Launched at 0930. Moved to deep water immediately across from the launch and anchored down. Started with a still water nymph fished vertically on type VI sinking line. Got a few bumps but no takes. Switched to a smaller still water nymph and got the same results. Gents around me were getting 12-14" fish on damsel patterns. After an hour, I saw some very small midges coming off so switched to a size 18 black/silver chironomid. The resulting strikes were fast and as violent as any I've ever gotten fishing this way. Incredible! Three fish to net measured 19-20" range with two others nice ones lost. All takes within a couple feet of bottom. This bite ended abruptly after about 45 minutes. I stuck with chironomids until another hatch materialized and the bite began anew. The sixth fish, upon being netted, flopped around violently and threw 1" blood worms everywhere. Amazing!!! This fish had at least three dozen bright red blood worms in his mouth and throat...most of which ended up in my net. I'd never seen anything like it!!! Switched to a blood worm, expecting to have fully cracked the code. Nope. Only one fish in 30 minutes. Tied on my partners black/red snowcone tied on a red hook and got eight more fish in the next 90 minutes. The fish were still hitting when that large snake, well over four foot long, swam up behind me and passed about 20 feet to my left. Holy #*%@!!! That was it for me, bull or rattler I'm unsure, but 15 fish was good enough and I departed fully satisfied. Only 3 fish under 18" with the largest at 21". The most big fish I've had at any lake this year. All big fish took within a few feet of the bottom, with the smaller fish taking about halfway up. I've spent this whole spring wondering what had happened to the big fish. They're still there!

Marc Martyn

6/16/2008 7:30:00 AM

About the snake. I have been told by someone who grew up in that area that rattlers will swim with their heads held high out of the water. Bull snakes don't hold their heads up high. I saw a rattler swimming across Amber last year. It only took him a minute or so to get across the lake. They are very good swimmers.
I have only seen one rattler on the water out there in about 15 years. There are as many around like there is over at Coffee Pot or the Potholes area.

Rooscooter

6/16/2008 2:02:00 PM

Ah-HA! You found them. I was there on Sunday and only got one 20" fish. I was on the surface most of the day though. In looking at my journal from last year I notice that I did pretty well with blood worms in June last year. I will be going out there later this week and I will be sure to take some small black chironomids and blood worms.

Marc: I used to fish the South Fork of the Snake River in southern Idaho many years ago and the rattlesnakes were everywhere. We used to see them swimming in the river all the time. They do keep their heads up a few inches out of the water as I recall. You haven't lived until you've been in fast moving water up to your waste and looking upstream to see a 5' rattlesnake swimming toward you.

Anglinarcher

6/16/2008 5:00:00 PM

Rooscooter, You call this living? Son, I think you have more life in you than I would - my heart just would not take it.

That is why I fished the South Fork with a drift boat. (LOL)

CDA Dave

6/26/2008 9:56:00 AM

I have a question about your fishing technique. When you say you are fishing vertically with the full sink line- are you fishing directly below your boat with the line straight down? If you are in 24 feet of water, you woud have 12 feet of sinking line out (assuming a 10 ft leader) to hang 2 ft off the bottom? I've always used the kick troll method with full sink line, but your way sounds a lot easier on these old legs. I'd appreciate any advice you would share on your vertical method.

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