When I was invited to try the kokanee fishing at Lake Roosevelt last winter, I had to think twice. I have caught a lot of kokanee on Lake Chelan, but would it really be worth traveling from Leavenworth to Grand Coulee Dam to catch them? Austin Moser, of Austins Northwest Adventures, assured me it would be worth the drive. He was right. Lake Roosevelt has kokanee unlike any you will catch anywhere else in Washington State. Here fish of 18 inches are considered the small ones. Giant kokanee weighing 3 and 4 pounds are common, and fish to 25 inches very possible. Many think that the new state record for kokanee, currently 6.25 pounds) will be broken on Lake Roosevelt this winter season. That will get anglers that normally park their boats for winter out in force. read more...
We are expecting another very strong return of fall salmon to the Hanford Reach this year. This is just another year where tens of thousands of these up river brights come home to our region. Every year there are anglers that take full advantage of this fishery and fill their freezers. Others still struggle to put fish in the boat. There is no lack of fish, so it is a matter of knowing how to catch them. I have written about the great fishing in the Reach for many years. This time I want to focus on the proven techniques that successful anglers use to catch them. read more...
I was very fortunate to grow up with a father who loved the outdoors. Before he took on three young children he had quite a reputation as an angler and hunter. When we were old enough to hold a rod we were introduced to fishing and later on the fun of hiking and camping outdoors. These trips are some of my fondest memories and our trip to Domke Lake above Lake Chelan is one story our family still likes to hear when we get together.
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Kokanee continue to gain in popularity with anglers, and we are fortunate to have many different lakes that offer good fishing for them. Some have kokanee of state-record size while others provide fast action for smaller fish. They all have their particular appeal and attract anglers from all over the state and beyond.
I have contacted the Department of Fish and Wildlife fish managers or biologist throughout Central Washington and asked them to identify the lakes in their region that are inhabited by kokanee, what size anglers can expect them to be and when would be the best time to fish for them.
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One of the most important elements of the whole approach to kokanee fishing is the rod. Kokanee have extremely “soft” mouths. They can tear a hook out much easier than other fish and you have to have this in mind when you select a rod. Pick one with a very soft or “slow” action. The rod has to be very limber and at the same time have enough backbone to hold up under the stress of being used with downriggers. Some anglers prefer very long, flexible rods to use as shock absorbers, while others opt for the newer, short versions made specifically for kokanee fishing. When you have the right rod and play your fish with an even and steady retrieve you will not lose as many fish, even without a snubber.
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After seven years of marriage, it was about time I gave my wife a real honeymoon. I tried to talk here into a trip to the Sea of Cortez, to a fishing lodge some friends recommended. When she saw the desolate scenery that surrounded the isolated lodge, she balked. A friend of mine at work had visited Belize a couple of years ago and suggested that we consider a trip to this Central American country. We couldn’t have made a better decision.
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There is an abundance of choice in Eastern Washington when the prospect of ice fishing is considered. There are lakes near and far. Some offer trout, others spiny ray and still others that offer burbot (freshwater ling), but they all offer the same thing: angling during a season that often offers limited options to the ardent angler. You know the type. They just gotta go fishing, and the heck with the conditions outside. read more...
I'll admit that I had fished Blue Lake once before, but it was so long ago I think I was still in college. That makes it ancient history. Very ancient. I didn't know what to expect, but I had some good reasons to give it a try. read more...
When I planned an extended mid-May fishing trip to several waters in North Central Washington, I was sure to include Evergreen Reservoir. The lakes that were included on my list I had either never fished, or fished so long ago I didn't know what to expect. I added Evergreen Reservoir to the number of lakes to visit. Its reputation for producing good numbers of a long list of warmwater species assured me of an interesting day, and I wasn't disappointed. read more...
When winter gets its strangle hold on North Central Washington, snow and ice dominate the landscape and chill the ambitions of even the most hardy of anglers. There is a large fraternity of fly fishers that actually look forward to this season. That's when they know they can find open, running water and the best quality fishing for large rainbow the state has to offer. The coldest time of the year is when the action heats up at Rocky Ford. read more...
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