Bob R
4/7/2015 11:46:00 AMGreat report, nice photos as well. I've always wanted to fish Omak, pretty far for us, though. How much is a tribal license and boat permit? Any camping on or near the lake? Bob R
ballardbrad
4/7/2015 12:29:00 PMNo camping on the reservation. Closest spot is in Omak along the river. Tribal License is about $45/year or $10/day. No fee to launch but boat launching area is pretty primitive and I've seen several people get stuck. The other end of the lake is a beach but you have the problem of sand, gravel and rocks. It's doable but I like to point that out. I kayak fish it a few times a year. One of the best fishing lakes in the state .
strider43
4/7/2015 1:42:00 PMThere is camping on the reservation, you have to buy a permit $10.00 a night. In fact there are campsites at Mission Beach, there is also a great cement boat launch there. The catch is that Mission Bay is closed to fishing until June first. You can camp there and motor through to the open portion of the lake. The boat launch at Beer Can Beach is very primitive from the water recession, I would not try it without four wheel drive. The rates for the Tribal license is $10.00 1 day 20.00 for 3 days, 30.00 for 7 days or 40.00 for the annual.
its a 3-1/2 hour drive for me but when the fish are biting its sure worth it. Tight Lines!
its a 3-1/2 hour drive for me but when the fish are biting its sure worth it. Tight Lines!
strider43
4/7/2015 1:46:00 PMhttp://www.colvilletribes.com/media/files/NonMemberFishingRegs2015-16(1).pdf
Trouttrakr
4/7/2015 3:31:00 PMJust curious because I'm planning on going there on the 19th while camping at Chelan. I went to the link "strider43" offered. Am I reading it wrong or is it C&R from March 1 to May 31? Sometimes my eyes play tricks on me with regs so someone verify for me. I'm asking for not only my purpose, but also because those fish don't look like they are going to release well. Sorry strider43 if I got it wrong.
mcgregor
4/7/2015 6:59:00 PMI would not camp on the Res. Been there and done that, It is not very peaceful at night the tribal members show up and drink at the launch and during the day the tribe members come and bait fish buy your camp and kill as many as they can and they have the right to take your spot day or night and you have to leave. And the tribal police are not much better they come by the camp at night and woke us up and checked for alcohol, The rule reads "no alcohol on or near lake". Well after looking through his dictionary of rules definitions it defines on or near lake as last residents on the road. Which is about two miles away. So he make us pour out our 6 pack that we never even touched and gave us a ticket for $50.00. It is great fishing for lohontans up to 10lbs but I would camp by the river in Omak and just drive and launch there each day. It is C&R till June 1st. Just my experience with the place.
strider43
4/7/2015 7:23:00 PMit is C&R until June 1st, I have never had any problems there although I have not camped there. I have been checked out by the fish cops and they just checked my license and were very friendly. I will be there the 17th through the 21st
The Quadfather
4/7/2015 8:48:00 PMWell, glad to hear it has picked up. I was there maybe 5 weeks ago. Gail force winds, couldn't buy a bite. Released one fish after about 4.5 hours. That being said, I've had a few 5 star days there. It really is an awesome fishery.
strider43
4/8/2015 6:16:00 AMAbout this time of year they come into Nicholson Bay(Beer Can Beach) and cruise the shoreline. They weren't cruising the shoreline yet but they were just right out past where you can see the bottom. Last year we went in the last week of March and couldn't buy a bite to save our lives, the year before we went the first week of April and the fishing was hot. Once they start to cruise the shoreline it will be hot until at least Memorial day..FYI to those who don't like the reservation, the campground in town along the river is on the reservation.
Why2Fish
4/8/2015 9:17:00 AMmcgregor,,if you dont like it there dont go. maybe you'ld be better suited to staying at the Stampede Motel
leo
4/8/2015 10:53:00 PMNice report, great pics. I'm heading there this weekend for the first time what # test were you using for lures, and what test leader for flies ? Are good to use there. 8#test?/1x?
strider43
4/9/2015 6:20:00 AMleo;
on my casting rod I had 8lb main line and 6 LB fluorocarbon leader, the other rod I had my fly set up with had 10 lb mainline (only because that was on that reel) and again I used 6 lb fluorocarbon leader. I have used 6lb main line and have not had on of the big ones break off. When I first went there 4 years ago I used 6lb main line and 6lb leader and caught a 7 lb fish.
