Anyone fish this big chunk of water? I'll be there all next week camping with my family and was looking for some tips or even a report if it exists...
I am really interested in getting my kids hooked into something with minimal effort or at least a style of rig they can manage themselves(I'm trying to foster the fishing spirit in my children and I don't want to do it for them, I want them to try on their own)...
Are there any perch, sunfish, etc in the lake? I know there are rainbow trout...
any help would be greatly appreciated...
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[font "Trebuchet MS"]Lake Roosevelt makes an ideal and tranquil destination for fishing. There are over 30 species of fish in the lake. Annually, over 500,000 rainbow trout and 500,000 kokanee are stocked in the lake. Other common sport fish are large and small mouth bass, walleye, and perch. [/font]
[font "Arial"]The walleye is not a native Washington fish, and just how walleyes originally entered the state is unknown. The first verification of a walleye in Washington was in 1962, from Banks Lake in eastern Washington. Soon afterwards, populations began to show up in Franklin Roosevelt Lake (connected to Banks Lake through a huge pipe and pump). Since then they have spread from these original sites to the remainder of the mainstem[/font]
[font "Arial, Modern, Verdana"]A good day’s fishing for walleyes will yield several two-to- three-pound fish, with an occasional fish up to ten pounds. The current state record, caught in the Columbia River below McNary Dam in April 1990, weighed 18 pounds and 12 ounces.[/font]
[font "Arial, Modern, Verdana"]Astute anglers know that this also means walleyes stay away from bright, sonneteers. When they have to come up to the surface or to shallow shore areas tiffed or spawn, walleyes look for muddy waters or they wait and move in from dusk to dawn. This is the best time to fish for them.[/font]
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[font "Arial"]After spawning, walleyes will return to the main lake or river, staying in the shallows throughout the spring and early summer until the waters warm, then moving to deep, cooler water during the day, returning to feed at dusk.[/font]
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[font "Arial"]hope this helps....[/font]
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Thanks Dave, I read the article you quoted, was looking for some more specific info if it was out there...
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I lived in Grand Coulee for 7 years, but moved away 4 years ago. The lake is pretty nice and as far as fishing, smallmouth bass would be pretty easy with brown jigs, casting from shore or verticle jigging. Of course trout and walleye our plentiful. I attached a link to a recent Lake Roosevelt report from another site I visit. Where abouts you staying? Are you camping on lake or campground? Will you be in a boat? The more info the better I can help guide you in the right direction. The link also might have enough info for you.
[url "http://gamefishin.com/gfboard/forum_posts.asp?TID=21122"]http://gamefishin.com/gfboard/forum_posts.asp?TID=21122[/url]
Note: My username is "Quill" on that site.
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Thanks EZOP!!! My family and I will be staying at the Columbia Campground on the Spokane reservation side of the lake. I do have a boat from which we can fish. Shore fishing for the kids would be great also, so any help there would be great!!!
And thanks for the link!!
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Oh and by the way EZOP, I have the same make of boat as the guy that wrote the post you pointed me too so I shouldn't have any problem getting where he was... I'm phsyched now!!!!
I will try to remember to post pics and note for the week...
Thanks, again!
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Shore fishing can be as basic as you want for the kids, just put on a big old nightcrawler and let the kids cast where they want and let it sit. If they don't have the patience to do that, get some 3" brown plastic grubs and put it on a lead headed jig and let them cast and retrieve all they want. Smallmouth bass love this at Roosevelt. If you get to fish in the evening from the bank and want some walleye, do the night crawler thing. As far as the boat, you can fish just about anywhere on this lake and catch fish, troll for trout or jig for bass and walleye. I'm not sure what depth the trout will be, but as far as the bass and eyes, from the shore and up to 40 feet deep should do the trick.
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