Kidos wanted to partake of the Lake Wilderness trout derby for about 9th year in a row so we spent the opener there. Unfortunately, this year they changed the derby rules to prohibit having a gas motor on the boat while participating in the derby which precipitated removing the 40 HP main motor from the boat. Painful given that it is bolted through the hull with four proprietary Yamaha bolts.

Anyway, we headed for the lake at about 0415 and had the boat in the water by 0430. Kids motored to the north end while I parked and walked over to meet them for the pancake breakfast. Thanks to Maple Valley and Black Diamond chamber for putting on another fine fisherman's breakfast.

Started our fishing about 0515 at first light. Ran out our usual assortment of flatfish plugs and a perch needlefish. Many years we couldn't go 20' without a fish on, but this year we had to wait about 1/2 hour for our first fish. It came on the needlefish. Bite seemed slower than usual for pretty much everybody on the lake and there were fish rising so I switched out one pole to mylar pop gear with a pork chop (a.k.a. earthworm chunk). That did the trick. Everything we had out eventually hooked a couple of fish, but the pop gear and worm combo was the most effective.

In all we kept 9 fish between 3 of us and probably released twice that many so, while slower than usual for this water for the opener it was still a good day on the lake. The Fish Princess weighed in our best 3 in the fish derby and her 13.75" 13 oz fish was good for about 25th place. She brought home some new treasures and a big smile.

There were not as many big fish weighed in as in past seasons and the top fish were not as large overall. AM wondering if the blight that infests the trout in this lake as soon as the water warms-up has made a significant dent in the population of holdovers.

Saw our osprey catch a few fish as well.

Overall a fun trip, but will not be going through the rigmarole of taking the main motor off the boat for this event again. It's borrow a smaller craft, fish from shore, or find another place to spend the opener for us.

Tight lines!

Sorry - no pics as it was raining steadily by the time we came ashore for the weigh in

Toni

5/12/2013 9:49:00 AM

Nice report.

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