ÿþ<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name="generator" content="Adobe GoLive 5"> <title>The Fishin' Magician</title> <style type="text/css"> <!-- p.MsoNormal { margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial; } .style1 {font-size: -1} .style2 {font-size: -1; font-weight: bold; } .style3 { color: #FF0000; font-weight: bold; } .style6 {font-size: 13px} --> </style> </head> <body bgcolor="#ffffff" link="#356b9e" alink="#356b9e" vlink="#356b9e" topmargin="0" leftmargin="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0"> <table cool width="620" height="1317" showgridx showgridy gridx="16" gridy="16" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr height="1316"> <td width="16" height="1316"></td> <td content csheight="1316" width="602" height="1316" valign="top" align="left" xpos="16"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="600"> <tr> <td width="4" bgcolor="#356b9e"></td> <td width="5"></td> <td> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="4"> <tr> <td colspan="3"> <div align="center"> <p><a href="gallery.html" target="content"></a></p> </div> </td> </tr> </table> <center><a href="http://www.cascadeautocenter.com" target="_blank"><img src="cascadead.jpg"></a></center><br> <hr width="400" size="1" color="#356b9e"> <p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="3" color="#356b9e"><b>Hi, I'm Dave Graybill, the Fishin' Magician!</b></font></p> <p> <a href="gallery.html" target="content"> <img src="images/Gallery/20080712g_2.jpg" alt="Dave Graybill The Fishin' Magician" width="150" height="112" hspace="8" vspace="4" border="0" align="right"> </a> <font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Here you will find the latest information on outdoor recreation in North Central Washington.</font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">I grew up in North Central Washington, and began writing about the outdoors in the mid 70s. In 1991 I began broadcasting reports on outdoor recreation on KOZI Radio in Lake Chelan. My reports are now being broadcast on several radio stations in Washington and are mainly focused on freshwater fishing. I do cover other aspects of <a href="gallery.html" target="content"> <img src="images/Gallery/20080712h_1.jpg" width="150" height="112" alt="" border="0" align="left" hspace="6" vspace="6"></a>outdoor recreation, such as skiing and snowmobiling and hunting.</font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">The <a href="audio.html">Reports</a> are <b>updated three times a week</b> and cover a wide range of topics on seasonal outdoor activities.</font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">The <a href="story.html">Story Page,</a> updated often, contains articles I have written, and will occasionally feature contributions from guest writers.</font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">I have also included some other elements to the page I think you will find useful, and links for even more recreational information.</font></p> <div align="center"> <table border="0" bordercolor="#4682B4" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="578"> <tr> <td bgcolor="white"> <div align="left"> <font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="3" color="#356b9e"><b>Reports</b></font></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <!-- Report for 07/23/2008 --> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> Wednesday, July 23 2008 </font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"> If you have ever wanted to give Banks Lake a try this would be a good time. The bass bite, for both largemouth and smallmouth is really good right now, and the walleye action has really turned on. Bass are being taken all along the shores at Banks, and the fish are being taken shallow. Jerk baits and swim baits are very effective, as are chartreuse and white spinner baits. Fish all of these lures slow for the bigger fish. Winds have been calm for the most part, which is always a benefit to anglers, and the walleye fishers have taken advantage of it. They are catching very good numbers of walleye, but many are just short of the 16-inch legal size limit. Crank baits and bottom bouncers trailed by a worm harness are claiming most of the walleye. I got a notice from the WDFW that they are stepping up enforcement on the removal of aquatic weeds from boats. They will be at area boat ramps making sure that all weeds are removed from boats and trailers. The spread of milfoil and other nasty weeds is primarily from the transfer by boats and trailers, and the department is cracking down. Those who fail to remove weeds from the boats and trailers face a fine of $378.00. </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <!-- Report for 07/21/2008 --> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> Monday, July 21 2008 </font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"> I wanted to remind everyone about an event coming up before it got too late. The Annual Trout Unlimited Banquet is coming up on August 2nd in Leavenworth. The Icicle Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited is the most dynamic chapter in the entire western region and sets the standard for fish enhancement and recovery projects. The annual banquet is the major fund raiser for the various projects that the chapter dedicates their resources. One of their significant projects is the creation of a steelhead acclimation pond on Blackbird Island, which will help ensure continued fishing for steelhead on the Wenatchee River. The banquet is famous for it auction items, which vary from fishing tackle, fishing trip, to artwork and more. The event is schedule to begin at 5 p.m. at the Enzion in Leavenworth. Those who attend can preview the silent auction items at that time. The dinner, which consists of filet mignon and all the trimmings, begins at 6:30. Those who are interested in attending are urged to get their tickets right away, and can do so by calling Dennis at 509-548-5522, or Bob at 509-548-7662. There are some very special presentations planned for this year s auction, too. </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <!