Fishin Musician
3/6/2009 8:37:00 AMWow! From looking at these recent reports, it seems like Rock Lake is on the verge of getting a rep like Rufus Woods had (has?). Nice Brown!! Great report, thanks.
bazzdude
3/6/2009 8:59:00 AMNice fish there. I love trowing spinners/cranks and catching fish. I was woundering if you can fish that lake out of a 12' aluminum boat?
river rat
3/6/2009 9:33:00 AMWhat a trooper to brave the weather conditions yesterday, although it payed off with that beautiful brown. Too bad you couldn't release him.
Anglinarcher
3/6/2009 11:05:00 AMBazzdude, you won't be fishing in the same areas I am with a 12 aluminum, but on a good day, no bad weather in site, sure.
Fishin Musician, Rock has always had that reputation, it is just the launch sucks, the lake is dangerous, and there is only one access. Bonnie, the next lake upstream, is even better for spinny rays, but even I don't know how to get to it. :-(
Fishin Musician, Rock has always had that reputation, it is just the launch sucks, the lake is dangerous, and there is only one access. Bonnie, the next lake upstream, is even better for spinny rays, but even I don't know how to get to it. :-(
river rat
3/6/2009 12:12:00 PMBonnie can be accessed thru rock creek at hole in the ground. A 12' or smaller is needed because of the steep bank at the bridge to launch and the mile or so upstream thru the field. Watch out for rocks as you approach the lake, duck hunters tried to deny access by building a fence and a rock dam of sorts years ago. The lake is surrounded by private land and the only road at the north end was almost impassable years ago even if you got permission. Great spiny ray fishing, usually after the spring thaw!
Anonymous
3/6/2009 12:28:00 PMWow, I didn't think my comments were thretening or that negative. Just an observation. All i was saying is that,s alot of meat i hope it all gets eaten.
Fishin Musician
3/6/2009 12:31:00 PMI'm really liking this new and improved website! I had no idea where Rock lake is. After looking it up and responding to a post I now know where it is, how to get there, and a little bit about the next lakes upstream, Bonnie and Chapman. So much more info, yet the pages load faster. NICE WORK!!!
Fishfungus
3/6/2009 5:43:00 PMHey Nice Fish! It looks like a fish story though if that weighed 11 1/2 pounds it must have had lead or eggs in its belly. Note to anglers if you are using treble hooks on your plugs you might as well put out a gill net and keep everything that you catch. Treble hooks are for killing not catch and release (especially when catching trout species) and where is the sport in it anyway. Switch those trebles out for some good single points and give the fish a chance. It is very sad to see large reproducing stock killed for fair table fare at best. Fish responsibly or don't fish at all ><(((((@>-----------Keep Your Line Tight!
bazzdude
3/6/2009 10:18:00 PMI can agree the treble hook part, but i can also disagree too. That was the only trout he cought that got hurt is what his report said. I can also say that i cought 7 trout today and not one of those fish was even close to injured and i was using a rapalla with treble hooks,i even lost a half a dozen or so that did not get a good hook set. There is no law in this lake saying anything about single barbless hooks at all. It is the fishermans discression here as far as i know. Sounds like someone was having a bad day is all to me. Anyhow, that is a very nice fish. My biggest today was 17''. I as the idiot out there in a 12' aluminum witha trolling motor. Hey, if anyone has a seat open on the weekends let me know i will throw some cash in for gas money, i can not make it to the other end with my small boat. Ok keep warm everyone.
big fish lite line
3/6/2009 10:59:00 PMawesome fish congratulations. don't know what everybodies POed a about? you were using trouble hooks nothin wrong with that.
Anglinarcher
3/7/2009 10:43:00 AMI never dreamed that posting a report would turn into a forum thread. Perhaps Smashmouth and Fishfungus should go to the forum and slam me, and everyone else that apparently does better then they do, in the correct place. I could really get into it then, I love a good debate. I suppose that their on line names speak volumes in their own right.
Fishfungus, I don't know how I could have been so wrong on the size, I had better send my Digital Scales back to the company for a replacement. Actually the scales said 11.4 pounds. 0.4 pounds is the same as 6.4 ounces. Therefore, per the scale, accurate to only one tenth of a pound, the fish was 11 pounds and 6 ounces. As for eggs in the belly, clearly you don't know squat about Brown Trout. Brown Trout spawn in the fall, not the spring. Any eggs would have been dropped or re-absorbed long ago.
You also don't know squat about Rock Lake, or for that matter, most of Eastern Washington's lakes. There is really no natural spawning locations for trout or char. Rock Creek, the only stream with flowing water, has no spawning gravel, and is mostly mud bottomed, from the Mouth of Rock Lake to as far up as I have dared to trespass. In the fall, the Brown Trout spawning time, the water flows are reduced to that of a big ditch, not a trout spawning area.
As for single verses treble hooks, this was the only fish that suffered any injury all day. We do either fish with barbless trebles, or even single hooks. Not because we don't want to hurt the fish, but because we want it make it easier to release them and get back into the action. The problem here is that the mouth is so big I can almost place my hand into the mouth, and the fish took the 6" bait all the way to the gullet, passed the gills. No hook would have been prevented the fish from bleeding, and being it is legal to keep this fish, and because it is unethical to waste such a beautiful fish by leaving it for the otters or seagulls, I did the right thing and kept it.
Now, I think that time has come to take the self righteous preaching to the forum. The purpose of this report has been meet, and completed. Let this be the last post.
