Blue Lake trip - end of August

[zen leecher aka Bill W]

Looks like I'll be at Blue lake the end of August. Last time there lots of trout were caught trolling F5 rapalas off of a downrigger. We were getting strikes what seemed about every 5 minutes. Things slowed down after a trout took the rapala off the end of my line. The next one I put on must not have had the same seductive wiggle as things slowed down.

This time I'll also try some of the smaller flashers and little hoochies I use for kokanee and some other little plugs I have.

Anyone else troll for trout with a downrigger on lakes other than Lake WA or Sammamish.

Bill

[mav186]

Hey Bill...I use my riggers' quite a bit actually...a lot more than I ever thought I would. I can remember a day when I use to laugh when I would see a boat using them...now we swap our depth numbers w/ eachother as we pass!!
Also, perhaps your other Rapala was not 'tuned' like the first one you were using...just a thought.

[zen leecher aka Bill W]

That's the same thought on the rapala I had. I may "tweak" the nose on one to see if it's a wider wiggle or a narrower wiggle that works.

[zen leecher aka Bill W]

I'm gathering up all my 4/0 and 3/0 little dodgers and flashers to take over with me along with the mini-squids I have. I want to see if trout fishing can be just like salmon fishing. I also plan on using some grand slam bucktails and some F11 flatfish to see if the trout want to tackle some bigger lures. Also have the standard wiggle warts. My theory is the bigger fish will take a "nip" at them.

[mav186]

Good luck Bill...have fun and let us know how it goes!

[G-Man]

I've used my downriggers to pick up fish right off the bottom in the deepest part of the lake trolling a F7 size flatfish. Just be sure to bring up the ball when the depth transitions or you'll snag up something fierce. I like the area around the huge sunken rock not quite halfway up the lake from the South end. A dodger and hoochie will probably work as well, I think that combo is a versatile as a wedding ring spinner and will catch just about anything. Put some distance between the lure and your release, start with 50' and play out more if your not getting any hits.

[zen leecher aka Bill W]

I've had the pleasure of previously making the acquaintance of that rock.

[G-Man]

Hopefully with your fishing gear only! I really have grown attached to that rock over the years. Before they killed off the lake you could always count on picking up a bass or two when trolling by it.

On a side note. Anyone have an idea of the size the browns have gotten to this year? I haven't picked one up in this lake since last year and it was only about 13" long.

Also, if you can get your boat into Deep Lake, you may want to give it a go with the downriggers. I'll use my downriggers in just about any lake for most any species. I only tend to long line troll if there aren't that many other boats out on the lake or if I'm in my inflatable pontoon boat.

[zen leecher aka Bill W]

Trout were all over the 30' depth line. It was hard to keep them off the hook. Only one trout of any note hooked, a 17 inch brown. Rest were rainbows 13 inches and under. (mostly under).

A picture was on the wall at the resort of a big trout caught in 2006 at Deep Lake. Funny thing is it was a Lake Trout. I don't think the WDFW planted any of those there. My thoughts are it was caught in Chelan or one of the Spokane area Lake Trout lakes and said to have come from Deep Lake.

Rapalas were slow this time. The hot combo was a brass/silver 4/0 dodger with a orange glow spinner about 20 inches back. 1.5 mph was the trolling speed 30' down on a downrigger. Some of the trout were frisky enough to pop the line out of the clip.

The local fish warden had two guys in "tow" on Friday. Didn't get the details.

G-Man - found the submerged rock again. It really marked up a downrigger ball and I almost had to clip the wire to get loose from it. Got the ball back. Marked the rock on the GPS and stayed away from that area for the rest of the trip