-- Report for 07/18/2008 --> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> Friday, July 18 2008 </font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"> Good news for salmon anglers is that the summer-run fish are showing up in good numbers off the mouth of the Okanogan River, and they are in the mood for a fight! Jerrod Gibbons, of Upper Columbia Guide Services, nailed five in one morning recently. Trolling Super Baits off the mouth of the Columbia did the trick for him. Other anglers are tangling with summer-runs weighing into the lower 20-pound range, too. Once anglers have their fish in the boat the first stop is at the Triangle Shell in Brewster. They go to see Bob there and get their salmon weighed and photographed. Once this is done they are entered into the on-going derby and qualify for weekly prizes and for the final big prize for biggest fish. The up tick in the salmon bite is also good news for anglers who plan to fish in the Annual Budweiser-Lowrance King Salmon derby, sponsored by the Brewster Chamber of Commerce. Catch rates at this event are always exceptionally high, and it looks like there will be big numbers of salmon around at derby time, which is August 1st through the 3rd. To learn all about the derby, log onto brewstersalmonderby dot com. </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <!-- Report for 07/16/2008 --> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> Wednesday, July 16 2008 </font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"> If you haven t ever tried your luck in the Annual Budweiser-Lowrance King Salmon Derby co-sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce in Brewster, this would be a great year to get a derby ticket. Salmon numbers are way up this year and they will be in the Brewster area in exception numbers just in time for the annual derby. The derby takes place from Fri, August 1st through the 3rd. This is one of the best derbies you will ever try. It is truly a community event and they really make it happen in a way that makes it just plain fun to be involved. Of course there are some other good reasons to be salmon fishing in this particular derby. There will be over $12,000 in cash and prizes handed out to lucky anglers. I should mention that the success rate in this derby is amazing. Something like over half the anglers who buy a ticket catch fish, so the chances of finishing  in the money is better than any other tournament or derby you ve ever entered. To get you derby ticket, log onto brewstersalmonderby.com. There you will find all the rules and everything you need to sign up. </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <!-- Report for 07/14/2008 --> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> Monday, July 14 2008 </font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"> It s the middle of the month of July and there is still a lot of water rolling down our area streams. This can make things interesting for anglers who are fishing for salmon at several locations on the Columbia River. Current is usually something that is good for salmon fishing, but when the flows are as heavy as we ve seen so far this season, it doesn t help. It makes it difficult to control a boat and it tears the herring right off your hooks. The flows do seem to be moderating somewhat, and with the numbers of salmon pouring over the dams it means that things are just getting better and better for salmon anglers. I am a bit frustrated, though. Sure, I like to fish for salmon, but one of my very favorite fishing pastimes is casting flies on the small streams in our area. The Icicle River, the upper Entiat and others are great places to be wading when the temperatures are scorching in the valley. It appears I will have to wait another week or two before these small waters settle down enough to allow angling. Oh, well, I guess I ll go salmon fishing! </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <!-- Report for 07/11/2008 --> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> Friday, July 11 2008 </font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"> Now that the long weekend is behind me I am going to try to focus at least some of my time on salmon fishing. I had a good opening day with Shane Magnuson below Wanapum Dam, but haven t been out since. I wasn t in too much of a hurry, given the dam counts at the time, but things have changed. Summer-run counts are way up in our region and now s the time to really get after them. While was waiting for the fish counts to improve, I made a trip down to Moses Lake. I hadn t fished walleye there since late April and was eager to give it a try. I was joined by Dennis Beich, Region 2 Director of the WDFW and his friend Joe Wisniewski, a researcher with the department. We met at in Moses Lake and put the boat in the water and were fishing about two in the afternoon. We started west of Connelly Park and got a couple of 19-inch fish pretty quick and then headed north. We found a good spot around the corner and caught another 19-incher, a 22 and a 24. The spinners I picked up at Mike s Bait and Tackle worked pretty good! </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <!