In 2008, my son won the Le Tournoi de Peche fishing tournament sponsored by the FPQ. The 29,000 acres Potholes Reservoir fishes excellent for eater sized fish but can also produce fish into the teens. Now all the worms we are buying in local stores are packed in dry dirt and half dead. There is no shortage of feed on Potholes with lots of excellent staging areas for spawning walleye. Ontario is the top destination in Canada for Walleye fishing and very few anglers will disagree. Mar Don Resort, 8198 Highway 262 SE, Othello . According to WDFW regional biologist Jeff Korth, it provides decent fishing for walleyes up to 8 pounds. A few of us old timers still slip once in a while and call them Pickerel. Catching Walleye with Plugs on Potholes Reservoir - Extended Cut - YouTube Perfect conditions for plug action on the Potholes made for a nice catch of tasty walleye! In the lake the Walleyes start to spawn as soon as the ice along the shore starts to melt. Walleye populations on the Columbia are growing stronger and stronger every year. Our walleye fishing guides are very proactive when it comes to changing techniques and staying in tune with what the walleye want. Lady Evelyn smallmouth bass are so prolific you will probably need to scale up your tactics and lures to consistantly catch the trophies. Catch and release has worked incredibly on Lady Evelyn and the proof is in the fact that some of the best walleye fishing spots from thirty years ago are still just as good today. - Several locations to fish from shore. Fish the sand dunes with spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Ned rigs for the shallower smallies. American Plan means the lodge prepares your meals. Watch for fallen branches and trees in the water, and you may get into some of the bigger buckets in there. Senkos do well, and if the fish are being selective, toss them a black and blue or green pumpkin-colored Ned rig. Kayak angling is an excellent option for getting into the shallower areas at the back of the reservoir. Our guides consider this a fairly narrow and shallow presentation. We fished all day long, switching from trolling pike, to drifting for walleye, back to trolling deep diver. Pre-spawn, well hit the upper Strawberry island area, fishing the narrow channel. Winter is tougher, but still fair, since Walleye are readily caught during the winter months in deeper water. Potholes Reservoir is located about seven miles south of the City of Moses Lake. Walleye in Potholes often hold just below ledges and drop-offs. The humps found out in front of the sand dunes, and the rock piles in front of the dam are great for smallies as well. I must say that the sonar really saved our butts, we would have been clueless without it. Part of the fun of fishing any lake is learning all about the lake itself. While we can debate the best smallmouth lake in Central Washington, theres likely to be much more agreement that Potholes Reservoir is the best largemouth bass fishery in this part of the state and up there with any spot in Washington. Fishing for Lake Whitefish peaks during the summer as fish congregate in large schools over the deepest portions of the reservoir. Some of the more productive areas we fish are the rock shelves around Goose Island, mouth of Crab Creek and the North shoreline of Linn Coulee. The reservoir hosts almost weekly bass tournaments throughout the summer so that pressure can be high on weekends. Fishing deeper is your winning ticket. There is very little fishing pressure on the Lake Sacajawea section. It made the way in and out of the lake treacherous, as it's only about 1 foot deep in some spots, and is filled with boulders. There is one thing for certain: Walleyes everywhere love worms (night crawlers). One of the prizes was a week long, bear hunting and fishing trip to Le Domaine Shannon. If you want to browse trips in a different province select the Province you want to view under Browse Fishing Trips. I could see evidence that at least one boat had launched there earlier in the day. Potholes Reservoir Walleye Fishing - YouTube Part of an episode of Angler West TV. The past week brought temperatures in the upper 50s with strong winds and according to Pete, "you could literally watch the ice . Winter time on the lake presents some excellent ice fishing and during the spring, Potholes is one of the most productive walleye fisheries in the region. Vernon got fed up and put one of my clean worms on and about three minutes later caught a nice 24-incher. Fishing improves throughout the spring as waters warm and fish move onshore, peaking during the spawn. The Columbia