Well based on BONANZAMELs good report I headed out for Hunters on Monday. All was going well until we crossed the bridge at Ft. Spokane and started North up the hill. It started snowing seriously and kept getting worse so not being too familiar with the road and all I decided to turn around and head back to Ft. Spokane. We launched there with the only other boat in the lot and they went up the main river and we went down. We managed 3 fish to the boat, the first being a nice wild one that gave a good fight and then it was just really slow the rest of the day. We trolled fast with flies and without dodgers and slowed down and put the dodgers back on. Had the most hits on orange flies but got our 2 keepers on little pink plankton hoochies with pink dodgers. Got our second keeper when the wind was trying to blow us into the bank and boat was rocking and the deck was slick with ice, that and the drive home was about as exciting as it got. First time I have pulled on slick roads with the 2019 F150 I bought in April. Think the boat outweighed the truck. Not the best choice for slick roads.
Better than staying home but really, I didn't go out there in this weather just to go fishing. I intended to do much more catching. I will have to go back out and try to even the score. The other boat took out when we did and only had one keeper to the boat I think. Noticed the level was going back up. Do you suppose?

strikezone

12/8/2021 9:07:13 AM

Mark: Sounds like a real hairy ride for ya. Hope the catching and weather is better for ya next time. I hope the roads aren't slick when we try to get over your way later this month or maybe January sometime depending on the direction of the lake water level. Want to hit it when it's lowering. I haven't been out for a month and a half now so Im getting pretty jumpy. Gonna try Rife lake on the 17th if the weather and water is ok. You take care and have a Merry Christmas.

Part-Time

12/8/2021 9:26:12 AM

Thanks Denny,
We did some slip sliding around but made back in one piece, so it's all good, Merry Christmas to you and yours!

bonanzamel

12/8/2021 8:08:28 PM

For what its worth I pay a lot more attention to weather reports than fishing reports. Went to Hunters the day I did because the wind forecast was for 3 to 4 mph. I can dress for cold and cover for precipitation. Can't overcome wind. Sorry you didn't do better. Don't give up on Hunters. It is usually good till the water starts dropping hard.

Part-Time

12/8/2021 8:33:36 PM

Oh I will get back there. The wind forecast was decent for Monday and I can fish in the snow, I was just surprised with how slick it was. We broke loose twice on the way to Hunters after the bridge. Will probably tow in the winter with my 03 GMC, more used to it. Merry Christmas

strikezone

12/9/2021 11:39:56 AM

Mark- It might help to get some sandbags and put them in the back of your truck for better traction. Another thing is a 50 gal.plastic barrel of water. If we come over in a month or so, I'm gonna put a barrel of water in the back of my pickup and bring a couple buckets of sand for the boat launch, and a shovel.. Ya gotta be sure to secure it well with something so it doesn't roll around.

Part-Time

12/9/2021 1:09:58 PM

Sandbags for the launch are always a good idea although we had no trouble there. Have good weight distribution over the back axle. Think it was the fancy 10 speed transmission and the 5 driving modes that out foxed me. The slippery mode didn't have enough power to pull the boat well but I think the economy mode would maybe be a good choice. That detunes the throttle response and keeps the RPMs lower than the tow mode. It's new, I'm old.

ifightnerdz

12/26/2021 9:26:19 AM

You know going out in conditions like this always makes for the best adventure stories.

Part-Time

12/26/2021 11:49:13 AM

True but the older you get the harder it is to talk yourself into these adventures.

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