Lake Roosevelt

[GritStomper]

A friend and I are making our third trip out to Roosevelt this week. The first trip produced one rainbow in 9 hours of trolling. The second trip produced 0 fish from shore in 5 hours. I have been doing some research about tactics that we did not try and I think this trip could be alright. I even made a downrigger. I hope it doesn't fail somehow. Anyone out there who wants to offer some tips, you are more than welcome to do so. I will post a report on the fishing for those people out there who are curious.

[hewesfisher]

We were thinking of making a trip up on Saturday, but the weekend weather forecast doesn't look good for trailering the 75 miles to get there.

IF I were to make the trip, I'd head to Split Rock and pull leaded lines with Frisky Jenny flies tipped with a piece of crawler out 150' and long line some Rip'n Minnow plugs out 190' - 195'. Change colors if no action, and then move to another area. Pay attention to surface temps, if they are 55° or colder, the trout will be in the top 10' of water. Downriggers won't help when they are on top. Also remember the rainbow will scatter when a boat passes over top, so don't troll in a straight line. I turn every time the lines straighten out behind the boat, and many times the turn will entice a strike. Make note of whether the strike comes on a rod on the inside or outside of the turn, and attempt to repeat the condition. It works for us!

I have found several places to try when things are slow, so if that's the case I run and gun 'til I find action. This time of year I have done well at Split Rock, the bluffs above and below Seven Bays, the area across from Lincoln known as "A" rock, downstream from there and around the bend at Sterling Point, and in the mouth of the San Poil. Last time out in mid-November, we did well below Sterling Point. These areas have always produced for me, and rarely do we go home empty handed.

I have never done well in Hawk Creek, matter of fact, I've never hooked up there at all while trolling. I don't even bother with Hawk Creek, there are many other places I can fish that produce for me, so I just stay out of there.

While the fishing may be slower this year compared to the past couple years, the fish are better quality IMO. I'd rather catch 2 or 3 2 1/2lb - 3 1/2 lb bows than a limit of 15 inchers any day, and that's been our experience so far this season.

Have fun and good luck.

[GritStomper]

The first time I went out, we went straight down from 7 Bays and went across from sterling point. We got the first fish at 8:30 am and 2 more really soft bites over the next 2 hours down by that next flat sandy area long-lining a muddler minnow 270' behind the boat. It was dead after that when at 2:00 there was a final take on that same sandy flat area. It was a real blast trying to stay warm when the outdoor temp was around 20 for the most part all day using a webber grill. I have a feeling that the fishing is gonna be pretty good on this trip. Thanks a whole bunch for the info.

[hewesfisher]

The first time I went out, we went straight down from 7 Bays and went across from sterling point. We got the first fish at 8:30 am and 2 more really soft bites over the next 2 hours down by that next flat sandy area long-lining a muddler minnow 270' behind the boat. It was dead after that when at 2:00 there was a final take on that same sandy flat area. It was a real blast trying to stay warm when the outdoor temp was around 20 for the most part all day using a webber grill. I have a feeling that the fishing is gonna be pretty good on this trip. Thanks a whole bunch for the info.

Fish the other side of the lake below Sterling Point down to the cove about a half mile downstream. We've done well there and I pulled a 3 1/2lber out of there on our last trip.

270' is an awful lot of line out, even in the spring I don't think I've ever run more than 250' of mono. I always pull plugs on the mono, and flies on the leaded line. Most I'll go on leaded line is 165' out, but this time of year 150' is more than enough.

Good luck, and I'll be looking forward to your report!

[DannyP]

Look at my post from the 19th...I have good success in and around Hawk creek and fish the other locations mentioned by others. "A" rock has produced in the past but not for me this year. Bays further down have been ok. You have to move around some and be willing to try a few different rigs to pull behind the boat. I thought Monday we did pretty well pulling rippin minnows and they have always done well for me...for what its worth. Good Luck to all

[GritStomper]