-- Report for 07/09/2008 --> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> Wednesday, July 9 2008 </font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"> There s an event coming up that I wanted to be sure and let everyone know about before it got too late. It s the Annual Trout Unlimited Banquet in Leavenworth. The Icicle Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited is one of the most active in the entire western region and sets the standards for local projects for fish enhancement. This annual banquet is a key fund raiser for the various projects this chapter takes on. The banquet is known far and wide as the place to be if you want to a: have a good time, b: get some incredible deals on fishing tackle, fishing trips, and a wide range of other auction items, and c: have a great time and make a contribution to some really excellent work. The banquet will take place on Saturday, August 2nd at the Enzion Inn in Leavenworth. Tickets are $45 each and you must make your ticket purchase by July 25th. The seating for the banquet is limited to 125. To get your tickets, contact Dennis McMahon in Leavenworth by calling 509-548-7526. The auction item preview will begin at 5. there are some very special presentations planned for the evening, too. </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <!-- Report for 07/07/2008 --> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> Monday, July 7 2008 </font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"> Seems like every angler with a boat is on the Columbia River chasing summer-run salmon. Success in the vicinity of Wenatchee is pretty low right now, but will improve. There just aren t a whole bunch of fish that have made their way upstream to us yet. Anglers who are still fishing the Icicle River are getting a good number of spring salmon, though. Really good numbers of fish have shown up and while most anglers are on the Columbia, the Icicle River fishers are doing well. Not so on the Entiat. There are a few local anglers who know where the fish are holding and can get at them catching some fish, but overall it s not too exciting. Anglers fishing below Wanapum Dam are having the best success on the upper Columbia. Fishing in the big eddy right off the launch is producing the best catches on the upper river. While I wait for good numbers of salmon show up, I plan to do some bass fishing. Every year at this time my wife and I head for Evergreen Reservoir, and usually have a good time catching smallmouth and largemouth bass. I have had my best day ever for largemouth bass on Evergreen. It s a great way to spend a hot summer day. </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <!-- Report for 07/04/2008 --> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> Friday, July 4 2008 </font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"> The summer-run season didn t start off as hot as a fire cracker, but the good news is there are thousands of kings headed up the Columbia to our area. Over 60,000 adults and 10,000 jack summer-runs have passed over Bonneville Dam already and well over a thousand a day are still coming. The all-time record number of 94,000 may not be reached, but it is apparent that the original projection of 52,000 is way, way low. The folks that make these projections have been surprised more than once this season. Spring salmon numbers are stronger than expected, and sockeye numbers are off the charts. I can only hope this trend continues. Give us conservative numbers and wow us with better than expected returns. I ll take that any day. What has been consistent is the late return of most runs to the Columbia. Spring salmon have been very late the past couple of seasons. They close the fishing and then reopen it as the fish blast up the river. The summer-run season used to open on the 15th of July, but was moved up to the first since there were plenty of fish around in past years. Both last year and this year the bulk of the run is later so the openers have been anemic. Who cares, though, the fishing is going to great all summer long! </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <!-- Report for 07/02/2008 --> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> Wednesday, July 2 2008 </font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"> I took a friend up to Banks Lake last week. It was his first time on Banks and he was really knocked out by the big pond. Anyone who sees Banks for the first time is going to be impressed. The basalt cliffs that surround the lake and Steamboat Rock are quite a sight. He was also impressed with the smallmouth bass fishing. This was his first time bass fishing, too and we were into fish right off the bat. We fished the shorelines with a variety of baits and caught fish on all of them. We were constantly getting hits from smaller fish. They were biting the tails off our weightless grubs and every once in a while a fish would just gulp the whole thing down. Not being a bass angler he just wasn t used to setting the hook in the hard-mouth bass and missed some really good strikes. I set the hook hard enough to send my bait sailing over my head when I miss a fish or it lets go, so I was able to hook and land a lot more than he did, including fish up to about 2 pounds. The good news is that action like this should continue all summer long. </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <!-- Report for 06/30/2008 --> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Monday, June 30 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">There are bass biting in our area lakes. There are walleye on the bite throughout the region. Trout fishing is better than usual on most lakes, too, but all the attention is going to be on salmon fishing with the opening of the summer-run salmon season. Anglers will be spread out from below Wanapum dam to the mouth of the Okanogan looking for bright, upriver kings that are willing to bite. Last season there was a total of 37,000 Chinook that returned to the Columbia River. The projection for this year was a total of 52,000. There are already over 52,000 adults and over 8,000 jack summer-runs over Bonneville Dam. We won’t see the record number of 94,000 kings this summer, but the original projection will be very low, it appears. If salmon fishing isn’t your cup of tea, you’ll be glad to hear that there is plenty of other good fishing going on. Trout fishing continues to be much better than usual at area lakes due to cooler water temperatures and the bass and walleye fishing is really hitting its stride. Also, I want to remind anglers that Jameson Lake closes after the 4th, and selective fishing rules will be place at Beehive Reservoir and at Lilly, Clear and Black lakes after the 4th, too.