Salt2Summit Guide Service - With 25 + years of experience pursuing these Columbia River fish from buoy 10 to Hanford reach and up the Snake River. Fishing every tributary in between these places, I have learned certain spots and techniques used to catch more fish.In 2012 we went 49 days straight catching fish everyday. That is why I am confident enough to offer you a “catch-fish-guarantee” on full day trips. If we do not bring a fish to the boat you only pay half price or receive 50% off of the full price on your next visit.
Left a bit later than I would have liked, owing to the possiblity I might be called into work today. ( Happily, I wasn't )
The road to Bench Lake passes through some of the worst-hit area of the 2008 Mt Adams Wildfire. I've seen the aftermath of a blaze before but never on a road I've driven before the fire hit. It was a saddening experience, and not a little frightening to see nothing but charred remains of what had been a thriving forest only a year ago.
On arriving at Bench, about 12:30 in the afternoon, I made two fortuitous discoveries. First, the mosquitoes were not nearly as bad as they were last year, and second, that the fish were biting and they were big While I was putting my boat in, I saw five, count 'em, five people get simultaneous hooks ups. Folks were coming in too, bringing strigners with them of 18" and larger bows
If THAT won't give you some incentive to get out on the water, nothing will.
Not wanting to leave after catching only two fish, ( the limit at Bench ) I skipped the worms at first and tried jigs, something I'd heard about working for trout, but had never really used before. I had numerous hits, but no takes at first. At one point a nice one grabbed my jig while it was close to the boat, broke off before I could let the drag out.
About 5:00 I decided it was time to switch to worms. My first fish was one of the small brookies that inhabit Bench...and which the rangers encourage you to throw back and do not count as part of your limit, bait or no bait.
But then, wham! Something hit the worm I was fly-lining, and took off like a bat out of Hell. It turned out to be 22" Bow. When I netted him and removed the hook, it came out twisted like a pretzel. While retying the hook, I threw out my other worm rig....sliding sinker, for sloating inflated works off the bottom. While putting the worm on the hiook, it split in two, so I decided to switch to power bait, just for this one cast.
I had just finish tying the hook on the other pole, when I got a hit on the one that was in the water.
That fish gave me one of the toughest battles I've ever had. Just when I would think he was finally starting to tire, zzzzzzzzzzeeeeeee! off he'd go on another long run. I don't know how long he and I went at it, but just as I was about to put the net under him, he made a sudden twist and broke off. ( and yes, he WAS at least as big as my first fish. )
I stood up, raised my fist, and then I looked and saw that less then ten yards away from me was a boat with three small children as passengers
This is your lesson in self-control for today, Grasshopper.
Then next fish was another small brook trout...and then it was getting on time to think about heading back; one more cast, with an inflated worms,floated off the bottom..
The fish that hit that worm took me almost clear across the lake on his first run. I mean it; for a second there, I thought he was going to spool me. 24" he was, and after bringing him in, I called it a day. ( Bench has a two fish limit. )
All in all, an incredible, 5-star day, warm, but not hot, and while Bench Lake was anything but uncrowded, I wouldn't call it a zoo, either.
If you go, remember that Bench Lake is on the Yakama Indian Reservation. You'll need permits both to enter and to fish ( Available at a self-serve station at Mirror Lake, on the way from Trout Lake )
Hi, Thanks for the great report. I just moved to Yakima a year or so ago. This sounds like an ideal place to go fish. I'll have to check it out with the kids. What was the flesh of the fish like? They appear to be triploids, so likely the flesh is white or creamish from the hatchery diet? Some triploids though if in the lake long enough get a pink or redish flesh from feeding on the natural insects etc. Keep me posted and thanks again.
Yes, they did have whitish flesh. However, it was very, very solid.
Also...Access to Bench is from the south by way of Trout Lake, WA. You can get the exact details of how to access Bench Lake at the Ranger Station there.
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Salt2Summit Guide Service - With 25 + years of experience pursuing these Columbia River fish from buoy 10 to Hanford reach and up the Snake River. Fishing every tributary in between these places, I have learned certain spots and techniques used to catch more fish.In 2012 we went 49 days straight catching fish everyday. That is why I am confident enough to offer you a “catch-fish-guarantee” on full day trips. If we do not bring a fish to the boat you only pay half price or receive 50% off of the full price on your next visit.