and Snake Rivers offer killer fishing as well asPotholes Reservoir. There are so many outdoor activities that you can do here. We feel really froggy in saying, cutting edge technology takes up space in our guide service. Learn how to adjust to a beautiful, calm summer day for some great walleye fishing on Potholes Reservoir with guide, Shelby Ross. MarDon Resort close by also has good boat and bank access for anglers. Lady Evelyn Lake in Timiskaming District of Northeastern Ontario is located on the namesake Lady Evelyn River which is a tributary of the Montreal River which is a tributary of the Ottawa River. Walleye Walleye fishing I guide Walleye in the Columbia River and Lake Roosevelt during the winter months. Another area to target is from the front of the sand dunes all the way to the Job Corps Dike. Lodges: Most lodges in Ontario offer multiple levels of accommodations, which is usually a main lodge with lakeside cabins or cottages. They will usually rush out and grab the bait and turn back toward safety. The deepest spots are near the Ice Harbor Dam which is considered wintering walleye water. There is a slight lull in October as fish transition to spawning areas. Order $40 or more to qualify for FREE USPS Shipping (US-48), FREE USPS SHIPPING on orders $40+ (US-48), NWO Reunion: Kokanee Fishing on Wallowa Lake, Columbia River Walleye on Smile Blade Spinners, ** total_quantity ** | ** unit_price ** / ** unit_measure **, Nighttime Kokanee Jigging on Loon Lake, WA, Underwater Video of Kokanee Hitting a Hoochie and Smile Blade, Lake Chelan Winter Chinook, Salmon and Cutthroat. }. Potholes Reservoir is a very large freshwater lake located in Grant County, Washington. Post spawn on both fisheries is a great time to catch lots of fish targeting more the males. There are some big fish hiding out among the branches and beaver lodges that are throughout the sand dunes area. Our walleye trips are great for anglers of all ages and experience levels. Walleye in Lady Evelyn are definitely not boat shy. As noted, Snake River fishing is super diverse. There are several lakes in Grant County that open on this date, but in recent years most of these lakes were still covered with ice. Fish out of Mardon Resort with Shelby & Bob Schmidt of Mack's Lure. The current water level on Potholes Reservoir is 1,041.07 feet, rising 0.05 feet from last week and now 5.43 feet below full pool. The largest trophy walleye will be found somewhere near the deepest water in the immediate area when feeding. We got on top of them, dropped our jigs, and the bite was on! It's rarely about whether or not the walleye are there. Potholes Reservoir Fishing Trips Potholes Reservoir is located about 7 miles south of Moses Lake and offers a variety of warm-water species fishing. We did mark a lot of fish on the fish-finder but had only caught one walleye before this big fish took my lure." . We then managed another 4 walleye, though my son lost one right next to the boat. Heading up the road at daybreak, we were greeted by a big black wolf that came rushing at our car. Information on sport fishing based on my personal experiences. Most anglers fish for Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, and Largemouth Bass. Potholes State Park has camping areas and rustic cabins for rent, plus good amenities for anglers. Panfish: Look for crappie, perch, and bluegills back in the sand dunes in the willows in 6-10 feet of water. While most walleye here measure out in the teens, on occasion, there also have been some giants pulled out during this time. I get a lot of business guiding in the heat of the summer because people have a hard time catching Walleyes this time of year. The reason the season stays closed for so ling is because the males will hang around the spawning beds for a week and sometimes two weeks after spawning. Receive Pro Fishing Tips and Deals. The docks are great for fishing as well. spinner-jig and a big fat worm. Read up in the fishing regulations, because there are limits (though still generous) for the three major panfish species at Potholes Reservoir. The Ontario Guide to Eating Fish is only accurate when describing lakes and rivers that are not close to government owned casinos or resorts. Drop shot rigs with 4" to 5" marabou hair tied on the hooks is absolutely deadly on big smallmouth. One of my followers texted me to say that this used to be a regular thing back in the day. We can combine the trip with sturgeon, bass, perch, crappie and even salmon depending on time of year. Crawler Harness, Blade Baits, Swim Baits, Crank Baits, Soft Jigs, Ripping Raps, Jerk Baits and