I plan on hitting East Lake hard as early as possible. I hear trolling big Rapala-type lures is effective. What is the best depth to troll these plugs at and what part of the lake? What about boat speed? any type of attractant I should be adding to the lure?
Hit east soon after ice out, could be any time from early may until june. We have had excellent luck in mid to late june when the chubs become very active along the east shoreline as well.
We have done really well rip trolling rapala type lures in silver/black or gold/black, I like the size 13 floater the best for this type of fishing. Troll at a moderately fast speed giving the rod sweeping forward movements with your arm to simulate a darting, fleeing bait fish. In 4-5 hours of fishing I might do this several hundred times, it's a workout! This action can really trigger those browns. We have also done well with flatfish type lures or crankbaits trolled along the steeper, rockier shorelines such as the north shoreline. We have done the best fishing 10-20 ft of water in east for the bigger browns. From the cliffs to the red fissure we troll within a few feet of the shore trying to cover as much rock structure as we can. The west edge of East can be good at times and is the most protected from the wind. My favorite area to fish is the east shoreline weed beds where lots of big browns cruise that 10-20 ft. depth looking for chubs, fequently you will see them on the surface chasing baitfish early or late if it's calm.
My oldest son with a nice early season brown. He's in college now so this pic is a few years old! :lol:
Last spring I hooked up on a few small Browns trolling the east shoreline in 10-14' of water but could not yank the line to get the action as I was running the boat (fishing by myself).
Are you flat-lining the Rapala-types or using weights to get them down? I just let the trolling speed take them to whatever level they wanted to go.
I did pick up a nice 7lb Brown in the southeast corner where the tube fly fisherman work. I caught it using a wet fly and indicator.
This year my goal is over 10 pounds.
Being from Roseburg do you fish Diamond Lake much? What a great fishery. However, I hope East lake doesn't have to be poisoned off like Diamond has been.
Last spring I hooked up on a few small Browns trolling the east shoreline in 10-14' of water but could not yank the line to get the action as I was running the boat (fishing by myself).
Are you flat-lining the Rapala-types or using weights to get them down? I just let the trolling speed take them to whatever level they wanted to go.
I did pick up a nice 7lb Brown in the southeast corner where the tube fly fisherman work. I caught it using a wet fly and indicator.
This year my goal is over 10 pounds.
Being from Roseburg do you fish Diamond Lake much? What a great fishery. However, I hope East lake doesn't have to be poisoned off like Diamond has been.
We troll the rapalas without weights. We have found that the #13 floaters dive about 5-7 ft when trolled fast and the 18's dive to around 12-15 ft. a lot of the time we will fish the 18's when we want to be nearer the bottom in 20 ft of water, we have had excellent luck with the 18's at Cresent for browns but better luck with 13's at east.
We have also slayed them wind drifting whole threaded night crawlers and a splitshot along the east shoreline, big browns can't resist a whole night crawler drifted near the bottom! When the wind conditions are right it's the way to go for chances of sticking some real hogs!
I used to be pretty rabid about persuing monster brown trout, it was my passion! We have caught a good handfull between 10-15 lbs out of Paulina. East has some monsters but seems to produce more 3-6 lb fish. IN 1993 I fished Paulina every weekend from May until september chasing big browns. We got pretty good at getting them too!
Being from Roseburg do you fish Diamond Lake much? What a great fishery. However, I hope East lake doesn't have to be poisoned off like Diamond has been.
I have never fished Diamond lake. I grew up in Klamath Falls where I really got spoiled chasing trophy rainbows, it's almost as close from Klamath as from Roseburg, I've just never made the time for it!
Hit east soon after ice out, could be any time from early may until june. We have had excellent luck in mid to late june when the chubs become very active along the east shoreline as well.
We have done really well rip trolling rapala type lures in silver/black or gold/black, I like the size 13 floater the best for this type of fishing. Troll at a moderately fast speed giving the rod sweeping forward movements with your arm to simulate a darting, fleeing bait fish. In 4-5 hours of fishing I might do this several hundred times, it's a workout! This action can really trigger those browns. We have also done well with flatfish type lures or crankbaits trolled along the steeper, rockier shorelines such as the north shoreline. We have done the best fishing 10-20 ft of water in east for the bigger browns. From the cliffs to the red fissure we troll within a few feet of the shore trying to cover as much rock structure as we can. The west edge of East can be good at times and is the most protected from the wind. My favorite area to fish is the east shoreline weed beds where lots of big browns cruise that 10-20 ft. depth looking for chubs, fequently you will see them on the surface chasing baitfish early or late if it's calm.
My oldest son with a nice early season brown. He's in college now so this pic is a few years old! :lol:
wow, a photo like that has to bring back some very dear and fond memories, Just the other day my 15 yr old told me what I should be trying to fish with... I just looked at him and thought..... there he goes
wow, a photo like that has to bring back some very dear and fond memories, Just the other day my 15 yr old told me what I should be trying to fish with... I just looked at him and thought..... there he goes
Unless things really stay warm you definitely wont be able to fish east.We always hit wickiup religiously for the opener and try to check out some of the others while we're there. I don't think I have ever heard of east thawed by the opener. I know some locals in the area and can get updates if you need them.
I'll just hit wickiup. going up the night before an sleepin in the rig. hopefully there is an open free spot or i'll sleep on the side of the road and use one of the campsite launches that has ssome friendly campers at it.
I'll just hit wickiup. going up the night before an sleepin in the rig. hopefully there is an open free spot or i'll sleep on the side of the road and use one of the campsite launches that has ssome friendly campers at it.
Yeah i hate going to the zoo. only been up once during the summer and had a blast and lost a 10lb brown. ok maybe 8lb it was massive got to se it hit pry the rod out the holder and as he was getting slack my buddie seen it jum and i saw the splash. BIG! my hole thing is trying to sleep in the rig friday night and be on the water before its even legl to fish ready to go. fish all day and come home. and of course get some big browns. just started to uprade out of rapala class lures and will be ready with an arsenal on the opener.
We have fished Wickiup the last few years around opening weekend. There are some cool, crazy brown trout guys up there. My biggest was 9lbs out of there. We will be fishing East and Paulina quit a few times this year. Never been but should be fun. Diamond is no fun, no one should go there! :lol:
We have fished Wickiup the last few years around opening weekend. There are some cool, crazy brown trout guys up there. My biggest was 9lbs out of there. We will be fishing East and Paulina quit a few times this year. Never been but should be fun. Diamond is no fun, no one should go there! :lol:
Never been to diamond never going. If i want to fish powerbait on the bottom for big trout I'll follow a brooder truck. East lake will be a target of mine this year as well as paulina. thinking east more.
Never been to diamond never going. If i want to fish powerbait on the bottom for big trout I'll follow a brooder truck. East lake will be a target of mine this year as well as paulina. thinking east more.