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Friday, June 27 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">This time next week there will be a lot of fresh salmon dinners being served in the Wenatchee Valley. The Upper Columbia summer-run salmon season is open and the Icicle and Entiat rivers are still open to spring salmon fishing. The leading edge of a very large run of summer-run kings is just starting to show up in the upper reaches of the Columbia River and the numbers of fish and catch rates will climb over the next several weeks. Conditions for fishing for spring salmon on the Icicle and Entiat rivers are the best of the season. The early projection for summer-runs returning to the Columbia River was 52,000 compared to 37,000 last year. There are over 45,000 kings that have passed over Bonneville Dam already, and the projections may be increased. Even more impressive are the numbers of sockeye salmon coming up the Columbia. As many as 14,000 have passed over Bonneville Dam in one day this year, and it is very likely we will see a season on Lake Wenatchee in August. This is going to be a dandy for salmon anglers on the Upper Columbia. Sharpen your hooks, tune up the boat and get after ‘em!</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Wednesday, June 25 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">I got a chance to spend a couple of days on the water this weekend, and had a ball bass fishing. The first day was at a little-known lake near Royal City. On the map is named “Natural Corral”, but I have always called it Red Rock. My fishing buddy Dave Eichler and his son Evan joined for this adventure and Evan outdid us (again) with his bass fishing expertise. The lake holds largemouth bass, crappie, perch and tiger muskie. It is also loaded with carp. The lake is lined with rushes and we found the largemouth hiding in the submerged rocks just beyond the weeds. The winning bait on Red Rock was the Berkley Gulp Jigger Craw. The largemouth we caught were all from 2 to just over 3 pounds and in great shape. Evan also caught a nice crappie on a jig and worm. The next day my wife Eileen wanted to go to Evergreen Reservoir, near Quincy. We didn’t arrive until about noon but still found some smallmouth on the bite. All but one was over 2 pounds and I got one largemouth that was probably 3 ½. This would be a great time to hit Evergreen for largemouth, smallmouth and tiger muskie.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Monday, June 23 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">The spring salmon fishing on the Icicle River continues to gather momentum as more and more bright fish move into the stream. By my rule of thumb, that is if I can catch a fish, the fishing is really hot, and that means the Icicle is smoking! I have landed a nice springer the last two times I have been out. The last trip was with Jerrod Gibbons of Upper Columbia Guide Services. He called me the other night and told me to be at the take out at 3 a.m. It takes a lot to get me out of bed at 3 a.m., but when Jerrod calls I go. True to his word we got a ton of hits a couple of very serious take downs and I was able to hook and land a springer of about 11 pounds. The day was gorgeous to boot. A deer swam the river just below us; we saw a nice young buck in velvet on the way to the take out and a beautiful trumpeter swan as well. This is a great time of year to be on the river, the fact that there are a lot of fish moving up stream right now makes it even better.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Friday, June 20 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">Salmon anglers are seeing much better action on spring salmon on the Icicle River now. Guides are limiting on springers many days, and “freelancers” are scoring regularly. Warmer water temperatures and slower flows have moved much improved numbers of spring salmon into the river. With the late arrival of the increased numbers of spring salmon, it will be difficult for many to switch to summer-run salmon fishing on July 1st. The number of summer-run salmon returning to the upper Columbia River is anticipated to up by a significant number this year and anglers are champing at the bit. Good news for fly fishers is that the fishing for big Lahontan cutthroat at Grimes Lake is very good. Anglers fishing big Wooly Buggers trailed by a small damsel fly nymph can expect to take double digit numbers of cutthroat, and could anticipate a few weighing 5 to 6 pounds. Anglers fishing chironomids in the shallows are also taking their share of fish. Fishing early is best, as when the hatches get rolling on Grimes the fish just have too many options. Weeds aren’t too much of a problem yet, and as always, watch for rattlers when fishing at Grimes.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Wednesday, June 18 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">The families that attended the Kids Fishing Day at the National Fish Hatchery at Ardenvoir on the Entiat River caught a lot of trout. They also were able to see quite a number of spring salmon that have made into the hatchery pond there, but anglers are still experiencing slow fishing for springers so far this new season. Talking to one of the hatchery personnel, I learned that about ten fish show up at the hatchery every evening, so there are fish making their way up the small river. The number of fish entering the Entiat should take a dramatic jump when the chilly water flows settle down. As many as 1,600 spring salmon are expected to return to the hatchery this year, so anglers can anticipate much better fishing soon. Trout anglers can expect hot fishing for rainbow at Roses Lake. I made another trip to Roses recently and the three anglers who were with me had no problem getting limits of fat, 13-inch rainbow. If you want to try it, rig up with Flash Lites and a Wedding Ring, just like you’d use for kokanee on Chelan. Put a crawler and worm on, too, and hang on!