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Since a new Gorge laker report may be needed, and that other post is way done, here you go.
We fished all 5 days this week, and it's still tougher than it should be, or ever has been in late June. Lakers are stacked at Antelope Flat, Swim Beach, and now even some moving into Linwood Bay.(breaking news!) North of the Pipeline, the usual humps at Anvil Draw and points north have a mix of small and mid-sized fish. I haven't been to the canyon in a month.
We averaged about 6-10 bites a day all week, and boated around a dozen fish (not counting pups). Biggest were a couple of 32 pounders. Worst day was Thursday. Never boated a fish that day, although three were hooked for more than 10 seconds and lost due to angler error. (You might want to reel when a fish is hooked-especially if the rod tip is clear up over your head!)
Still no jig pattern because . . . well . . . there is no pattern to the lock-jawed mothers. The venerable tube jig, both big and small, and light and dark, have accounted for all our catches this week. Today's "hot" one was the 4-inch green. White and dark green, 4-inch and 7-inch, is all you need. Well, maybe you need something else too, because the fish aren't thrilled with any of the above, really.
The best news is that the guide in the red boat won't be on the lake much for the next 9 days except for a possible night or two of burbot fishing! He might be tossing a fly on some river though.[  ]
Happy jigging!
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You're pretty brave to start another Gorge thread. Nice macks! Too bad the bite is a little slow, thanks for posting and I place a blessing on this post that it will receive no criticism at all, amen.
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Hey, its the 4th of July. Doesn't that mean fireworks? I am not afraid of the written words. Besides, this is just a report. What could happen?[ ]
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Nice macks there. Are the pups hitting like crazy? [cool]
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I haven't been targeting them yet, but we're just starting to catch a few on the tubes by accident. I suspect if you cut a 4-inch tube in half and slid it over a lead head, or just used a "stock" short one and dropped it up north, you'd be able to do fairly well. The canyon probably has some pups on the cliffs and points too. From now through the fall, they shouldn't be too tough to come by. You can tell them on most sonars by the thickness of the arches. Also, the pups tend to suspend just below the thermocline. You can also tell you're on 'em if you drop down and get multiple hits fairly quickly. Bigger fish don't hit that good!
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[font "Tempus Sans ITC"][#808000][size 3] Looks like I picked a good time to take up Kokanee fishing!![/size][/#808000][/font][ ]
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tough fishing for you is just about impossible for the rest of us. lol.
enjoy your time off and your new river boat. later chuck
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Hey Jim,
I am glad to hear That you are going to give them a little break for a few days. Let the scab form on their lips. Maybe then they will be ready to get a whuppin put to them on the 11th when I get there with Old Coot and Baitcaster. [ ]
See ya soon.
RILEYFISH
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HEY TARPONJIM, I don't know if you give much free advice but when you are jigging for lakers do try to be on top of near large drop offs (on the shelf), or do you find humps in the deeper water. I am new to catching lakers, I typically troll and pick up a few every trip down deep. I would like to feel a bite and actually have to hook the fish instead of it hooking itself. If you do give any free advice on what kind of structure you pick these up onany advice would greatly appreciate it.
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Jim thanks for the report and great pics. What happend to fishing at the great blue cliffs. I always look forward to seeing the big fish you bring in.
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Trophy: I fish both. Underwater humps surrounded by deeper water (like those at Antelope Flat and Swim Beach), and edges of shelfs that drop off into deep water (Linwood Bay is a textbook example of this, and the shelf runs for nearly a mile.) Often, so-called humps are just extensions of long points that run several hundred yards out from shore. Just think, "high spots with deeper water nearby." Pick your depth, but macks live from 50-130 feet for the majority of the season, and you can have fish in 60 feet in one spot, and have another hump or ridge a couple hundred feet away from that where they're at 110 feet. Don't get locked into one depth zone.
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[black][size 3]As usual, Jim's directions for locating the fish is spot on.[/size][/black]
[size 3]However, if you are bent on catching them with jigs, you will need adequate electronics to see them, and a method (elec. trolling motor) to stay directly over them when you find them.[/size]
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[size 3]It's been my experience that if you find a "pod" of them, and don't have any success catching them, move on to another. Sometimes one group will be feeding like crazy, and another will have lock jaw.[/size]
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[size 3]Good luck catching those critters. If you find and catch them, you'll have a ball. Remember that a mack doesn't have to be 40 lbs. to be fun.[/size]
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[size 3]If you don't have success, you might try booking a trip with Jim to get an education in Mackification.[/size]
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hey guys, thanks for the input. I have, in the past noticed that you will find a cooperative "pod" that you are marking on the finder that will produce a few fish if you turn around and troll through that exact gps location/depth/speed , most of the fish are down on the bottom over the river channel and with very little structure,because i usually target kokanee on one pole while working the bottom with the other rod (like i said i usually troll) but i have yet to stop and try to drop a jig on their nose. all input is appreciated.
thanks, kody
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