Northwest Fishing Reports

I usually fish trout in the spring and target bass during the summer. How is the trout fishing at the lakes they plant during the spring when fall and winter roll around? I always just use power bait and a chair in April.

What are the fall/winter basics for lake fishing off the bank?

Stillfishing gets better as you get into fall. I think deep, and I think light. The hatchery trout have wised up a little by now and won't bite anything that moves or smells good. They get selective, and kinda skittish from my experience. I set the hook early in winter bites now to get them before they get scared or lost interest.

I have never done too well for winter trout but I have tried a few times. The first thing is find a lake that is proven to produce trout in the winter time. I know that Beaver (king), spanaway (pierce) potholes (grant) and quite a few lakes that are in CNWR that are also in grant county that are all pretty good winter trout producers. Then the grandaddy of all the winter trout fisheries is Rufus Woods. I dont know what county the lake is in, but is actually an impoundment of the Columbia river. They have a huge hatchery on the impoundment and they release an ungodly amount of triploids every year. This is the place where the state record was caught as well. Now I dont know from experience but what I have heard is the same stuff you would use for regular trout fishing but in a slower presentation and more time. Every lake other than Rufus Woods is powerbait and you would then put a lot longer time in on the the water. At Rufus you can also go with powerbait but I have heard that a worm harness works the best, but with a really slow troll. I also know that fish lake right past Stevens pass, right before the town of Leavenworth has really good winter trout fishing. But that is done through the ice.

The fish will definetely have put on a bit more weight and length, so you will get into some nicer fish this time of year. I'd try and keep working the powerbait, if that doesn't work, a worm suspened off the bottom will produce...

I need some follow-up info related to this as well. I am planning some late-December and eraly-January trout trips in a small lake that has browns, trips, and recycled steelhead. What lures do you recommend from a boat either cast and retrieve or trolled to hit those species.

I just cannot get into the powerbait fishing. Bobber and worms? Bobber and sandshrimp? Steelhead jigs?
I would prefer artificials though. Any ideas?

cavdad45 wrote:I need some follow-up info related to this as well. I am planning some late-December and eraly-January trout trips in a small lake that has browns, trips, and recycled steelhead. What lures do you recommend from a boat either cast and retrieve or trolled to hit those species.

I just cannot get into the powerbait fishing. Bobber and worms? Bobber and sandshrimp? Steelhead jigs?
I would prefer artificials though. Any ideas?

I wouldnt change your presentation too much, just whatever produced trout for you during the spring use it in the winter. But like I mentioned above A LOT slower and put more time into it. One more thing I forgot to mention is upgrade your size. All fish (not just trout) eat almost the same during the winter as they do during the other part of the year. But instead of a bunch of small meals they go with 1 large meal. It has to do with there metabolism. So instead of a bass, trout, walleye, crappie whatever eating 12 smaller meals a day like in the summer. They will eat 1 large meal a day during the winter. Just because they have less energy to burn on a day to day basis. I doubt the numbers I gave above are exact, I was just using them as an example.

Fish slow. Pop gear will help attract attention. If it's got big fish like browns/trips/steelhead, then go ahead and tie on a rapala or some sort of a flatfish/hotshot and those things work wonders when trolled really slow. I love trolling those and do really good on that

Pop gear? Not sure what you mean, Sam.

Flashers, Ford Fenders, dodgers, etc.

Thanks. No wonder I didn't know the term, it's troutology, not bassology. Thanks again.

when still fishingfor trout i use different combantions of the same bait all year long and i catch a good amount of nice fish almost everytime at any lake i use marshmellows diferent smell and color red orange chartreuese/ cheese garlic shrimp you no, and power bait and worms and corn usaully i use marshmellow and power bait im goin this weekend at a small lake in the morning ill let you no wat works for me

Thanks Travis. I look forward to the report. Do you use one of those pretied egg and cheese leaders or any type of bait spreader?