Could hardly ask for a nicer, autumn day for fishing a central WA seep lake on Friday... Sunny conditions with highs around 65 degrees and calm to very light winds. I'm sure you'll recognize this lake from the sunset photo above, if you've been there. The major negative was having to deal with the numerous mosquitos at sunset.
The water temperature ranged from 54 to 56 degrees with about 10 feet of visibility. The water level was very low, as low as I've ever seen it, a common theme with almost all of our seep lakes these days. No insect hatches of significance were seen. Relatively few fish were rising; most rising fish were seen after sunset and of course, after I had packed up to hike out. Even though this was my 36th outing to this lake and you'd think I'd have it all figured out, fishing was slow; I hooked fish on a water boatman pattern, although admittedly, I only saw 2 water boatmen hit the water. The other 2 guys there reported catching fish on leeches and Boobies. Based on the number of fish rises and what I was marking on my fish finder and the number of fish I was hooking, it seemed to me that the number of fish in the lake were fewer than usual, but of course, it is difficult to know that for certain.
All the measurements I take are with the Measure Net to reduce handling. The length is measured from the tip of the nose to the fork in the tail, whereas most fishermen measure from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail.
All the fish landed were released, so I don't know what the fish were eating. All the fish fought decently, but I'd say most were on the thinner side, not chunky like the fish from another lake I posted on about a month ago. All the fish were rainbows and no Chinook were seen; this lake used to be planted with browns and Tigers, but not any longer.
Wildlife sightings: At the lake I saw or heard Snow Geese, Cackling Geese, Canada Geese, Sandhill Cranes, Red-tailed Hawks, Red-winged Blackbirds, Western Meadowlarks, Mourning Doves, Crows, Ravens, a Northern Harrier, Mallards, Buffleheads, White-crowned Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Robins, Northern Flickers, Marsh Wrens, Rock Wrens, California Quail, Ring-necked Pheasants, Turtles, Toads, a Coyote and Beavers. The Merlin app identified by sound the following, but I could not confirm: Dark-eyed Juncos, Horned Larks, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black Phoebe, Savannah Sparrows, American Pipit, Ring-billed Gull, Gadwall, Tundra Swan and Greater White-fronted Goose. On the drive I saw lots of Coots on the Columbia River, Red-tailed Hawks, 2 Raptors, a Northern Harrier, American Kestrels, Brewer’s Blackbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Starlings, Crows, Ravens, Pigeons and Mourning Doves. Also saw 6 Deer along the Yakima River near Ellensburg.
Wildflower sightings: The wildflowers are pretty much done, although at the lake and along the drive there is still some Rabbitbrush blooming, along with Pearly Everlasting, California Poppies, White Sweet Clover and Red-stemmed Storksbill (see photo below):
Anyway, hope you can get out and enjoy some of the nice autumn weather we're having before it gets too cold.
Tight lines!
Rex