Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service - We fish on Lake Chelan and other North Central Washington waters in year round comfort.
You catch them in COMFORT! Bring your family and/or friends out on our 24 foot Bayliner Ciera Express. For your comfort, it features: enclosed cabin; cabin heat; private/inside marine toilet; games and VCR for children; hot and cold running water available seasonally; stove; and a full line of safety gear. Families and couples are welcomed and encouraged to book our service. The boat accommodates a maximum of six.
Large parties are accommodated. We also offer lodging at our home through VacationinChelan.com for visitors to the Manson area.
What an awesome, glorious Christmas morning at Lake Ballinger! Very hectic work schedule with the holidays the past few weeks, then several family get-togethers with dozens of grandchildren and tons of great food, left me needing a little "Me" time for reflection and offering prayers to God for the Greatest Gift ever given that we celebrate on this day, for blessings past and for hope for the future. Got to the lake at about 7:15, lines in the water by 7:30. Wanted to try for some of the winter Cutthroat that inhabit the lake, set up one rig with a nightcrawler, the other with fl. orange Power Eggs (maybe a Rainbow lurking nearby)! Air temp a frosty 29 degrees at the outset, pier covered with a thick layer of frost. Water temp a chilly 45 degrees at 10' off the pier. About 8:15, line on the PE rig went taunt and rod tip doubled over... fish on! Animated fight suggested a good fish, and was surprised when the fish came in close to, to see that it was a very nice, silver bright Cutthroat of nearly 14". When I went to net it, I neglected to remove my gloves, and the handle of the net slipped right through my fingers and went into the lake. Had to hoist the fish up onto the pier, then turned my attention to the net. I have a 4' wooden handle as an extension to the net's handle, which caused the net to float vertically, with just the last two inches of the handle rising above the surface of the lake. I tied a spoon with a large treble hook onto a heavy length of live, threw it out past the net, allowed it to sink and then slowly retrieved it, snagging the net on the first try... disaster averted. Had a couple bites on the PE through the morning, but no hook-ups, until about 10:45 when I reeled in a beautiful Rainbow of 12". No bites on the worm all day. Left the lake at just about noon... more family time this evening. Lots of entertainment at the lake! About 8:30, a pretty young woman in a wetsuit and wearing a Santa's cap brought her paddle-board out and paddled out to the island and back... about 10:00, the Ballinger swimmer made a swim out about 100 yds. then swam back to shore... many ways to celebrate the day! A couple more paddle-boarders, a few other visitors to the lake, and that was it for the human side of things. As always, there was plenty of avian activity to observe. Watched momma eagle ferry a couple large branches to the family nest for renovation of the nursery, a Peregrine falcon flew over the pier, watching the seemingly choreographed fishing techniques of the flocks of Common Mergansers, even the despised Cormorants were offering their share of entertainment on this day. A great day to celebrate! Merry Christmas everyone, and a very Blessed New Year! PTL!
Adam... Did use cluster salmon roe for a bit, thinking that I might get a Cutt to chomp on that, but nothing on them... they dissolve to a pink membrane pretty quickly... On the Power Eggs... I put two on a size #8 hook, on a 2' leader this time of year (fish seem to hold near the bottom, the thermocline descends in the cold water)... I like to pull a couple of EZ Eggs above the hook for added buoyancy (I use the white "glow" color which seems to attract the fish in the darker days).
Nice going Stan, well deserved outing, great report as usual,...here's to a happy & safe holiday,...
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Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service - We fish on Lake Chelan and other North Central Washington waters in year round comfort.
You catch them in COMFORT! Bring your family and/or friends out on our 24 foot Bayliner Ciera Express. For your comfort, it features: enclosed cabin; cabin heat; private/inside marine toilet; games and VCR for children; hot and cold running water available seasonally; stove; and a full line of safety gear. Families and couples are welcomed and encouraged to book our service. The boat accommodates a maximum of six.
Large parties are accommodated. We also offer lodging at our home through VacationinChelan.com for visitors to the Manson area.
