Yale "2015"

[plugs]

I 1st headed to Merwin but when I pulled in there were 4 waiting in line to putin. So I said naw and headed to Yale. Got there and I was the only one on the lake while I was there. I made my usual loop that just about always yields 5 or 6 fish but only got 1 bite and fish in the boat. My jaw about dropped I caught a 12 incher in January. Hell I'd be thrilled to get a 12 incher in August out of Yale. Anyway I fished 2 more hours without a single shake of the rod and headed home to catch the 2nd half of the playoffs. Water temps were at 39 and 5 mph wind. Should have just stayed at Merwin from what I've been hearing on reports.

 

[Mudinchev]

Here is some useful information as the water levels drop

http://tdn.com/lifestyles/drought-t...cle_54e7c7f6-f7e8-5f79-b3e2-dc3721429644.html

ARIEL — The drought is putting a squeeze on PacifiCorp, as the utility juggles competing uses for the streamflow of the North Fork of the Lewis River.

The snowpack in the drainage is only 10 percent to 20 percent of normal, according to Frank Shrier, principal scientist for PacifiCorp, at May’s meeting of the Lewis River Aquatic Coordination Committee.

“We’re looking at really poor conditions unless we get a cool, wet summer,’’ he said. “By July, the inflows are only expected to be 650 cubic feet per second.’’

PacifiCorp has to balance between:

Keeping winter steelhead spawning nests downstream of Merwin Dam covered until the young fish emerge from the gravel in mid-July.
Having enough streamflow for the big population of wild fall chinook to spawn during autumn.
Keeping enough water in Merwin, Yale and Swift reservoirs to keep at least one boat ramp functional.

The federal license calls for a minimum flow of 2,700 cubic feet per second at Merwin Dam through June 30.

However, the Lewis River Flow Coordination Committee and Washington Department of Ecology agreed in April to reduce the flow at Merwin to 2,300 cubic feet per second.

The committee includes NOAA Fisheries, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife among others.

“The (dam) operators have asked to drop flows even more and we’ve said ‘no,’’’ Shrier said. “Those steelhead redds barely have enough water now…We can’t drop the flows until the steelhead are done.’’

Merwin Reservoir is 9 feet below full pool. Yale Reservoir is down 10 feet. Swift Reservoir is within 2 feet of full.

“The reservoirs are dropping and will continue to drop,’’ Shrier said. “We’re losing about half a foot a day in the reservoirs.’’

There’s about 20 to 25 feet of drawdown left between the three reservoirs before boat launching will not be possible on at least one of them.

The boat ramp at Swift Forest Camp is usable to about 25 feet below full pool.

Yale Reservoir has four ramps. Yale Park can be used as low as 21 feet below full pool. Saddle Dam is dry at 15 feet below full pool.

Merwin Reservoir has two public ramps. Speelyai Bay can be used as low as 25.6 feet down. Cresap Bay can be used at 29.6 feet below full pool, but there are times of the year when the park must be closed due to overwintering of elk or elk calving season.

But the most valuable of the resources of the North Lewis may be neither the wild steelhead nor summer boating and fishing.

The North Fork of the Lewis River is home of the largest population of wild-spawning fall chinook salmon in the lower Columbia basin.

In 2014, 25,800 wild spawning fall chinook returned to lower Columbia tributaries, with the majority in the Lewis downstream of Merwin Dam.

The forecast for 2015 is 19,300.

Without sufficient flows in the fall, the area for those fish to spawn is reduced.

The settlement agreement for the North Fork of the Lewis River hydroelectric dams requires 2,500 cubic feet per second from Oct. 16-31, then 4,200 cubic feet per second in November and the first half of December.

“I’m still hoping for the historic pattern where we have a cool, wet summer with El Nino,’’ Shrier said. “But if we keep going at this rate we could dry up all the ramps unless we can get some relief on the minimum flows. This drought is possibly a far different condition than the normal patterns we see.’’

 

[kokaguy1]

Fished Yale Saturday the 30th and the fishing was fantastic both the wife and I limited out found, fish were at the surface down to about 30 feet, bigger ones seemed to a bit deeper. Going outing in at 6am out at noon. they seemed to really like the lake trolls and char/pink spinners and of course tune corn.