Most of the stuff we tried today didn't produce. I think I need to go do some shopping. Out of the gate, I put a frisky jenny perch colored fly on my leaded line set-up, and it backspooled. While I was trying to fix that, I managed to snap the line. Then while trying to tie it back together, my knot released and I lost 8 colors of line, my fly and my dodger. My friend had an x-rap rapala on his mono reel out about 450 feet.... well, yeah. I rigged up this black and red fly on mono with a couple quarter ounce weight 250 feet behind the boat. Since the water was so calm, I got no action on it, and it took me about 5 minutes to realize that with no dodger my flies weren't going to do me any good. My friend really wanted to go up Hawk Creek so instead of arguing I bit a bullet. After a half hour, we buzzed out and went to the mouth and started trolling to Lincoln. My friend got a bite on a double-whammy. He couldn't keep the fish on for the whole 1200 feet (no joke) of line he was trolling. After that I wanted to try somewhere else. We went to A-Rock and both trolled double whammies at different lengths. The one that produced was out 270 feet with no bait. I had mine out 190 feet with a half a crawler. The best part about the day was that it was warm enough that we didn't freeze on board his 12 foot boat, and the wildlife in the area of A-Rock. I liked the idea of trolling in curves, the fish that was caught was on the inside rod while curving, the fish hammered it about 15 seconds after the curve, and it was really cool hearing him rip line out.

[zen leecher]

how come you guys don't use a side planer and shorter lines to fish for surface trout? Seems like it would be an excellent method. Luhr Jensen used to make a small one for bank fishers and there's a bunch of walleye ones out, mini's as well as full sized ones.

[DannyP]

I have been using a sidewinder sold at white elephant for 12.99 to plane out to the sides...works great. Unlike others, I and seldom out more than 200' at the very most and have done just fine with that. Turning does work, speeds up and slows down the action on the rods, more effective than trolling in a straight line. Try a wiggle fin disc in front of your flys,it makes a world of difference by putting some action on it. It all works...just got to locate the fish out there which has been tougher this year.

[GritStomper]

I'm just a broke college student with the bare-minimum for gear. After christmas I should have some money to buy some stuff. We don't have a fish finder, which makes it pretty difficult, but if people tell us some places where fish have been in the past, that's what I try to target.

[DannyP]

GritStomper....if you want to go sometime let me know, I usually have plenty of room in the boat and can show you some of the things I do and use. Send me a message sometime.

Dan

[hewesfisher]

Sorry your outing wasn't very productive. On the bright side, like you said calm water and wildlife viewing can make up for an otherwise slow day on the water.

Here are some additional thoughts. I never use dodgers with my flies on leaded line. I never run anything, leaded or mono, more than 250' out - it's just not necessary. I run 50' of 6# leader on my leaded line rigs, and using line counter reels, send my Frisky Jenny flies out 150' - 155'. The mono rigs are also equipped with line counter reels. My trolling speeds are 2.5 - 3.0mph, with 2.8mph my most normal speed. Wedding type rigs requires a slower trolling speed, and I don't like trolling that slow. Needless to say, I hardly ever use that gear. I never troll in a straight line, you need to turn the boat, especially on calm water days. One local guide used to call it "the drunken sailor" and that's what I do, drive like a drunken sailor. I prefer overcast days with a good wind chop over clear days with smooth water. Raining or snowing is even better.

I have Sidewinder planers, but have only used them a time or two. They work well, I just don't like dedicating a rod to use them since they require the line be run through them before being passed through a bead and then tied to a swivel. If I want to use the same rod for long lining a plug, I have to remove the sidewinder to do so and I don't like tying and retying in cold weather, so I refrain from using them. Having said that, they would allow you to shorten the amount of line you have out, say 35' - 50' back from the sidewinder and about 50' to the side. These would work good in a 12' open boat.

Using a wiggle fin disc in front of your flies is a also good suggestion. It adds action without the need for a dodger.

Unless you want to watch bottom contour, forget the fish finder, it won't help you locate the fish. I rarely mark fish unless they are 35' or deeper. That's because the size of the sonar cone at the transducer is so small at 10' deep, the fish would have to be directly under the transducer at that instant in order to show on the display. When the fish are in the top 10' of water, they scatter to the side of the boat as it passes over, well outside the sonar cone. I can be into the fish non-stop, and not mark a single one, all because of that. A side scan sonar would be nice, and absolutely would show fish to the sides of the boat, but the price keeps me from putting one on my boat.

You're welcome to PM me anytime.

[painternate]

Rip'n minnow plugs? Can you find them at white elephant?

[hewesfisher]

Rip'n minnow plugs? Can you find them at white elephant?

Yes. Can also get them at General Store, Warehouse Sports, or Cabela's if you want to take a drive. The most popular Roosevelt trout gear is in high demand this time of year so don't be surprised if the selection is limited. I usually buy my Roosevelt gear late summer because demand is lower and stock is better.

