Got on the water about 12:45 pm and headed to the north end of the lake. The day was clear with thin high overcast and the air temperature was about 70º. There was some algae and plant debris in the water. The wind was out of the southwest at a steady 10-15 mph for most of the afternoon. The water surface temperature was 62º and at 25' down on the bottom it was 57º. There was no thermocline detected at all in the lake.
While cruising down the lake to the north end, very few fish were marked on the fish finder. After working the north end trolling with a couple of different leech patterns I decided to head to the shallows on the south end of the lake. It was very apparent upon getting there that there was very little fish activity. The weeds were starting to lay down and I was able to get back into the shallows. I sat and ate my lunch and observed the area. Only one fish surfaced in about 30 minutes. I put on my floating line and my Ptarmigan Hare's Ear soft hackle. That is a very productive pattern for this time of year in the shallows. Working the area where I saw the fish surface earlier I was able to hook him. A nice fish but that was the only action for the rest of the afternoon.
Overall, it was a slow year at Amber. I fished it 4 times starting in the first part of July. Each trip yielded few fish and few where sited or marked on the fish finder. Other anglers have mentioned the same. I think that the 30-40 fish days at Amber have passed, at least for a few years. Sadly, I think that it is getting hit hard by both summer and winter poachers. A friend of mine a few years back told me that he went out to Amber the last week of February to see if the ice was out yet and was shocked to count over a dozen holes drilled in the ice that remained on the lake. A game warden told me that they have busted several poachers down by the rock slide. They are walking down the bike trail and going down to the lake, unseen my many around the launch area. I truly hope the lake can recover in the future.

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