Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service
My friend Tom and I fished Banks Lake from Sep. 4-6. Dense fog-like smoke from wildfires shrouded the lake. We could not see the opposite shore. We fished for smallmouth on the west side of Steamboat Rock, the coves lining the shoreline north of Steamboat Rock, and the highway riprap north of Devil's Punchbowl. We found smallmouth everywhere and caught them on jigs and small crankbaits, but the most effective presentation was a worm on a hook under a bobber cast within about 15 feet of the shoreline. Most were small to medium eating size; the best fish was an 18.5 inch smallie Tom caught on a jig and worm. He also threw back an undersized walleye of 10.5 inches. A WDFW creel surveyer at the boat launch told us walleye action was slow in the north end of the lake and most walleyes were being caught around the southern islands. The weather forecast was for 100-degree temps but the smoke helped cool things off. No mosquitoes but we were harassed by yellowjackets both in camp and on the lake.
Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service