You can probably tell that I am really excited about two fisheries that we can take advantage of this winter. Number one is Rufus Woods Reservoir, and the terrific action it is providing with triploid rainbow trout. I have been fishing Rufus Woods since this past summer this season, and I haven’t seen this kind of consistent fishing for many years. Bait fishing below the two upper most pens has produced limits trip after trip. Although the Colville Tribe has closed all reservation waters to all but tribal members, boaters have been able to launch and Seatons Grove to make the run down to the pens. Number two is Lake Roosevelt and the fishing for giant kokanee. On my first trip this winter, with Austin Moser, I landed a 23-inch and an 18-inch kokanee. The following week, when I saw Austin on Roosevelt, he got eight kokanee. Four were big ones and four were small. I got blown off that day, but Austin stuck it out and had good results for his clients. Launching at Keller will put anglers closer to where the big kokanee are being found right now, but later in the season, you will be able to launch at Spring Canyon.
Austin Moser holds up a big kokanee that we got on our first trip on Lake Roosevelt last year. Fishing is much better this season.