Intel for Chopaka

[dep]

Had a friend drive to the lake last night and he said that all the campsites are taken and the few people he talked with this morning said that fishing is slow. also that the lake is down about 4 feet. and it was windy.
sounds a little too early.
for what it's worth.

dp

 

[Buzzy]

Had a friend drive to the lake last night and he said that all the campsites are taken and the few people he talked with this morning said that fishing is slow. also that the lake is down about 4 feet. and it was windy.
sounds a little too early.
for what it's worth.

dp

My report is second hand: Friday I was fishing a lake near Tonasket and chatted up another angler who'd just come down the hill from Chopaka. He said he had a glory day and two slow days and several of the guys from his fly club had similar experiences. Go to Chopaka and wet a line.

 

[Dave Boyle]

anyone reporting tigers caught? i notice fry were planted in 2022 and i wonder what the strategy was with that. it seems like a fishery you wouldn't mess with by introducing an aggressive piscavore where there have otherwise only been rainbow fry planted for the last 7 years. maybe they're hoping to increase the average size of the bows?

I've never caught one nor heard of it and I've fished it annually since then. Current fishing is slow for my on site reporter but the fish are of good size and fitness. I'm loving the fact that the temps are relatively on point with the seasonal average for this time of yr. The last couple of yrs I was there, we had some ridiculous blue sky days where it was in the 80s. TBH I'm hoping for cold(ish) and rainy to keep the flies on the water for longer if the mayfly do come off. Hot, windy weather dries their wings in an instant and they're off the water so the fish don't look for them as much as when they are stuck waiting to fly off the surface. I'm sure 'mids, mayfly, and small damsel nymphs will be the ticket too.

Dave

 

[Dave Boyle]

Very small mids in sz 18 - 20, black or olive, seem to be good and down 10 - 20+. No news on mayflies, buds have to work for fish. I’m off on Sat for a week or so

Dave

 

[Roper]

Lowland lakes in the area are hit and miss. Not big numbers, but the occasional pig.

 

[Tim L]

Lowland lakes in the area are hit and miss. Not big numbers, but the occasional pig.

View attachment 153373

Thought I had retired. Turns out, only to become Mooney's official photographer

 

[_WW_]

When I retired I just switched to doing things around the house that I used to get paid to do on other people's homes.

 

[Dave Boyle]

To dbakenize things, sorry dude there may be flies there. Almost ready re getting my stuff together with 90% of the list checked off and truck gassed to the brim at Costco today and water tanks filled. Ice to come tomorrow night. Emergency calls for tying up the ‘hot’ flies fulfillled…Can’t wait…one more day

Dave

 

[Dave Boyle]

When I retired I just switched to doing things around the house that I used to get paid to do on other people's homes.

Having seen the work of art that is the creation of your new fishing rig, I wish I had a local contractor with your skills and eye for detail.

Dave

 

[_WW_]

Having seen the work of art that is the creation of your new fishing rig, I wish I had a local contractor with your skills and eye for detail.

Dave

That is still a work in progress. Added a CO/propane detector this week. It's ready to camp in as is, but I'm sure that as I use it I'll be tinkering with it constantly. Some areas have been left unfinished around the edges to help with future modifications.

 

[Scott Salzer]

There a lot of much better options in the area, in my opinion. Chopaka has had better days. Plus, camping spots have been iffy for years. It always bothered me about the big rigs up on the hill.

 

[Dave Boyle]

There a lot of much better options in the area, in my opinion. Chopaka has had better days. Plus, camping spots have been iffy for years. It always bothered me about the big rigs up on the hill but I am for now. Beholden to fishing buddies for whom it’s a ritual. It’s fun for tgem and

I agree but for my fishing buds this is their place from when it was perhaps great, really over 30+ yrs as a pilgrimage of sorts so I follow along. They are wonderful friends. Their camp setup/running has set me in good stead for when I can’t fish with them.

While really good fishing is the bomb and we all want it, being able to fish and then hang out around the fire with friends that I may not be able to fish with in 5 or so yrs is very precious to me.

When I retire I want to fish those other E Wa lakes and BC for sure and I have good friend who I’ll likely do that with but for now I’m cool with just being there with them..

Kitchen sink is in there too…somewhere

Dave