</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Monday, June 16 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">Fly fishers have a lot to be thankful for this season. The chilly weather that many folks are complaining about has been a real benefit to trout anglers. Water temperatures remain cool, and while many lakes would be slowing down, they are still producing very well this year. I caught up with Darc Knobel at the Desert Fly Angler in Ephrata recently and he is getting nothing but good reports from anglers fishing the lakes in his area. Lenore is still fishing very good and some really, really large fish are being pulled from it by fly fishers. There hasn’t been much word about Dry Falls or Dusty but conditions are such that both should be doing very well. He hadn’t heard anything about Grimes yet either. Grimes opened to fishing on June 1st and is only open through the month of August. It is a selective fishing lake, and is loaded with Lahontan cutthroat. Typically it is very busy on the opener, which occurred on a Sunday this year, so it should have seen some traffic. There are large Lahontan in this scenic lake, too. Maybe I’ll have to get up to Mansfield and try it myself and let you know what to expect.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Friday, June 13 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">There are two rivers open to spring salmon fishing in our area now, both the Entiat and the Icicle. The Icicle would be the stream of choice. There are a few springers being caught on the Entiat, but the Icicle has recently caught on fire. I had a chance to fish the Icicle one early morning recently. I was invited to join Bob Stroup, Dan Davies and Rollie Schmitten on the “barge” at Jan Carpenter’s place. When Rollie and I got there at about 4:45 a.m., Dan already had a fish landed. Rollie got a nice fish to the net at about 5:15 and I got one shortly after. Both Rollie and I missed good strikes and at about 6:30 Bob Stroup got a fish. While all of this was going on the drift boat just below us landed four George Lang and Tony Torkelson had a good morning, too. So, there were a total of eight springers landed in this one hole on the Icicle. Not a bad morning. I filleted and served up some springer that evening, and I have to say it was the best salmon I had tasted in quite some time. As you can see, if I had a choice of where to go springer fishing the Icicle would be first on my list.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Wednesday, June 11 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">If you want to enjoy the fun of fishing and maybe even win some great prizes for your catch the Annual Rotary Club Pikeminnow Derby this weekend is just for you. Pikeminnows are easy fish to catch, and they can be found all along the Columbia River. You don’t even have to catch them many or any really big ones to qualify for the prizes, and there is over $12,000 in cash and prizes that will be given away at the big finale on Sunday. This is a great Father’s Day way to have some fun on the water, catch some fish and maybe hit it big on the prize wheel. There is still time to get in on the event. Tickets are available in Wenatchee at Hooked on Toys, in East Wenatchee at Bi-Mart and Bob Feil Boats and Motors. I am hoping that the perch will be biting somewhere. Our annual Father’s Day trip to a local lake is usually focused on catching big bunch of yellow perch, they’re a family favorite to catch and make for a great fish fry, too. We’ll be looking for them somewhere in the Columbia Basin and if I find a good place to catch them I’ll be sure and pass it on.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Monday, June 09 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">The forecasted warming trend would sure be welcome. The chilly June is not all that unusual, but with all the events for kids and their families going on it would sure be nice to have them under sunny skies. One of the area’s favorite events for kids and families is coming up at the National Fish Hatchery at Ardenvoir, near Entiat. The hatchery opens its doors at this time every year and allows people to fish in the pond adjacent to the building where salmon are reared. Bring your own fishing gear to this one. There are prizes each hour for the biggest fish caught for boys and girls and there is some other fun stuff to see and do while you’re there. If you’re looking to get out on the water for some family fishing fun, there are several very attractive options to consider for the coming weekend. Fish Lake near Lake Wenatchee is a great choice for trout fishing both from the dock and from a boat. Dock fishing at Mar Don Resort on Potholes Reservoir is always good for a variety of species. The Conconully lakes in Okanogan County, as well as Leader Lake up there have been very good this season. The lakes in the Wenatchee Heights are also great nearby bets.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Friday, June 06 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">One of my favorite lakes is Roses, near Manson at Lake Chelan. It offers a variety of species, so if the trout aren’t biting the bass just might. If the bass aren’t biting, the bluegill surely will. If the bluegill aren’t biting, you may just want to try for catfish. I visited the lake recently and found the trout biting, in spite of very heavy winds. We struggled to keep the boat straight in heavy gusts while trying to land the 12- to 13-inch rainbow that were jumping on my frog-patterned Flat Fish. We were even reeling in the occasional very large bluegill while trolling for trout. The bluegill were a surprise as we were often trolling in over 20 feet of water. The bluegill are as big as your hand and great fighters. While we were reeling in rainbow and I noticed another boat that looked like the angler aboard was into something big. Sure enough when they got the fish to the net it turned out to be a catfish that looked like it weighed about 8 pounds! We switched from trout fishing to working the shoreline with spinners and a jig and bobber. The bluegill and sunfish are plentiful, but largemouth scarce on this windy day.