Sprague Lake

[Anglinarcher]

He did. Let's say it will be some time before we are "best friends", but he appears to share our passion for fishing.

[Anglinarcher]

FYI- Sprague Lake was rehabbed primarily for walleye. The bass featured in the film were caught on Sprague Lake in three hours of fishing on May 24th, 2013. The warmwater program is working very hard to bring this lake back to what it was. If you'd like more information, contact me, the guy who made the film. You can also call the regional office in Spokane and speak to a warmwater biologist who has been sampling in eastern WA for 15 years. Taking this route, you're likely to receive better information than an online fishing forum. And remember, we biologists are all warmwater fishermen that want to see Sprague Lake at it's best, just like you. With naturally reproducing fish poplations, the results often don't come as quickly as people would like. That being said, that was the best 3 hours of largemouth fishing I've had in some time.

Danny Garrett, Region 4 Warmwater Biologist, WDFW
(425) 775-1311 Ext. 101
Email: dan.garrett@dfw.wa.gov

PS- I do not spend work time posting on fishing forums, so please contact me directly by email if you'd like a response. I decided to post this during my lunch break after reading how much misinformation there is on the web. We're all on the same team folks.

Did anyone else email Dan?

I got one response, sent him another, then nothing, nota, zilch. I invited him to chime in on the Freshwater forum and the same results.

I am thinking the guy is just a Lap Dog, afraid to debate the issue and only willing to spread the "party line".

I encourage others to email him an PROVE ME WRONG.

[YellowBear]

What did you expect?

[hewesfisher]

So, are we still going have an informal WA Lakes gathering at Sprague this month or in Sept? Let's pick a day and make it happen. Need an excuse to fish closer to home.

[Anglinarcher]

I am game, just need a group to commit.

I suggest the fall now but the can sure be caught now.

[YellowBear]

Archer, why no photos of the Bass you caught out of Sprague?
I saw the cormorants on the island and that was a dandy long lake largemouth.

[Anglinarcher]

I had planned on using my I-Kam to keep video of the day and then
Clip photos from that. The I-Kam is new to me.

Unfortunately the I-Kam focused or pointed over or higher then I look at close range. I got a lot of video of casting but little of the fish.

The fish at Long was taken by a F&W enforcement officer for me.

[Mossy]

I started writing out a long response to my frustration of the lake but figured I'd just say I'm in for the trip and I'm sure I'll be able to vent on the water. The problem is I am not concerned about the bass population at all. I fished this lake for catfish and walleye and I was very successful it. I'm game to check the catfish population that supposedly exists there if that is a concern for others as we know that the walleye never made it back....if it's just a bass thing then I wish you guys all the luck and look forward to the results.

[hewesfisher]

For me, September is wide open with the exception of the 6th - 8th. Will be on the west side for my brother's retirement ceremony that weekend to honor his 30yrs of combined service to our country consisting of active duty Army, Army Guard, Air Guard, and USAF Reserves.

In-Fisherman solunar calendar shows Saturday, 9/21, to be a good day, so how does everyone feel about getting together that day?

[Anglinarcher]

I started writing out a long response to my frustration of the lake but figured I'd just say I'm in for the trip and I'm sure I'll be able to vent on the water. The problem is I am not concerned about the bass population at all. I fished this lake for catfish and walleye and I was very successful it. I'm game to check the catfish population that supposedly exists there if that is a concern for others as we know that the walleye never made it back....if it's just a bass thing then I wish you guys all the luck and look forward to the results.

I know and understand. I was enjoying the Walleye the last couple of years they were there, even though the "club" and most others could not catch them. I would fish with a suspending jerk bait (Live Pointer or River 2 Sea V-Joint Minnow) from spring through fall and I had a ball. I would normally catch only 6 or 7 a day, but I hit a lot of fish over 25". My other trick was to take a slip float, set it so it was placing a jig only about 5 or 6 inches above the bottom, then fish at the base of the underwater rock piles (prop busters). The jig was baited with leaches before they were made illegal, then with worms. With a good wind, and some good waves, the jig would bounce and drift along right up until Mr. Walleye or a Channel Cat would take it down.

I do wish I had taught this method to others, but it seams that no one wanted to take the time and learn these methods.

I would be willing to spend some time for the Catfish as well. In fact, I plan on a night trip in two weeks and the residual Bullheads and the Channels will be one of the targets.