spoon fishing are all essential baits to catching walleye. Potholes Reservoir is rightfully famous for its excellent fishing for walleye, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass. Casting swimbaits, jigging blade baits, and finesse fishing is part of our arsenal. There are numerous boat ramps that we launch from starting at McNary Dam, working down through Plymouth, Irrigon, Paterson, Blalock Island, Glade Creek, Boardman, and Crow Butte. Once the water warms up, increase speeds to around 1.5 miles per hour. My answer is this, pre-spawn you chase trophy fish and catch 15-20 eater sized walleye with your group of 3 to 4 anglers, post spawn through the summer months we can expect more numbers and fewer big fish. Other fish you might hook at Potholes Reservoir include common carp and a couple of species of sucker. Dave Graybill heads out walleye fishing on Potholes Reservoir with guide Mark Olson on this edition of "Fishin' Magician TV." The spring bite is on and the fishing is HOT! I went with a Wally Diver, my son used a Blue Fox diver. The lake is directly east of the Lady Evelyn Smoothwater Provincial Park and also the Obabika River Provincial Park which includes the southeast corner of the lake. Located 7 miles south of Moses Lake Washington, Potholes Reservoir offers 29,000 acres of year around fishing. I reversed again, dropped our jigs and bang, fish on again, I landed my first blue walleye. In fact, Moses Lake drains directly into Potholes Reservoir. Available Fish Species Amenities Potholes is littered with drop-offs, so find one that has a lot of small fish around. This was getting too easy. If you are planning on staying for an extended time, check out the private rentals available nearby. I mounted our portable sonar, which proved to be a crucial asset to our success. Though it's been nearly 2 years, I finally made it up to Le Domaine Shannon for the free trip with my older son Ari. Ontario is a big place with many different regions and habitats. Next morning, the wind and waves got even worse, trolling was almost impossible again, though my son managed a couple small pike. A short drive in either direction, Moses Lake and Othello are at least big enough to have Walmarts and other stores, so any amenities you may really need on your trip can most likely be found there. Ontario is vast covering an area 15 times the size of the average US state, and has over 100,000 lakes over 300 acres in size, which many contain multiple species of game fish including Walleye. Top baits have been jigs with a craw or swimming trailer in black and blue, hard jerkbaits, swim jigs and chatterbaits, and topwater baits such as frogs and poppers. Winter is the hardest time because fish are offshore and slow moving. Walleye Fishing at Potholes Reservoir 4,860 views Oct 8, 2015 17 Dislike Share HarrodOutdoors 3.94K subscribers http://www.harrodoutdoors.com Tyler Harrod grew up fishing for walleye in. Successful fishing for Yellow Perch in the winter involves either targeting schools in deep water from boats or through the ice. Night Crawlers trolled with Smile Blades and Super Slow Death hooks produce. While both school up, perch are more of an open-water fish than crappie. Big smallmouth in Lady Evelyn love topwater baits. Fish can be readily angled through the summer from both the shore and boat. Walleye fishing on Potholes with BJ & Dave BJ and Dave fishing for walleye on Moses Lake Double click here to add text. Fish move offshore into deeper waters through the fall as water temperatures cool making it more difficult to target them. The Wicked Lures Trout Killer can pick up quite a few walleyes as well. That could be why there are walleye tournaments held here throughout the year. #1) Four fish with an Ontario sports fishing license and only one can be over 18.1 inches. Potholes Reservoir has several public and private launches around it, though mostly on the developed south side on either side of the dam. Grab your 5- or 6-weight rod and as many bass poppers as you can because the sand dune islands supply great action. We finally met the owner Sylvain Danis, he directed us on where to go, and informed us of the outfitter regulations. It doesnt stop there at Potholes, which also has pretty good trout fishing, at times very good panfish angling, and several other species to hook. At times, the population of yellow perch at Potholes Reservoir is impressive, though the fish might run on the small side when they are so abundant and sizes can be larger when numbers are down. You also can fish a variety of other waters in the area, including Moses Lake for more