size circulated. Although I never saw a picture of one a 20" fish, my personal best was 19". That ma...
Spring Walleye Action
April is a big month. There is the “April Fools” opener in the Columbia Basin. There are other spring fisheries, such as walleye and big trout fishing going by April. This is also the month for some special events, like kids fishing days in a couple of locations. As long as the weather treats us right, some of the best fishing of the year can be had in the month of April.
I had been heari...
Wanapum Dam Update
I had a great time at the Quincy Valley Tourism Association’s 4th Annual Tagged Trout Derby at Burke and Quincy lakes. There were 377 anglers registered for the event this year, and more tagged trout were caught than ever before. I also took a road trip with my wife Eileen to see what the Columbia River looks like with the drawdown imposed by the crack discovered in Wanapum Dam.
As you may ...
Kokanee Primer - Part 2: Presentation Strategies
In the years since Kokanee University was written, many wonderful developments have happened. The tackle designs, for example, are way different now as technology has made available vast improvements in action and color. What has not changed are the concepts set forth in Part 1. I decided to now add a part 2 to discuss some observations on the practical side of kokanee fishing. From time to time I...
Four Hours to Boise
The adventure began years ago when a friend in the local bass club asked “I have a good spot for Yellow Perch thru the ice, are you interested?” You must know that ice fishing was and is the passion
of my winters. Fishing a spoon on hard water is effective and much the
same as open water in the warmer months. Wow, what a spot that was at Yuba Lake, Utah. Two pounders were as common as the mosq...
Central Washington Winter Updates
Winter weather kept most anglers off the water this past weekend. Many of them wanted to be indoors anyway. The 2nd annual Wenatchee Valley Sportsmen’s Show was going on at the Town Toyota Center, so they chose to talk and learn about fishing instead. There are good reasons for anglers to get out on the water, though.
Interest in the kokanee fishing is very high again this year. I heard t...
Wells Dam Steelhead
North Central Washington’s Steelhead have made headlines in the past few years. First the return of wild steelhead along with copious hatchery fish appearing from near extinction. Then the Steelhead returns allowing not only fisheries but a new way of managing the fish such as “catch and must kill hatchery fish” regulations along with selective gear rules on some of the most pristine and beautiful...
Lake Chelan Large Kokanee Explained
There has been speculation exactly why anglers are seeing such large and healthy kokanee in Lake Chelan. Site member Toni (Wannafishalure.com) recently contacted WDFW Fish Management and got these two responses:
From Larry Phillips, Fishery Manager:
"My understanding of Kokanee (based on what I’ve read in the published literature) is that growth is closely related to density. More kokanee=sm...
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