LAKE ROOSEVELT: WHERE IT IS & WHAT IT HOLDS BY BENITA GALLAND MACK S LURE PRO STAFFER If you haven t drug or cast your line in the waters of Lake Roosevelt, you are missing a spectacular experience. It is a hot place to fish during a chilly winter and it s oh-socool during the hot months. If you are a hearty soul and don t mind the winter s chill, venture out for the best fishing this season has to offer anywhere. For fair weather fishermen, the fishing is spectacular in the spring, summer and fall, too. Lake Roosevelt, located in the North Central area of Washington state, is a national park, which has 130 miles of pristine, scenic recreational water. It stretches from British Columbia to Grand Coulee Dam and is fed by the Columbia, Spokane and Sanpoil rivers, along with other tributaries. For the most part, this national gem has remained undeveloped it s shoreline and natural habitat unspoiled. You don t need to catch a fish to feel satisfied with a day exploring this exquisite area. The nature beatuy of this area is breathtaking any time of the year. It is not uncommon to be joined by gold or bald eagles soaring over the shoreline or waters searching for their next meal. Keep your eyes peeled for blue heron stealthfully perched on the edges of the water. Name any waterfowl found in the northwest and you are likely to find it here. If you get lucky, you may be treated to a sighting of of a herd of wild bighorn sheep grazing on rocky hillsides overlooking the water. Every once in a while they venture even closer for a quick drink from the lake. DON T WAIT FOR SPRING, WINTER FISHING ON LAKE ROOSEVELT IS SPECTACULAR FOR ALL SPECIES. BENITA GALLAND Lake Roosevelt fishery is comanaged by the Spokane Tribe, Colville Tribe and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). They have done an excellent job of protecting and enhancing this fishery. There are currently 63 net pens on the reservoir. The pen locations range from north to south, all the way from Kettle Falls to Keller Ferry. Net pens are operated by a group of volunteers and the WDFW Sherman Creek Hatchery. Spokane Tribal Hatchery produces the rainbow trout for transfer to the net pens. The hatchery program consists of the Spokane Tribal Hatchery operated by the Spokane Tribe, Sherman Creek hatchery operated by the WDFW and the Lake Roosevelt Net Pen Program operated by volunteers and WDFW. The Spokane Tribe also operates the Lake Roosevelt Fisheries Evaluation Program, which serves as a research, monitoring and evaluation mechanism. This program is also comanaged between the three fishery managment agencies. The target rainbow trout release goal in 2018 is 750,000 fish. There are plans to raise and release kokanee again, as well. The target kokanee release goal is currently 150,000, however with the addition of new tanks, the release goal will be increased to 250,000. Sterile triploid kokanee are being used to protect wild stocks of kokanee in the reservoir. Roosevelt contains such a wide variety of aquatic species that most anglers can target their favorite fish. The fishing menu includes, but is not limited to, wild and triploid rainbow trout, huge kokanee, bass, walleye Page 1
and burbot. No boat? No problem. Fishing is excellent from the many miles of shoreline. GOOD TO KNOW INFORMATION Don t wait for spring, winter fishing on Lake Roosevelt is spectacular. January, Feburary and March are excellent for rainbow, walleye and kokanee alike. During those months, fish migrate to the shallower waters and are easier to target. But the fact is, fishing is awesome year-round. Several camp sites, which are accessible by car or boat, are available. Launch sites throughout the system are well maintained and sanded in the winter. Depending on the water level, most are available throughout the year. Because the water level fluctuates and drops drastically in the winter, a quick call to the Bureau of Reclamation at 800-824-4916 will help you determine a safe launch location. You should also be aware that there is no gas available on the water during the winter months, so be prepared. If you are a diehard fisherman, a water enthusiast or simply someone who enjoys and appreciates the great outdoors, this area should be on your list of must-visit locations. Before you venture out, I suggest you purchase the Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake Map published by Fish-N-Map Co., which was created by fishermen for fishermen and water enthusiasts. Most of the necessary information regarding ramps, roads, fishing locations, topography and much more is accessible on this map. I ll have much more in part two of this column, but I hope that this introduction wets your appetite, leaving you hungry for more information on this amazing fishery. In upcoming columns, I will write in detail about fishing techniques that may help you be succesful, should you decide to make a trip to Lake Roosevelt. So be sure to be check out the March issue of the Mack Attack Magazine. SEE GALLAND S BIG HORN SHOW SEMINAR & BOOTH INFORMATION ON PAGE 5. GARY S FISHING CORNER THE BENEFITS OF FISHING BY GARY MIRALLES While I was at a sportsman s show this year, I talked with a fellow fisherman about a situation with him and his wife. The discussion was about him fishing too much and his wife was having a problem with it. So, we discussed in length the benefits of fishing and how best to explain it to his wife so she could understand. By spending time outdoors