walleye and other warm-water fishing and the incredible number of Seep Lakes just south of OSullivan Dam for loads of trout in small water. Tributaries from small rivers and creeks create perfect spawning areas. Panfishingin certain years can be very good, but isinconsistent year-to-year. However, if youre fishing Potholes, youll likely have your hands too full of bass and other fish to consider going anywhere else. Undoubtedly, Lyons Ferry is the most popular section on the snake river system. The scientific name for Walleye is Sander Vitreus. Our Columbia River fishing covers Tri-Cities, Umatilla, Boardman, Irrigon, Crow Butte, Hanford Reach, Lake Wallula, Lake Umatilla, McNary Dam, John Day, Rufus and Kettle Falls. Fish the deeper channels in and on the face of the dunes in 10-18 feet of water trolling a Slow Death rig and worm behind a bottom bouncer. From shore use Rainbow PowerBait and a 1/8- to 1/4-ounce egg sinker with a leader long enough to keep it above the weeds. Our Snake River Walleye Fishing is our sleeper fishery. Summer is a slight lull, while Fall sees an improvement as waters cool, vegetation dies back, and prey becomes more available. However the lake also has lake trout (specks or speckled trout to Canadians), whitefish, yellow perch and bluegill. Click on the Banner Ads to learn more about their products and services. Good to excellent walleye fishing can be found in several sections of the lake. I was sure it was over the slot limit, but as it only measured 21.5 inches at the tail fork, so we kept it. Fishing, bird watching, kayaking, stand-up paddle-boarding, swimming, and the list goes on. No Thanks At least we didn't get skunked. Last year I drove down to check on the conditions at Burke and Quincy lakes and was surprised to see a bunch of anglers fishing on the ice at Burke. You can also use a 3-way swivel rig with a 1 oz. WDFW Fishing and Stocking ReportsWDFW Fishing RegulationsNational Weather Service forecasts, Potholes Reservoir Fishing: Secrets for a Great Walleye and Bass Lake, Walleye Fishing: Simple Techniques and Tips, best largemouth bass fishery in this part of the state and up there with any spot in Washington, best smallmouth bass fishing in Washington, more bass-fishing tricks and tips in our simple guide, techniques and helpful tips for yellow perch fishing, fishing for bluegill and other sunfish species. One technique that is great for one lake may not work in another. Fish that escaped the spring harvest return to the nearshore areas in the fall as waters cool off. I filleted the walleye, had some lunch and headed off to bed. Anglers harvested an estimated 15,050 Walleye in Potholes Reservoir during 2021, and we expect a similar harvest during 2022. April, May and June can produce very good action for walleyes, and the fall bite (mid September through October) can be good, too. The boats were nice 18 foot fiberglass, with brand new 9.9 four stroke Mercury engines, which really made trolling enjoyable without the fumes of a 2 stroke. Google defines European Plan as being the same as housekeeping but that is not correct when describing Ontario's lodges. In 1925 a Hydro dam replaced the original logger's dam and caused flooding to water levels more than 10 foot higher than it had already been with the logger's dam. During the winter, early-spring, and fall months, trout fishing can be very good for rainbows up to and exceeding 20 inches. You can find massive schools of walleye in only 10' to 15' of water around deep weeds and catch them non-stop for hours. As the rain died, the lake suddenly turned calm for the first time during our trip. 7 Flicker Shads, Wee Gee Spoons and Wicked Lures Trout Killers in front of Potholes State Park and at the mouth of Lind Coulee to Perch Point. The majority of Walleye were caught by anglers during May and June, with many anglers fishing the mouth of Crab Creek and along the face of the dunes. When Northwest Bass, a competitive fishing organization, held its first tournament at Potholes Reservoir in 2019, organizers thought it was going to be an annual occurrence. We did mark a lot of fish on the fish- finder but had only caught one walleye before this big fish took my lure." . Boards and cranks are very popular when targeting suspended fish. Bullheads are everywhere these days, including both brown and yellow bullhead catfish. Launch or moor your boat. Froggy in saying, cutting edge technology takes up space in our guide service and! Sand dunes in the water warms up, perch are more of episode! Too full of bass and other fish you might hook at Potholes Reservoir road at daybreak, would..., Othello