Klamath Lake?

**steelhead_stalkers** · 02-03-2010 12:27 AM

We have hooked fish that were in the 10lb range and I would guess that one to be over 15lbs maybe more!!

**Mad dog** · 02-03-2010 06:59 AM

Originally Posted by Ntofishing

That is a really nice fish. You know what it weighed in at? Looks to me like one of thoes 10+ ones.

It wasn't weighed because it was released but was estimated to be around 20 lbs. It was 37" and very thick! Darren has a formula for estimating weight by using length and girth, he has been guiding salmon, steelhead and trout for almost 30 yrs now and if he says 20 lbs, he is probably pretty dang close!

Another spring tactic we would use is to troll untill we found active fish working a school of minnows on the shoreline. The fish will herd them up around a rock point or against the tules, sometimes there would be 2 or 3 trout boiling through the minnow school every few minutes or so. That was the funnest fishing, we would sneak in on them and cast towards the minnows untill we hooked a trout.

I miss fishing the lake since I've moved, used to put alot of hours in out there!

**steelhead_stalkers** · 02-03-2010 11:02 AM

Thats a big trout thats for sure!

Thats the way we fish them. We found that they seem to key in on minnows around 4 inches. I am sure you can catch them on five or six inch minnow imitations but the 4 inch was killer!

**Ntofishing** · 02-03-2010 07:14 PM

That is the way we have always caught them. Use a 3" minnow bait and basically bass fish for them. ( slowly troll while casting at the bank ) They seem to be VERY close to shore and some times hit the bait almost right after it goes under.

There is a special spot on the Rocky Point side too that we like. We like to call it "The Tree" there is a big bush/tree under the water that seems to like to snag anything that comes close to it. Only thing is the biggest fish we have caught seem to hit right in that area. We have also lost a few since they like to dart into that cover and break lines.

One of the funniest story's I have was when my Dad and I were over there bank fishing late in the year. This was the first year in a long time that my Dad actually went with me. We fished all day and no fish, not even a bite. It started getting late and we were thinking of leaving. We were using my technique of cast and retrieve. Since we had been doing it all day it got to be tiring and every time he would get hung up on the rocks he would jerk it out and keep fishing. I just happened to look over just at the right time to see him get hung up again and he jerks just like normal then his expression changes. A look of astonishment washes over his face when he sees the nice Trout that he just jerked his bait out of its mouth. LOL!!!

Have either of you noticed that on a whole the smaller fish seem to like to jump and make a big scene but the bigger fish like to head straight for the bottom to either break you off or pull the hook out.

**Mad dog** · 02-03-2010 08:06 PM

Ntofishing, you are dead on with close to the bank or cover! I have a spot we troll where the inside rod is damn near in the willows on the bank. You can catch a fish just about anywhere on the lake but a high % of the very active fish seem to be in very close. I like to fish for the ones that want it!

Another thing we learned over the years is that because Upper Klamath varies about 4 ft from spring to fall there would be alot of submerged tule beds along certain shorelines, we found by trolling our gear with the boat in the 5-7 ft range we were hooking lots of fish around these hard to see structures. Some of them you can just barely see the tops of the old growth of tules, the minnows love these spots to hide in and the trout love the minnows!

Oh, that big fish was caught on an 8" black marabou strip leech.

**Caveman** · 02-15-2010 08:53 PM

I’m gonna be hitting Klamath Lake later this week, Wednesday or Thursday. Temps are supposed to be mid fifties so maybe the fish will start being active.

**steelhead_stalkers** · 02-15-2010 09:43 PM

Let us know how you do! I wish you could fish at night there that's when the real hogs come out to play. All you hear all night is big fish smashing minnow.

Good luck.

**Mad dog** · 02-16-2010 07:26 AM

I'm heading down to the Basin for a couple of weeks of goose hunting next week, probably no fishing in the forecast, but I will probably be able to scrape up a few reports from some of the guys that are getting out!

My oldest son is down there now, his girlfriend lives on South Chiloquin rd. about a mile from Henzel park, he won't even go down there to see if the minnow fisherman are getting bit! He's in love!!!

If the weather stays nice the Straights should start fishin' really good soon!

**Caveman** · 02-16-2010 11:16 AM

I am in love too... In love with the idea of hauling in a 10lb plus Redband! I am gonna fish all day tomorrow, dawn til dark and then hope to get on the lake again Thursday and Friday evenings as well. I will let y'all know if there is any action. It is still early but it has been a very mild winter and the water should start warming with all these warm days.

**steelhead_stalkers** · 02-16-2010 11:31 AM

Sounds good guys. Good luck, it really is a beautiful area this time of year.

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