I have been encouraged by some warm daytime temperatures—finally—this year, and it has me very excited about the walleye fishing.  I had a very good day fishing for walleye last week, and I think that things are going to change for the better for walleye anglers throughout the region.

James Lebow and I can’t agree on whose idea it was to try Soda Lake for walleye, but at any rate it was a very good idea.  James got his friend Ryan Eric Harris to come along, and it turned out that he was the one that got wet when we put the boat in at the very shallow launch at the upper end of Soda.  We tried fishing at the inlet, and Ryan got a nice smallmouth here, but we decided to explore further down the lake.  At about midway on Soda, James noticed a good number of what appeared to be walleye marks, so we put out our bottom bouncers with a variety of green-colored Smile blades on Slow Death Hooks.  This turned out to be a very snaggy ridge, but there were walleye all over it, and they were hungry.  We landed fish after fish and missed a bunch of bites and got hung up a lot, but it was worth it.  We pounded this ridge and although we were down to using pieces of worm to bait our hooks, we landed 24 walleye that ranged in size from 14 ½ to 17 ½ inches—perfect eater size fish. This week’s photo is of me with one our fish from last week.

I want to mention that the road to Soda Lake is one of those bumpy dusty roads that lead into the Seep Lake Wildlife Area.  Also, the boat launch we used is very primitive.  We couldn’t get the 20-foot boat on and off the trailer without someone getting in the water.  There are some hazards in Soda Lake, too.  There are a couple of small islands just visible in the lake, and probably some shallow reefs that we didn’t encounter.  Boat with caution.  

Since I finally had a great day of walleye fishing, I think it signals that the bite will be coming on at other lakes in the region.  The fish we caught on Soda Lake were all obviously post spawn and feeding on small perch or crappie.  I haven’t even been on Potholes Reservoir this season, as I am waiting to hear a good report and the water to warm up.  I figure that things are about to change on Potholes.  While we were on Soda Lake, one of my fishing partners was getting updates on the fishing on Moses Lake.  I have fished Moses Lake a couple of times and have caught some whopper smallmouth bass and a few very nice walleye.  Planning a trip to Moses Lake would be a very good idea now.  If things develop as usual, walleye fishing on Banks Lake should kick into gear very soon.  Everything has been late this year; due to the cold spring weather we have experienced.  There have been some 80 degree days in the Columbia Basin now, so I am pretty confident that walleye fishing is finally going to be happening with much better results expected for anglers—finally!

I was eager to try Lake Chelan for kokanee again.  I had a very good day a couple of weeks ago.  I figured that I would go right after the Memorial Weekend crowds had gone home.  Maybe I should have known better. 

Apparently all the traffic on this very busy weekend had the fish scattered and my fishing partner Tom and I had a very tough day.  It started off great.  I had a fish on before I could attach my line to the downrigger.  I got a nice 14-inch fish soon after.  Tom landed one and we got hits on every rod.  I guess I should have stayed where we started because while we trolled clear across the lake to the Blue Roofs and back again, we didn’t get a single hit.  We had brought our bass gear along, so we switched to fishing for smallmouth.  We each had some hits but got nothing to the boat. 

The summer salmon season for the Hanford Reach has been announced.  It will be open from Columbia Point (1/4 mile downstream of I-182 Bridge at Richland) to I-182 Bridge at Richland: June 16 through July 15, 2022:   Salmon:   Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adult salmon may be retained. Release wild adult Chinook. Anglers can use two poles when fishing for salmon with the Two-Pole  Endorsement.  Night closure in effect for salmon. Open only to bank fishing with hand-casted lines from shore on the west (Richland) side of the river. Closed to angling from a vessel and to fishing from shore on the east (Pasco) side of the river.

From Interstate-182 Bridge at Richland upstream to Priest Rapids Dam:   
June 16 through June 30, 2022:   Salmon:   Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adult salmon may be retained. Release wild adult Chinook. Anglers can use two poles when fishing for salmon with the Two-Pole  Endorsement.  Night closure in effect for salmon.

Fans of fishing on Lake Roosevelt should know that the higher than normal run off in the upper Columbia River has caused the debris boom at the China Bend facility to breach.  This is currently allowing floating debris to enter Lake Roosevelt at China Bend and flow downstream with the normal river currents.  

A temporary collection boom will be installed at river mile 702.  Mile 702 is approximately 1 mile south of the Highway 395 bridge at Barney’s Jct.  The temporary boom will originate on the west shore, or Ferry County side, of the river and extend approximately 1000 feet upstream toward the middle of the river.  This log boom will be tied to an anchored barge on the upstream end and terminate at shore on the Ferry County or west side at Bisbee Creek across from the Boise Cascade plywood mill. There will be no navigable passage between the anchored barge and the west shoreline.  All boats must pass on the east or Stevens County side of the anchored barge.

I am very eager now to get out after walleye on our area reservoirs.  I think the good fishing is just getting started.  Hope to see you out there!