A true quality fishery 3/22 - 3/23/2023

[Starman77]

On Wednesday and Thursday I went to this spectacularly scenic lake in central WA to give it a try. The planting rate was reduced by half several years ago, and although that means that there are fewer fish, those fish have more food and thus are fatter and stronger fish. I had a tough time finding fish, but each day I lucked into finding a small school of fish that provided some good action.



(This chart above covers totals from both days of fishing, about 14 hours of fishing altogether. Reminder that I measure from the tip of the nose to the fork in the tail (not the end of the tail as most do), so your fish sizes may be slightly larger).

Almost all the fish fought very well, especially the 17 to 20 inchers. Here are a couple of examples so you can see the nice girth on these fish:





The water temperature was nice at 47 to 50 degrees, with excellent visibility of around 16 feet and no algae bloom. When the water was calm and I looked down into the water while on shore, I could often see some fish swimming around.

There were about 8 or 9 fly fishers on the lake on Wednesday, but on Thursday there was just one shore fly fisher who only fished for about 15 minutes, so I essentially had the lake to myself that day.

Although most of the fish I hooked were on various leech patterns, I don't think the specific fly pattern matters all that much. Getting the fly down so that it is brushing the tops of the weeds on the bottom is much more important than the specific fly pattern one is using.

Aside from the marginal parking area and almost non-existent launch, I feel this lake is currently a true quality fishery, one to which I would be happy to introduce to my out of state friends to fish.

Rex

 

[Irafly]

Although I love this lake, I’m not a fan of the low density effort. But I get that this is just me.

 

[Wanative]

Thanks for the report Rex.
I get to sample it in about 10 days hopefully.

 

[Pez Vela]

I love that lake...! Hooked one fish I never slowed down... into the backing when it came undone. (I still grieve) I'm a little curious on why they dumped 6,400 fingerling in there last year. I'll ask Mike next time we talk.

 

[skyrise]

Is it just me but checking the planting chart it seems they are stocking more fry this year ?

 

[Wanative]

Is it just me but checking the planting chart it seems they are stocking more fry this year ?

That's good. Makes for a more robust adult fish...I think.

 

[Starman77]

Although I love this lake, I’m not a fan of the low density effort. But I get that this is just me.

Just curious why you're not a fan of the low density planting effort? Just at this lake or at other lakes too? It seems to have turned this lake around from a mediocre lake back to a true quality lake again. There are other lakes that have a high density planting, but that seems to result in smaller, thinner fish that don't fight as hard. It is the old quantity versus quality dichotomy. I prefer quality over quantity myself, but I can understand that others would prefer quantity over quality. I am always pushing for cutting back on the planting numbers at most lakes I fish.

 

[Starman77]

Here are the planting statistics for this lake for the past 10 years:



I sent an e-mail to Mike Schmuck asking him about the increase to 6,400 rainbow fry in 2021 and 2022.

 

[Buzzy]

Just curious why you're not a fan of the low density planting effort? Just at this lake or at other lakes too? It seems to have turned this lake around from a mediocre lake back to a true quality lake again. There are other lakes that have a high density planting, but that seems to result in smaller, thinner fish that don't fight as hard. It is the old quantity versus quality dichotomy. I prefer quality over quantity myself, but I can understand that others would prefer quantity over quality. I am always pushing for cutting back on the planting numbers at most lakes I fish.

I'm with you, Rex, I like the quality and brutishness that we've been seeing the past several years. I like what this secret lake is like these days. I don't know if it's possible for Lenice and Nunnally to ever be like they used to be with some of the truly big trout that used to be available. They seem to be more of a quantity fishery.

 

[Irafly]

Just curious why you're not a fan of the low density planting effort? Just at this lake or at other lakes too? It seems to have turned this lake around from a mediocre lake back to a true quality lake again. There are other lakes that have a high density planting, but that seems to result in smaller, thinner fish that don't fight as hard. It is the old quantity versus quality dichotomy. I prefer quality over quantity myself, but I can understand that others would prefer quantity over quality. I am always pushing for cutting back on the planting numbers at most lakes I fish.

Thus the reason I said that I get that it is just me.

I remember both at this lake. A nice healthy balance of some big fish, but enough 15”-16” fish plus some 12” fish to keep things fun. Except for one year where the stocking took into account the dried up side acreage, I never once ran into what I would call skinny fish. A 14” fish at this lake always fought harder than other lakes.