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Wednesday, June 04 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">If you’re a fan of smallmouth bass fishing, Lake Chelan is worth a visit. I had known that the bass fishing here was great but had yet to try. Eric Granstrom and Brett Rhodes joined me for some kokanee fishing on the lake, and after catching about a limit’s worth decided to try for smallmouth. We just headed into to the shore at Lakeside Park and went to work. Eric hooked a dandy right off the bat and we caught a couple more along this shore. This is particularly fun as when there is no wind and you can see into the water, you can actually see the fish grab your lure. Every rock pile, dock and stump is worth casting to, and that goes for the whole shoreline in the lower basin of the lake. I happened to pick out a watermelon Brush Hog to try and that did the trick. It even worked when I tried the smallmouth fishing with my wife Eileen a couple of days later. If you’re a fan of largemouth bass fishing then Roses Lake, Dry Lake and Wapato Lake—all near Lake Chelan should be prime. I will be visiting Roses Lake soon and will give you an update on what I learn about the fishing there.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Monday, June 02 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">There are a couple of events coming up that your families would really enjoy. They are built for fishing fun and there are even prizes for the fish you catch. The East Wenatchee Rotary Club is holding the 16th Annual Pikeminnow Derby on the weekend of June 14th and 15th. There is over $12,000 in cash and prizes up for gabs in this fun derby, and just like in years past, you actually only have to catch one fish to get in on the prizes. To learn all about the derby you can stop by Hooked on Toys, Bi-Mart or Bob Feil Boats and Motors and pick up a brochure or even buy your derby tickets. The Rotarians are really trying hard to make this a family friendly event and get the kids involved. Also on the same weekend is the Annual Fishing Day at the National Fish Hatchery in Entiat. This has been going on for years, and it's one that the local families hold dear. There are prizes every hour for the biggest fish for both boys and girls and there are some fun activities and educational booths there, too. My wife I like to stop in here when we can and then head up to Chelan to some kokanee fishing.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Friday, May 30, 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">In spite of reports that fishing at Rufus Woods was not worth the trip, my father-in-law Dave Wooldridge, his son-in-law Tom Vershuren and I tried it anyway. Dave had never caught a triploid and was eager to give Rufus Woods a shot. We got on the water at about one in the afternoon and started trolling our flies along the eastern shore, just up from the boat ramp. We started catching fish almost immediately, and found the area near some sunken rocks the best place to fish. Every time we trolled over this spot we got a hit or caught-and-released a fish. We wound up catching-and-releasing 12 to 15 triploids ranging in size from 12 to 16 inches in about three hours. Not exactly the hot fishing anglers experienced last fall, but still definitely worth the trip. We did keep a few and are anxious to put them on the barbeque. Also of interest to many anglers in Central Washington is the early opening of Chinook salmon fishing off the coast. They moved up the opener to give anglers a shot at the kings before the silvers arrive, as they could be scarce this year. Sport anglers will be able to catch 20,000 Chinook this year, compared to just 16,500 last season.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Wednesday, May 28, 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">I have always said, "Drive another hour and the quality of the fishing will be worth it." I proved it to myself once again by making the trip up north to Republic. I got a chance to fish Curlew Lake and Twin Lakes on the Colville Indian Reservation. The trip to Republic is beautiful. I usually travel up through Ephrata and pass by Lake Lenore, Blue and Park lakes and follow the shore of Banks Lake all the way to Electric City. Outside of Coulee Dam I take the road that leads over the hill to Highway 21. This highway runs north from Keller and you follow the San Poil River all the way to Republic. The hills are all green this spring and you are bound to see lots of wildlife along the way. There are some nice places to stay in Republic and the State Park at Curlew Lake is one of the best maintained I have ever seen. Trout fishing on Curlew Lake is excellent, with rainbow up to 14 inches plentiful. There is good bass fishing on the lake, too, and I saw many huge tiger muskie. Twin Lakes are bigger than I remember and I had more fun bass fishing than catching the small trout on North Twin.