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Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service

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Rufus Woods Lake Report
Douglas County, WA

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Details

01/17/2014
26° - 30°
Top Fishing From Boat
Rainbow Trout
None
Chartreuse
Cloudy
Dodger
All Day
Under 40°
01/17/2014
3
4237

We made it to Bridgeport at 0645, made a left turn off the highway just after crossing the bridge below Chief Joseph Dam, and just about got sideways! The Highway was fine but with out being treated, the road was a solid sheet of ice due to the fog freezing. Figured it would be interesting to launch!
Got the boat ready and backed it in, I never really worried to much when you start sliding backward toward the water, you always stop when your hit the water, getting out can be a different story, but this morning it was well sanded and no problems backing in or getting out.
Motored, or should I say we cut our way through the dense fog, up just past the state park and started fishing on the same side as the park. Made it up to just about the big pump house just below pump 1, and we had our first fish on. boy was I jazzed for a great start! Well...... Notice I rated the day at a 3!! We trolled clear up that side and crossed over to the Douglas county side just below the pump house below Brants Landing. Trolled all the way up that side to the cliffs just past pump 2 with not even a bump. We then Decided to buzz back down to where we started this morning and work the pump 1 area. The second pass in the same spot we hit another fish, Released it for another day. All in all we made four complete passes back to where we started and caught 6 fish for the total, and kept 3. Two five pounders and a four pounder. We had a great day even though it was slow. Sure beat the heck out of work!!
Water has cooled some, I read 38.4 F all day, fog lifted, but it remained overcast all day. About 2:00pm the overcast became really dark. Really strange. It was like a system or thicker cloud cover came in over the lower layer of clouds or something, but that was when the fishing picked up. We had an off and on breeze through out the day nothing bad at all.
Today was the first time I used one of Macks Double D flashers and I really liked the action it creates!! It caught 5 out of 6 fish! Uncle Macks just sunk another hook in me! I will be buying more and a variety at that!
Be safe and watch that Ice!!


Comments

iwilfish
1/17/2014 10:08:00 PM
those are some nice football shaped rainbows. the tail fins look clipped, do they do that at the hatchery?
afk
1/18/2014 7:03:00 AM
I wish I could of been with you. Thanks again for the offer to join you.
Mcfisherson13
1/19/2014 10:28:00 AM
I believe these fish were from the net pens up river where they farm these triploids. Their tails get worn down From brushing up against the net pen. The smaller fish was tagged from the reservation hatchery. So you get some fish from the hatchery program and then you get some from the fish farm too. I have heard from a reservation Creel counter that when they harvest a pen of fish they get down to where the last few are to hard to catch, so they release them and the tribe will compensate the farm how ever much for the fish they release at a premium price is what the fish counter said.
I went up yesterday and we fished from shore from sun up to dark and it was horrible! We had 5 bites all day and caught 4 fish all less than a pound. Still it was fun standing around a fire drinking beer with good friends. They have shut off from what they were a month ago.
Mcfisherson13
1/19/2014 10:31:00 AM
Any time Andy! Keep in touch, we need to focus on rosy I think! Silvers should be starting soon.
Lance Merz
1/20/2014 9:10:00 AM
Great looking fish!! We just finished fishing Lake Roosevelt this past Friday using a Mack's Lure Double D Dodger and a 1.5" Kokanee Squidder, topped with a Smile Blade. We couldn't keep the fish off our line! Thanks for sharing.
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Available Guide

Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service

Phone: (509) 687-0709