Causey yak fishing 6/27

[JArner]

Went up to Causey and got on the water with all the crazies around 1:30pm Sunday. Wife and her friends wanted to paddle board. I took a light kayak, one rod and a few bits of Kokanee tackle. Found some willing fish in a couple of spots and managed to coax a few into the yak. Had many strikes and some long releases with a couple of aerial displays. It was fun casual fishing, and kept us out in the water till dusk. As we were loading up a DWR officer stopped by and asked if I’d had any luck. Showed him the 3 I kept and he said they were decent compared to the usual 8-10” he sees. I didn’t measure any of them. Also came across some small fluff balls near the waters edge, the mamma was unhappy with my photo shoot and came by to tuck them under her wings. 

[wiperhunter2]

Went up to Causey and got on the water with all the crazies around 1:30pm Sunday. Wife and her friends wanted to paddle board. I took a light kayak, one rod and a few bits of Kokanee tackle. Found some willing fish in a couple of spots and managed to coax a few into the yak. Had many strikes and some long releases with a couple of aerial displays. It was fun casual fishing, and kept us out in the water till dusk. As we were loading up a DWR officer stopped by and asked if I’d had any luck. Showed him the 3 I kept and he said they were decent compared to the usual 8-10” he sees. I didn’t measure any of them. Also came across some small fluff balls near the waters edge, the mamma was unhappy with my photo shoot and came by to tuck them under her wings. 

Nice report, I use to love fishing that lake back in the day. We had a small 12' aluminum boat that we use to drag down the face of the dam, it took about three trips up and down to get all our tackle, motor and stuff, that was the easy part, hauling it back up was the hard part but it wasn't too bad unless the lake was really low. Hard to tell from your pics but the lake looks to be at least 10 ft low but likely more. How deep were you fishing and what method were you using to get down to the fish?

[JArner]

Nice report, I use to love fishing that lake back in the day. We had a small 12' aluminum boat that we use to drag down the face of the dam, it took about three trips up and down to get all our tackle, motor and stuff, that was the easy part, hauling it back up was the hard part but it wasn't too bad unless the lake was really low. Hard to tell from your pics but the lake looks to be at least 10 ft low but likely more. How deep were you fishing and what method were you using to get down to the fish?

It's been steadily dropping, but still not as low as I've seen in the past. I'd say you're pretty close with the 10', but maybe closer to 15' low. I had on a 2oz slip weight to get down into the 15'-25' range. I didn't have a good way to regulate so mostly went by feel, caught bottom several times. The weight was 18" above a dodger to a 6-8" leader on a pink/purple micro squid tipped with gulp maggots. Didn't have corn with me or anything pink to tip the hooks with, but didn't seem to matter.

That hike back up the hill with gear is the reason I didn't take my fishing kayak and all my normal setup, just too much work especially when you can't get a good parking spot.

[wiperhunter2]

Nice report, I use to love fishing that lake back in the day. We had a small 12' aluminum boat that we use to drag down the face of the dam, it took about three trips up and down to get all our tackle, motor and stuff, that was the easy part, hauling it back up was the hard part but it wasn't too bad unless the lake was really low. Hard to tell from your pics but the lake looks to be at least 10 ft low but likely more. How deep were you fishing and what method were you using to get down to the fish?

It's been steadily dropping, but still not as low as I've seen in the past. I'd say you're pretty close with the 10', but maybe closer to 15' low. I had on a 2oz slip weight to get down into the 15'-25' range. I didn't have a good way to regulate so mostly went by feel, caught bottom several times. The weight was 18" above a dodger to a 6-8" leader on a pink/purple micro squid tipped with gulp maggots. Didn't have corn with me or anything pink to tip the hooks with, but didn't seem to matter.

That hike back up the hill with gear is the reason I didn't take my fishing kayak and all my normal setup, just too much work especially when you can't get a good parking spot.

You did good, from the sounds of it you did not even have a fish finder. so that makes it even tougher. Did you catch any other fish besides the kokes?

