Jump Off Joe Lake

[Rooscooter]

Greetings, I am a new poster to the forums. I have been looking for some new lakes to start fishing and have looked at Jump Off Joe as a potential candidate. I notice from the State's planting records that they plant quite a few Brown and Rainbow trout there each year. If there are some carry overs there should be some nice fish in there.

Does anyone have any experience at this lake with fly and float tube?

Thanks

[Mike Carey]

fished it once it 86. I really liked the lake. Not too big but just a very realizing place to go. check it out.

[jmay]

I float tubed Jump off a couple of time over the last 4 years. Its okay. I have always caught fish on beadhead nymphs. The lake is fairly shallow and warms up pretty quick. From July 4th on your looking at a ton of perch and undersized bass. In the shallow 3 years ago I was casting damsel fly's to so raiseing rainbows. My focus was locked on the fish 25 yards away when I had the feeling I was being watched. I looked between my legs and the bigest koy goldfish I have ever seen was between my fins. Scared the every livin daylights out of me.

Moral of the story watch out for "lake monsters" aka goldfish and the fishing is good, just not great.

[Marc Martyn]

I know the feeling about lake monsters! I was floating the lower, calmer stretch of the Little Spokane not far from the last takeout. I felt something bump my fin and when I looked down, I saw a very large long fish. Needless to say it shocked me.:pale: A few weeks later, I was talking with a game warden and mentioned it. He laughed and said that in that area of the river, you will once in a while run across Northern Pike . They come up from Long Lake. Sure glad he didn't grab my ankle, those guys have big teeth!

[Wilkstr]

Marc, would you mind disclosing where you were at? I would love a go catch a few of the toothy Northerns.

[Marc Martyn]

It has been several years, but we were floating from the Indian Paintings down to the take out by the Spokane House. It seems to me that it was about 1/4 to 1/2 mile upstream from the bridge. You can try fishing the river, but you may have better luck fishing the lake portion either early morning or late evening along the shoreline. Put a post in the forum for Northerns in Long lake. There must be someone that goes for them on a regular basis. Also, I believe that Cave Lake over Medimont, ID has northerns in it also. Someday, I may try to fly fish for them. I guess that is a real party when you hook up with one on a fly rod.:shaking2:

[jmay]

Lake Cd'A and its chain lakes have Northerns. I've always wanted to catch a pike and also a grayling on a fly rod. No idea why, but I will someday

[Wilkstr]

We catch a lot of good size northerns on the Flat Head River. I have a nice fly rod but I just don’t think a 4 weight would be a wise decision…..It would defiantly be a kick in the pants on a fly rod.
The CD’A chain lakes I have heard are really good for pike & bass as jmay said, I have never been but would love to check them out.
I haven’t caught many bass on the fly, in fact everyone I have caught has been on a fly popper. I would love to do more fly fishing for bass.

[Marc Martyn]

Chapman Lake in the evening across from the resort is a good place to fly fish for bass. One evening I caught a good sized large mouth on a fly popper casting into the stump area. It was totally dark and I was casting to the sound of a bass working the shoreline. Quite a thrill. I landed him by flashlight. It is an evening I will never forget.

[Wilkstr]

Okay Marc, time to pick your brain if you don’t mind…

Define “across from the resort” if you will please.
I have been to Chapman several times for bass and have caught real small ones. I see a lot of guys fishing for trout – but I have never caught one.

If you are standing there at the launch the lake goes to the right & left, divided by land. I have fished down the left side way back in the lily’s, and up and down both sides of that left section. I really have never been on the right very far, it looks like it goes back there quite some distance.

Sorry if I am getting off topic here…

[jmay]

I've caught some fair sized bass on Chapman via fly's in the downed logs along the south shore of the "skinny" arm across from the resort. I bet there is where Marc is talking about.

[Marc Martyn]

He's right. Standing at the resort, directly across the lake.

[Rooscooter]

UPDATE: Just got back from Jump Off Joe about an hour ago. It was a little windy and about 60 degrees. The water was reading between 68, near the launch, to about 64 on the west drop offs. The fishing was pretty good after an initial hour of nothing. The lake is pretty shallow (less than 20' in most places). I eventually found a pocket of fish with the fish finder and began throwing most of the fly box at them. Suddenly a light olive ice cream cone pattern started working. Within the next hour I had caught and released 4 nice rainbow and 2 brown trout. Sizes ranged from 12" to 17".

The wind limited my time on the lake.

Thanks for the info and tips.

BTW. How did this topic end up about bass in Chapman???

Tight lines!!

[Wilkstr]

Hey did you see any bass?
I would have thought the water temp would have been higher.... The bass are probably spawning right now if the water temp is 68. Maybe I will go check it out!

I'm sure an experienced fly guy could answer this question.... I am assuming a guy could use wet line and a weighted fly to drag across the spawning beds no?

[Rooscooter]

Willkstr,
I saw a few small (4") bass by the launch. I didn't find any fish in the "flats" on the East side of the lake. It was pretty windy on that side.

I found the trout on the west side where the lake drops off to about 25'.

As for what to use for the bass. Although I have been fly fishing for 30 years I have not pursued bass that often. The last bass I caught was at Fan Lake last year......it was about the same size as my woolly bugger!

Someone else here, maybe Marc, should give the advice for the bass fly techniques.

Tight lines!

[Wilkstr]

I grew up around Fan Lake and have fished it many times. I haven't been there in about 4 or 5 years. We used to catch some decent trout, and some very nice bass.
Have you been there lately?

[Rooscooter]

Willkstr,
Haven't been there yet this year. I am thinking of going this weekend. I usually go a few time a year and have always had good luck with the trout. Every time I go I see a a few boats on the water going after the bass along the shores. I notice that they seem to do pretty will along the West shore and the upper portion of the lake.

As for the trout in Fan; I seem to get good numbers there but they tend to be somewhat stunted in growth with the range going from 10" up to about 14". I have caught a couple over 16" in the last couple of years.

Have you fished Horseshoe Lake? it's just up the road from Fan. I fished it a couple times last year with one good outing and a skunk!!

Tight lines!

[Wilkstr]

We used to fish horseshoe religiously..... and blue lake as well (the small one right next to horseshoe) Blue has some big bass in it, but I don't think you can access it anymore by foot - you can by boat via horseshoe. Also the stream that heads out of horseshoe and feeds Eloika.... NICE trout in there. Just go to the back side and beach (or should I say "weed") your boat and hike down that creek. (bring your waders) Also the stream above the falls.
Horseshoe is a great lake.

[Rooscooter]

Willkstr,
Good info!

So the creek that goes from horseshoe has got trout in it. When I was there it seemed like there was very little water in it.

Now I might go there this weekend instead of Fan Lake.

Tight lines!

[Wilkstr]

Well like I said it has been a while since I have been.... but yes, we have caught some nice trout in that stream.
Horseshoe is a good lake. I cant say how it is for fly because when we used to fish it I was not fly fishing then, not that I exclusively fly fish now...

Fish I have personally caught at horseshoe are;
1) Mackinaw
2) Rainbow
3) Lg. Mouth
4) Sm. Mouth
5) Blue Gill
6) Pumpkin Seed

I have heard Browns... but I have never caught one... If you go let us know how you do. I might go to Fan on Sunday, but possible might head up to Half Moon. (have you been there - I guess once again I am getting off topic)