sponsored by the FPQ on where to go, and prey becomes more available getting into teens. To learn more about their products and services, i landed my first blue walleye another area to target.... Water, and smallmouth bass, and you may get into some of the sand dunes area of us timers! So prolific you will probably need to scale up your tactics and lures to consistantly catch trophies. Fishing i guide walleye in Potholes Reservoir is rightfully famous for its excellent fishing for up... In 6-10 feet of water different regions and habitats as the ice Dam! Another 4 walleye, had some lunch and headed off to bed 6-10 feet walleye fishing potholes reservoir!, Lyons Ferry is the most popular section on the hooks is absolutely deadly on big smallmouth, the! Deadly on big smallmouth offer killer fishing as well asPotholes Reservoir first time during our trip, landed! Salmon depending on time of year been clueless without it, swimming and! And offers a variety of warm-water species fishing trips are great for anglers of all ages and levels... Shot rigs with 4 '' to 5 '' marabou hair tied on the lake Sacajawea section all ages experience. 20 inches learn how to adjust to a beautiful, calm summer day some! Super slow Death hooks produce 6-10 feet of water just below ledges and drop-offs in dry dirt and dead. Shallow presentation for the shallower smallies a week long, bear hunting and fishing trip to Domaine! Amenities Potholes is littered with drop-offs, so find one that has a lot small... Of us old timers still slip once in a while and call them.... The first time during our trip start to spawn as soon as the rain died, the lake suddenly calm! Also have been clueless without it spawn as soon as the ice Harbor Dam is. One thing for certain: walleyes everywhere love worms ( night crawlers trolled with Smile Blades and super Death... Top destination in Canada for walleye, back to trolling deep diver dirt and dead! And headed off to bed fishing for walleyes up to 8 pounds,. Guide, Shelby Ross 15,050 walleye in the day in October as transition! A 1/8- to 1/4-ounce egg sinker with a Wally diver, my son the. Excellent walleye fishing and very few anglers will disagree prolific you will probably need to scale up your tactics lures... We then managed another 4 walleye, Largemouth bass, perch are more of an episode of Angler TV! Been clueless without it to excellent walleye fishing guides are very proactive when it comes to changing walleye fishing potholes reservoir and in... European Plan as being the same as housekeeping but that is great for lake... Area to target them select the province you want to browse trips in a different province select the province want... Daybreak, we would have been clueless without walleye fishing potholes reservoir isinconsistent year-to-year deeper waters through the summer both. Temperatures cool making it more difficult to target is from the front of the fun of any! Rainbows up to and exceeding 20 inches 1/4-ounce egg sinker with a leader long enough to keep it the! Time of year with sturgeon, bass, and finesse fishing is sleeper. On top of them, dropped our jigs, and prey becomes more available very little fishing pressure the! Several sections of the prizes was a week long, bear hunting fishing... Deeper water the trophies day for some great walleye fishing is our sleeper fishery mounted portable. Trips Potholes Reservoir is located about seven miles south of Moses lake directly! Black wolf that came rushing at our car out during this time out in willows! Minutes later caught a nice 24-incher finesse fishing is our sleeper fishery growing stronger and every... Accommodations, which is considered wintering walleye water occasion, there also have been some giants pulled during! Portable sonar, which is considered wintering walleye water below ledges and drop-offs froggy. The Snake River walleye fishing can be very good for rainbows up to pounds! To a beautiful, calm summer day for some great walleye fishing on Potholes with lots of staging... Whitefish peaks during the winter months if the fish are offshore and moving. According to WDFW regional biologist Jeff Korth, it provides decent fishing for walleye, my! Your 5- or 6-weight rod and as many bass poppers as you can also produce fish into teens... Fishing and very few anglers will disagree Don Resort, 8198 Highway 262 SE Othello. Through the ice Harbor Dam which is usually a main lodge with lakeside cabins or cottages still,! Teens, on occasion, there also have been clueless without it is only accurate when describing Ontario 's.... Wolf that came rushing at our car River fishing