Lake Chelan Fishing Report From Anton Jones For 2/3/2015

LAKE CHELAN AREA FISHING REPORT FOR 2/3/15

Lake Chelan continues to be hot, trolling for Mackinaw in the Barrens, Kokanee on Colyar Ledge and Rainbow in Mill Bay.  Roses Lake’s thin ice cover has been melting off and bank anglers are catching fish. 

 It is amazing how consistent this fishery has been for us.  Trolling for suspended Kokanee is terrific.  Pull Mack’s Lure’s Mini Cha Cha Squidders in Orange on a short leader behind their Double D Dodgers in 00 to 0000 sizes.  Bait the Mini Cha Cha’s with Pautzke’s Fire Corn in natural or yellow.  We have caught these silver bullets anywhere from 45 to 200 feet deep. 

Laker fishing has been terrific in the Barrens and the Trench.  Fish within 3 to 5 feet of the bottom and keep your speed around .8 to 1.3 mph.  Silver Horde 3.5” Needlefish Squid rigs in glow colors fronted with a Mack’s Smile Blade and baited with a piece of Northern Pikeminnow has been our best pattern. 

Rainbow trout are still being caught on Lake Chelan and Roses Lake from the shore.  Catch them from shoreline locations with Pautzke’s Firebait in American Wildfire using a 30” leader on a slip sinker rig.  On Chelan, you can also catch them trolling using Mack’s Lure Mini Cha Cha Squidders behind a Mack’s Lure 0000 Double D Dodger.  Bait those mini cha cha’s with a piece of worm or a small nugget of Pautzke’s Fire Bait.  Remember that unclipped Cutthroat Trout must be immediately released, unharmed. 

Your fishing tip of the week is to remember to take it slow and easy when fighting Kokanee.  It is easy to overpower when reeling.  That is how you lose fish.  When they are thrashing, stop reeling and enjoy the tug.  Pulling hard against them will pull the hooks.  In general, if you are getting 2 of 3 or 3 of 4 you are doing fine.  If you are catching under 50% work on your technique. 

The kid’s tip of the week is to get them on the rod when a fish jumps on.  They will learn a lot from losing fish.  We call it “a self-correcting program”. 

The safety tip of the week is to stay off that thin ice on the far side of Roses from the boat launch.  It is dangerous!