Search found 41 matches

by tluedeke
Fri Dec 30, 2016 11:31 pm
Forum: Walleye and Panfish Sponsored By Mar Don Resort
Topic: Sprague Lake
Replies: 106
Views: 51218

Re: Sprague Lake

Since those posts a couple of years ago, I've since moved out of the area. I'm curious, is Sprague still a fisheries management train wreck of a lake with only enormous (and nasty-tasting) trout in it? Or has the spiny ray (i.e. crappie, bluegill, but not LMB) finally rebounded?
by tluedeke
Sun Jan 25, 2015 6:18 pm
Forum: River Fishing
Topic: Whitefish
Replies: 11
Views: 4702

Re: Whitefish

I found whitefish fishing to be incredibly frustrating. I'm not a steelhead/river fisherman, so I never had the experience in differentiating tiny, ultralight bites when your whole rig is bouncing off the bottom. One time at Vernita, I fished for probably two hours and caught nothing, while guys aro...
by tluedeke
Wed Sep 10, 2014 8:43 pm
Forum: Walleye and Panfish Sponsored By Mar Don Resort
Topic: Sprague Lake
Replies: 106
Views: 51218

Re: Sprague Lake

Given the amazing success at Moses Lake (it was dead water 15 years ago, but is an amazing fishery now), it might have been better for the WDFW to put impose spiny ray bag limits (hate to sound racist or judgmental, but I saw lots of Russian immigrants coming out of Sprague with 5-gallon buckets of ...
by tluedeke
Wed Sep 10, 2014 8:28 pm
Forum: Walleye and Panfish Sponsored By Mar Don Resort
Topic: Caught too many Perch
Replies: 7
Views: 5136

Re: Caught too many Perch

As previously noted, if the perch are of any size, keep a bunch for the dinner table. They are truly superlative table fare, and it doesn't hurt them to take a bunch home (they have an alarming reproductive capability). My suggestion would be to size up your rig. Unlike SMB or LMB, perch have relati...
by tluedeke
Tue Sep 09, 2014 10:26 pm
Forum: Walleye and Panfish Sponsored By Mar Don Resort
Topic: spiny ray fishery on Scooteney Reservoir...
Replies: 4
Views: 4619

spiny ray fishery on Scooteney Reservoir...

Sorta soliciting opinions on Scooteney Reservoir. A pretty much hardcore newbie, but thinking this place has serious fishing possibilities. To this point, I've pretty much discounted it as a gnarly carp shooting spot, but a third rate fishing spot. However, after one boat trip, I've found it to be a...
by tluedeke
Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:51 pm
Forum: River Fishing
Topic: Catfish on the Yakima
Replies: 2
Views: 3607

Catfish on the Yakima

I've been trying for the better part of three years to figure out the channel cat run on the Yakima, in particular the region immediately below Horn Rapids Dam. The last two years, I've hit it hard, trying to figure out what the trick is. I've got several friends who go up there and basically state ...
by tluedeke
Wed Apr 02, 2014 11:41 am
Forum: River Fishing
Topic: Early channel cats in Tri-Cities area?
Replies: 0
Views: 1644

Early channel cats in Tri-Cities area?

I know I'm jumping the gun a bit, as the water temps are really cold yet, but I'm guessing the channel cats may be starting to move into position for a spawning run starting the latter half of this month. Any suggestions on where in the Tri-Cities area one might be able to run into a few this early?...
by tluedeke
Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:18 pm
Forum: Walleye and Panfish Sponsored By Mar Don Resort
Topic: Walleye clarification at I-82 ponds
Replies: 8
Views: 5057

Re: Walleye clarification at I-82 ponds

They ought to jam a few into Pond #6. There's far too many stunted perch and bluegill in there, IMHO partly due to the bass fisherman keeping their fish and disrupting the predator-prey balance. Or how about a few tiger muskie...
by tluedeke
Sat Aug 03, 2013 10:56 pm
Forum: Walleye and Panfish Sponsored By Mar Don Resort
Topic: Big Bluegill in Wapato Lake
Replies: 10
Views: 7041

Re: Big Bluegill in Wapato Lake

Looks fabulous - but probably one of the main reasons it gets no pressure is that it is about 200 miles away from anywhere. I'd be worried about dragging a boat 3+ hours, and getting my butt skunked. But perhaps I'll look into a weekend camping trip or something...
by tluedeke
Sun Jun 30, 2013 10:14 pm
Forum: Lake Fishing
Topic: Sprague Lake, the good, the bad, and the ugly???
Replies: 30
Views: 14798

Re: Sprague Lake, the good, the bad, and the ugly???

This is a fantastic, fascinating discussion. I've not fished Sprague as much as some of you guys, but I sure remember a killer ice fishery for perch, bluegill, and black crappie in the 2000 time frame. That lake used to be awesome for spiny rays, and the current troubles are quite puzzling to me. An...
by tluedeke
Mon May 13, 2013 9:22 pm
Forum: Walleye and Panfish Sponsored By Mar Don Resort
Topic: Year of the crappie
Replies: 4
Views: 4030

Re: Year of the crappie

Yeah, I've tried for them, but have had zero luck. Their proclivity to suspend and concentrate makes them difficult for someone with obsolescent electronics. I've tried extensively and recently on the I82 ponds near Yakima, with zero luck. Probably 20+ years ago I'd get them on the Snake, most likel...
by tluedeke
Sun May 12, 2013 10:42 pm
Forum: Walleye and Panfish Sponsored By Mar Don Resort
Topic: Sprague Lake
Replies: 106
Views: 51218

Sprague Lake

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/apr/11/bluegills-arrive-at-sprague-lake/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Is it just me, or is now the 6th straight year we've heard a feel good story about the (IMHO) previously incredible spiny ray fishery at Sprague Lake now being simply awesome...
by tluedeke
Wed May 08, 2013 8:42 pm
Forum: Walleye and Panfish Sponsored By Mar Don Resort
Topic: PRE-SPAWN CRAPPIE
Replies: 9
Views: 6437

Re: PRE-SPAWN CRAPPIE

There are probably better folks to ask than me (Jigmeister and fishinChristian, for example), but most of the I-82 ponds have crappie in them. Pond #6 has channel catfish (state record came out of here), and I think some of the other I82 ponds do as well, although I don't know how big the population...
by tluedeke
Wed May 08, 2013 8:36 pm
Forum: Lake Fishing
Topic: Anyone know anything about Badlands Lakes in Benton County??
Replies: 6
Views: 5963

Re: Anyone know anything about Badlands Lakes in Benton Coun

Did anybody ever figure out what these lakes are about? I was also noticing them on Google maps. Are these on private land, or is there public access?
by tluedeke
Sat May 04, 2013 9:03 pm
Forum: Lake Fishing
Topic: the wind this spring in Eastern Washington
Replies: 12
Views: 4542

the wind this spring in Eastern Washington

I usually find the incessant spring winds irritating in Eastern Washington, but this year it is driving me completely insane. This is now the fifth (I think) weekend in a row I've been unable to fish because of high winds (20 mph or more) on both weekend days. Almost every one of these weeks has mul...
by tluedeke
Sun Mar 10, 2013 5:20 pm
Forum: Lake Fishing
Topic: Scooteney Reservoir hints
Replies: 2
Views: 2746

Scooteney Reservoir hints

I'm re-new back to the area (back after a ten year absence), and I now have a boat and better access to lakes. Being in Tri-Cities, Scooteney Reservoir is possible the closest spiny ray lake to the area. However, being a large lake, learning to fish it takes a substantial amount of time. I've shot m...
by tluedeke
Tue Jan 22, 2013 3:29 pm
Forum: Ice Fishing!
Topic: Safe ice on these lakes??
Replies: 3
Views: 3387

Safe ice on these lakes??

Soda? Scootney?
by tluedeke
Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:01 pm
Forum: Lake Fishing
Topic: New to the frozen lake thing......
Replies: 4
Views: 2789

Re: New to the frozen lake thing......

Try actually ditching the yak during winter, and trying out ice fishing. It'll be something that will addict you, like it did me!! =P~ If not, and focusing on Eastern Washington, try the larger lakes, or those in the southern part of the state (Tri-Cities/Yakima area). They tend to not freeze up rel...
by tluedeke
Mon Jan 21, 2013 10:56 pm
Forum: Lake Fishing
Topic: Ice fishing Eloika - a lake on the decline??
Replies: 4
Views: 2607

Ice fishing Eloika - a lake on the decline??

Loaded title, I know. I've ice fished Eloika for near 12 years, with a huge 8 year absence due to work relocation. This year, plus nearly all feedback last year, indicates that Eloika may be on a decline. That is, with respect to perch populations/size. Last year, through the ice, I caught some very...
by tluedeke
Mon Dec 31, 2012 9:33 pm
Forum: Lake Fishing
Topic: Safe ice yet in Northern Washington?
Replies: 1
Views: 1055

Safe ice yet in Northern Washington?

I was skiing in Leavenworth this weekend, and it looked like a lot of the rivers and lakes were starting to ice up pretty good. Anyone found safe ice yet, or is it still too early?