Trout fishing is hot in the potholes. This is the best time of year. Once summer gets here, the trout slow down and the bass, walleye and other spiny rays take over. A buddy and I stopped by Heart lake for a couple hours of fishing last weekend. Lots of stockers running 8-11 inches. Lots of bait fishers fishing from shore. Lots of partying too. I was looking for more peace and quiet and that is why I don't fish here more often. We were flyfishing with tubes. All the typical patterns seemed to work well. The key was finding the fish. They seemed to be in pods in the shallower sections of the lakes. Once we found them, we couldn't keep them off the flies. There are bigger fish in better lakes in the potholes, but this lake is a nice stop if you only have a couple hours left in the day and don't mind the partiers at the boat launch. Please help keep this place clean by picking up some of the trash left by the irresponsible types - the kind who think fishing just ain't fishing unless they emptying a half-rack and break the bottles on the rocks. Watch for glass if you have stocking foot waders! Thank God (and the WA Fish and Wildlife Dept) for hike in desert lakes. Ken Boettger Tacoma, WA alpine@accessone.com

---