Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service - We fish on Lake Chelan and other North Central Washington waters in year round comfort.
You catch them in COMFORT! Bring your family and/or friends out on our 24 foot Bayliner Ciera Express. For your comfort, it features: enclosed cabin; cabin heat; private/inside marine toilet; games and VCR for children; hot and cold running water available seasonally; stove; and a full line of safety gear. Families and couples are welcomed and encouraged to book our service. The boat accommodates a maximum of six.
Large parties are accommodated. We also offer lodging at our home through VacationinChelan.com for visitors to the Manson area.
Today was one of those days. Probably one though that I needed to have. I have been having problems with my battery charger, but I didn't get it taken care of. Got on the lake about 5:45 and was fishing by 6. Within 10 minutes, fish on, and lost it. Fairly quickly I got another on and landed it. Then my Lowrance died. Stupid battery is dead. Continued to fish, and shortly landed another Koke. Then nothing for about 2 hours. I am fishing completely blind, no sonar to get an idea of depth the fish are at, and probably worse is that I have no clue how fast I am trolling. When you are pedaling a kayak, it's hard enough to keep a speed, specially when the breeze picks up. So I have no idea if I am going .5 or 2 mph, just making my best guess.
First thing in the morning, all fish were caught in the top 10 feet. As the bite died, along with my sonar/gps, I started talking to other boats, and was hearing of fish caught between 25 - 40 feet. No one knocking them dead, but catching a few. So I started searching different depths with no luck, and no clue if I was at the depth the fish were. After a bit I just said screw it, and went back to the top 10 feet, and was immediately rewarded with ...... a brown bullhead catfish. Never caught one before trolling kokanee gear. Released the catfish and got back at it. Got another hook-up that I lost, then quickly got another and landed it. Got my line back in, and got another one on. Just as I can see the dodger, the line goes dead. Dangit. Just as I am about to get the line in, I notice that there is no lure. Lure had broke off. The one lure that had been consistent is gone. I didn't check the knots. And like an idiot I didn't have another one ready to go. As I am putting that rod in the holder, the downrigger line starts bouncing ....... and I lost that one. It was a perfect fitting ending to my day. Decided that it wasn't going to get magically better, so I called it a day.
Lure I lost that was getting action was an Elgin Fishing God's Tooth spoon in 50/50, trailing a Dick Nite clown dodger. The downrigger line had a Macks Double D Dodger in pink followed by various offerings. The only one that got a strike was a Macks Kokanee Pro in pink splatter.
Video is short, but shows the crazy catfish, and my fitting end to the day of reeling in a lureless line, and then seeing the downrigger start bouncing, and losing that one as well.
Hi JoshH, Thanks for another excellent report and video even though you had a most challenging outing. Those of us who have fished for a number of years have all had similar adversities of one form or another. Unfortunately, it comes with the territory once in awhile. Great job in not giving up and improvising such that you got 3 Kokes in the box and a catfish! I see a limit of Kokes in your future:)
I did happen to be near Arlington this morning so I ran over to Arlington hardware and picked up a couple each of the 50/50 and the pink. Was very happy to see they had pink in stock. Took my charger and battery in sunday, so hopefully this week i get that issue settled. Was tough pedaling and having no idea on speed. I was able to get it on long enough sometimes to get a peek at how my speed was. That almost made it worse as for those brief moments I would see .6 up to 1.8.
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Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service - We fish on Lake Chelan and other North Central Washington waters in year round comfort.
You catch them in COMFORT! Bring your family and/or friends out on our 24 foot Bayliner Ciera Express. For your comfort, it features: enclosed cabin; cabin heat; private/inside marine toilet; games and VCR for children; hot and cold running water available seasonally; stove; and a full line of safety gear. Families and couples are welcomed and encouraged to book our service. The boat accommodates a maximum of six.
Large parties are accommodated. We also offer lodging at our home through VacationinChelan.com for visitors to the Manson area.