There are folks fishing for fall salmon below Wanapum Dam, but others are shifting their focus on other fall opportunities. Many popular lakes will close at the end of October, so you had better take advantage of the good fishing available on some of them before you have to wait until next year.
There are several lakes in Grant County that will be attracting anglers’ attention before they close at the end of October. Two in particular are Park and Blue Lakes. These are very popular with trout anglers, but this time of year you may see more people fishing for perch. Both of these lakes have been known to produce excellent catches of large perch this time of year. Anglers will also start looking for perch on Moses Lake. The area near the I-90 Bridge is one of the better places to find perch, and it’s possible to get them from the shore as well as from boats. I will test the waters here from shore and if I find good numbers of them, I will recruit friends to fish here from a boat and also explore some other spots on the lake. The area near south end of Gaileys Island had big schools of fat perch last season. The crappie fishing was outstanding last year on Moses Lake, too. I am also getting reports of very good fishing for perch of unusually large size at Fish Lake, near Lake Wenatchee. I plan to see how big they are very soon. This week’s photo is of me with an example of the size of perch that were being caught last year on Moses Lake. I was fishing from shore below the I-90 Bridge.
Families with youngsters interested in learning about hunting and fishing should mark their calendars for Saturday, September 13th. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is inviting families to attend a free event to celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day at the North Central Washington Gun Club. There will be a wide range of activities that offer hands on experiences that include rod and reel casting, archery practice, 20-gauge shotgun shooting, and air rifle shooting. There will also be many displays and conservation partner booths to visit. Certified hunter education instructors, master hunters and shooting range safety officers will be on site. They will provide training guidance and promote the importance of hunter safety to ensure a safe environment. There will be a morning session from 10 a.m. to noon, and an afternoon session which runs from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Those who attend will enjoy free hot dogs and chips, reusable drawstring safety gear bags for youth participants, and door prize drawings and giveaways donated by local and national businesses. The North Central Washington Gun Club is located at 2740 Gun Club Road, in East Wenatchee. The event will be fun for the whole family.
Several boat ramps at Banks Lake have been temporarily unavailable for a scheduled drawdown. The Bureau of Reclamation is lowering the elevation of Banks Lake by 6.2 feet to support fisheries and groundwater replacement objectives. The lower-than-normal reservoir levels could continue through last week. The drawdown had impacted the accessibility of several boat ramps around the lake. The public is advised to exercise caution around the reservoir and lakeshore during this drawdown period due to shallow water and narrower channels. Areas of high concern, such as the Devil’s Punchbowl, should be approached with particular caution. This reduction in the lake’s elevation occurs annually, from late August through early September. Once fisheries and groundwater replacement objectives are met, the reservoir will be returned to its regular operating level. Word is that the reservoir is filling and should allow launching at most of the boat ramps.
I traveled down below Vantage to check on the activity at the Huntzinger boat launch. The parking area was full, and I did see that although the water level was low, there would be no concern launching here. However, I did notice that bar that is not far from the launch area was very visible and showed in two places. Boaters will want to watch out for this as they make their run down river. Anglers should always be cautious when boating on the Columbia River this time of year. Water levels can fluctuate frequently. I was hoping to see a WDFW fish checker at the site, but no one was there when I arrived or by the time I left. I did see evidence of angler success, though. There were ten fresh carcasses near the ramp, so fish are being caught. I am sure most of the boats are heading down the river to fish off the mouth of Crab Creek. When the Columbia River opens above Priest Rapids Dam this is the most popular destination. I have fished here many times over the past 20 years or more. Last year, while fishing with my friend James Lebow we landed a small king. We had success trolling with Super Baits, along with a bunch of other boats in the area.
When I was checking on the launch sites below Vantage I also drove Schwana to see how many boats were fishing off the mouth of Crab Creek. Although it was about 10:30 or so there were still a half dozen boats trolling in this area, and I could also see a few more fishing near the trestle and another even further upriver. I had stopped at the Huntzinger launch and the launch at Wanapum Dam, and at both locations I noticed a sign about an upcoming salmon derby. The 10th Annual Steve Koziol Memorial Salmon Derby is scheduled for Saturday, September 13th. Fishing starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. The weight in is at 3 at the Wanapum Dam Park. There will be prizes for the top five fish, one called the Lock Jaw, and there will be lots of raffles, too. The entry fee is forty dollars, and kids under 12 are free. From the sign it appears that the IBEW Local #77 is putting on the event, and there are a bunch of local sponsors supporting it. To sign up for the salmon derby, send an email to Cole Gunter at cole1975@gmail.com or Jamie Gifford at jgifford831@gmail.com.
