After sitting out the last 2 weekends due to wind and rain, I thought I saw an opportunity Sunday morning according to the forecast, so I got early and headed to Lake Stevens. Arrived at 5:30am, and it rained the whole way there, and was still raining pretty hard at the launch. Spooky, I was the only one there at the lot at that hour. Normally this time of year the kokanee at Stevens are on the surface, and you play bumper boats. I waiting a few minutes, and surprisingly it started to ease up, so put the Hobie in the water and off I went.

It was probably 6am when I got my lines in the water. The past 2 times I 've fished Stevens, the fish have been abnormally deep for this time of year, and reports that I got from Saturday said they were still deep, but the bite had died off. I started the morning running 1 line at 6o feet, and the other at 65 feet down. Fairly quickly I got one on at 60 feet..... next years keeper, a 6 inch kokanee. He wasn't hooked badly at all, so I kept it in the water and safely released it without touching the fish. I normally don't recommend releasing kokanee as they are pretty fragile, but this guy looked in good shape and swam off quickly. There's my first counter though not a keeper. It was pretty dead, I noticed a few fish surfacing, so after about 2 hours of not much action I brought 1 line up to 5 feet, and quickly landed 3, so I brought the other line up as well and got 2 more. I am on to something...... nope! Sun came out, and the fish completely stopped biting on the surface. Dropped both lines back down deep, and landed 2 more. Was certain I was in for my 3rd straight limit on Stevens, but it just wasn't to be. I was fishing at 60 and 65 feet again, and getting bites that would steal my corn, or getting fish on that were pretty quickly getting off. It's like the fish were really light biting now. So I ended my day landing 8 and keeping 7. I did not see many nets out today, and those I talked to on the lake were really struggling today. I think this crazy weather has really effected the fish on Stevens. Should not be getting fish that deep this time of year, but that is where a lot are coming from.

On 1 line I ran a Elgin Fishing prototype dodger taped up with moon jelly and an Elgin Fishing God's Tooth Spoon in 50/50 with 16 inches of leader. On the other line I ran a soon to be released God's Tooth spoon I was testing (I'll keep the pattern a secret until Elgin Fishing announces it) with a Dick Nite dodger in a clown pattern, again 16 inches of leader. This new spoon is going to be awesome and a must-have in your tackle box! Pink fire corn soaked in kokanee super dipping sauce over-night, everything dunked in the sauce before hitting the water.

Speed to get bites was again slow today, .80 -1.25 mph. Water surface temp was 48 when I started, and 49 when I left. Really needs to get to 52ish for the fish to really turn on. All in all, nice to get back out on the water and catch some fish!

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