I had a very interesting week.  I was busy in the early week shooting video of Grant County PUD Recreation Areas, and compiling photographs of the county.  I only got out on the water once, but it was a particularly good day.  
My wife Eileen and I treated my daughter Whitney to a brunch at Snoqualmie Falls to celebrate her birthday and I was actually surprised when she called me on Saturday to see if I would be able to take her and a few friends out on Lake Chelan on Sunday.  Two of her girl friends were also having similar significant birthdays and wanted to celebrate with a trip to Chelan.  I took some of this group on Chelan a few years ago and we had a terrific day kokanee fishing.  This would be light on the fishing and heavy on sightseeing, so Eileen and I got up there a couple of hours before we were to pick them up and trolled for kokanee. We got off to a rough start.  We lost three of the first four fish we hooked.  We stuck with it though and landed a few.  Then my daughter called to say her troop was ready for their pick up at the Chelan Shores dock.  We loaded everyone aboard and headed back out on the lake.  My luck wasn’t much better.  We did hook a few and landed one, and then it was time to check out the scenery on the lake.  We all had a great time on Chelan.

I was texting my niece Ellie, who was also on Chelan on Sunday.  We had already pulled our kokanee gear when we learned that she and her friends were having lunch in Manson.  We docked in Manson Bay and while Whitney and her crew splashed in the water at the beach here, I walked up to Buddy’s Place and found Ellie.  I had promised her a “care package” of Kokabow tackle, and I was able to deliver it to her.  I am hoping they have some good days on Chelan fishing for kokanee this season, and the selection of great gear I gave her will help.
When we pulled the boat out at Mill Bay, I noticed some anglers at the cleaning station, and had to make a quick stop to see how they did.  They had a pile of huge kokanee.  They got three limits of kokanee two days in a row, and they were very nice fish.  They had started at 6 a.m. and when we saw them it was 3 p.m.  They put in a long day, but it was worth it.  What a great catch.  I had been hearing about limits of kokanee being caught on Chelan, here was the proof.  I had also heard that the best bite was in the morning.  The group at the cleaning station told me that was true, and although the bite slowed they got fish sporadically throughout the day.  Seeing this great catch of big kokanee has me really excited.  I can’t wait to get back on Chelan. This week’s photo was taken at the cleaning station.

The Icicle River opened to fishing for spring Chinook last Tuesday.  As you probably know the hot weather had all of our rivers raging.  This made fishing on the Icicle a challenge.  In fact, when I checked the take out on Tuesday, I didn’t see a single boat.  I did hear that things picked up later in the week, and anglers were landing some fish.  Although the fish are showing up later than usual this year, there is a good run anticipated, and fishing should be good for the next few weeks.

Anglers are finally able to fish for spring Chinook on the Snake River.  It had opened to fishing briefly, and then closed.  I am sure fans of fishing for spring Chinook are frustrated.  The season keeps being extended below Bonneville Dam, and they are waiting patiently for the Snake to open.  It was open for four days.  Two days below Little Goose Dam and two days below Ice Harbor Dam.  Anglers were allowed just one adult during this abbreviated season.

I spend last Monday traveling along the Columbia River shooting video at a few of the many great Recreation Areas that have been developed by Grant Count PUD.  I started at a small location just above Vantage.  The Rocky Coulee Recreation area is nestled at the bottom of a canyon on the Columbia.  It has several camping spots and good access to the river.  My next stop was at Sand Hollow, on the east side of the Columbia River below Vantage. This is a much larger Recreation Area, with many camping sites along the river and very good access.  Campers are able to make reservations to get a spot at Sand Hollow.  You can go to www.GrantPUD.org to reserve a campsite.  I then drove down to Jackson Creek Fish Camp.  This is a small Recreation Area, with just ten campsites.  It is just above the Columbia River below Priest Rapids Dam.  I am sure it is full during the fall salmon season, but it is popular for another reason.  Jackson Creek is so distant from any major town that it has no “light pollution”, people come here to view the vibrant night sky.  I want to see this myself.  It has been a while since I have seen the stars that clearly.  I also stopped at the boat launch below Wanapum Dam on Huntzinger Road.  This is a great launch to access the salmon fishing areas below Wanapum, without having to make the dicey crossing from the dam upstream.  There is also great smallmouth bass and walleye fishing here.  I just had to stop at the Visitors Center at Wanapum Dam, too.  I was at the grand opening of this center, and it is a terrific place to visit, particularly with your family.  There are many interactive exhibits that the kids enjoy.  I like going through the center myself, they did a terrific job with it.

As eager as I am to get back up to Chelan for kokanee, I also am getting some great reports on the walleye fishing on Banks Lake.  My buddy Brian Neilson had a party of four out the other day and they landed 17 walleye, with four over 20 inches.  Hummm, smoked kokanee or fresh walleye fillets?  What’s a guy supposed to do?