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18 - Lake Roosevelt South End to Spokane Confluence Report
Washington

Details

12/10/2014
51° - 55°
Trolling
Rainbow Trout
Worms
Windy
Morning
46° - 50°
12/11/2014
4
1236

No pictures for this report, yep, we were that busy. ;-)

Launched from Seven Bays and had lines in the water at 9:20. We were fishing the Sterling Point "area". First fish in the cooler at 9:30am, a nice 16.5" native bow and my buddy did not beat me to the first fish yesterday. I followed that one with a 17.5" 'bow caught on a black pearl Rip'n Minnow. Another hook up and in the cooler went my 3rd for the day.

My buddy finally hooked up and brought one to the boat, he says, "Aw, tis a shaker" after he sees the 15" 'bow in the net. Nay, nay, say I, he's a counter (we were both fishing with bait on our flies) put it in the cooler or you only get to keep 4. :-)

By this time I had 4 in the cooler to my buddy's one, a rare event for sure, but the Kekeda orange was hot, and that finally convinced my buddy he needed to change out his muddler. He had a Frisky Jenny Trick r Treat in his box, so he put that on and finally started getting bit as fast as I was.

I hooked up with a dandy on the Rip'n Minnow only to watch it swim away after a bonk on the head with the net. I need to find a way to keep my buddy from running the net out 8', he just can't manage the net at full extension.

Ah well, it was still a good day. We ended the day at 11:30am with 3 nice ones, 17.5", 18.5", and 19.5". The balance were 5 more between 15.5" and 16.5" with two at 15".

Trolling speed was 2.8 - 3.0mph which varied depending on direction of troll. We found them near shore to over the main channel and in between. There was a healthy wind chop all morning which, IMO, really makes fishing better. We fished two leaded line rigs, my buddy out 3 colors and mine out 150'. He started with the muddler, but I think the color was wrong for yesterday's overcast conditions and rough water. They wanted a brighter presentation. I fished the Kekeda solid orange the whole trip in addition to long lining the Rip'n Minnow at 195'.

I had quite a bit of activity on the plug, plus the nice one that got to swim away for another day. We both lost a limit or more apiece, conservatively, with long releases and some spitting the plug 10' - 15' behind the boat.


Comments

Kekedatackleco
12/11/2014 3:45:00 PM
Awesome report Phil. Love to hear about those busy days. Only one week left until Christmas vacation for me so I'm hoping you'll be ready to go again within that two week period. I have a feeling it won't break your heart to "have" to go fishing again. :) I'll be getting in touch with you here pretty soon. Thanks again for always believing in the flies! - Dave
SnoKing
12/11/2014 3:57:00 PM
Hey Phil! A decent day for sure given the wind. Was the "near shore" location right at a drop off by any chance? From the reports it sounds to me like they coming up and feeding in 10 to 20 FOW just beyond the main channel. With any luck we'll be over there next Tuesday...at last.
BTW Phil, our offer on the lot was flatly rejected and the negotiations fell through! We intend to keep looking.
sunfighter
12/11/2014 3:59:00 PM
Good to see someones got the brass ones to be out fishing in this weather,sounds like a good time was had.
YJ Guide Service
12/11/2014 6:21:00 PM
Great job Phil...
downriggeral
12/11/2014 9:18:00 PM
Hi Phil, Glad you had the "brass ones" to get out in the weather with the top and heater; you're so tough! Nice catch. I'm heading down in the morning (Friday) and will give the ol fishin' hole a whirl. Just finished re-tying my broken leader from the last trip (super crazy bow put the tangle on us) and the Orange Kekeda is rarin' to go.
hewesfisher
12/12/2014 7:07:00 AM
Didn't need any brass ones Wednesday, and though we had the heater on board, we never fired it up. It was 49° when we launched and 51° or 52° when we headed back to port. Felt a little chilly on the fishing deck, but we could duck inside to get out of the wind and were comfy without heat. :-)

Was kind of funny, as I pulled up to my spot and set down, he say's, "You think the fish are here"? I just smiled and said, "Yep". After my 3rd went in the cooler, with a big smile I asked him, "Do you think the fish are here"? LOL

Dave - I'm ready when you say go, sonar install complete or not. I don't need it to fish my "spots" anyway, I know the structure and where the fish typically hang out this time of year and could do just as well with no electronics. What I will do is put the downriggers back on the boat if you decide you want to show me how you chase 'em. I usually pull them off about Labor Day and they stay off until warm water temps return.

SnoKing - Sorry to hear about your offer being declined. I really think the "time to buy" was about a year ago just as economy was showing some sign of life. I think we hit it just right. The "location" included several drop offs, humps, gradual slope, & deep channels. We found them congregated in a small area and stayed in that area until we put our limits in the cooler.

One thing I do, on cloudy, overcast, and choppy days ALWAYS start with a bright colored presentation, hence the orange Kekeda and the black pearl Rip'n Minnow. My buddy started with a muddler which is a darker fly. I was getting bit and hooked at a fast pace yesterday while his side of the boat was almost dead. When he went with a bright fly, things changed. I do the opposite on clear, sunny, calm days and it works for me. :-)
strikezone
12/12/2014 8:18:00 AM
Phil: Great report. Sounds like you and your fishing buddy had quite the day. Keep up the good work.
Dave- I believe in your flies too. I just need to get over that way so I can use some of them. I'm
headed up to Cold Water Lake tomorrow, but you can't use bait or scent on your flies up there. But I am going to try them naked and see if they might work that way. With all the rain and wind we have had lately over here it might be out of shape tho. Hope not.
Denny
Two Brothers Fishing
12/12/2014 8:28:00 AM
Good day out fishing Phil. My brother Ron and his son Dean and I went out Thursday morning to Lincoln Launch. We were in the Sterling Point area by 7:20 and by the time we all got our lines out Dean already had one hooked up. A nice bow at least 20 inches . We were busy for the next two hours with a couple of doubles and one triple hook-ups. Fun day fishing. The wind was terrible and had waves at two feet and bigger, rough water for sure. We had Ron's 22 Ft. starcraft and putting it back on the trailer was quite the ordeal. Left with 3 limits buy 9:30 with only 3 fish over 20 inches and the rest were the usual 15-18 inch range. Used bright colors tipped with worms on mono lines no lead this day. Good luck with your new sonar, Terry
TheMacPac4
12/14/2014 6:17:00 PM
Hey Phil, Never been up to your neck of the woods but am eager to give em a shot and need to find some Kekeda flies. Live in Kennewick, where should I start and what colors should I start with? Seams like downrigger might be the way to go? What else would you suggest for a greenhorn to the big stretch of water? Thanks for the help. Been in Kennewick my whole life and never got up to fish that stretch of the river. Guess the fishin is to good to leave. Just found this site today and looks like lots of good people here....hope to learn a lot! Thanks again!
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Available Guide

Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service

Phone: (509) 687-0709