First visit to Meridian, and this is how all first time visits should go. Arrived at the WDFW launch at approximately 7:00 a.m. and immediately met a fellow WashingtonLakes.com member machewbacca who was setting up to hit the water. He was very helpful in providing me some tips on where and how to focus my efforts, thanks my friend! I started trolling the area straight out from the launch and within about 45 minutes I landed my first Meridian kokanee. Machewbacca was also fishing the area and had landed one as well. Then he pointed to another fisherman who had joined us, DJButler, another fellow WashingtonLakes.com member. DJ is an expert on this lake and I talked with him for awhile to see what suggestions he had.

I trolled the area for awhile longer and decided to make a trip around the lake to see what other areas were like. DJ and machewbacca had already left the area and I met DJ at the other end of the lake. He was getting many strikes but not hooking up much. I told him I had landed two by that time and hadn't lost any by including a rubber snubber behind my dodger. A couple more lost fish convinced him to do likewise! lol

I'm giving this trip a 4 star because: a) I didn't lose any tackle; b) I met some great fellow fisherman; and c) I was pleased with ending the morning with 4 keeper kokes. All were caught on a watermelon Dick Nite Dodger with a green wedding ring trailed behind it at approximately 20-25 feet below the surface.

Hopefully later this summer the kokes will put on a little weight and size but I had enough to filet and brine some for smoking tomorrow, can't wait!

Tight lines all.

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