I was able to get out on the water a couple of times last week. I fished for walleye on Moses Lake and triploid rainbow trout on Rufus Woods. I hope you had a great Memorial Weekend. I saw lots of campers, RV and boats going and coming back from the weekend here on the highway through Leavenworth.

I reported that I recently had a great day fishing for walleye on Moses Lake with my friends James Lebow and Ryan Harris. I wanted to get right back down there, and although they agreed to go, James thought that the area we were fishing may have been hit pretty hard over the weekend. Boy, what a nice surprise for us. It was even better than the first trip. We left the launch at Lower Peninsula and had our first fish by 7:30. We caught several catfish, a couple of perch and released five walleye that were undersized. There were 24 very nice walleye in the live well by 10. We didn’t run out of worms this time! We were fishing in eight to nine feet of water along the weed beds on the east side of the lower lake, trolling at about 1 mph. Hands down, the best color of Smile Blade was the sparkly green. I noticed that the water temperature was the same 60 degrees that it was four days earlier, and I am hoping that it stays that way a little longer. The walleye we landed were 15 to 20 inches and feeding heavily on small perch.

James Lebow and Michael Ericson and I made our trip to Rufus last week. When we arrived, there was a person fishing from the shore. He had fished there the day before and complained that all he could catch were small fish. A tribal parks person had stopped by and told him that the there had been a very recent release of twelve to fifteen thousand fish and that’s why he couldn’t catch anything bigger. Knowing this we decided to start above the upper pens, off what is known as The Greenhouse. I thought that we could get above the pens, where the fish are released and catch fish that had been in the reservoir for a while. However, we fished without getting a bite and then we headed down to the upper pens, thinking that since we were here, let’s get our fish and get on the road which we did. It took no time at all to get the six fish we needed for our limits. We will wait before planning another trip to Rufus, and let these fish grow. This week’s photo is of the Smoker Craft that I am driving for Bob Feil Boats and Motors this season.

Every time I check the Facebook Page for the Bob Feil Boats and Motors Summer Kick Off event on June 7th and 8th, they have added something new. These two days are packed with a variety of things that recreational boaters and anglers will not want to miss. There are some serious discounts on a variety of products throughout the store. Plus, there are seminars electronics by Gary Feil. There’s one on sockeye salmon and Chinook salmon fishing by Austin Moser. I will be giving one on where to find the biggest trout in our region, and Cody from the Central Washington Bass Club will be talking about how to catch bass. Reps from both Yamaha and Mercury will be on hand to answer technical questions. There is going to be the D’s Beans food truck at the dealership. Also included is the opportunity to get some important information on boating safety. The event will be going on from 9 to 5 on both Friday and Saturday. Bob Feil is offering special Boat Show pricing on their new boats, too. Be sure to check out their Facebook Page for details and more updates prior to the event.

Fishing for spring salmon on the Icicle River at Leavenworth has been just fair, considering it is early in the season. The fish checker reported six fish landed on the opening day, with about 15 anglers fishing from shore and another 20 floating the river. The good news is that there are still good numbers of springers on the way. The counts over Rock Island Dam are still in the 600 per day range. The river is high but not cloudy. As those of you that are familiar with the Icicle, shore access is very limited, and it doesn’t take a whole lot of boats to fill the good spots. It is a beautiful float, though, and when I have been fortunate enough to get a seat in one of my friends boats, I probably spend more time marveling at the scenery than watching my rod tip. Also, anglers are hoping to see enough fish enter the Wenatchee River that they will open it to springer fishing. There are many good places to fish from shore on the Wenatchee. The Colville Tribe continues to release thousands of springers every year, and there could be a main stem Columbia River fishery in the future.

Here it comes again. It’s the Free Fishing Weekend from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Scheduled for June 8th and 9th this year, anglers across the state can fish without a license. Every year people take advantage of this opportunity to fish the lakes in the state that have been planted with rainbow trout and also fish for the spiny ray species that are abundant in many of them. Every year families enjoy the experience and make fishing part of their regular outdoor activities. Those who turn out for the Free Fishing Weekend can also participate in the WDFW’s Annual Trout Derby and catch a tagged trout that is worth a prize. All rules for size limits, daily limits and area closures are still in effect. It’s a good idea to pick up the Washington Sportfishing Rules pamphlet when you visit your local sporting goods stores to get what you need to fish during the Free Fishing Weekend. This will give you all you need to know about the rules and any special regulations that apply to the lake you are going to fish. You can get more information about this special event on the WDFW’s website.