Boy oh boy, Snohomish County running this park is not looking good for us anglers....The launch fee is back up to $7 now, which I don't mind so much, but the new "Park Hours" stink! Gone are the days of letting yourself through the gate at 5am to be on the water and get some fishing in before the skiers and watercraft crowd take over, because the launch won't even open until 7am now. Also, you have to be OFF the water 1/2 hour before dusk, which means get in line to pull your boat out and sit there while the best fishing time of the day slowly slips away....There is good news in that any one with a "Club" or "Contest" can call and make special arrangements, but that's about it. Sad.

So, after talking about all that with the park official at the booth for a few, I went ahead and launched (despite my new found depression) to make one last crack at a January smallmouth. Fished my favorite spots out to 35 feet, the only taker I had was right out in front of the launch on a 3/4oz football head with a Yamamoto hula grub, he snapped me off...a little too much enthusiasm on my part and I may have missed a nick in my line from all the rocks I had been encountering?.

Water temps were 41.5 degrees and there was a small thermocline in the deeper south end of the lake at 17 feet which was definately holding fish, I just think the 20 degree temperature drop from last week shut things down a bit?.

I want to go hit Terrell now that waterfowl season is over, just not sure what the ice conditions are up there? I wouldn't think there would be any left, but don't really want to make the $45 gasoline gamble! Anybody have any info?

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