in the sun, you gain Vitamin D. It helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus, two minerals that help your immune system fight disease, which helps keep you healthy so you can better provide for you family. Fishing is great for your health in others ways, as well. Casting your rod and fighting fish with a constant motion helps burn calories. If you re hiking into a fishing hole or paddling a kayak, you are gaining a lot on the exercise aspect of fishing. It s also a great stress reliever. Being outdoors is a way to get away from every day life and an opportunity to undwind. It is good for your heart and soul. Fishing is also great for family bonding. It gives us an opportunity to spend solid time outdoors with our childen and gives them an opportunity to experience all the wonderful things nature provies. Finally, you will bring home dinner, and yes, an opportunity for you to cook the family dinner. I recommend a good barbecue for this job. I do need to add one final thing that I discovered at the end of our talk. His fishing buddy eagerly shared some things that he felt I should know about his fishing partner. Apparently, this guy s boat was very nice and worth more than both of their vehicles combined. His lawn had not been mowed ini weeks and his yard was a mess. His gutters were full and his wife s car had a broken headlight. He had not taken his kids fishing with him in months and had no clue about date night. So, my final recommendation to this fellow was to find a good family therapist. That helps, too. Page 2
STAN S SPACE PROVEN WAYS TO BE A WINNER BY HALL OF FAME ANGLER STAN FAGERSTROM The longer I m around this business of fishing and writing about it, the more I think about the manu unusual comparisons between fishing and golf. Regular readers know I ve written about this before. You don t have to look very far to find evidence of what I m talking about. I was a press observer in all but two of the first 30 Bassmaster Classics. If there was a place that provided opportunity to see what I m talking about, it was the Classic and the competition that led up to it. Today s top bass tournament competition is a whole lot different than the first one back in 1971. I was there to see it change. There were contestants in those first few top tournaments who simply didn t have the skills or knowledge or the equipment that s required out there today. Early on, I remember on pro who carried only two spinning outfits. I was paired with another pro at one of those first Bass Classic tournaments who fished only with closed-face spinning reels. I m not guessing I was there to see it happen. Think about that for a minute and I ll be you ll agree with me. Right off the bat, both golf and angling require three major essentials. These are: practice, preparation and common sense. It s going to take all three to bring your golf score down to around par or help you put more fish in the boat. Every one of those clubs is a tool designed to let the golfer best solve the problems he encounters. He knows before he tees up his first ball that the problems he ll face from hole to hole won t always be the same. He selects the club best suited to solve the shots he has to make. Climb into a boat with the top guides around the country and you ll see them doing much of the same. Let s suppose you ve gone out with a bass fishing guide. Look in the rod locker of this expert and you ll see. There will be a variety of rods and reels. These rods will have different action and the reels will have lines of different types of tests. He ll have a flipping outfit and a pitching outfit. There will be at least a couple of open-faced spinning rigs. He might also have a closed-faced spinning reel and spincasting rod. Before the day is over, the guide will likely ask you, depending on your ability, to use every one of these outfits. He ll ask you to change gear as he moves into different parts of the lake. The tackle he selects will be best suited to solve the problems you face. The bass that fellow lost? He didn t have to. What he did need to do was match his equipment to the problems he was up against. That s something I ve been preaching about at outdoor shows and in columns since I got home from World War II. Matching your gear to the problems you re up against is one of the keys to angling success. Unfortunately, it s a key that s ignored over and over again among anglers of this country. It s too bad, because matching your equipment to the demands you make is one of the real keys to angling success. Like casting practice, it s one of the few things you can do to actually control the number of fish you catch. Fail to do this and you ll end up up being the guy that loses that big fish. I m convinced anglers, in general, including many who know better, don t pay as much attention to their line selection as they should. There was a time when lines were essentially all the same. That doesn t apply these days. Today, you can select lines designed for specific purposes. Rods and reels are the same. As is the case with lures. I once knew a steelhead fisherman in my home state of Washington who caught twice as many fish as most anglers in the summer months. When I asked him why, he always told me the same thing I ve been stressing he knew the rivers he fished, knew his gear and he matched his equipment to the conditions he was up against. Rivers like the North and East Forks of the Lewis or the Kalama are fine steelhead streams. In late summer, though, they get low and clear, making the fishing tough. The expert I mentioned usually used a special rod that time of year. That rod was 11 feet long, but only weighed 5 1/4 ounces. He normally used a 4-pound test line with his Page 3
