My freezer was just about empty of walleye so I made a couple of trips last week to see if I could replenish my supply. Walleye fishing seems to have gotten off to a slow start this season on the popular reservoirs in our region, and I wanted to see if we could find some decent action.
Nate Stully has had some good days on Banks Lake fishing for walleye this season, and he invited me to join him and Lee Stevenson last Thursday to give it a try. We met at Steamboat State Park, where the cleaning station is operating now. This makes it an even more attractive place to launch on Banks. Since it is in the Punch Bowl you can often find calmer water in here on a windy day. We first tried an area on the backside of Steamboat Rock and worked our way down to the Clay Banks between Steamboat and the Poplars. We got a fish in this area and missed several bites. We moved into the Poplar Bay and did get one more walleye. We tried a couple of spots across the lake and further down, still looking for fish. The screen on the depth sounder had been mostly blank, and we were scratching our heads about where the fish may have gone. I jumped off about 2 p.m. and Nate and Lee took off for Barker Flats. He texted me that they got two more fish over there and missed a bunch of bites. I should have stayed on board! This week’s photo is of Nate with one of the walleye we landed on Banks.
I wanted to plan a trip to fish for walleye at Billy Clapp, and in spite of concerns about it being a windy day last Thursday, my buddy James Lebow agreed to go. When we arrived at the launch we were greeted by a stiff breeze, and that persisted when we reached the fishing grounds. We made a couple of passes through an area that had produced for us before, and we landed three fish. We moved up lake to the area below the powerhouse, which is where we spend most of our time when fishing for walleye on Billy Clapp. This is never easy. There is a strong current here, which makes keeping our baits on the bottom, without snagging difficult. Add wind to the equation and it can really be a challenge. James is a master at this, though, and while he struggled to keep the boat under control in these conditions, he still managed to fish with two rods and landed more walleye than I did! We had agreed to fish a short day, and when we headed back to the launch to fillet our catch we still had 13 walleye in the livewell.
Summer run salmon numbers over Bonneville Dam have taken a turn for the better. When I looked at the daily return and graph from the Fish Passage Center, I noticed a sharp increase in the summer runs. This is great news for those who chase these prized fish on the upper Columbia River. Last year the forecast was for just 38,000 fish and over 43,000 showed up. Still, we had a very curtailed fishing season, with fishing limited to specific “bubble” fisheries, and closed in most areas of the upper Columbia. This year’s forecast is for 41,000 and hopefully they will exceed this number. The ten-year average for summer runs is just over 70,000 fish. By June 30th we should see fifty percent of the run over Bonneville, and we will have a better picture of what to expect for the 2026 season. Another thing to consider is that the WDFW managers of the Columbia take a closer look at the actual passage of summer runs over Priest Rapids Dam to determine the season. In the past, if the numbers were weak over Bonneville, for both salmon and steelhead, they would write the seasons off.
Something that comes with the new boat is the opportunity to experience the many terrific fishing opportunities in the Hayden, Idaho area. There is a long list of lakes that I look forward to exploring and sharing what I learn about them with my readers, listeners and followers. I would encourage you to follow me on Facebook and even subscribe to help with the expense of the travel. I am very excited about fishing for the kokanee, trout, salmon and other species available on these lakes. I will get a chance to finally cross northern pike off my list of species that I haven’t caught. I will be doing random drawings for subscribers, and they will win one of the great products from Northwest Bait and Scent and other tackle and gear. I will also be doing videos that will be exclusive to Subscribers that show tips and tricks and advice from noted guides in the area. Just hit the Subscribe button on my Facebook Page to sign up. Thanks in advance for helping me expand my coverage of the many freshwater fishing that can be found in Eastern Washington and North Idaho!
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced restrictions on campfires, target shooting, and other activities beginning June 15 on WDFW-managed lands in Eastern Washington to reduce wildfire risk and support public safety. Starting June 15, the following activities are restricted on WDFW-managed lands in Eastern Washington: Fires or campfires, including those in fire rings. Personal camp stoves and lanterns fueled by propane, liquid petroleum, or liquid petroleum gas are allowed. Discharging firearms for target shooting or other purposes, aside from lawful hunting, unless otherwise posted. Target shooting is permitted daily from sunrise to 10 a.m. through Aug. 15 only at two Department shooting ranges: Methow Shooting Range, Methow Wildlife Area Unit. Lake Lenore Shooting Range, Columbia Basin Wildlife Area: From Aug. 16 through Sept 15, restrictions prohibit discharging firearms for target shooting on all WDFW-managed lands (including the previously mentioned target-shooting ranges) in Eastern Washington, unless otherwise posted.