Fishfungus, I don't know how I could have been so wrong on the size, I had better send my Digital Scales back to the company for a replacement. Actually the scales said 11.4 pounds. 0.4 pounds is the same as 6.4 ounces. Therefore, per the scale, accurate to only one tenth of a pound, the fish was 11 pounds and 6 ounces. As for eggs in the belly, clearly you don't know squat about Brown Trout. Brown Trout spawn in the fall, not the spring. Any eggs would have been dropped or re-absorbed long ago.
You also don't know squat about Rock Lake, or for that matter, most of Eastern Washington's lakes. There is really no natural spawning locations for trout or char. Rock Creek, the only stream with flowing water, has no spawning gravel, and is mostly mud bottomed, from the Mouth of Rock Lake to as far up as I have dared to trespass. In the fall, the Brown Trout spawning time, the water flows are reduced to that of a big ditch, not a trout spawning area.
As for single verses treble hooks, this was the only fish that suffered any injury all day. We do either fish with barbless trebles, or even single hooks. Not because we don't want to hurt the fish, but because we want it make it easier to release them and get back into the action. The problem here is that the mouth is so big I can almost place my hand into the mouth, and the fish took the 6" bait all the way to the gullet, passed the gills. No hook would have been prevented the fish from bleeding, and being it is legal to keep this fish, and because it is unethical to waste such a beautiful fish by leaving it for the otters or seagulls, I did the right thing and kept it.
Now, I think that time has come to take the self righteous preaching to the forum. The purpose of this report has been meet, and completed. Let this be the last post.
Mike Carey
3/7/2009 8:58:00 PMPeople! This fish is approximately 32" long. It's unfortunate the ruler in the second picture is cut off, but check it out. I have no doubt the weight is in the 11 pound range. Beautiful fish! I fail to understand why we have members that insist on negative comments about fish that are legally caught and kept. Doing so just discourages guys from posting reports. Let's keep it friendly and stop doubting or we will lose valuable posts! Thank you.
RAT Sports
3/7/2009 10:14:00 PMOKAY...... now mine was big, gone fish'n had one that was longer but...... WOW that is an absolute pig. Nice job. Great to see that we can all catch those monsters. Forget those whiners, we had plenty of fish that got hurt from those darn trebles, it happens. NICE FISH!!!!!!!
Soggybottombassboy
3/8/2009 11:30:00 AMwhat a giant I must admit I never seen a bigger brown out of Rock you Rock!
Nik
3/8/2009 12:34:00 PMGood lord people these are stocker trout that do not naturally exist in this lake and as far as i know do not naturally reproduce there either. You're acting like he killed a bald eagle for crying out loud. They are put in the lake for the sole purpose of being caught. That is the biggest brown i have ever seen and now Anglinarcher will have a story to tell for years, not to mention a huge feast that he caught and prepared himself many people will enjoy. How does it get any better than that?
Jake Dogfish
3/8/2009 1:47:00 PMWow what a monster! Some people are so jealous!
A Non-native species in a lake with no spawning habitat. The only reason they want you to throw it back is so they could go there and take it home for themselves. Great report, I have done well there in the past just casting from the boat launch.
A Non-native species in a lake with no spawning habitat. The only reason they want you to throw it back is so they could go there and take it home for themselves. Great report, I have done well there in the past just casting from the boat launch.
Gone Fishin
3/8/2009 10:41:00 PMWow! RAT said it, we caught big fish that now look like midgets! That is one hell of a fish! Congrats, that is something special right there! I am so glad that braving the weather paid off for you! I am dying to get out there again and you just made it worse! I may have to sneek out there tomorrow..... Definately will be out there Friday
Anglinarcher
3/9/2009 9:56:00 AMGone fishin, wish I could join you on Friday, but if I take another day off work right now I am going to be shot (LOL). I have no doubt that you and Rat Sports have one of those in your future. I think you two know the lake well enough, it is just a matter of time.
Paul & Sammi
3/10/2009 11:43:00 PMThe first time I saw Rock lake was in 1982. In all those years since I have never seen a fish that big come out of there. Saw a few 7lb'ers but nothing like that. Wow! I especially like the part about cathing it on light tackle. I bet that was FUN!
Caution on this lake can't be stressed enough. I hunted waterfowl on Rock for many years in the winter and was very familiar with what the lake can do. And I had many hours of experience in a small boat on big waters. Yet still....the wind and waves nearly got me once. Never been so scared in my life as I was on that late November day. Don't get cocky and come home alive.
Caution on this lake can't be stressed enough. I hunted waterfowl on Rock for many years in the winter and was very familiar with what the lake can do. And I had many hours of experience in a small boat on big waters. Yet still....the wind and waves nearly got me once. Never been so scared in my life as I was on that late November day. Don't get cocky and come home alive.
Anglinarcher
3/11/2009 10:06:00 AMPaul & Sammi, good to hear from you. This is the second largest fish I hit in Rock, the first came at night a few years ago, while fishing for Bass. With the exception of these two fish (did not even have a camera, a scale, or a partner, with me last time), I have hit nothing over 5 lbs there. I suspect that for the most part, this fish is just flat out unusual for Rock. It is interesting that I have either missed of lost big fish at the specific piece of structure I hit this one on this time. In fact, we were about ready to leave for the day when I went out of my way to fish this one last spot. I think that Seth Burrill from Angler's Xperience stated it best in the Sports Show last Saturday, "Don't ask me what I caught it on, ask me what type of structure and how deep". I promise, I will not get too Cocky on rock. Over the last 9 years, I have GPS marked almost every hidden rock obstruction on Rock. I have developed a plan for getting out of trouble, and my boat is 17' - 6 and it gets up and flies if I need to get out in a hurry. Now if the launch was just not so darn hard to launch a large boat at. :-{