Lake Chelan Report For April 20th, 2015 From Anton Jones Of Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service S

LAKE CHELAN AREA FISHING REPORT FOR 4/20/15

    Alas, things do eventually change, even on Lake Chelan.  While the Trench and the Barrens have cooled off, trolling for Lake Trout is hot on Lake Chelan in Manson Bay and along Colyar Ledge.  Kokanee Fishing is spotty, but can be quite productive in locations as far flung as Moore Point to Rocky Point.  Roses Lake is still producing relatively easy limits of planter rainbows for shore and boat anglers. 

    Laker fishing has been terrific early in the morning along Colyar Ledge.  Fish within 3 to 5 feet of the bottom and keep your speed around 1.2 to 1.4 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.  Our guide Jeff Witkowski has developed a Mack’s Lure Bead and Blade combo that has out produced this old standby. 

    Trolling for suspended Kokanee can be hot and cold.  Pull Mack’s Lure’s Mini Cha Cha Squidders in Orange or Pink 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, pink or yellow.  We have caught these dwarfed landlocked sockeye anywhere from 45 to 200 feet deep.  Locations have ranged from Moore Point, to Prince Creek, down to Fields Point, across to Mitchell Creek and all the way down to the Trench out from Rocky Point. 

    Rainbow trout are being caught on 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.  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. 

    Your fishing tip of the week is how to “finish the deal” when concluding a fight.  We always advise customers to get the rod tip low so they assist in keeping the fishes head in the water.  Wrenching that head up in the air is begging the fish to shake and increases the odds of the hook pulling out.  Also, it gives you room to take up slack by lifting if the fish makes a last second run right at you.  Then, right at the boat lift a bit and guide the fishes head towards the net.  

    The kid’s tip of the week is to encourage those flights of imagination in kids out on the boat.  The most common example of this I see is the 4 to 7 year old kid saying the bubbles they see behind the boat are fish.  Rather than the rational adult explanation that the bubbles come from outboard motor ask them to describe what they see.  There is no harm in letting their imagination a little leeway to see where you end up.  Asking about color, size and other details can get the coolest answers.  Remember, it is supposed to be fun. 

    The safety tip of the week is to make sure that your gear is secured as you approach the dock.  Breaking rods, nets and other gear is no fun at the end of the day…