Now the fish I land are bigger/thicker, but the trade off in numbers is not worth it to me, because I don’t really see the increase in overall fight.

I as most people know, am a huge fan of catching fish, I’m a numbers guy

 

[Peach]

Here are the planting statistics for this lake for the past 10 years:

View attachment 59177

I sent an e-mail to Mike Schmuck asking him about the increase to 6,400 rainbow fry in 2021 and 2022.

What size of fish are these stockings? Assuming from the discussion this is the amount of fingerlings being stocked and not the standard 8 inch "legals" (I think that is what WDFW and other FWD call that class size). I ask because I don't know what the standard size is when WDFW stock this lake. Is it always fingerlings or do they mix it up a bit with "legals" and what they call "trophy" size (12 inch plus)?

My opinion, the best fighting stillwater fish are Rainbows that are either wild or stocked as fingerlings in high desert lakes with plenty of food and grow to become chunky 16 inch plus size. Fun, Fun, Fun!

BTW just to answer the question of reduced stocking vs quantity - I agree with Irafly a bit - seems like in the 2017/2018 season we had both, caught more fish - lots in the 12 to 14 inch range but still healthy but then periodically still get plenty of 16 inch+ fish with a few 18-20 inch thrown in there. But my sample size isn't great, I hit that lake maybe once a year, if that and haven't been there since 2019. The water level seems higher now than it was back then - it was really low then. Great to see!

Peach

 

[Starman77]

What size of fish are these stockings? Assuming from the discussion this is the amount of fingerlings being stocked and not the standard 8 inch "legals" (I think that is what WDFW and other FWD call that class size). I ask because I don't know what the standard size is when WDFW stock this lake. Is it always fingerlings or do they mix it up a bit with "legals" and what they call "trophy" size (12 inch plus)?

My opinion, the best fighting stillwater fish are Rainbows that are either wild or stocked as fingerlings in high desert lakes with plenty of food and grow to become chunky 16 inch plus size. Fun, Fun, Fun!

BTW just to answer the question of reduced stocking vs quantity - I agree with Irafly a bit - seems like in the 2017/2018 season we had both, caught more fish - lots in the 12 to 14 inch range but still healthy but then periodically still get plenty of 16 inch+ fish with a few 18-20 inch thrown in there. But my sample size isn't great, I hit that lake maybe once a year, if that and haven't been there since 2019. The water level seems higher now than it was back then - it was really low then. Great to see!

Peach

The size of the fish that are planted in this lake are almost always fingerlings, certainly in recent memory.

 

[Starman77]

Just received an e-mail from Mike Schmuck, the fisheries biologist in charge of this lake, and he said that the increased planting rate of 6,400 rainbow fry in 2021 and 2022 was a mistake and the rainbow fry plants will remain at 4,500 going forward. So, @Irafly and @Peach will get to see how the fishing changes in the next couple of years as a result of the increased numbers.

 

[troutpocket]

I like the low density strategy. Variety is good. Keeps the riff raff away

 

[Peach]

There has been a decrease of fisher folks for that lake in the recent years, which is a good thing, I think .

Peach

 

[Billy]

It can kick your ass. Lot of guys don't like that. I do. Risk and reward. This was last year. This year the lake is up 1-0

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

Here are the planting statistics for this lake for the past 10 years:

View attachment 59177

I sent an e-mail to Mike Schmuck asking him about the increase to 6,400 rainbow fry in 2021 and 2022.

Is WDFW done w/ Browns and tigers there now? Looking like just bows are getting stocked this year.

 

[justahack]

Stunning photos @Starman77 Not the fish. The setting. Dang. I could spend all day there for a few.

 

[Starman77]

Is WDFW done w/ Browns and tigers there now? Looking like just bows are getting stocked this year.

Mike Schmuck says that brown fry will still be planted in this lake, but he is discontinuing the planting of the Tiger trout fry.

 

[Starman77]

Stunning photos @Starman77 Not the fish. The setting. Dang. I could spend all day there for a few.

Thanks! It is easy to take good photos when the scenery is so spectacular. I did get a little lucky to have calm waters when taking the photos, and staying late helps get that warm, sunset coloration on the basalt cliffs. Even some of my BC fishing friends want to come down to fish this lake, mainly for the scenery. They have lots of beautiful lakes up there, but nothing that looks quite like this one. Here's another photo from that day: