Tough Fishing at Potholes over the course of a week.

My friend Russell Johnston managed a decent fish every day - generally a smallmouth with the biggest being 3 pds. I did not do as well, catching a grand total of one 3 inch walleye (I didn't know they came that small), a 10 inch smallie, and a 10 inch bullhead in the course of a week.

We fished the sand dunes area off and on on October 14th, the southern part of the reservoir along the dam and around Goose Island on the 16th, and on the Mardon Resort Dock on the 16th, 17th, 18th and morning of the 19th. That is actually where we caught the vast majority of our fish!

By the way - Mardon has just put in some new park cottages. Well worth the price - gas fireplaces, kitchens, sattelite TV, it's a good way to stay spoiled on a fishing trip!

The WDFW was conducting a fish survey while were there. They found lots of walleye - that were very well fed. One theory is that there are so many baitfish available that the walleye are not inclined to take the offerings anglers have for them.

Water temp was 56 to 57 degrees. Weather varied but was "fall like" in general with intermittant showers at times and sunny mild afternoons on other days.

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