R
Reed
:think: I need to get out and catch some Trout, just can't deside where to go that close?
New tags on the boat and trailer, need to some fishin in!
New tags on the boat and trailer, need to some fishin in!
Merwin, Yale or Riffe
Raincatcher
So...make it an all day trip and spend time at all three...maybe? Not familiar with them but I love hole hoppin'. Wherever you go,good fishing to you.
troutdude
I've never heard of any of those spots either. Where be they?
L
Left Bank
All three are in SW Washington. I was up there a couple of weeks ago and found that the fishing at Swift was kinda slow but decent size to the rainbows. Next day we hit Merwin and caught more than we could count but they were primarily the small landlocks (5-8 inchers).
R
Reed
Out of Woodland (off I-5) you follow the Lewis up river, the first pond is Merwin, next is Yale and then the last one is Swift. Merwin & Yale are about an hour+ south of me. Riffe is off hwy 12 (hwy to Yakima) east of I-5, about an hour & 1/2 north of me, a bit far apart for pond hoppin of all three... If I had some one to fish with, pond hoppin could be fun, but as I'm fishin alone, one at a time is enough for me...
troutdude
Now I see where my trouble lies. Those spots are in a state that I have never fished in. It's a fer piece for me to drive. But, maybe you'll find someone else who you can fish with.
R
Reed
I know what your saying, when I go over to the Madras area to fish, got to be there a few days to rest up from the drive... One of these days I'll just a month and make a big loop fisin lakes over there.
troutdude
That would be fun, to take a whole month just to go fishing!
M
muskieguide
I've been fishin all three regularly my whole life. All 3 have lots of fish and also very big fish. Merwin also has good populations of tiger muskie and a ton of big ones. We were on riffe yesterday and between 4 of us, we had 20 in the boat in an hour between 13-22 inches. MAyfield is next to riffe and also has good numbers of rainbows and silvers. It also has the biggest muskies in the state. I rarely catch one under 40 inches. Swift and Yale have excellant populations of silvers and good populations of trout in em. Trolling pop gear or dodgers with worms or shrimp will get you limits. Hope that helps
R
Reed
muskieguide said:
That helps! Thanks
R
Reed
troutdude said:
Yes it would! I just need to find some lakes close enough together to make a loop. Start like at Diamend and work my way north-ish... It would nice to have some one tag alone and/or set up to meet people alone the way. I guess that's a "one of these days" trip, after years alone behind the wheel of a semi, I don't want to spend my retirement that way...
M
muskieguide
Any time. Send me a message if you want more detail and I'll give you more specialized info
R
Reed
Headed for Riffe first thing in the morning, launching at Mossy Rock . Will let ya know how we did when I get back.
E
eggs
dude if you go to Yale... take a couple hours to hit the river above Yale to Swift.. 35+ fish day and even got on some 20-22" cutties...
L
Left Bank
We tried to hit that section between Yale and Swift right under the bridge but there were signs all over that indicated no fishing was allowed.
E
eggs
Weird I was way past the bridge up the gravel road... didn't see any signs(did stop or look at the bridge) but I c&r the fish.. no harm done but thanks for bringing it to my attention I will look into it more!
R
Reed
Fished Riffe yesterday, good day! Had to work at it as we had more than normal fish up close and the spit the hook. I got the stink off my new rod, but Sakana had the "Hot Rod" with a pink swing blade & a pink hoochie. Corn worked ok but shrimp did the best, 12-14" was average, a couple of fat 14+" and one dink. A lot of people ling lining, but didn't seen to be catching much. We limited with downriggers, 25' & 35'. The water was high enough that the fir branches were hanging in the water, maybe that is why the bite wasn't "HOT" like the bait shop claimed, all in all, it was good day
R
Reed
Fish Yale yesterday, we had the lake to our selves until later in the morning, as the day got warmer the party people showed up. Lots of skin showing but it didn't much for the fishin, I guess I'm getting old when I'd rather look at a nice fish rather than some young thing with less on than what duck tape would cover... Worked hard for part of the morning on the north side, worked over to the south side and started picking up more fish. most fish were female about 13ish inches, lots lost just before and just after you could see them, only 2 small ones that are still waiting for there chance to bite your hook later in life. The two of us ended up with 23 fish and I brought home a real nice sun burn as the day started out overcast and was ended up sun and brite with just a lil wind. It was a long day, as always a better day than any work day...
L
Left Bank
Great report. I've never done well at all on Yale but it sounds like you hit it good.
Like the comment about duck tape : )
Like the comment about duck tape : )
R
Reed
Kokanee are funny, one time they'll bite, an hour later you can't buy a bite. We run downriggers in the 40' range, one with "Ford fenders" & a pink Apex, the other wash a flasher & a UV apex. We also ran a long line (Yale is a 2 pole lake) back 69' with up to 4oz with a couple of take downs but no Kokes. We run over a bunch of nice schools of fish, the depth sounder was red there was so meny in the school and we would normally have doubles on but we could troll right through and not a bite. Don't know what the deal is, they just aren't biting, even the people long lining several poles were not catching much, the downriggers seam to do the best. We put in at Yale Park and trolled west, gates open at 5:AM, good luck.
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