I made a few trips to the middle net pens last week.  We had very good success, limiting on most days.  My last trip was on Sunday and fishing was tough.  I am glad we had two heaters along.  It was darn cold on the bank on Rufus Woods Reservoir. 

My brother Lane wanted to get a bunch of us together to go fishing while his daughter Sophie was home for Christmas break from college.  We talked about several options, and I suggested that we go to Rufus Woods.  I had made three trips to Rufus and had limited every time, except once.  Last Thursday we left one short of our limits but had seven nice fish in the cooler.  Lane, his daughter Sophie, along with Ron and Trey Holiday met me in Wenatchee and we made the drive up to the middle net pens last Sunday.  I wanted to get there early so we could get a good spot on the bank here, and was happy to see there was no one there, and just one boat had launched.  People must have known something I didn’t about the fishing.  Although we had one fish on the stringer 15 minutes after setting up our rods, it turned out to be the only fish we got.  It was really cold, and the current wasn’t running as hard as it was on previous trips.  I will add the full moon to my excuses for our poor luck.  Still, we had a great time. This week’s photo is of my fishing buddy Keith Hiatt, from our trip to Rufus Woods last Thursday.

My friend James Lebow needed a couple more triploids to fill his smoker, so we made another trip to the middle net pens last Thursday.  Along with us this time was Keith Hiatt from Leavenworth and Michael Erickson from Moses Lake.  We unloaded the gear at the boat ramp, and I went to park the truck.  By the time I got back they already had two fish on the stringer.  We were using a variety of different colors of Power Bait, to see what the fish wanted.  We learned that the bright green was the best, and we did get some fish on the tan with glitter and an orange, yellow and red mix.  We had the beach near the ramp all to ourselves and the water was down enough to allow us to spread out up the beach.  The bite was pretty good for the first hour of the day, and then it slowed down.  We had five by 10 a.m. and seven by 11a.m.  We decided to call it quits at noon whether we had our limits or not, and we finished the day with seven fish.  They ranged in size from 2 to 6 pounds.  

I just sent out the Winter issue of the Fishing Magician E-Letter, and I have received some great complements on it.  Featured in this issue is the terrific winter fishing for big rainbow on Rufus Woods Reservoir and the giant kokanee on Lake Roosevelt.  I also have a Top Prospects list for the winter season, and this time I added a Top Ice Fishing Prospects list, too.  If you would like to receive a free copy of the E-Letter to go my web site: www.fishingmagician.com and click on the free E-Letter at the top left of the home page.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) invites the public to complete a short online survey about recreation at the Methow Wildlife Area in Okanogan County. Find the link on the WDFW web site to provide feedback. WDFW will use the survey to gather public input over the next year to inform planning and management. 

The Methow Valley has long been a recreation destination for those living in north-central Washington and for visitors from around the world. Whether people enjoy big game hunting, cross-country skiing, birding, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, snowshoeing, or walking their dog, the Methow Wildlife Area offers a unique experience for all. 

“We want to better understand people’s recreation interests and how they enjoy public lands at the Methow Wildlife Area,” said Brandon Troyer, Methow Wildlife Area Manager for WDFW. “Survey responses will help us develop a new wildlife area management plan that is informed by the public’s interests and needs.” 

The Methow Wildlife Area is in the Methow River watershed and spans approximately 34,600 acres of land separated into seven units. The area consists of diverse habitats, including shrubsteppe, grasslands, and dry coniferous ponderosa pine forests. WDFW manages these lands to maintain important migration corridors and habitat for the Methow Valley’s mule deer herds. Protecting these corridors also benefits other wildlife, including songbirds, small mammals, and salmon.

WDFW will start the process to develop a new Methow Wildlife Area Management Plan in early 2022. The current management plan is available on WDFW’s website. 

“The Methow Wildlife Area planning will pilot a new process that maps recreation uses and locates them where most compatible with conservation goals,” said Lauri Vigue, environmental planner with WDFW. Vigue said the Department is increasing its focus on managing recreation across the state. A new 10-year statewide recreation strategy for WDFW-managed lands will be released for public comment in early 2022. The new recreation strategy will aim to improve visitor access and nature-based recreation experiences while increasing protections for habitat, fish, and wildlife. 

WDFW manages more than a million acres of land and hundreds of water access areas throughout the state. By actively managing lands, restoring habitats, and preserving wild places, the Department serves as stewards for Washington’s natural places, protecting the state’s land and water for its human and wildlife populations.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will implement annual winter closures for sections of the Oak Creek, L.T. Murray, and Wenas wildlife areas starting last week through 6 a.m. on May 1 to protect wintering elk from disturbance.  During winter and spring, elk are concentrated in large numbers near winter feed sites and on their winter range. Human disturbance can cause unnecessary stress on elk during their winter recovery period, which can result in increased damage to neighboring agricultural areas and costly repairs to elk fencing. 

I am going to give Rufus a rest for a while, and may try shore fishing on Lake Roosevelt at Keller.