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After researching and reading reports from the kind, professional guides that post them (Anton/Joe), I finally drove to fish Lake Chelan from an 8-foot inflatable pontoon. As a Michigander, I have had access to Lake Trout for an entire lifetime, and there, too, they have somewhat of a malnourished reputation. Lake Trout are nice fish.

What a beautiful lake! Never having been there, a pretty big learning curve had me on the raft for over 12 hours Tuesday and 6 hours Wednesday. While much of this time was spent exploring and comparing Topographic maps to the fish finder, I eventually targeted the Wapato Point/Manson Bay zone instead of the fabled Mack Bar and Minneapolis Beach areas. This was largely due to my “scrawny arm muscles” and silent protest against paying $7.00 to drop a non-motorized boat in at the Old Mill launch. That is, I dropped the raft in at a small park free of charge while saving the travel time to those more popular spots.

I ran small spin-n-glows tipped with sand shrimp tails behind the Mack’s Hot Wings at an absolute crawl. I tried to stay in 125 ft. of water with the cannonball at about 122 ft., but that was much easier said than done with what appeared to be a mountain range beneath me. I once went 178 ft. down in 180 to 190 ft. of water, but was reminded that one loses momentum with that much drag as soon as your hands are removed from the oars. I fished that depth only once with my manual downrigger and reeled up a bird’s nest, even though I did drop down in steps. In short, this is recorded as one of the five most difficult fishing adventures I have enjoyed.

On Tuesday, I landed three Lakers while a fourth squirmed out of my hand at the boat. Two more let go less than half way up after three or four other light bites. On Wednesday morning, I landed two for a trip total of five after more light hits. None were big, averaging 2.5 to 3.5 lbs. They were, however, beautiful and incredibly bright on the filet table. Today I learned that they were great on the dinner table as well... Fishing was slow, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and look forward to the next one.

While still relatively new here, I want to again thank the helpful people who have been nice enough to share in person or through the computer. Earl, John, and Chris in the Tacoma Area and the Lake Chelan guides are remarkable, and I appreciate all of you. If willing, please suggest other crazy adventures for this type of approach.

Along with many rivers and their steelies/salmon, I’ve so far cherished some success with Neah Bay Sea Bass, Columbia River Sturgeon, and American Lake Kokanee from the pontoon. Current studies are for Crescent Lake Beardslees, Rufus Woods Rainbows, Juan de Fuca Coho, unknown walleye spots, and anything else that should be left for a bigger boat. I’ll eventually graduate to a “lift and pick up” out of La Push if I can talk my tuna fishing friend into it.

Washington is great. Thanks, and enjoy the fishing.

Mark

Mike Carey

9/10/2010 6:02:00 PM

wow, I'm impressed with your setup and determination. You may want to consider another fishing for these lakers - jigging. It would be much easier I think and although harder to cover as much teritory may be pretty effective.

cielowalker38

9/10/2010 6:45:00 PM

Thanks, Mike. I actually tried some jigging, but was not prepared for it as I only had Great Lakes noodle rods and small walleye jigs. It made it nearly impossible to feel the bottom, and I guessed that I would have been about five minutes too late on any hook set had I been fortunate enough to feel one. If a guy knows what he is doing, I too bet that jigging would be the best solution. I don't know much about graphs, but my little Hummingbird had fish on it at all times, and it made me feel like I was clueless since good bites were one every 1.5 or 2.0 hours. There is a lot to learn on that for sure. Thanks again for your nice comment.
Mark

Lake Chelan Adventures

9/10/2010 7:11:00 PM

I Just wanted to let you know I really enjoyed your report..I am glad that I could help with info to make your adventure a successful one..Feel free to contact me with questions or maybe to help Pin Point a location, just call or email..I got to hand it to you, You are the first Pontoon Downrigger Fisherman that I have seen here on the lake..Great Job!!!
Lake Chelan Adventures...Joe Heinlen

Wintersteelhead21

9/10/2010 8:13:00 PM

Mark,

Great work! Nice report. I'm impressed with your setup. Looks like a lot of work and fun.

Glad you enjoyed fishing in Washington

cielowalker38

9/10/2010 8:28:00 PM

Thanks so much, Mr. Joe Heinlen. Your pictures and reports were key in my two-day experience on this beauty of a lake, and I want to tell you now that I thoroughly respect your willingness to share your knowledge with people you have not met. I'm currently trying to adapt to this culture after growing up in a land where most just don't talk about their success for fear of being crowded out of their productive spots. While I actually had your contact information with me at the time of the trip, I just couldn't ring you out of respect for your privacy. I'll contact you someday, and in the meantime, I'll share your name with anyone I meet who may be interested in fishing your neck of the woods.

While I haven't spoken with the other gentleman who has posted wonderful reports, by the name of Mr. Anton Jones I believe, he too inspired this trip and will receive my sincere thanks for helping an unknown to enjoy nature to the Nth degree.
Please be well and enjoy all that you do.

Mark

natetreat

9/11/2010 12:01:00 AM

That is so awesome! I've done some trips on big water in my little inflatable. Lots and lots of rowing. I've been trying to convince my brother to make the same exact trip with me, along the same lines as you. I've caught most every freshwater fish that I could catch in Washington save the grayling and macks. I'd recommend Lake Cle Ellum, I took my raft out on that one rowing and we didn't hit into the macks, but we did get one heck of a fight from a burbot. Those are fun fish. Lots of rowing, that's for sure. Also one of my favorite big lakes to go out in in my tiny raft is Riffe for Silvers. Really fun. That is an awesome report, I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one taking my little boat on big water!

afk

9/11/2010 7:00:00 AM

Keep it up. What a great report to read. Thank you. P.S. For Rufus Woods, check out the blog of Blufin Luoi.

Anonymous

9/11/2010 3:18:00 PM

im not sure that i read your report correctly; however, the out of expierence, the best walleye spot i have fished has to be lake rosevelt near hawkcreek. you dont need a boat to fish there either because right before dark the walleyes come into shore in deeper pockets to feed on schooling baitfish. personally any crank bait in firetiger works wonders for big walleyes especially the rapala fatrap or dt series. i've caught walleye up to 12lbs on that section of rosevelt not to mention huge smallmouth.

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