To say fishing is tough is an understatement. VERY FEW FISH are being caught. Even the old timers and hard core Bakerites are labeling the last week as the WORST THEY CAN REMEMBER! Over 13,000 fish trapped and only 6 in the lake! We camped at Swiftcreek and spoke to dang near everybody fishing (and there were a heck of a lot) Most everyone blanked the three days we were there. Some caught a fish. Really lucky few (like 3) caught a couple. Fish are really small. Like average 2 to 3 pounds. Couple the poor fishing with the HORDS of mosquitoes (I'd rather be waterboarded then spend another hour fighting them) and our trip was a total bust! What fish there are, are not schooling according to the old timers, and finding the small bunches is most difficult. If you must go...really short leaders (like 8 inches) small pink hoochies and a small piece of prawn. Bend the last third of your 00 doger so it gets a really wicked kick and troll no faster than .9mph.

Hunter757

7/26/2017 8:14:58 PM

Thanks for the report, we are heading up Sunday for a few days. Sure hope it improves some. It sucks there keeping just over half the fish but they agreed to give 500,000 eggs to hoodsport area so guess that might be the reason?? Last year this time was the same very few fish being caught, guess we will rethink next year and not reserve the camp site 5 months in advance.

Acefishon

7/26/2017 9:10:04 PM

It's the fact 2 years in row lakes at full pool and there not releasing any water. I'm with u Hunter I said last year myself not doing it again and guess what I'll be there Sunday thru Thurs .

DjButler

7/26/2017 9:34:43 PM

They're there brotha, gotta fish in the "unusual" areas. I hooked 4 landed 2 on Saturday in the shallows about 50ft of water. It is most certainly an odd year though. Tight lines

Hunter757

7/27/2017 7:09:12 AM

Acefishon, so the years past of dumping over 2 feet of water in one night is no longer going to happen. After talking with the camp host last year, the federal government mandated that if dam operators or owners were going to allow access to water for play or recreation they had to keep it as close to full pull for the summer months. I do understand the past of releasing so much water drove the fish up the river and the lake and made them crazy to bite. I do see PSE is dropping the lake overnight by almost a foot hope the fish will find this the new normal after a few years.....

Dj, your right it is a unusual year and they are spots I would of never thought they would be.

MPM

7/27/2017 12:31:43 PM

Yikes. Well, our trip is already planned, so we'll be up there soon. Hopefully we get lucky. Thanks for the tips.

strider43

7/27/2017 12:52:44 PM

I was up there last week and I could not find any schools like in the previous years up there. Nice place to camp out, we stayed at Lower Sandy with free camping and camped right on the water. I did see one boat get two in 5 mins and then two others got one each. Definitely tough fishing. I haven't been up there in 5 years as my previous experience was 4 trips there for one fish to the boat and one that broke my leader.

rmrauscher

7/28/2017 9:25:55 AM

Yup, same story on Thursday. Planned on spending a couple days up there but tucked my tail and came home. Saw 2 fish caught by prob 200 boats. Talked to an old timer who said the same thing, worst in 20 years. Should have been here 2 weeks ago.......

DanShurtz

7/29/2017 7:34:04 AM

I've only been up twice this year near the opener, seemed normal, 2 in boat, missed few bites, lost 2 at boat. My coworker was up last Sunday and got 4 lost 4 missed a few bites. Only been going there for 4 years but hasn't changed much from my experience

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