Amber Lake Cutthroats!?

[Rooscooter]

I have been to Amber Lake 5 times this season without catching one cutthroat. Where have they gone! 5 or 6 years ago this lake was full of them. Last year we would catch several each time out.

I was at Badger Lk. earlier in the week and caught about 50-50 Cutts and Rainbows (also a couple of very small Bass!) So I haven't lost my touch!

Anyone out there caught any in Amber this year?


Tight Lines!

[Marc Martyn]

It has been several years since I got a Cutt out of Amber. I was surprised then when I got one.

[Rooscooter]

In looking at the planting records the WDFW hasn't planted Cutthroats in Amber for 3 years. This helps explain it. Although I caught quite a few last year in the shallows at the south end.

Marc: Interesting that you haven't caught on in a few years as I know you frequent the lake.


Tight Lines!!

[raffensg64]

I don't get a lot of cutthroats at Amber.....only a few a year in 20 or so outings. I did get an 18" female a month or so ago, the only one I've seen this year.

I'm going to check that stocking report also. It's disconcerting that they no longer plant them there. The bigger males are spectacular.....you'd swear they came directly from the upper CD'A or St. Joe Rivers!

OK, I'm back. The eastern Washington stocking report on the WDFW's site states that 1000 CT fry were planted in Spring 2008. This number rings a bell....1000 seems to be what I've seen and read the past 5-6 years. But, I could have sworn previous plants were "catchables", not fry. If only half those fry survive, then those fish will be few and far between.

Raff

[Rooscooter]

Oops! You're right, they have been planting fry the last couple of years. I was scanning the catchable column of the stocking reports when looking for Cutthroats.

Maybe I'v been lucky to catch the ones I have been looking at those numbers.

On the flip side, At Badger earlier in the week I caught mostly Cutts. All very healthy and around 14" long.

Tight Lines!!

[raffensg64]

Rooscooter - oh yeah, catching a cutthroat in Amber is a special thing, akin to getting a tiger in Medical or a brown in W. Medical. On only one occasion did I get two cutthroats at Amber, both females at 18" and 19", which I incredibly caught back-to-back.

I've talked to a lot of folks who frequent Amber, and have had several tell me they get them in the deep water immediately north of the launch, on the west side. Whether it was coincidence or not, I do now know, but I managed a few cutts, all males, in that area. All the rest were caught in the south end shallows while fishing chironomids.

It would be nice if the WDFW would stock more of them in Amber! They should shift a few thousand of those Badger fish to Amber, in my opinion. Is it possible that rainbows and cutthroats don't get along and the state only mixes large numbers in put and take lakes?

[Rooscooter]

In a recent trip to Amber I found some cutthroats. Out of 20+ fish caught, at least 6 were cutthroats. Most of the action was on the surface with most of the fish caught using a tan damsel just under the surface near the weed lines.

It's good to see that they are still in there.

Tight lines!

[raffensg64]

Rooscooter,

I saw that in your recent report. Wow, that's phenomenal, six cutts in one outing on Amber! Even on my best days, 20-25 fish, I've left wit!hout getting a single one. Good for you....you made up for all those days without. Any brightly colored males in the bunch?

[Rooscooter]

Earlier in the morning I caught 2 14 to 15 inch cutthroats that were colorful males.

I started this thread wondering where the cutthroats had gone. With this weekends success I think I now know. I don't usually fish the shallows in Amber that much. Sometimes I fish the drop-offs if I'm not doing well in the deeper sections. Sunday I fished on the surface all day. additionally, I fished the South shallows most of the day as well. The fish were smaller than the ones I catch with chironomids in the channel, but the action was fast and furious in the shallows. Also, the cutthroats seem to be in the shallows more than in the deeper sections. At least in my experience.

In the future I will work both areas equally and see if I catch more cutthroats in the shallows or in the channel.


BTW. Raff, from the looks of your last report, you solved the big fish issue there on Saturday. Maybe between the two of us we can write a guide pamphlet for Amber by the of the summer!!!

Tight Lines!!

[raffensg64]

Rooscooter,

I don't know about that guide booklet thing....this has been a really funky year compared to those in the past! They've kept me guessing all spring, whether at Amber, Medical, W. Medical, etc. Either that or I need to start taking better notes like you and one of my partners do.

Am heading back to Amber tomorrow A.M. and am doing McDowell on Wednesday with a partner who just came back from Europe on summer break. I am pumped up about McDowell, have heard that the rehab went well and the fish are fat, strong little buggers

Raff

[Rooscooter]

I've heard good things about McDowell too. I was planning on getting up there in a week or two.

Let us know how it goes.


Tight Lines!