Idea for fishing next weekend

[gottidave]

Hi guys

Planning to rent a cabin for a few days for this coming weekend and do some fishing as well

Any idea of what is a good season for now and locations?

Have a 15' sylvan boat and live in Bothell, WA. Can drive a few hours if needed

thank you

[Larry3215]

I dont know where you will find anything this late on 4th of July weekend. The cabins at Banks lake for example all get reserved by March or April for the entire summer season and the 4th usually goes within a day of opening up the reservations.

You might get lucky if you try the private resorts. Its gonna be a long shot though.

[Scheindogg]

The Skagit River just opened up for Sockeye, Chinook. Maybe baker lake has an openening for that weekend it somewhere around there?

[kodacachers]

I ditto Larry's skepticism on finding a cabin. I'm heading to the Olympic peninsula and couldn't find anything. Winding up staying in Sequim and making drives from there.

Depending on what a "few hours" is to you, my #1 would be lake Roosevelt for monster kokanee, but don't know about lodging. You might look at more populated areas with lost of motels--Moses Lake/Potholes is supposed to be pretty good. I'd mention Chelan, but I imagine it will be a zoo this weekend.

If the hordes of 4th of july vacationers have taken every cabin and motel room, there are lots of options close to home. Crabbing opens this weekend, Lake Washington is open again.

Good luck

[gottidave]

Edited

I did not realize that 4th of July is around the corner when I was thinking to plan this. I guess I will go the following weekend.

The Roosevelt lake comes up as Columbia River on the map. Is it a lake or is it the columbia river. Can't find it at fishing reports either. Is the kokanee still good there this time of the year?

Will the sockeye be at Baker lake in 1 week and a half. I see that seasons opens on the 10th.

What is the season at Banks lake also, being so close to Roosevelt Lake I think.

Thank you

[gottidave]

bump

[kodacachers]

Lake Roosevelt is an impoundment of the Columbia (behind Grand Coulee). Fishing reports are under Columbia River (#18). From reports here an elsewhere kokanee is still good. While Kokanee is all the rave this year, Roosevelt and Banks are usually good big trout lakes too.

I've never fished baker, but the outlook is good this year from the fish coming up the river. I would imagine fishing will be good from the opener.

[gottidave]

Thanks all for the info.

Been a little bit disconnected from fishing lately, and trying to reverse now the disconnect (from work this time)

What lodging options do I have for lodging around Baker lake?

Thank you

[DavidA]

If you're thinking of hitting Banks, give serious thought to fishing walleye as well as largemouth and smallmouth bass. This lake is known for them and has both walleye and bass tournaments annually. If you haven't been in this area though, the temperatures can be high, the winds can be prohibitive, and the bugs can dense. But with a little planning, it's well worth the trip!

[Scheindogg]

There are atleast 3 campgrounds on baker lake but idk the availability of them plus if you're looking for full cabin I'm not sure if there are any of those.

[Larry3215]

Its not as much "fun" but we have found that its not much more expensive - and often a wash - to get a motel room within 30-45 minutes drive from the ramp/lake where we want to fish. At least when compared to the cost of a cabin. Plus you can usually get a motel at the last minute where cabins are reserved months in advance.

Its also a LOT less prep, planning and packing involved, no bugs once you are off the water, better beds, better showers, AND air conditioning! It could also be argued that the meals are better - but of course you are giving up smoores cooked on the camp fire

Keep in mind, I talking about three old, lazy, fat guys and not a young family

[DavidA]

I have camped in the past and enjoyed it. That said, I'm with Larry on this one, for the sort of fishing that I focus on. I'm talking about 5-6 guys there only to fish. I have friends who have suggested our group camp, but we choose not to and the others won't come and camp themselves. We get up to eat when the continental breakfast is open (~6:00), then pick up something to take on the water for lunch and head straight to the lake. We're usually off the lake around 8:00 pm, back at the hotel and clean to grab dinner around 9:00pm. By 10:00 or so we've had a dip in a pool/hot tub, cleaned the fish and are getting ready to pack it in. To squeeze in that amount of fishing, there's just no time to camp. If the time spent camping is as valuable as the fishing time, that's something different. But for me, for the bedding, a hot endless shower, a/c, free breakfast, daytime refrigeration for your catch, charging capacity for all electronics, bug free everything and a pool/hot tub, with costs shared with a buddy, the little extra expense is well worth it.

I too will have to admit to being on the older side of 50, and truth be told, darned close to 60!

[Larry3215]

You guys are doing better than we are - but we are all north of 60

We start about the same time you do but we usually run out of steam by 4 or 5 in the afternoon on the first day and quitting time gets earlier on subsequent days the longer we stay

When we get in, its showers first, then dinner and drinks, then the pool/hot tub - if we have any energy left and are sober enough - then off to an early bedtime

Like I said - old farts :D

[DavidA]

The older I get the more I realize that the full expression is, "WISE old farts"!

[Larry3215]

LOL!!

[JoshH]

There is also Rasar State Park just below concrete for camping. Not on the lake but not too long of a drive from there to the lake.

[gottidave]

I'm considering to go this weekend to Roosevelt Lake

Anyone else planning to fish there for kokanee this weekend?

Any tips? Didn't book a camping site yet. Do you guys think I can find something available?

Don't have much camping experience so it's fairly new to me. Came across the Spring Canyon Camping site (they say you can only book online 7 days in advance).

Apologize in advance to being a little bit undecided. Not much time to plan this I guess. If I'm not able to get all info and stuff ready, might push for next weekend.

Thanks in advance.