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Monday, May 26, 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">We have seen violations of the hunting and fishing rules. Last winter they were common at Rufus Woods Reservoir, and ethical sportsmen were appalled at what was taking place. Last week I saw a gill net that was taken from Banks Lake, full of whitefish and walleye! What's an angler to do? That's what the Eyes in the Woods or Crime Observation and Reporting Training (C.O. R. T.) is all about. It is a one-time, two-hour training course that is conducted by a WDFW Enforcement Officer. Those who take the training will learn how to spot violations, document the details and report the information-while avoiding conflict at all costs. The Wenatchee Sportsmen's Association will be hosting a C.O.R.T. training session on Wednesday, June 18th beginning at 7 p.m. The training will take place at the Steelworkers Union Hall, 180 Rock Island Road, East Wenatchee. There is no charge for the course and everyone who is concerned about the welfare of our fish and wildlife is welcome to participate. To learn more about the C.O.R.T. training session, or if you have any questions, call Ron Poppe in Wenatchee at 662-3957.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Friday, May 23, 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">Here are a few items to put on the calendar that will be coming up soon, and will be fun for the whole family. On Saturday, May 31st the Annual Fishing Derby at Fish Lake takes place. It starts at 6 a.m. and there will be breakfast and lunch available, and a ton of prizes for those who participate. It is made possible by the folks at the Icicle Valley Trout Unlimited and the Cove Resort. The proceeds are dedicated to scholarship for local high school graduates. For information call Bob Stroup at 509-548-7662 or the Cove Resort at 509-763-3130. On Saturday, June 7th the Annual Fishing Kids Day will be held at the National Fish Hatchery in Leavenworth. Kids must be pre-registered for this event, and will receive a free rod and reel, a free t-shirt and get to catch a couple of fish. Registration forms are at Hooked on Toys and the Fish Hatchery or available on line at castforkids.org. The following week there is a great event for kids at the National Fish Hatchery in Entiat. It takes place from nine till noon. Call 509-784-1131 for more information.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Wednesday, May 21, 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">I still don't have the results of the Big Wally's Spring Class Walleye Tournament, but I know the bass fishing is at Banks---great! Conditions for the walleye tournament guys was tough; flat calm and very hot. This however was just what the doctor ordered for our smallmouth fishing. It did take me some time to find good numbers of willing fish. I didn't find the fish on the flats at Barker Canyon as I thought. I found a few on the shoreline to the south, but we didn't really starting nailing lots of fish until I ran down lake almost as far as Rose Bush and began working the west shore. We found really good numbers of willing fish and even a couple of real dandies. My fishing buddies, Rollie Schmitten and Eric Grandstrom, were leaving in their dust with their catches, until I put on one of my favorite Shad Rap Rapalas. The smallmouth definitely liked this lure and I not only held my own but caught maybe the biggest fish of the day. Rollie and Eric were casting a large, white grub and caught fish with it every where we went. I can also report that the kokanee fishing on Lake Chelan is still very, very good.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Monday, May 19, 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">The big Holiday weekend is coming up and if you haven&rsquo;t made arrangements for camping, don&rsquo;t despair. There are a few places that will have room for late comers and some great day trips people can take over the long weekend. Fish Lake, near Lake Wenatchee can usually squeeze a few more people into their campground here locally. Up north, the four Conconully resorts can usually find room for a few more folks on even the busiest weekend of the year. I was able to book a hotel room in Republic and plan to fish Curlew Lake. The State Park on Curlew Lake is beautiful and is often less than half full on Memorial Weekend. If you want to stay close to home, the kokanee fishing is worth the trip to Chelan, but get off the water early, before the jet and water skiers hit the lake. Beehive should be accessible by now, and Lilly and Clear lakes are providing pretty good fishing. Don&rsquo;t forget the Family Fishing Derby at Fish Lake coming up on May 31st at Fish Lake. There will be a breakfast, lunch, good fishing and a ton of prizes. Contact the Cove Resort to learn more.</div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Friday, May 16, 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">Fishing for kokanee on Lake Chelan is one of the hottest things going on the fishing front here in Central Washington. Even with the Icicle River open to spring salmon fishing and the walleye and bass biting rolling on Moses Lake and Potholes Reservoir, the kokanee at Chelan remain a huge attraction. For good reason, too. It is hard to find action this fast and the table quality as a result is very hard to beat. Lakeside Park is still the destination for most kokanee anglers. Hordes of these "baby" sockeye salmon are swarming in 20 to 50 feet of water off the park. A Flashlites and Wedding Ring spinner combo still attracts strikes, but the hook must be baited with a couple of kernels of white shoe peg corn. I will often start with a chunk of worm on the hook, too, but when the kokanee are really biting, the worm isn't needed. Anglers are allowed to launch from the beach at Lakeside Park until Memorial Weekend, but I like to use Mill Bay in Manson. It's a short run in my new Lund, and I like the fish cleaning station here. </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Wednesday, May 14, 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">The Icicle River is opening to spring Chinook fishing this year in mid-May. May 15th is the typical opening day, but last season the fish were making their way up the Columbia much later than usual, and the season opened later as a result. Anglers are particularly eager to fish the river