Started out the day with my 12 year old backing out on me at 6AM. (Can't blame him, he was snuggled with his Ma Ma.) Then I realized 20 minutes away from home that I forgot to put in life jackets! So after going back & getting them, I knew it was going to be a good day yet as I'm not a good swimmer. Nor can I afford a ticket.
I launched at the corps launch behind Chief Joseph Dam. It was overcast with a slight breeze & air temps. around 32. I fished the can line pulling a black wedding ring behind a 4/0 dodger & 1/4 Oz. weight. Approx. 75-90Ft. back. I also was pulling a black & an olive wolly bugger with sinking line on my fly rod. The wedding ring was bumped 2 separate times without hook-up. Finally toward the upper end of the cans I c&rd my first fish for the day. (15 incher maybe.)I continued on up the Okanogan Co. side to the state park. I'd had afew more bumps but, no takers. I need agresive fish! Then as I was crossing over to the Douglas Co. side I decided to switch it up a bit. I put on a frog pattern Needle Fish behind my dodger. I wanted to get up to Brants but wanted to troll up there. So I picked up the pace to what seemed like an obsured speed and the fish hit that Needle Fish hard. They all seemed to be in the 14-15 inch range. I finally was able to catch a couple on my fly rod also. I had switched it over to a huge black intruder. These fish were great action with the fly rod. I almost made it as far up river as Brants when the snow started to turn to ice & slete. I headed back down river pulling the flies & casting a black maribu jig to the shore line. Soon I had gone through a few pair of gloves & my hands couldn't take it any more. I put up the fly & spinning rods & went back to trolling the needle fish. I could still reel my level wind with mittens on! I continued to pick up fish at what to me seemed to me to be a terribly fast trolling speed. But when they hit at that speed they got hooked! I only lost one fish on the needle fish. He was airborne on impact and spit it out. I did pick up a 5-1/2 pounder & a 15incher hooked too deep to release. The snow was coming down hard. It was very peacefull, calm. Approx. 1-1/2 inches of snow on the dock at take-out around 3-PM. And then a long slippery slow drive back to Wenatchee only to get stuck trying to get into my own driveway! But that is a whole nother strory. Sorry no pics. as it was really wet and sloppy cold.

fishdoc

12/13/2010 10:44:00 PM

nice job! thanks for the report

blufin loui

12/14/2010 5:44:00 AM

Way to go Andy, Sounds like an action filled day, with fish in the boat. It's amazing how the bite is sometimes totally different than we expect. Thanks for sharing the adventure, and it's good to hear the fish are biting.

kenbarb

12/14/2010 8:58:00 AM

You brought a smile to my face when you mentioned the life jackets, I did the same the other day, had to turn around to get my hip boots. Your report makes me wish I was at Rufus Woods right now.

afk

12/15/2010 6:47:00 PM

Lewis I was surprized not to see you out and about in such good fishin' weather

afk

12/15/2010 7:06:00 PM

Ken, I thought of you as I was turning back to get my life jackets. Only I'm a lot younger than you. And I'm not sure I'll get with age.LOL. But if I had your boat I'd probably still be out there.

hewesfisher

12/15/2010 8:59:00 PM

I've heard it over and over, if you think you're trolling too fast, speed up. I never troll under 2mph, and rarely below 2.5mph. You did the right thing to entice the strikes. Great report!

Lundegard

12/16/2010 6:40:00 AM

Awesome report! At RW, when I've had those short, one-bump hits, not only do I speed up, I go with a bigger bait and that closes the deal. A J9 rapala with single siwashes at about 3.5 mph is lights out when they're in that short-biting mood. So you proved my theory of upsizing the bait and speeding up. BTW, the snow was up to my knees Saturday night in my driveway after the Eastmont/Wenatchee game, so I know what you mean! Sadly I have to admit that the Lund didn't get out of the garage :-(

blufin loui

12/16/2010 8:35:00 AM

Well Andy, you know how it is when favors are called in. Even the Blufin has to pay his debts. LOL. Some of our best fishing has been in nasty weather, so If we'd been free, we would have been out there cheering you on.

afk

12/16/2010 5:32:00 PM

Hey Hewesfisher & Lundegard, I'm a pretty slow learner. So I'm glad you are helping me out . Other wise I'd just chalk it up as another odd day on the water with a little luck. Thanks

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