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by MarkFromSea » Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:30 am
This is a good read: Dec WDFW Weekender report>>
Eastern Washington
(Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla and Whitman counties)
Fishing: Rainbow trout are healthy, hungry, plentiful and waiting to be caught during the winter-only fishing season that opens Dec. 1 at four lakes in the region.
WDFW district fish biologist Randy Osborne
sampled rainbow trout at Fourth of July Lake
That’s the report from Randy Osborne, fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, who recently sampled the catch at Hog Canyon Lake and Fourth of July Lake near Sprague.
“Anglers can expect to catch rainbows at Hog Canyon ranging from nine to 21 inches,” Osborne said. “The average size of fish we caught Nov. 26 was 16.4 inches. All the fish look great and are in top condition.”
At Fourth of July Lake, the rainbows sampled Nov. 27 ranged from 12 to 23-inch rainbows, with an average size of 17.8 inches, Osborne said.
“With rain in the forecast and temperatures reaching to the mid 40s, it looks like anglers will have open water conditions for the opener,” said Osborne, noting that neither lake had any ice at the time of the sampling effort.
The daily limit on both Hog Canyon Lake and Fourth of July Lake is five trout, but only two fish catch over 14 inches may be retained. Both lakes offer shoreline and boat access, but boaters should be aware that internal combustion motors are prohibited on Fourth of July Lake.
“Also, with the colder water temperatures at this time of year, boaters should make sure that everyone on board wears a life jacket,” Osborne said.
WDFW northeast district fish biologist Bill Baker of Colville also recently sampled Hatch and Williams lakes in Stevens County, which also open Dec. 1.
“Anglers at Hatch Lake can expect to catch 12 to 17-inch rainbow trout that are healthy and fat,” Baker said. “The average size of fish we caught Nov. 26 was 14.5 inches. At Williams Lake you can expect to catch rainbows from 13 to 17 inches, also in good condition. Our test fishing averaged catches of 15.5 inch trout. Catch rates on the opener should be high because these fish are actively feeding.”
The daily trout limit at both Hatch and Williams lakes is five fish. Once that daily limit is caught, fishing is catch-and-release.
Baker found no ice on either lake, and forecasts in the northeast district are also relatively mild for opening day. The season should start, with open water, so both shoreline and boat anglers will do well.
“The usual bait, like nightcrawlers, Powerbait, and marshmallows, or lures like Mepps or Roostertails, or flies like Bionic or San Juan worms, should all be good producers,” Baker said.
Three year-round trout lakes also look promising: Rock Lake in Whitman County, Sprague Lake on the Lincoln-Adams county line, and Lake Roosevelt.
WDFW enforcement officer Doug King said recent catches at Rock Lake are showing more rainbows and fewer brown trout in recent weeks. Boat fishing tends to be most productive, but King said anglers have also been catching fish from the shore at the roadside access site.
WDFW Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area manager Juli Anderson reports trout fishing also has been good at Z-Lake, located off Telford Road on the wildlife area in Lincoln County.
"Fish Hard and Fish Often!"
