I had an exciting week, driving over to Hayden, Idaho and meeting with my new boat sponsor. Just one of many good things that have happened for me this spring. I am very excited about getting out on the water this season and talk about the great fishing waters near Spokane and Hayden!
Last Thursday I traveled to Hayden, Idaho and met with the folks at Mark’s Marine, my new boat sponsor. I had met Aaron Thykeson and John Calder at the Big Horn Show in Spokane, and after a couple of follow up calls, was invited to visit the dealership and meet with the two of them and the general manager, Tony Schilling. What we talked about was what I could offer them in terms of exposure to sell boats, and what they would do for me. They were familiar with my large following in Eastern Washington and were able to offer me the use of a brand new 20 foot Thunder Jet Luxor boat. We spent a great deal of time deciding how the boat would be rigged. Included in the package would be a Mercury 200 hp main engine, a 9.9 kicker, a Minn Kota Ulterra bow mount electric motor and two Garmin fish finders. There were many more items and other details about what would go on the boat and how it would be set up. I am very excited about this new relationship and working with the terrific people at Mark’s Marine! This week’s photo is of me and the Marks Marine staff.
As Moses Lake fills each spring, one of the earliest boating accesses that anglers like to use is at Connelly Park. There is a deep water boat basin here and double docks. It is the closest one to the northern end of the lake, where the walleye fishing often begins, due to the shallow water. The park opened on April 8th this year, and can be used from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and is closed on Monday and Tuesday. The park is operated by the Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District. There is a large parking area here and Sani Cans nearby. I often use this launch when fishing for walleye and bass on this end of the lake throughout the season. Many boaters have been using the launch at Blue Heron Park clear through the winter months. Moses Lake is filling rapidly now, and I expect the docks to be going in at the many boating accesses on the lake. There are a number of excellent parks at these launch sites, and some even have RV hook ups and camping. You can check them all out by visiting the Tour Moses Lake website.
Rufus Woods Reservoir is a huge attraction for anglers looking to land the biggest rainbow of their lives. It happens frequently. Although the big fish mark for many might be 5 or 6 pounds, which is easily done on Rufus, there are some real whoppers caught here every year. Thanks to the annual plants of triploid rainbow by the Colville Indian Tribe, there is always a good supply of fish growing in the reservoir. These plants average over 40,000 fish and are made up of fish averaging close to 2 pounds. I heard there was a release of over 20,000 fish last month. There are other plants planned, including some of a smaller number but made up of larger fish. The growth rate of these fish is amazing. Coupled with the abundance of feed that filters through the net pens, it takes just a short time for fish that weighed a couple of pounds to grow to 5 or 6 pounds. I have landed three rainbow that were estimated to weight over 15 pounds. On one spring day Eric Granstrom landed one on my boat that was estimated to weigh 20 pounds.
I got a text the other day from a friend that was interested in a sturgeon fishing trip and wanted to know the best time to go. I told him that I had an amazing day fishing for these monsters below Rock Island Dam with Austin Moser in May. The big, oversized sturgeon move into this area in the spring for spawning and anglers can often hook fish that are 8 to 10 feet long. It is a catch and release fishery and for many it is the only chance they get to do battle with fish in the “big game” category. I remember the day that I fished with Austin very well. Eric Granstrom was with us to do a video of our experience and Nate Stull was along as well. We hooked one fish in the fast water below the dam, and it ran right for the highway side of the river where the current was the strongest. I was on the rod and couldn’t do a thing with it. It jumped twice and only after a battle that lasted at least a half hour, we got it next to the boat. We figured it was 12 to 13 feet long!
A couple of years ago I was assigned a video project that would showcase some of the best fishing waters in Grant County. I traveled throughout the county with my video gear and documented the great destinations that attract thousands of anglers a year. Whether you like to fish for trout, bass, walleye or other species there are lakes that promise excellent fishing. If you go to the Dave Graybill YouTube channel you will find these videos. One that is a good one to view right now is the one I did with my friends Brian Nielson and Mike Wren called “Walleye Fishing Hot Spots on Banks Lake”. This is a good guide to the popular walleye fishing areas on upper Banks Lake. I also did one on “Where to Find Walleye on Potholes Reservoir”. These videos may help you choose a great place to spend some time with your friends and family.
If you are a subscriber to my Facebook page you will have seen the video I did with Austin Moser on early season Banks Lake and Moses Lake walleye fishing. I will leave this up for one more week and then I will be posting one I did with Nate Stully on Banks Lake walleye fishing. If you want to see this one and others available only to subscribers, click the Subscribe button at the top of the page.