this year as the forecast is for a much higher return than the past few seasons, and there are some big fish on their way, too. As most people are aware there is very little public access to the river and few launches for the drift boats that float it. The launch by the hatchery will be busy starting well before day break, and the take out across from Black Bird Island will be packed. I should mention that earlier this spring the Chelan County Commission declared that no internal combustion motors will be allowed on the Wenatchee and Icicle rivers. It will be a real zoo as usual on the Icicle during the season that lasts until July 31st. Few anglers fish the season to the end. They are off fishing for summer-runs on the Columbia starting July 1st. </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Monday, May 12, 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">I am finally getting some good reports on walleye fishing from both Moses Lake and Banks Lake. The fish on Banks Lake are still fairly deep, but catches are being made in the Barker Flats and Bird Island areas on the big lake. This comes just in time for the big tournament that will be held on the 17th and 18th. Big Wally’s Spring Classic is one of the biggest in our region. Gordon Steinmetz has run this one for year’s and is getting a lot of support from Valley Marine in Yakima. I plan to get close to this one this year, not fishing the tournament, but hanging around trying to learn a thing or two. I plan to hit Barker Flats myself, but for the smallmouth bass that often stage for spawning in this area every May. I have had some great fishing here in May, and hope to find them in good numbers and looking for a fight. On Moses Lake the fish are being found at the north end. They are being caught in good numbers, but mostly smaller walleye are dominating the catches. The bass fishing on Potholes has really taken off with heavy stringers taken at the recent tournament at Mar Don Resort. </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"><p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Friday, May 09, 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">The kokanee are in, the kokanee are in at Lake Chelan. This is always welcome news for anglers who like to fish the lake for these tasty critters. I heard the rumor and immediately fired up to Chelan to find out for myself. By the time I got there in the afternoon most of the boats had limited and left. I first made a pass at Mill Bay and since I didn&rsquo;t mark anything I shot down to Lakeside. There were fish on the sounder there and we started getting bites immediately. I had to really look around for small schools of fish and when we got fish on it was typical kokanee fishing&mdash;we lost most of them. The fish are running large again this season with kokanee to 13 inches at the top end. We also caught 11-inch fish and we had one that was only 9 &frac12;. The good ol&rsquo; Flashlites and Wedding Ring or Kokanee Pro lures were the winning combo again. I used 2 ounce banana weights to get them to the right depth and when we saw a fish on the surface we headed in that direction and usually hooked up. </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Wednesday, May 07, 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">I got a chance to sneak up to Fish Lake, near Lake Wenatchee, the other day and found the fishing for trout to be hot, hot, hot. My fishing buddy and I just trolled flies and caught 23 fat rainbow in just a few hours. I just put the Minn Kota down and put it on auto pilot and then used my co-pilot to make some &ldquo;S&rdquo; turns. The fish were all near the top layer of the water column. We didn&rsquo;t tangle with any of the triploids but there are some being caught I hear. Speaking of Fish Lake, the 11th Annual Family Fishing Derby is coming up here on May 31st. It is put on by the Icicle Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Cove Resort. The money raised will go to scholarships for seniors at Cascade High School. The derby starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. There will be breakfast and lunch available and a ton of prizes, all provided by local merchants. This is a really fun derby and I&rsquo;m sure lots of fish will be caught. To learn more about the derby contact the Cove Resort at 509-763-3130 or Bob Stroup at 509-548-7662. </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Monday, May 05, 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">I got a chance to fish Rufus Woods recently, and found that although the fishing isn&rsquo;t quite as fast as it was last fall it is still very much worth the trip. My fishing buddies and I were fly fishing and started out right up lake from the dock. I caught one within five minutes, but the action wasn&rsquo;t fast enough to suit me, so we ran up to the first pump on the north shore. There were several boats hanging out there, which is usually a good sign. We immediately started catching fish, trolling flies. I noticed a fish or two surfacing near the shore so I moved in tight. We were trolling right off the edge of a boulder field and I was casting a black Wooly Bugger right into the rocks. Now the action really picked up. We caught several smaller fish and then I hooked and landed one of about 7 pounds. I am going to run right to this spot the next time I&rsquo;m up at Rufus. I also finally got a good report on walleye fishing at Moses Lake. They are just starting to bite, and I am going to get down there as quick as I can. </div> <hr size="2" color="356B9E"> <p class="style2" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Friday, May 02, 2008</font></p> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">By Dave Graybill</font></p> </div> <div align="left"> <p class="style1" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%;">The results are in from the recent opening of the lowland lakes, and there were some surpr