First trip to Wallowa

[K-Dub]

Making my first trip next week from Boise, rented a small cabin at the resort for a few days, I have a jet boat with a small kicker and downriggers.
Am hoping maybe some of you with experience on this lake can give me a few pointers so I can have a little success and an enjoyable trip, I am bringing my dad with me.

Thank you

 

[mrmike]

There is allot to learn about Wallowa lake its a Blue Lake colores that work the best red /chartreuse/use willow leaf flashers (Silver) with red spin glow chrome wings (24") leader that's what the locals use. find the thermocline level and your half there/ you can use swing blades with pink purple hoochies/ Kokanee are really keen to smells (oils) on your corn or worms/pre soak night before. Don't be afraid ask the folks there they will help

 

[K-Dub]

Thank you very much for the information

 

[Metal Manipulator]

Stop in at the Sports Corral they will have the bait made up and ready to go. They are very helpful with up to date info on what is working and where to fish.

 

[Al Vose]

Just got back from Wallowa L 6-11-11

Had a good trip the weather was terable!! snow and rain most all week.
managed to get 2nd best on the lake and Oregon 9.5 LB 3rd in world.
27" long 17/14 around.
Also got a 7LB and Three-5LB ers and severall 2&3's and many
14 to 17 "
I used a Sling Blade and W

atermelon colord Hoochie. 18" leader
fishing in 50' of water most fish came at 30' and above.
lots of smolts.at 8" long.
TIGHT LINES TO ALL 101chromefish101

PHOTO AT www.shastatackle.com/fishing_report.cfm

MY EMAIL IS [email protected]

 

[Kokaneegal]

awesomereport WOW Al. Great lookin' fish.

 

[K-Dub]

Wowzer, thank you for the report. Heading that way Wed morning, that is an awesome fish.

 

[Fish Dawg]

Do Tell...

How'd your trip go?

 

[K-Dub]

Home now

First trip went well. We had a great time and caught some fish, nothing of any size and not a big amount, but time on the water is always good.
I was surprised at the amount of traffic on the water during the week, what a beautiful place. I would estimate that there was around 20+ boats, tubes and canoes trolling the zone from the buoys to the turn and up the road side most of the time.
I appreciate all the help as this helped shorten with the learning curve, we used mostly wedding rings and hoochies with maggots, we spoke with the other boats as we passed by and did not hear big numbers from any of them. In fact on Friday if anyone caught anything it was a bonus, if anyone else was there maybe you can chime in on if this was normal or not.

 

[larsencp]

We were there ( Wallowa) 17th thru the 22nd

I'll chime in and express a little frustration...We fished Wallowa for four days straight, probably 10 hours a day from first light to noon or 2 and then lunch and nap and back out for the evening until dusk.The fish we caught ranged in size from 7 inches to the biggest we got was 16 inches. I'd say on average we got one fish between the two of us for every hour fished. There were long stretches with nothing then a bit of a bite and then long nothings. We saw a ton of fish on the graph from the surface all the way down at different times. We caught fish on the surface down 10, 20, 30, 40, 80, it was difficult to target them because they seemed to be spread out .We also talked to two really nice fellows from Nevada that had been there almost a week when we arrived and they had determined the best course of action was 10 to 15 feet down off the clip or trolling the gang flashers on the surface as the locals prescribe.I put the pop gear away about fifteen years ago so I went with the shallow clip and dodgers and various lures.My hand tied spinners that we've used on american along the lines that the boathouse sold years ago seemed to work as well as anything. The Nevada boys were using squids in orange and having a certain amount of success.Nice lake, tough fishing!

 

[mrmike]

larencp CHAULK IT UP TO EXPERIENCE. That kokanee fishing/ The first time I fish the lake everything I new didn't work we fished for 3 hrs not a touch went inside to the tackle shop/Yea you need Willow Leaf Flasher with a RED/SILVER WING spin glow.(never used a willow leaf ever) we were'nt back in the water 5 minutes fish on. I Learned to ask FOR HELP AFTER THAT WE HAD A GREAT TIME ON THE LAKE. Just recently I fished another lake nothing worked brass flasher or/Silver Flasher. I went to half/Silver/Half Brass Bingo fish on that what make these fish so challenging

 

[larsencp]

True enough

Yes , I did lose sight of the reality of the fishery. I am so spoiled at our local fishery after fishing it for 30 years and limiting out in two to three hours every time we go that I forgot how challenging these fish can be.Between Ron and Al's 9 + lb'ers, that were supposedly caught on dodgers and squids, I was confident that if they could do it , I could do it, and it just wasn't happening.I should have been more flexible and tried the local flavor , put out the steelhead rod and bit the bullet I guess. As you say mrmike, it's a lesson learned and a little crow to choke down as well....worthy12

 

[sawdustsavage]

What size spin glows do you use?

 

[larsencp]

spin n' glows

I'm sorry I don't know the size but they sell them at the marina store there.Probably 1/2 or 3/4 inch in flame and black with chrome wings.They also sell the gang trolls and they are hammered willow leaf blades in nickel and brass combinations.