Anglinarcher
5/21/2012 5:54:00 PMSaturday I fished for about an hour on the North Side and saw three bass, and only three. One was only about 5", one 12", and one maybe 16 or so. I missed the 16" fish on a spinner bait.
If there are as many bass as the State claims, and gills for that matter, then they must be buried in the reeds and pads. I guess only time will tell.
If there are as many bass as the State claims, and gills for that matter, then they must be buried in the reeds and pads. I guess only time will tell.
basaltbone
5/21/2012 6:53:00 PMThe fish were probably full of midge larvae, no doubt, since there is no substantial mayfly hatch at Sprague (there are some mayflies) and since the lake is packed with midge larvae (chironomids).
Just spent 6 hours on the Columbia River today right where the state record smallmouth was caught years ago and where the fishing is still often excellent. Couldn't get a bite; didn't see a fish but carp. There must not be any bass left in that slough...
Just b/c we aren't seeing spiny rays yet doesn't mean they aint there and aint gonna be real good here in a bit.
Just spent 6 hours on the Columbia River today right where the state record smallmouth was caught years ago and where the fishing is still often excellent. Couldn't get a bite; didn't see a fish but carp. There must not be any bass left in that slough...
Just b/c we aren't seeing spiny rays yet doesn't mean they aint there and aint gonna be real good here in a bit.
juggalo
5/21/2012 7:55:00 PMI sure hope the sprague rehab works I moved 300+miles accross the state after years of hearing stories and reading reports only for them to kill it off.Im keeping my fingers crossed
cook97
5/21/2012 9:49:00 PMI believe that kill off piss off a lot of people. I mean as if we didn't have enough lakes full of trout in them already. Good report. It's nice to know there's other fish that Still reside there
basaltbone
5/22/2012 7:35:00 AMDrove by Sprague on Sunday around 4:00. I counted 19 boats, and I'm sure I missed some since not all of the lake is visible from I-90.
That is the most boats I've seen out there in many years. The rehab already worked.
Took 6 full years for the spiny rays to get really good at Sprague. We're on 4.5 right now.
That is the most boats I've seen out there in many years. The rehab already worked.
Took 6 full years for the spiny rays to get really good at Sprague. We're on 4.5 right now.
YellowBear
5/22/2012 8:21:00 AMI have been fishing Sprague for 40 years and I know I should have gotten out of the boat and done some wadding.
I will admit they could have been stacked in the reeds but there also should have been some to see.
I will head back to Sprague in a couple of weeks.
When we start catching 2lb slabs and 1lb bull gills I will say the rehab worked.
I will admit they could have been stacked in the reeds but there also should have been some to see.
I will head back to Sprague in a couple of weeks.
When we start catching 2lb slabs and 1lb bull gills I will say the rehab worked.
basaltbone
5/23/2012 8:58:00 AMOnly been fishing Sprague 30 years myself. Seems like an unreasonable expectation (2 pound slabs and 1 pound bluegills) since that certainly wasn't happening during the kill off in 2007 and since no other lake in this state can make such a boast. Very few trophy panfish in the State; even most of the ones I see pictured on this site fall well short of those Sprague kicked out 20 years ago. Nonetheless, more power to you YellowBear. Still, the numbers don't lie. No one was fishing out there in 2007 except for a small handful of folks, AnglinArcher being one of them. To each their own, but a huge increase in participation, more kids on the water (including little kids catching their first fish as a 20" rainbow!), and people taking home nice fish from a much clearer lake sounds like the beginning of success story number 2 on the rehab of Sprague. I think the glass is half full here.
YellowBear
5/24/2012 8:56:00 AMWe will have to wait and see, but if you judge the success of the rehab by the Trout then you are correct.
Please remember this is a spiny ray project.
Please remember this is a spiny ray project.
basaltbone
5/24/2012 12:39:00 PMActually, long-term, it's a spiny ray project, but there will always be trout stocked in Sprague, and emphasis on the first six years is for excellent trout fishing. Heard it from Chris Donley himself just recently. It will always get the 30K catchables to produce some big fish mixed in with the spiny rays.
Have a little faith, Yellow Bear! ;) WDFW isn't the bad guy here, and not nearly enough testing has occurred to make a judgment about spiny rays in Sprague, nor time elapsed. Notice the midges when you were there? The little "work-like" casings floating on the surface from their emergence? The supermarket is still stocked.
I swear, people seem heck bent on being negative and skeptical about Sprague. Maybe those folks will be right. I doubt it though.
Sounds like that tournament on June 9th that AnglinArcher mentioned will be a big hit. Glad to see it.
Have a little faith, Yellow Bear! ;) WDFW isn't the bad guy here, and not nearly enough testing has occurred to make a judgment about spiny rays in Sprague, nor time elapsed. Notice the midges when you were there? The little "work-like" casings floating on the surface from their emergence? The supermarket is still stocked.
I swear, people seem heck bent on being negative and skeptical about Sprague. Maybe those folks will be right. I doubt it though.
Sounds like that tournament on June 9th that AnglinArcher mentioned will be a big hit. Glad to see it.
YellowBear
5/25/2012 8:39:00 AMWhy do we need all the studies and testing?
Sprague has been a world class Perch fishery.
It has produced in the past trophy Crappie and Blue gill.
I have even fished Bass tournaments on Sprague back in the 80s, It grew some very nice largemouth.
The Walleye fishery that the WDFW built in Sprague was one of the best fisheries I have ever fished.
IMHO, Sprague has never been a good Trout Fishery because of the depth.
It gets to warm and by mid July the fish taist like mud.
I admit they are better when the lake freeze's over.
We spend to much time and money doing test's and studies that we allready have the answers for.
Sprague has been a world class Perch fishery.
It has produced in the past trophy Crappie and Blue gill.
I have even fished Bass tournaments on Sprague back in the 80s, It grew some very nice largemouth.
The Walleye fishery that the WDFW built in Sprague was one of the best fisheries I have ever fished.
IMHO, Sprague has never been a good Trout Fishery because of the depth.
It gets to warm and by mid July the fish taist like mud.
I admit they are better when the lake freeze's over.
We spend to much time and money doing test's and studies that we allready have the answers for.