Do any of you fish Mackay Reservoir during open water? The water usually drops way low in the fall but is usually decent through the first part of summer.
Mackay is the closest reservoir for me so I will be fishing there alot this summer. I went over in my little 12ft boat last summer once before I got this new boat but we didn't catch many fish. Anyone have any tips for me for Mackay?
When I went over there we got into some fish just by luck really. I was heading back to the pickup to get something and my friend threw his spinner out in the water. We were just talking when I saw his pole bend over, at first we thought maybe just some moss but sure enough it was a fish. So we just started running up and down the shore up by the upper boat ramp and caught a few more small fish.
Is there any bigger fish in Mackay res. or is it mostly just planters? This will be my fish year of having a boat to fish from, so I have got a lot to learn. This forum has helped me with a lot of questions so far. Thanks for any help.
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Ross, i would love to give you some info, i dont ice fish it but i fish it alot during the open water months, if you would like some info PM me the fish dont get to large there although there is some koke's and the river is amazing fishing PM me like i said!
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Why use PM? I had the crazy thought this was a forum to discuss fishing info.
We fish Mackay in the spring and summer some times. From the boat we've had good luck early up around the willows, drifting for trout. We have also done good bank fishing around the upper boat ramp. Once in a while somebody gets a bigger fish. Good luck.
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We troll at Mackay alot in May, June, and July. We do very well with the lead core line and any small spoon that is gold or silver. My lure of choice there is the half gold half silver Dick Nite spoon. Bank fishing is usually just as productive with a worm and a white mallow. I did catch a nice rainbow there last spring that was probably three pounds so I think there are some bigger fish in there.
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Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Now I have an idea what kind of tackle to buy. We tried up by the willows last year but it was later and there were a lot of weeds in places.
With my little boat we were pretty limited to where we could fish, just a 12ft boat with a 34# electric trolling motor. We didn't break any land speed records [
]. With this bigger boat we can change spots easier and try more of the lake. If anyone sees an old orange and white tri hull boat ( I think I have named it the "Orange Crush" ) up there give us a wave. Thanks for all the help, Jake.
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Welcome Ross220, good to have you join us. Fish each of the landings in spring. Troll fifty feet off shore for trout and kokanee in about 30 to 40 feet range around 15 to 20 feet down using pop gear or a wedding ring spinner and corn. Fish average about 8 to 16" (rainbows) and 8 to 12 " for kokanee. Ice fishing is great for kokanee most years but very slow this year. Here's a picture from the good old days in 1959, I was three years old and the fish limit was 15 trout then. These were caught in the Big Lost River below the reservoir.
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I don't see the picture? But you got me excited, try again. I like old pictures, I found this one at my Grandma's house. She grew up in Victor and loves to fish. Its an old post card but doesn't have a date on it, obviously before they had limits at all.
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They had limits. I believe it was whatever you could catch +1.[
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Looks like a bunch of whitefish. I wonder how they were planning on cooking them...
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Back then they would seine for whitefish. My wife's family is from there, and got involved in seining somewhat. My mother-in-law would cut the whitefish into chunks and add a little bit of salt and a touch of vinegar, add water, in pint jars, and pressure cook them. It's better than tuna.
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Thanks for the tip DeeCee. Do you use a downrigger or just flatline? I can't see your picture but you have me excited, love seeing pictures from the good old days.
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[blush] Sorry maghunter. I am going to try again with two pictures from Mackay from the good old days. [inline "2nd Icky and Uggy photo.jpg"]
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Ross220 We flatlined about 60 to 75 feet out from the boat. Check my other post on summer fishing at Mackay. I finally got my picture to post. I'm still learning how to post pictures in this forum. Later should have another old time fishing photo from th 1960's.
DeeCee
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Thanks for sharing that wonderful picture. Reminds me of my own early childhood on Moose Creek. I am sure we had limits and didn't keep that many, but thats how I remember it.[laugh]
Windriver
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i have never tried the res. but usualy stop and fish the stream below on my way threw whenever its open if its anything like the stream i should give it a shot
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Ross220 Here's another photo from the 1960's of fish caught from Mackay res. My father Harvey Coffman is on the left side of the photo and his friend in the middle. My father's brother Art Coffman is on the right. The limit was 15 fish then.
I hope the photo attaches. I'll keep trying until I get it right. If I'm lucky I'll attach a second photo of my daughter Emily and my father with Mackay res. in the background taken around the year 2002?
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Great pictures DeeCee! Looks like you have a lot of good fishman in your family. Keep them coming if you have any more.
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Fish it a lot. Look for the boat with the music blaring, beer bottles rolling around on the deck and poles bent in half.
I always see fair size fish right around the dock. If you can get right up into the stream where it comes into the res you can catch some big fish. It's private ground so be respectful.
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