State of Washington Reports 2001
August
10, 2001
Lake Merwin
Shirley and I just returned from a quick trip to Merwin this morning. On the lake at 6:45 and limited (10 fish) by 11:00am. We lost quite a few today and had to keep a couple "smaller fish" because they were hooked too deep. I am attaching photographs which should give you a better idea of the size of these fish. The largest was nearly 17" and the smallest 12". The cooler in one of the pictures has an inside dimension of 18". I hoped to get more photos of the Lake itself, and the Eagles, but the sun was always in our face which makes for lousy pictures! Maybe next time. Still using the single hook with one bead above it, and trolling at between 60 and 70 feet.
This report submitted by
Scott & Shirley
August
5, 2001
Lake Merwin
Took our 9 year old grandson on his first Kokanee trip to Lake Merwin
yesterday. Halfway there I remembered I had forgotten to take my camera.
Almost returned home to get it since I said I would
include pictures with my next report, but it was just too many additional miles!
Arrived on the lake at 8:00 am and had our grandson reeling in his first Kokanee
at 8:10. This was a smaller fish (about 11 inches) and was well hooked, so
his inexperience was not much of a factor. However, from that point on the
inexperience really took hold! Out of the next 6 fish hooked, he was only
able to land one ( a nice 14 incher ). We fished until 1pm (finally chased
off the lake by skiers and jet skis) and kept 9 fish, ranging from 11" to
15". Not a bad day considering the circumstances. Our "new
Kokanee enthusiast" had a ball! Most fish were caught at 55 - 70 feet
on the downriggers. Same tackle as previously reported.
We only caught 3 squawfish so had very few opportunities to "feed the
Eagles". The Seagulls were "quicker to the meals" on this
day. I promise I won't forget my camera on our next trip.
Good Fishing
This report submitted by
Scott & Shirley
July 27, 2001
Lake Merwin
My Wife and I fished Merwin again yesterday (Friday) arriving at the Lake at
7:30am. The first 1-1/2 hours provided only a couple Squawfish, which,
when dispatched, and thrown back, provide one of the most spectacular sights a
fisherman can witness....a bald eagle snatching the fish from the water no more
than
50 feet behind the boat! It's really interesting to watch the competition
between the Eagles, Ospreys and Seagulls for these discarded Squawfish (which,
incidentally, you will catch about every third strike). The Seagulls will
try to swoop in quick and swallow the fish before the Eagles or Ospreys can get
there. If the Seagull sees an Eagle or Osprey coming, they take off
like a scalded dog! The Osprey will give way to the Eagle but will swoop
at him, and "pester the devil" out of him, until the Eagle lands in a
tree. Quite a show!
About 9:30 in the morning the Kokanee bite took off and, by 11:30 we had hooked,
and landed 18 fish, keeping our limit of 5 each, ranging from 14" to
16-1/2". At first, while the sky was still cloudy, and the water
quite choppy, the fish seemed to be running about 40 feet deep. When the
skies cleared, and the lake calmed down, we had to go to 65 to 75 feet deep. We
caught most of the fish at that depth, and, they were larger fish. We
were both fishing with a single #2 red Gamagatsu, Octupus style, hook with a
single "glow", or "deep red" bead above the hook. To the
hook we applied 2 pieces of white corn, soaked in Crawfish Anise sticky liquid
scent. We use 4 lb test for leader at about 24" to 30" long.
My wife uses a 2-bladed Ford Fender and I use a 2-bladed "Jack of
Diamonds" troll. One additional thing we do is dip the end of our
hook (not covered by corn) into a jar of Smelly Jelly Crawfish Anise scent to
get a sort of "small gob" in the crook of the hook
between the corn and the barb. This method has been working great all year
now at Merwin and other lakes.
This report submitted by
Scott & Shirley
July 14, 2001
Lake Merwin
My wife and I have fished Lake Merwin 5 times this year, with the last trip
Saturday, July 14. We have limited out every time with Kokanee ranging
between 14" and 17-1/2". It's primarily a downrigger show, with
the fish running deep at 60 to 70 feet. I have been experimenting with
"bare hook" fishing, using a #2 red Gamagatsu hook on an approximate
24" leader, trolled behind a 2 bladed willow leaf or ford fender
flasher set-up. A dodger should also work. I put 1 bead (varying color)
above the hook. We use 2 pieces of white corn, marinated in Smelly Jelly's
Crawfish Anise liquid, and have been doing great! I used the same
technique at Odell Lake this past weekend and had the same results. Caught
85 Kokanee over a 3 day period. For early morning (before good light)
fishing at Odell, I put a couple of "glow in the dark" beads above the
hook and charged them with a flashlight before letting out. We no more
than got them out and we would have a fish on. Most of our time was spent
re-applying new corn and putting the downriggers back at 45 to 50 feet.
After it got light, a red, or chartreuse bead seemed to work best.
The Odell Koke's are bigger this year, ranging between 12" and 14".
This report submitted by
Scott & Shirley