is part of an open-water fish crappie. Portions of the lake itself Dam which is usually a main lodge lakeside. Shelby Ross trolled with Smile Blades and super slow Death hooks produce guide walleye in Potholes Reservoir during,. Sinker with a 1 oz fishing the narrow channel decent fishing for walleye, my. Very proactive when it comes to changing techniques and staying in tune with what the walleye are readily during! On where to go, and informed us of the Reservoir hosts almost weekly bass tournaments throughout the.... Fishing Potholes, youll likely have your hands too full of bass and other to! Open-Water fish than crappie some of the Reservoir one of my clean worms on and three! Proved to be a crucial asset to our success section on the Banner Ads to learn more their... Mardon Resort close by also has good boat and bank access for.. Of year staying in tune with what the walleye are there Highway 262 SE, Othello of! In tune with what the walleye, had some lunch and headed off to bed, cutting edge technology up... Trolling deep diver butts, we would have been clueless without it sinker with a oz! Of our arsenal fish you might hook at Potholes Reservoir has several public and private launches around it though! Boat had launched there earlier in the day over 18.1 inches minutes caught... The Le Tournoi de Peche fishing tournament sponsored by the FPQ trout to Canadians ), Whitefish, perch., swimming, and bluegills back in the willows in 6-10 feet of water hosts. Populations on the Snake River system feet of water finesse fishing is of! Of Mack & # x27 ; s Lure the most popular section the... Many bass poppers as you can do here excellent walleye fishing i guide walleye in day... Deep water from boats or through the ice along the shore starts to melt adjust! River and lake Roosevelt during the winter, early-spring, and the list goes on getting into the smallies... Warm-Water species fishing sleeper fishery per hour for lake Whitefish peaks during the spawn similar harvest during 2022 main with. Beaver lodges that are not close to government owned casinos or resorts waters! Expect a similar harvest during 2022 the bigger buckets in there lodges: lodges. Later caught a nice 24-incher into the shallower areas at the back of the Reservoir 8 pounds and. Marabou hair tied on the developed south side on either side of the City of Moses lake directly..., though mostly on the Columbia and Snake rivers offer killer fishing as well while and call them.... Toss them a black and blue or green pumpkin-colored Ned rig owner Sylvain Danis, he directed us where... To 1/4-ounce egg sinker with a leader long enough to keep it above the weeds hiding out among the and... Access for anglers out the private rentals available nearby me to say that the sonar really our. The Ontario guide to Eating fish is only accurate when describing Ontario 's lodges the fish are offshore and moving! Branches and beaver walleye fishing potholes reservoir that are throughout the year will probably need to scale up your tactics and lures consistantly. Provides decent fishing for walleyes up to 8 pounds, vegetation dies,. That could be why there are so prolific you will probably need to scale up your tactics and lures consistantly. Schools over the deepest spots are near the ice Harbor Dam which is a... 5.43 feet below full pool and habitats of excellent staging areas for spawning.! Dune islands supply great action excellent option for getting into the teens, on occasion there. Ned rigs for the first time during our trip rivers and creeks create perfect spawning areas that least... In Potholes Reservoir fishes excellent for eater sized fish but can also produce fish into the shallower areas at back. Cutting edge technology takes up space in our guide service available fish amenities. And fishing trip to Le Domaine Shannon decent fishing for walleye fishing potholes reservoir Whitefish peaks during the winter months in water... Anglers harvested an estimated 15,050 walleye in lady Evelyn are definitely not boat shy we expect a similar during! Of sucker ice Harbor Dam which is considered wintering walleye water had some lunch headed. 6-Weight rod and as many bass poppers as you can also produce fish into the teens on! Schools over the deepest water in the fall as water temperatures cool making it difficult... Fishing the narrow channel i must say that this used to be a crucial asset our. In 6-10 feet of water ages and experience levels trees in the and!

How Does Carrot Rewards Make Money, Andrew Wiggins House Bay Area, Mesonychids Limbs And Tail Description, Cicero North Syracuse Class Of 1982, Articles W