[Anglinarcher]

For me, September is wide open with the exception of the 6th - 8th. Will be on the west side for my brother's retirement ceremony that weekend to honor his 30yrs of combined service to our country consisting of active duty Army, Army Guard, Air Guard, and USAF Reserves.

In-Fisherman solunar calendar shows Saturday, 9/21, to be a good day, so how does everyone feel about getting together that day?

I am not a big fan of Solunar or any other fishing prediction calendars, but I AM A FAN OF FISHING.

September 21st sounds like a great day to me.

COUNT ME IN!

[hewesfisher]

I am not a big fan of Solunar or any other fishing prediction calendars, but I AM A FAN OF FISHING.

September 21st sounds like a great day to me.

COUNT ME IN!

Same here, but I figure anything that might improve opportunity sure can't hurt. Anyone going to overnight there? If so, I might pull the boat with the RV and camp for the night.

[hewesfisher]

Need to know who's going for sure. I no longer have the boat and RV stored at home, so would have to do a road trip to retrieve the boat to fish Sprague. Not bringing the RV home so no overnight for us. If the only ones committed to this gathering are AA and myself, not so sure I want to make a road trip to bring the boat home either. Nothing personal AA, would love to meet up with you, but if there's just two of us going not much of a "gathering". Need some more WA Lakes anglers to commit so it's worth my time and gas money.

[Anglinarcher]

I was thinking the same thing, especially after my trip on Saturday. I suspect that more rods, more boats, more options, and a few degrees lower in water temperature, and we could get into bass again. I am not so sure that there are enough gills or crappie to sustain themselves.

If more people commit, it will be worth the trip, if not, then we will need to meet later.

[zen leecher]

FYI- Sprague Lake was rehabbed primarily for walleye. The bass featured in the film were caught on Sprague Lake in three hours of fishing on May 24th, 2013. The warmwater program is working very hard to bring this lake back to what it was. If you'd like more information, contact me, the guy who made the film. You can also call the regional office in Spokane and speak to a warmwater biologist who has been sampling in eastern WA for 15 years. Taking this route, you're likely to receive better information than an online fishing forum. And remember, we biologists are all warmwater fishermen that want to see Sprague Lake at it's best, just like you. With naturally reproducing fish poplations, the results often don't come as quickly as people would like. That being said, that was the best 3 hours of largemouth fishing I've had in some time.

Danny Garrett, Region 4 Warmwater Biologist, WDFW
(425) 775-1311 Ext. 101
Email: dan.garrett@dfw.wa.gov

PS- I do not spend work time posting on fishing forums, so please contact me directly by email if you'd like a response. I decided to post this during my lunch break after reading how much misinformation there is on the web. We're all on the same team folks.

Did anyone else email Dan?

I got one response, sent him another, then nothing, nota, zilch. I invited him to chime in on the Freshwater forum and the same results.

I am thinking the guy is just a Lap Dog, afraid to debate the issue and only willing to spread the "party line".

I encourage others to email him an PROVE ME WRONG.

I've met Danny a couple of times and I think he's too new with WDFW to be responsible for the for the Sprague Lake rehab. He's new and has lots of good ideas and in my opinion should be supported. He also has a PhD in some aspect of fisheries.

Budget funding is probably the worst enemy of biologists.

I would think Donnelly out of Spokane would have been prime for the Sprague Lake rehab.

[Anglinarcher]

Your point is well taken. Danny is not even in the Sprague region. I have talked to Marc Divens as well, the one over Sprague now, and I get good vibes from him. Marc is trying to get more bluegills to stalk into Sprague this fall.....I hope it is not too late and I hope he can do it.

On a side note, Donnelly may have been promoted, but he is still working out of the Spokane Office.

[geljockey]

In addition to Danny not being in the region, nor the eastside of the state, he wasn't even with the agency back in '07.

Chris Donely was promoted and is now the Inland Fish Program Manager.

[Anglinarcher]

Hopefully Donnley is too busy to insert himself into local lake man agent. Danny and Marc seem to be stand up guys.

[geljockey]

...Danny and Marc seem to be stand up guys.

I'm in complete agreement with you on this!

[YellowBear]

Maybe Danny or Marc could explain to us why the Walleye were not restocked.
More people fished Sprague when it had Walleye in it than before or since.

Maybe they could explain why the warmwater program is not using the resources from Badger to get Sprague back to the way it was.
I would think in order to save a few bucks the WDFW would be taking advantage of the Bass in Badger.

Maybe they could explain why the Sprague lake "rehab" is taking so long to produce results.