The cold snap put a layer of ice on many lakes in the region. There were a lot of people waiting for this to happen, and there were people fishing on the ice from Moses Lake to near the Canadian Border. They welcomed the opportunity to get outdoors and do something, after the severely cold weather kept people indoors for days.

One of the most popular ice fishing lakes in Eastern Washington is Fish Lake, near Leavenworth. I was getting questions about the ice condition on the lake, so I drove up there last Tuesday. First of all, I found the road into the lake plowed and in great shape. When I arrived there was a group of anglers that had just come off the lake. They reported that there was at least five inches of good solid ice, and I could see several large ice shacks. One was in the cove across from the resort, and the others were out on the main part of the lake. The forecast was for a pretty good dump of snow for a few days last week. Although we are going to see some warmer weather, when the snow piles on top of the ice, it acts as an insulator. So, I do expect the ice to keep its thickness—but I always advise caution before venturing on a frozen lake. On the way up to Fish Lake I noticed the construction going on at Tumwater Dam. They are doing the work when there aren’t many fish in the river, but working in these freezing temperatures must be tough.

The work that is being done is to the dam apron, that has been undercut and eroded. The work is necessary to continue to meet dam stability criteria under Department of Ecology regulations. The cost of the project is estimated at 2.5 to 4 million dollars. The fish that pass through the dam each year includes everything from bull trout, lamprey, steelhead, three species of Chinook salmon and sockeye salmon. I stop by regularly beginning in late July to see how many sockeye have passed through the dam, in anticipation of the opening of the season on Lake Wenatchee.

I drove up to Fish Lake last Saturday morning, and arrived at about 8 a.m. The parking lot of was full of rigs, with people loading their sleds in preparation of going out on the ice. When I walked out, I counted sixty people, either fishing or pulling their gear to a spot to drill their holes. There is slush and frozen tracks on the path, and walking is awkward. When I last checked, there was five inches of ice. I do want to caution people that there are some springs that thin the ice in certain areas, so you always need to be sure you have good solid ice beneath you when you set up to fish. Anglers are using nightcrawlers and maggots, either on a bare or jig hook, and many put a Swedish Pimple at the end of their line. Perch are the main target, and some are catching trout, and those who jig a Kokabow blade above a Swedish Pimple, baited with corn, have a chance of catching the kokanee that are now available in Fish Lake. There is a warming trend in the forecast, and I am not sure how long the ice will hold up.

The Bonaparte Lake Resort’s 2nd Annual Ice Fishing Derby is coming up this weekend. It is scheduled for Saturday, January 27th. The event attracted almost 400 people last year, and this year they accumulated cash and prizes valued at over $9,000. Entry fees are $15 for adults, $30 for an adult and multi-species ticket. The entry fee for youth under age 15, is $15. You can register the day of the event from 5:30 to 9:30 a.m., or you can register online by going to the Bonaparte Lake Resort Facebook page and use the QR Code on the page. If you register online you are required to get a wrist band from the resort. Weigh in is from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., and you must be in line no later than 4 p.m. The event is going to be fun for the whole family. So, drag out your ice fishing gear and warmest clothes and plan to join the fun!

When it’s just too cold to fish, there is a great option for outdoors people. You can attend one of the many sports shows that are scheduled this time of year. The first one in Eastern Washington is the annual Sportsmen Show in Tri-Cities, at the HAPO Center in Pasco. It is coming up on January 26th through the 28th. This will be the thirty second year that the Shuyler family has provided this show, and they have all the things that people like to see at the shows again. This year’s show will feature the Border Collie Performing Team, and I am very eager to watch this show. I’m sure the kids will really like it, too. I really appreciate all the activities that are offered for kids. This year they can catch a trout at Lunker Lake, shoot an air rifle, shoot balloons with a bow and arrow, and participate in a scavenger hunt. Kids can get their face painted at the Kids Korner. This is a great place to meet hunting and fishing guides from the local area and destinations all over the world. You can learn all about the show and the cost to attend by logging onto their website at www.shuylerproductions.com.

I am looking forward to some warmer weather. There are several winter fishing opportunities that I haven’t been able to take advantage of, due to the severely cold snap that hit the region. I look forward to getting out and doing some shore fishing for rainbow trout at Spring Canyon and Crescent Beach at Grand Coulee, and at Keller. Getting limit numbers of rainbow that average 16 inches is possible at these locations. I have also had some great days catching big triploids from the shore at the middle net pens on Rufus Woods Reservoir. I am very excited about giving all of these places a try very soon!