I was busy last weekend getting geared up for trips to Banks Lake, Rufus Woods, and Lake Roosevelt. I was also tying leaders for sockeye fishing on Lake Wenatchee. Everyone is hoping for a season on the lake this year, hopefully at the end of the month or early August. When I fish Lake Wenatchee I will probably use two downriggers and two lead balls out the back. Depending on how deep the fish are I may just use the lead ball rigs. Typically, the fish are very shallow in the early morning, but last season we did best at 40 feet on the opening day. I will use the downriggers as they are the best way to accurately put my gear in front of the fish I see on the screen. Many times, though, the lead ball rigs fish just as well as the downriggers and you can get your baits out much faster with these set ups. The leaders I tie for Lake Wenatchee are either 12 inches or 10 inches long. Some I tie with hoochies and other are plain hook rigs. We have found that a three-hook leader, with no hoochies, is very effective on Lake Wenatchee for sockeye.
In addition to offering terrific fishing for sockeye, Lake Wenatchee is one of the most scenic areas in the state to fish.