When I called Coulee Playland in Electric City to get a report on the fishing at Rufus Woods Reservoir, I got more than I had planned on. The gal there was ecstatic!

Wednesday, February 10

When I called Coulee Playland in Electric City to get a report on the fishing at Rufus Woods Reservoir, I got more than I had planned on. The gal there was ecstatic! Word had gotten out that there had been 3,000 fresh triploids planted in Rufus Woods and they were selling licenses like hot cakes. These fish seem to be hungry, too. Anglers are now reporting lots of limit catches. One party of three anglers stopped by after their trip to the reservoir and the six triploids they landed weighed a total of 50 pounds! Apparently the fish that have been released aren't small. This could signal the beginning of the red hot fishing that everyone typically expects from Rufus Woods. I hope to get up there and try it myself soon. I'll let you know how I do and what you could expect. Most of the reports are coming from those who are fishing near the lower net pens, but I want to see what the action is like down at the bottom end near Bridgeport. I am also hearing that the fishing for steelhead on the Wenatchee, Methow and Okanogan rivers is good, too. The Okanogan may close as early as March 15.

Friday, February 12

Fishing for big triploid rainbow trout at Rufus Woods Reservoir is still at the top of the list for angler interest, but there are some other fisheries that anglers shouldn't miss right now. The first is steelhead fishing on the Okanogan River. Jerrod Gibbons and Shane Magnuson, of Upper Columbia Guide Services, have been having a blast on the Okanogan. The numbers of steelhead that these two are putting their clients into is amazing. They either float or take a jet sled on the river and can reach holes that are either hard or impossible to access by shore anglers. Shore anglers are catching fish, too, though. There are some excellent fishing spots accessed from the town of Omak all the way down to the Monse Bridge that are producing steelhead. One of things that always surprises me is the size and quality of the fish on the Okanogan. The fish are big and bright, even in the late season. Another excellent opportunity is fishing for really big lake trout on Lake Chelan. Anton Jones of Darrell and Dad's Family Guide Service is taking a lot of fish in the teens to just over 20 pounds, fishing the deep water above the Yacht Club.

Monday, February 15

There are two meetings coming up that I wanted to let people know about. The first one will be of interest to those in Okanogan County. Anglers up here have expressed and interest in forming a new chapter of Trout Unlimited. George Lang of Leavenworth and Vice President in Charge of Membership for Trout Unlimited's State Council will be traveling north to host a meeting. The meeting will be held at the Grange Hall in Okanogan on Thursday, the 18th, starting at 6:30. It is hoped that there will enough folks there to elect officers and get the ball rolling for the new chapter at the meeting. For more information, contact Greg Bennett at 509-422-9906. Also next week but on Wednesday evening is the regular membership meeting of the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA). It will be held at the Bonaventure retirement home on Sunset Highway in East Wenatchee. The meeting will begin at 6:30. To learn more about the meeting and the CCA contact Bob Schmidt at Mack's Lure in Wenatchee by call 509-667-9202. Both of these organizations are all about conservation and the enhancement of fishing nationally, and within our region.