 

[Jdbro]

I fished it on mon the 1st and found the same thing 3 limits by 11 am. We used dodgers and hoochies with corn soaked in tuna oil. 2 ounces and about 70ft back did well for us. Downrigger at 25 ft did good. Had triples and quads, pretty crazy at times!

 

[plugs]

Fathers Day

Never had to work so hard to catch fish at Yale before but scratched out Fathers Day eats for the BBQ

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[Jdbro]

Never had to work so hard to catch fish at Yale before but scratched out Fathers Day eats for the BBQ

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Hit merwin today started at 8:30 finished about 11:30.ended up with 17 and lost a bunch. I used dodgers and pink hoochies. 35 to 40ft on the DR seemed to be best. I soak my corn in tuna oil. I launched at Yale park and I best over between the houses and the point that is showing now that the water is so low.

 

[Jdbro]

Hit merwin today started at 8:30 finished about 11:30.ended up with 17 and lost a bunch. I used dodgers and pink hoochies. 35 to 40ft on the DR seemed to be best. I soak my corn in tuna oil. I launched at Yale park and I best over between the houses and the point that is showing now that the water is so low.

I meant Yale. All the fish were between 10 and 12inches.

 

[Jdbro]

I meant Yale. All the fish were between 10 and 12inches.

I took the grandkids for a little afternoon kokanee fishing. We started about 2 and fished for 2 hrs. We put 11 in the cooler. Dodgers and pink hoochies at 35 to38ft on the DR. I motored past the houses and fished back towards the boat launch. Corn soaked in tuna oil.

 

[MackPrince]

I had a white-capping, smoke filled lake to myself this morning, but the bite was on. Running a single line I went 7 of 9 in two hours. The wind was strong enough to push me downstream at 1-2 mph on the gps using the motor to keep the bow pointed away from shore. Kokanee Creek dodgers and spinners did all the work.

 

[STLHDR]

Going to be introduced to Yale this Sunday with an open seat from another forum. Will come back with a report.

 

[Hawgon]

Please do. Taking my dad there for the first time late next week.

 

[Jdbro]

Any report on how you did?

 

[Ed J]

Went out on 9/6 weather was a little wet to say the least. I believe the water temp was around 66 (not positive) wind was calm and the best part was we had the lake to ourselves.
It took a little while to find any fish on the ff they really moved quite a bit from a couple weeks before.
We were able to end the 3/4 day with 12 kokanees nothing to brag about but most were about 10 - 12 inches they were hanging out between 35 and 50 feet they were hitting on a pink wedding ring with a 4 in. green dodger with a kernel or two of sweet corn soaked in some sea salt water and tuna oil or a pink hoochie trolling at 1.5 -1.8 mph with downriggers. for being a holiday weekend it was just beautiful not putting up with any wakes from other boats.

On a side note I am a new guy here I am about a 15 min drive with the boat from merwin and yale.
I hope to hear from others from this part of the woods.

 

[Hawgon]

Got 17 on Friday and 23 on Saturday fishing about 5 hours each day. Threw a couple dark ones back but most are still bright.

 

[Lomi]

Nice, Ed J and Hawgon! Was up there on the 3rd and then again on the 6th. Limited on the first trip, but really had to work to put another 10 or so in the box on the second. Hoping I'll have my downrigger mounting project done in enough time to still find some brighter fish.

Ed J, I wish I was as close as you are. I'm just glad I'm as close as I am, even at around a 45 minute drive.

 

[Ed J]

Got lucky to get out to Yale lake yesterday.
Started the am about 7 and left about 1 pm. The first 3 hours were a test because of the wind blowing the way it was but we kept at it and it died down between teaching a new person on the use of the down rigger and the chambers release we didn't put many fish in the livewell but after the wind died down things started to fall in place and the fish started getting brought in, we ended up with 14 fish ( a couple silvers a few starting to change an a couple red ).
all in all it was a a enjoyable day.

 

[kokaguy1]

Nice job! How were the water levels at Yale in regard to launching the boat?

 

[Ed J]

Nice job! How were the water levels at Yale in regard to launching the boat?

we went out at yale park and the launch was ok you just had to use the center part of the ramp, the two outside ones were short

 

[kokaguy1]

thanks I may head up on Friday one last time.

 

[Ed J]

thanks I may head up on Friday one last time.

hope you were able to make it and had some good luck too.