Like so many others here in Central Washington, I have been pretty much home bound for the past several days. I was able to get out of my driveway, but I know others are still waiting for a snowplow to show up. I hope you survived the storm and are making plans to do some ice fishing when you can get out. I am planning an ice fishing adventure to a couple of lakes up north.

One of the most popular lakes in the winter up north is Curlew Lake. This lake is northeast of the town of Republic, so it’s pretty remote. Perch fishing is very good here and I have talked to several anglers who drive up and come back the same day. It is over 180 miles from Leavenworth to get to the lake. I am going to try to hit two or three lakes, including Curlew to sample some of the better ice fishing lakes in the region.
I made some calls to the resorts on Curlew Lake and found that Fisherman’s Cove Resort is closed. No one answered the phone at Black Beach, but Carley at Tiffany’s said that although most services at the resort are closed they are renting cabins to ice fishermen. I got the impression that if you want a cabin for the weekend you had better plan way ahead to be sure they have one available.

When I talked to Carley she reported that there is at least nine inches of ice on Curlew. There were three groups of anglers out on the ice when we spoke, and she said they were getting lots of nice perch. One of the reasons that people will make the trek to Curlew is that the perch average about 10 inches, which is much larger than those taken at the other winter lakes in the region. I have wanted to get up to Curlew for years and hope to get up there later in the week.

One option is to stay in Republic, which is just eight miles south of Curlew Lake. I have stayed at the Northern Inn a few times here and the rooms are very nice. Availability of rooms is good here mid-week, but I would call ahead in advance if you planned to stay on the weekend. Also, there are several restaurants and a grocery store in Republic.
Just 25 miles from Republic is Bonaparte Lake. This is another lake that is high on the list of serious ice fishermen. It offers a wide variety of species, including rainbow, brook trout, lake trout, tiger trout and kokanee. Some of the biggest tiger trout in the state have been taken at Bonaparte, but I want to target the kokanee. I will be armed with my favorite Kokabow blades to try for them. Ice fishermen have found that jigging kokanee blades through the ice, often with a Swedish Pimple tied on below, are a very effective way to get kokanee. This week’s photo is of a selection of Kokabow blades and jigs that I want to try for kokanee through the ice.

When you call Bonaparte Lake Resort right now you will get a message saying that they will reopen in mid-January. They will have cabins available when they reopen. Bonaparte Lake is accessed via highway 20, northeast of Tonasket.

I haven’t quite decided which ones yet, but there are a couple more ice fishing lakes I would like to try if I have time. Across the valley from Bonaparte Lake and near Loomis is Palmer Lake. It has a good population of perch and rainbow and some very nice kokanee that I would like to try to catch. It also has some big burbot. These are most often caught at night and with some redside chubs caught earlier in the day, so I probably won’t bother to try for them.

If I don’t go to Palmer I may drop down to the Methow Valley. Just outside of Twisp is Davis Lake, which offers good fishing for rainbow trout. The limit here is two a day and must be over 14 inches to keep. It is also a selective fishery, so barbless hooks and no bait. I will most likely go up to Winthrop and try Patterson Lake. I have been to Patterson several times. The perch are on the small side in Patterson now, but I would like to get some of the kokanee that inhabit the lake.

As I prepare for my ice fishing adventure I have a pretty good list of things to take along. First of all is the auger and drill set up that I am so anxious to try out. I will also need a shovel to clear snow from the ice where I plan to drill my holes, and a scoop to clear the ice from the hole. It’s a good idea to have a carpet sample to put my feet on so my boots aren’t directly on the ice. Chairs are nice to have along and a heater of some kind. I have a couple of short ice fishing rods and holders to keep the reels off the ice. I will be bringing my Kokabow Fishing Tackle blades and I have a small box full of ice fishing jigs, including several Swedish Pimples. I will also pick up some meal worms, corn, maybe some maggots and some nightcrawlers for bait. All of this will go on my plastic sled. I also need to pack my fish cleaning table and electric knife.

When I travel I have to pack a power strip because I have so many batteries to charge overnight. Items that need to be charge include: my phone, that I use to shoot video, my watch, the battery for my heated jacket, batteries for my electric socks, the wireless microphone, and the battery for my drill. Maybe I need two power strips! It seems like a lot, but all of these are essential things for me to have along for winter fishing. I pack all of this and my warm winter coat, my Muckboot Arctics, warm pants and wind pants, hat, and gloves.

I have a lot to do to get ready for this adventure. I am pretty sure where it will start but not certain where it will end. I will be sure to let you know what I learn, and maybe see you along the way!