[painternate]

So my friend and I went out last Saturday and got blanked. I mean blanked, no bites or anything. I was wondering if somebody could help us out. We're both fairly experienced fishermen but by no mean are we experts. Here's the lowdown... Put in at 7 bays about 9:30 am, it was a little cloudy for the first few hours but then the sun came out and made it a great day even though we couldn't catch anything if our lives depended on it. Temps were in the low twenties, not sure about water temp was about 39. We worked the cliffs right across from the marina for about an hour and nothing. We then headed downstream and worked the shoreline for most of the rest of the day up to sterling point. We then moved even downstream of there for a few hours. We trolled rip 'n minnows, flies, wedding rings, wiggle warts, flashers, no flashers, jointed rapalas, everything. Trolling speeds were usually around 2.7 - 3 mph, although we tried going really slow a few times to mix it up. Not sure what the deal was. Last time we went we had a few bites but only got one in the boat. Are they not in that part of the river this time of year? Or? There are some great points of reference on this forum, A Rock, White rock, etc. but I can't find a map anywhere online that has those reference points. Any advice would be appreciated.

[hewesfisher]

So my friend and I went out last Saturday and got blanked. I mean blanked, no bites or anything. I was wondering if somebody could help us out. We're both fairly experienced fishermen but by no mean are we experts. Here's the lowdown... Put in at 7 bays about 9:30 am, it was a little cloudy for the first few hours but then the sun came out

This is a key element in your gear selection.

and made it a great day even though we couldn't catch anything if our lives depended on it. Temps were in the low twenties, not sure about water temp was about 39.

Air temp is relevant, but not really a factor. Water surface temp is.

We worked the cliffs right across from the marina for about an hour and nothing. We then headed downstream and worked the shoreline for most of the rest of the day up to sterling point. We then moved even downstream of there for a few hours.

I'm assuming you mean the south shore when you mention fishing the cliffs near Seven Bays. When you moved downstream, which shore did you fish? The north shore across from Lincoln almost to the bend at Sterling Point is good, the "A" rock area is on that shoreline. When you moved downstream from Sterling Point, were you fishing the north or south shore? The south side is the better choice IMO, though we have caught fish on the north shore as well as over the main channel in 200 plus feet of water.

We trolled rip 'n minnows, flies, wedding rings, wiggle warts, flashers, no flashers, jointed rapalas, everything. Trolling speeds were usually around 2.7 - 3 mph, although we tried going really slow a few times to mix it up.

What colors were your offerings during the cloudy portion of the day? How about the sunny portion? As a general rule, use bright colors when in cloudy/low light conditions and dark colors in bright/sunny conditions. What size flashers (I hope you really mean dodgers) were you using? Which Rip'n Minnow patterns and size were you using? Same for the jointed Rapalas. Were the flies tipped with a piece of crawler or maggots? What kind of flies were they? How did you verify your trolling speed? Were you using leaded line, mono, downriggers? What depths were you presenting your gear and how far out was it? How did you determine how much line was out? My most productive speed this time of year is in the 2.2 - 2.8mph range, but you have to be flexible and adjust to conditions. I speeds above 2.8mph right now is a little on the high side.

Not sure what the deal was. Last time we went we had a few bites but only got one in the boat. Are they not in that part of the river this time of year? Or? There are some great points of reference on this forum, A Rock, White rock, etc. but I can't find a map anywhere online that has those reference points. Any advice would be appreciated.

The rainbow are everywhere in the reservoir right now, but sometimes they just aren't hungry. I've run into that, though rarely, but it does happen. The key is working a pattern package you are comfortable with and adjusting according to conditions when it doesn't produce. Buy a Fish n Map for Roosevelt, it's the best $7.50 - $8 you'll ever spend.

[kodacachers]

Hi Hewesfisher, what great posts! Guys like you are why I'm more than happy to pay for membership on this site!

[hewesfisher]

Happy to help and that you find my posts and others like them worth the price of admission.

[fishinChristian]

If one wanted to live up there, and had enough money to bolster a failed enterprise, then the following might be interesting.

http://www.nps.gov/laro/parknews/busine ... n-area.htm

Great topic, and I like the coverage. I would add that steelhead style jigs trolled on mono have done well for me, in addition to the methods mentioned.