Rufus Woods First Timer

JAYDOG · Post by **JAYDOG** » Sun Apr 06, 2014 8:55 pm

Well we didn't manage to deplete the fish population of Rufus Woods but had a great time anyway. Cabin by the River was a great place to stay and we will be back. Fri. afternoon we headed up river to find the infamous net pens. Found the first set that seem to be all but abandoned not marking any fish below alongside or above so head up to find the next set. Locate these pens but still not marking any fish to speak of but try back trolling the area with jigs for a couple hours. Head back down river checking some back eddys and tail outs but still not marking any fish.Sat. morning we head up more slowly checking more of the pump stations, drainage draws and the likes, start marking fish but I don't have a big enough anchor to hold me and the current is to strong to back troll with any control. Head further up river to the old pens, mark lots of fish right above them but couldn't get them interested in what we were offering. By late afternoon the winds picked up so much they were pushing us upstream even with the kicker in reverse.Fought heavy chop headed back to the cabin. Left for home early today, noticed on the way back towards GC another set of operating pens so missed our oppertunity there.

Post by **Bodofish** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 1:22 pm

Don't bother with looking for fish on Rufus. They just don't show. The only time I've ever seen them on the FF is when I'm anchored and then not for a while. Trolling by the lower pens or tossing jigs just downstream is good. The middle pens, tossing jigs just below the pens and drifting along the high bank. The upper pens, just about anywhere you can anchor up and toss a jig. All you have to do is sit in one spot and watch. You'll see them hitting the surface and jumping most of the time. Running around looking for them will not work. You can also troll any of the shorelines, be prepared to cover a lot of water. As I said before they travel in a big loop around the pens. Sit on the loop and you'll have them. The bottom pens are run by the tribe and yeah they look kind of derelict. Were there any fish in them?

JAYDOG · Post by **JAYDOG** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 4:09 pm

Didn't look like there were any fish in the lower pens. Did see a couple people fishing from those pens toward shore and looked like they landed one, but didn't get a good look.

hewesfisher · Post by **hewesfisher** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 5:59 am

We camped there late September a few years ago and found trolling the middle pens most productive. I think we caught one fish at the lower pens, and didn't bother going back. Can't recall if we fished the upper pens, maybe a time or two during our 5 day trip. Rainbow are not like kokanee, so it's quite normal to not mark them on sonar. Rainbow will scatter to the sides of your trolling pattern, so it's best to either troll "like a drunken sailor" (what a guide told me years ago) or run your gear far enough behind the boat so your offerings are in the zone when the rainbow move back to where they were.

We trolled jointed F7 (can't remember which) Rapala's and the rainbow color was "the one". We also trolled our Roosevelt setups, leaded line with Frisky Jenny flies, and they worked very well as I recall.

fisher girl · Post by **fisher girl** » Tue Jun 02, 2015 4:08 pm

Can anyone tell me if all three pens are operating on Rufus Woods? Last summer the pens closest to Chief Joseph Dam, were completely closed up. Have they re-opened? Thanks

Post by **Larry3215** » Tue Jun 02, 2015 8:28 pm

As of two weeks ago the two pens closest to Grand Coulee were operating.

Post by **Bodofish** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 9:03 am

Don't know for sure about the lowest pens. They're the Tribes remaining pens. A friend is a member of the board at the camp that's right there. I'll see if he knows if they have fish now. I do know they turned them all loose last summer when the nitrogen level got too high from lots of water being dumped from the dam.

I'm not sure it really matters where you fish, I've caught 10+ pounders at all three location and fishy spots in between.

Some folks have good luck trolling deep by Chief Joe. I have not.

mav186 · Post by **mav186** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 11:14 am

I fished the area a month ago...the lowest set are no longer in business, the mid and upper pens are open and busy. Plenty of fish to catch.
Mav

hewesfisher · Post by **hewesfisher** » Thu Jun 04, 2015 7:05 am

mav186 wrote:I fished the area a month ago...the lowest set are no longer in business, the mid and upper pens are open and busy. Plenty of fish to catch.
Mav

^^^^Correct. The lower set of pens are closed, and IIRC, have been for about a year now. Forget where I read that.

fisher girl · Post by **fisher girl** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 8:58 pm

Thanks everyone for the updates on the Rufus pens. I really appreciate your comments!

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Rufus Woods First Timer

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