long stick, but there were times when he dropped all the way down to 2-pounds. What that long rod and light line enabled this angler to do wass catch fish under extremely difficult conditions when most anglers were drawing blanks. The rod has so much flex, even a sizeable fish had a devil of a time breaking 4-pound line. I didn t believe what the guy could do with a big fish on that rod until I saw him in action. Here was a man who knew his gear. He matched it to the problems he was facing and it paid off. He matched it to the problems he wasfacing and it paid off time after time. It will take some preparation and practice along with a generous amount of common sense, but you can do the exact same thing. I ll have more thoughts on this in my next column. Watch for it in the March issue of the Mack Attack. SONIC BAITFISH (SBF) TIPS & TECHNIQUES INCREASE CATCHES WHILE ANCHORED IN MOVING WATER BY CAPT. PETE ROSKO Many years ago, one of the most valuable lessons I learned as an offshore guide in the Gulf of Mexico, was locating the very best spot on the boat to catch the most fish while anchored especially in fast-moving water. This spot was consistently the best producer, whether on a river or on salt water. It s the only place on a vessel that still gives you a chacne at catching fish when the tide (or river current) is moving too fast. Full moon tides are an example of rushing water that causes fish to stop feeding and find shelter to conserve energy. By now, your are correct if you select the stern portion of the boat as the best spot. The main reason is eliminating any line angle from the tip of your rod (imagine sighting a rifle to a target it s a straight line presentation from the sight to the target). By keeping your rod line straight, while vertical jigging a Sonic BaitFish (SBF) against bottom structure, you will hook more fish because of the following reasons: 1) Better bite detection because of tight line. Use the lightest weight of braided line to reach your target species. Do not use monofilament main linen as it cannot match the sensitivity, and less water current, of braid. 2) Better feel of the lure being worked against where your target species are sheltered against the force of moving water. 3) Better lift and fall action of the lure, resulting in better vibration and flutter. This is a finesse presentation no jerking. The built-in action of the SBF, and the force of water against it, causes fish-attracting flash and flutter with minimal effort. 4) Better hook sets because of the tight line and no strech braid. 5) Better back bouncing presentation. Bait casting reels are superior to spinning reels when back bouncing the lure against the bottom, down current. Just keep thumbing the spool to release more line to maintain the feel of the lure against the bottom. Once the feel of the bottom is lost, retrieve the lure and repeat your presentation by dropping the lure straight down off the stern. Here s a few tips: Always carry a fine tooth file and constantly monitor your hook point for sharpness. Also, always use a light touch when restoring sharpness to your hook. Under expceptionally fast-moving water conditions, bites will be on the light side. With a dull hook point, a hook-set is almost impossible. This is the main cause of missed strikes. A 6- to 6.5-foot, medium-heavy action rod is a good choice. Avoid jigging rods that are too long, or soft-action, as control lessens with longer rods. Jig with the smallest SBF that can easily reach your target species. It is easier to finesse jig a smaller lure in fast-moving water. In most of these conditions, the fish are neutral and/ or negative acting and are more susceptible to smaller, rather than larger, offerings. This stern technique can salvage a poor day on the water. It s relatively simple to use and can be deadly when used properly! Page 4
HOT DEAL OF THE MONTH PHOTO OF THE MONTH QUESTION OF THE MONTH Q: What are the uses of Glo Hooks? Glo Hooks provide a luminescent glow in the water that attracts fish. Mack s Lure has perfected these hooks, which are lighweight and hold their glow for at least 30 minutes. They can be used in a variety of ways and most of the time they re usually tied as a trailer hook, whether you re fishing an inline spinner or hoochie. MACK S LURE PRO STAFFER JEFF WITKOWSKI OF DARRELL & DAD S GUIDE SERVICE WAS PROSPECTING KOKANEE LOCATIONS ON CHELAN WHEN HE LANDED TWO KOKANEE AT THE SAME TIME ON THE SAME SMILE BLADE AND SLING BLADE PRESENTATION. PRETTY COOL! VIDEO OF THE MONTH The glow material is a hard, plastic construction that not only provides extra attration, but has incredible durability, as well. The Glo Hooks are available in a variety of colors and several different series, including Bronze, Red, Treble and Glo Fly. If you have a question for us, please email media@mackslure.com or ask on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #MacksLure. Talk to you soon! FISH WITH MACK S LURE PRO STAFFER MIKE HALL AND LUKE ELLIFRITZ ON FROZEN FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR IN UTAH/WYOMING. LEARN JIGGING TECHNIQUES WITH THE MACK S LURE SONIC BAITFISH FOR LAKE TROUT AND RAINBOW TROUT (CREDIT: ANGLER WEST TV). Page 5