Northwest Fishing Reports

I made a similar post on another forum and got some responses for places I had never thought of fishing. If I was to pick just one, it would be Potholes. It has so much diversity and big largemouth and smallmouth. A close second would probably be Lake CDA even though it's not Washington it is close enough.

If you've never been to Potholes it is unlike any other lake we have here. Tons of cool contours.



If you have the Navionics Platinum card you can also get the satellite overlay and it looks even cooler (it's $30 off right now by the way) and it really makes the humps and dunes pop on the map.

No question - Potholes.

good choice!

My favorite is kapowison in pierce county. All the structure and the size of some fish make it fun

You can’t have just one,
Chopaka, Omak, Round lake, near Tonasket,
Lake Cle Elum.

Does it have to be a lake?

Pend Oreille River around Dalkena. Let's not forget Chapman it used to have some monster's and has not been opened to the public for many years.

One of my favorites is Lake Roosevelt, it's a year-round fishery, not too far from Spokane and has a nice mixture of species to target.

If you open the link you can see the potential of Chapman those fish are still there and they have little or no pressure.

https://secure.rco.wa.gov/prism/search/ ... ?id=293347

Back in the late 70's and 80's we fished at nite with a Jitterbug just slow rowed along the bank. Used a 2x4 or a beer can with heavy mono step on the block and when the explosion happened you hand lined them to the boat. Guy that showed me the technic called it calf roping.
He wouldn't fish for them until after the first cutting of hay.

Ridgeratt,
Can you explain the 2x4 and beer can procedure a little more?

I am not following what you mean.
I see a 2x4 floating in the lake, with a beer can on top of it? You are in a boat ‘Slow trolling’ you said. 2x4 and beer are floating along shoreline behind boat. ... jitterbug is on mono hanging from 2x4?? What is the beer can doing? It sounds like a good time, but I’m not getting this...??

Before the 2 pole endorsement and just one rod. We wrapped the mono around a 2x4 or a beer can or soda can. That's also before the plastic bottle faze. You threw the board or the can in the bottom of the boat and rowed along the shoreline usually with the tip of the inboard oar in some cases almost touching the bank. Depending on the depth.
That meant you had to keep an eye out in front of you so you didn't beach. If you have a foot on the board or the can when you had a contestant get tangled up you didn't lose the rod over the side. If you did the 2x4 would unravel the mono and you were fishing just retrieve the stick. Back then C&R was not practiced to the extent it is today. so you hand lined the opponent to the boat and looked for another one. Was quite the sport to get a over 5 and hand line them. Leather gloves were a great help on the hands.

I hope this clears up my bad story telling. But I do think the next state record is swimming in Chapman.

Mayfield, without a doubt. So many memories chasing tiger muskies with my grandfather. He's been gone for 9 years but I still go back every year and when I'm on that lake, it feels like I was there with him just yesterday.
Also on a mission to bring the state record back to Mayfield where it rightfully belongs

Edit: sorry, I forgot this was in the bass fishing forum but my answer still stands
Favorite BASS lake would have to be Banks

Is the smallmouth population in Mayfield worth targeting? I was driving past it last night and it looked really nice and calm compared to Riffe.

They're in there but VERY few and far between. In targeting tigers there for the last 21 years, I've inadvertently caught perch, rainbow, kokanee and countless pikeminnow (thankfully their numbers have dwindled drastically) never a bass. I've only seen a single picture of one that was caught near the Highway 12 bridge. It would be fun to target them but I would recommend using a flourocarbon leader because you'd have a better shot at hooking a musky. Just my .02

Thanks for the info. Sounds like I’m better off dealing with the wind at Riffe if I want smallmouth. Maybe I’ll have to do a tiger muskie trip sometime though. I used to catch them in Utah and it’s quite the adventure doing it out of a float tube

The Quadfather wrote:You can’t have just one,
Chopaka, Omak, Round lake, near Tonasket,
Lake Cle Elum.

I agree! Hmmm... Cle Elum, Kachess, Upper Conconully, Sutherland, Merwin, and a whole lot of runner-ups!

Used to be Lake Lenore in late 80's early 90's...20" trout wasn't uncommon and hit a 26.5" that I had to beach...to big for the trout net. I was wading fishing from shore in North end in November...