[JArner]

Nice report, I use to love fishing that lake back in the day. We had a small 12' aluminum boat that we use to drag down the face of the dam, it took about three trips up and down to get all our tackle, motor and stuff, that was the easy part, hauling it back up was the hard part but it wasn't too bad unless the lake was really low. Hard to tell from your pics but the lake looks to be at least 10 ft low but likely more. How deep were you fishing and what method were you using to get down to the fish?

It's been steadily dropping, but still not as low as I've seen in the past. I'd say you're pretty close with the 10', but maybe closer to 15' low. I had on a 2oz slip weight to get down into the 15'-25' range. I didn't have a good way to regulate so mostly went by feel, caught bottom several times. The weight was 18" above a dodger to a 6-8" leader on a pink/purple micro squid tipped with gulp maggots. Didn't have corn with me or anything pink to tip the hooks with, but didn't seem to matter.

That hike back up the hill with gear is the reason I didn't take my fishing kayak and all my normal setup, just too much work especially when you can't get a good parking spot.

You did good, from the sounds of it you did not even have a fish finder. so that makes it even tougher. Did you catch any other fish besides the kokes?

No other fish, which was a bit surprising considering all the bows we saw feeding on the surface. And no fish finder made it more difficult to figure out, but once I got a bite I could circle the area and usually entice a few more. I did try a couple of different lures in the slower sections, but the guy I saw catching down that arm was soaking a worm on the bottom.

[wiperhunter2]

Nice report, I use to love fishing that lake back in the day. We had a small 12' aluminum boat that we use to drag down the face of the dam, it took about three trips up and down to get all our tackle, motor and stuff, that was the easy part, hauling it back up was the hard part but it wasn't too bad unless the lake was really low. Hard to tell from your pics but the lake looks to be at least 10 ft low but likely more. How deep were you fishing and what method were you using to get down to the fish?

It's been steadily dropping, but still not as low as I've seen in the past. I'd say you're pretty close with the 10', but maybe closer to 15' low. I had on a 2oz slip weight to get down into the 15'-25' range. I didn't have a good way to regulate so mostly went by feel, caught bottom several times. The weight was 18" above a dodger to a 6-8" leader on a pink/purple micro squid tipped with gulp maggots. Didn't have corn with me or anything pink to tip the hooks with, but didn't seem to matter.

That hike back up the hill with gear is the reason I didn't take my fishing kayak and all my normal setup, just too much work especially when you can't get a good parking spot.

You did good, from the sounds of it you did not even have a fish finder. so that makes it even tougher. Did you catch any other fish besides the kokes?

No other fish, which was a bit surprising considering all the bows we saw feeding on the surface. And no fish finder made it more difficult to figure out, but once I got a bite I could circle the area and usually entice a few more.  I did try a couple of different lures in the slower sections, but the guy I saw catching down that arm was soaking a worm on the bottom.

Back in the day before the kokes were put in Causey, we use to fish that back section all the time and mainly fished the bottom with worms. We would camp back there and people would line both sides of the right inlet and cast toward the center, wasn't uncommon to catch browns up to 5 lbs and cutts up to 4 lb. That was back when there was an opening day of fishing.

[Jig-fisher]

Nice catch Jim.  Fun to put some kokes on the line.  I wish there was a primitive launch there, or at least some way to get a small boat on the water.  I've carried small boats and canoes to the water and always hated the hike out.  Nice report and pictures.

[JArner]

Nice catch Jim.  Fun to put some kokes on the line.  I wish there was a primitive launch there, or at least some way to get a small boat on the water.  I've carried small boats and canoes to the water and always hated the hike out.  Nice report and pictures.

I wish there was an easier way as well. My plan if I ever take the fishing kayak is to try that south end near the Causey Estates, it's a longer trip but with a trolling motor it shouldn't be too bad. The parking situation is still not ideal at that location, but my wheels should get me to the waters edge.