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Launched at the WDFW ramp today at about 0530 as park launch was not open yet. Lot was full so had to park on the street. Fishing commenced about 0615. Started along the north side of the lake at the east end not far from the launch. Began with spinner hoochie (American Lake Special - more on that later) fished long-line near the surface tipped with RAH corn.

Had the first fish on before I could even get the second pole together. This one long released. Finally got two poles fishing with the second rod on the rigger at 12' - 15'. Had another couple of bites on the surface rod but could not get one to stick until about the 4th fish. Passed another boat who had one on their down rigger line. When I asked for depth they were kind enough to share with me that action was steady at 27' so down I went.

Trolled along the north shore from just west of the WDFW ramp to just past the float plane and back. Fish were pretty bitey today. I think I counted 13 take downs overall and had about 10 of those on long enough to reel at least a few cranks. Lost one at the net. Finished my limit at about 0920 with 4 of 5 coming on the surface rod. Had a few on the down rigger rod but only managed to get the limit fish to the boat after losing a couple others.

Good news is that I managed a limit. Bad news is that my kicker started bleeding oil at one point so I had to shut it down and troll with the main motor. With a drift sock hanging at the bow I was able to just maintain 1.2 - 1.3 over ground which seemed to be the magic speed for today.

Best combo was the Blue Goo Simon dodger trailed by my rendition of Bill Herzog's American Lake Special spinner hoochie. I tie it with Radical Glow UV beads - 3 red, an orange, 2 red, and orange and a red (5 mm). This gets covered with a clear UV 1.5" mini-hoochie. Then I add 2 more red beads (4 mm) and top it off with a small gold clevis and a 000 gold plated french micro blade (courtesy of BC Steel). This rig not only attracts kokanee, it worked for rainbows in Pearrygin and caught me an 8 pound chinook in Chelan a couple weeks ago. Quite a good little combo! Next best was a rastical topped with a clear/glow micro (shrimp) hoochie fished behind a crystal basin crushed glass/moon jelly dodger (looks kind of like an FST).

Homemade garlic tuna corn made with Mexican tuna and fresh garlic was by far the top producing bait. By the time I was done I was using this bait exclusively.

Nice day out and glad I was able to scratch out a limit given that the kicker puked!

Good luck and tight lines!

Dawg

afk

5/31/2015 6:13:00 PM

Sorry to hear about the kicker. Glad to hear you had some fun. I like the looks of that American Lake Special! I'm thinking it should work for Sockeye. Thanks for the report Dawg.

n.wolbert59

5/31/2015 7:14:00 PM

Sounds like a good day on the water. I wish I knew about the american lake special before today. trolled wedding rings, and wiggle hoochies out there today. Put one in the boat but it was slow otherwise. Ill try those colors next time! Tight Lines.

downriggeral

5/31/2015 8:23:00 PM

Nice catch FD. Glad we gave your kicker a rest at Chelan and used mine. That lure simply is loved by the fish!
Tight lines buddy - Alan

DjButler

5/31/2015 8:44:00 PM

Nice goin!!

bryanpeck

6/1/2015 4:32:00 PM

Thanks for the kind comment y'all!

AFK - I believe the American Lake Special will work for sox too. Funny thing is my original Herzog-tied American Lake Special is at the bottom of American Lake (lost to a snag a couple of years ago). Looks like my rendition tied from memory is an admirable stand-in, however!

Al - Yes, the fish do seem to admire that lure...and now you own one too. ;-) I'm also going to experiment with tying the same combo on a rastical and see how they like that.

n.wolobert59 - what part of the lake did you fish? Seemed like I got bites pretty consistently in the areas where the fish were schooled-up and not so much elsewhere.

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