Good luck I hope you catch a monster, I talked with a guy there Saturday night who said he had recently caught 8lb,10lb and12lb fish and that he saw fish under the dock that he thought were at least 15lb. The current record there is 18lb
on my casting rod I had 8lb main line and 6 LB fluorocarbon leader, the other rod I had my fly set up with had 10 lb mainline (only because that was on that reel) and again I used 6 lb fluorocarbon leader. I have used 6lb main line and have not had on of the big ones break off. When I first went there 4 years ago I used 6lb main line and 6lb leader and caught a 7 lb fish.
Good luck I hope you catch a monster, I talked with a guy there Saturday night who said he had recently caught 8lb,10lb and12lb fish and that he saw fish under the dock that he thought were at least 15lb. The current record there is 18lb
strider43
4/9/2015 1:22:00 PMAll regulations were followed and no fish were harmed, all fish were revived if necessary(none were) and swam away into the depths none to happy about the event. I waited for floaters and there were none.
leo
4/9/2015 8:09:00 PMThanks for info, that's nice I want to catch the 15lb, at lake Lenore I caught a 29" lahontan cutthroat, As for the dock, is that the dock on cowpie launch ? I did research on that lake and, correct me if I'm wrong the only 2 places are open now is cowpie beach south end and beer can beach north side , Can you give me little info about good spots to,fish from shore. I will be spoon/lures fishing and fly fishing, anything will help , I will be heading tomorrow there, Oh one more thing, does the bite dies down if its windy there? Does it get really windy there ?
leo
4/9/2015 8:16:00 PMAnother thing forgot to ask, is there a lot of snags if I would drop my lure closer to the bottom of lake from shore ? Any specific color of lures works best?
strider43
4/10/2015 6:38:00 AMThe dock is at Beer Can beach. check the hot spot info it will show right where I fished on the map. There rocks on the bottom, no tree snags.
Olive green works well although I have caught them on silver and blue spinners. It can be very windy there, I have caught fish there in the wind.
Olive green works well although I have caught them on silver and blue spinners. It can be very windy there, I have caught fish there in the wind.
AJFishdude
4/11/2015 2:51:00 AMThanks for all the good info strider. I'll be making my first trip over there next weekend and am looking forward to it!
strider43
4/11/2015 6:10:00 PMAJFishdude,
are you fishing from the bank or boat? Good luck, it should be good, the solunar cycle will be on the bite. I will be there as well.
are you fishing from the bank or boat? Good luck, it should be good, the solunar cycle will be on the bite. I will be there as well.
leo
4/11/2015 11:24:00 PMhere now for 2 days already, we caught 53 total so far, (from shore) size ranged from 14"-24+ For us, morning was kinda slow, because sun was out, evening bite is excellent from 5-8pm During the day best color of lure produced a lot of fish was 1/4oz kastmaster in fire tiger works best, it produced better than any colors 5-1. Evening bite on a olive damsel nymph fly was excellent (better than Wooleys and other flies etc) pretty much non stop action that produced bigger fish, from beer can beach. North side (cowpie) beach )is pretty much fly fishing only as its to shallow for lures, but north end has bigger fish this past 2 days than beer can beach,
There was a lot of big monsters swimming the shores on beer can beach this evening, looked like in the 30+" sizes, at around 8:05pm did a last from the sandy beach and WHAM before I could even set the hook, my 8lb leader snapped on my fly rod like it was a piece of string and I watched it take off, looked to be in the 13+ lb fish that was crusing the shoreline, fishing is hot now.
There was a lot of big monsters swimming the shores on beer can beach this evening, looked like in the 30+" sizes, at around 8:05pm did a last from the sandy beach and WHAM before I could even set the hook, my 8lb leader snapped on my fly rod like it was a piece of string and I watched it take off, looked to be in the 13+ lb fish that was crusing the shoreline, fishing is hot now.
mcgregor
4/12/2015 7:24:00 AMThanks for the report, This lake is one of the most overlooked for great fishing. For me the fishing has always been great up through mid june close to shore then as it warms up we start going deeper for the big ones. tight lines caatch a big one
AJFishdude
4/14/2015 12:50:00 AMI'll be fishing from the bank Strider. I have a nice selection of lures and plan to bring my fly rod along as well.
strider43
4/14/2015 7:02:00 AMLooks like the weather is going to shape up for a great weekend of fishing.