Targeting the rockpiles around Goose Island in the southern part of the reservoir is a great place to try for bass with crankbaits, swimbaits, and plastics, and you might pick up some walleye here in the process as well. In the spring, Potholes is often one of the first walleye lakes in the region to become productive since it is relatively smaller than systems like Lake Roosevelt and Banks Lake. else if (document.body.clientWidth > 871) { Potholes Reservoir is rightfully famous for its excellent fishing for walleye, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass. We kept the deep divers on, and sure enough I hooked into 3 pike that morning, only 1 was big enough to keep. Next drift produced another big walleye, almost identical in size, but it was full of tumors all over it's body, so I released it. Most anglers travel to this Eastern Washington fishery for the great walleye fishing it produces but the reservoir also offers a variety of other fishing opportunities such as crappie, perch, trout, large & smallmouth bass. We could have fished out the whole school, but our second bag limit was full again, and the mission was accomplished. While popular in their native waters, whitefish get less respect here in the Northwest, and they dont draw a ton of attention at Potholes Reservoir, even compared to other regional lakes like Banks Lake and Billy Clapp Lake, where populations are higher and targeting them is more popular. April, May and June can produce very good action for walleyes, and the fall bite (mid September through October) can be good, too. The MNR has caught many over 25 pounds through netting studies, which is far bigger than the current record. Fishing is best in the summer after they finish spawning in April-May. And, we say this quietly! We headed out for Lac LeNotre a bit after 7:00 AM, and spotted a rare cougar crossing the road with a rabbit in it's mouth. Under-water islands, bays and heavy structure line the rivers bottom. These toothy critters arent the most aggressive biters, so you need a rod with a sensitive, fast-action tip. If you are looking for an Ontario fishing trip and not sure where to go fishing or not sure where the best fishing in Ontario is, then tell me your needs and I will help you. Lady Evelyn Lake is 36 miles long located in Ontario's Near Northeastern Region and it is surrounded completely by Crown land with 675 miles of pristine shoreline and has no vehicle access roads. Some anglers are picking up . Pete Fischer at MarDon Resort reports Potholes Reservoir is iced out! Special Note: Garden Island guests are picked up by our crew at Mowatt Landing at 10am on Saturday mornings where guests and their luggage are then transported around the dam to boats that deliver guests to Garden Island Lodge. Water flow, Wind, and moon phases will all play into making good choices. Support our Sponsors! Catch begins to decline in the fall as water temperatures cool and fish move offshore forcing anglers to pursue them in boats. At times crappie fishing will be easy right off the fishing pier at MarDon Resort. Theres great fishing all the way down river from McNary Dam to the John Day. Reservations are available by calling (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688, or by clicking here. Beautiful Potholes Reservoir fishes until ice on. Stotts walleye fishing guides aim to provide opportunity for harvesting this tasty white meat while protecting the future of trophy sized fish. It was the first time that I was that dependant on the sonar, and also the first time I was able to consistently catch the fish that we were marking. Be aware that the reservoir was built for irrigation, so the water levels drop off throughout the summer. Road and creek beds sit between the face of the dunes that make for some great blade bait fishing. Snake River fisheries consist of Lyons Ferry, Lake Sacajawea, Lower Monumental, Lake Herbert, Little Goose and Lake Bryan. 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. Choose a smaller inland lake farther north where the Walleyes are perfect and clean. This is a special fishery that if you like catching lots of walleye with a mix of pan fish and bass, you are in for a treat. With this being said, the walleye will let us know! One technique that is great for one lake may not work in another. This was getting too easy. While fishing is open now from the mouth of the Columbia River . Whether you target largemouth or smallmouth, there is a place for you at Potholes. Potholes State Park has camping areas and rustic cabins for rent, plus good amenities for anglers. We dropped our jigs and again, my son pulled another keeper out. From shore fish Medicare Beach with Berkley PowerBait or marshmallows and worms. Our experiences taken from of our Great Lake techniques are used on our rivers and reservoirs of the Pacific northwest. PREMIUM WALLEYE FISHING ON MOSES LAKE, BANKS LAKE, AND POTHOLES/O'SULLIVAN RESERVOIR!!! Mardon resort offers summer cabins, rental homes, tenting area, lake side RV park, tackle store, restaurant, marina, moorage, and a sports center. I will start running trips on Banks Lake, Moses Lake and The Potholes reservoir depending on where the fishing is best at that time. Youll definitely lose a few flies along the way to snags and have to replace some dulled hooks, but itll be worth it once you pick up a largemouth bass. The reservoir is starting to fill slowly as water is released from Moses Lake. For many years March 1st was the unofficial start of the trout fishing season in Central Washington. Smoking or canning whitefish is usually the way to go. 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. http://freshwaterphil.com/ledomaineshannon.cfm. One of my followers texted me to say that this used to be a regular thing back in the day. Fill out the info below and someone from will get back to you. Down-river towards Lower Monumental Dam is prime fishing. You may think youve found the perfect spot along the dam for smallies only to find it high and dry on your next trip. Potholes Reservoir is a 28,000 acre man-made lake contained by O'Sullivan Dam, which is the longest earthen filled dam in the United States. You wash your worms in spring water, lake water or well water. Watching the water explode as a bucket mouth smacks the jig is one of the best adrenaline rushes. View More Info Contact Blue Walleye Outpost at Lac Achepabanca. Join us as we. In fact, Moses Lake drains directly into Potholes Reservoir. It's a beautiful pristine and colorful place to spend your next fishing vacation! They can be caught in good numbers on the hard deck, along with the occasional walleye or other species mentioned in this article. The closer you can get to the rock structures, the better youll do. Potholes experiences a summer/fall draw down as irrigation draws water from the lake to support local agriculture. There have been multiple reports of it being fast action on summer evenings. The Snake and Columbia rivers offer spectacular trophy walleye fishing. First, it is best to ask the lodge owner what works. You can't use city water because it's chlorinated. Vernon did not get a bite. 6 - 7 Days: $500 to $750 Per Person. With all our guided trips we supply the bait & tackle, beverages and cook our anglers a tasty, hot BBQ lunch. As the rain died, the lake suddenly turned calm for the first time during our trip. Lady Evelyn Lake is no exception and is located within a geographical area that is steeped in such a rugged and spectacular history that it is far too encompassing to give complete details here. Acreage: 14281.50 ac. I hooked my first walleye of the trip with 5-10 minutes, a nice 16 inch keeper. While many of the lakes in Grant County where anglers begin their trout fishing season are iced up, others are clearing off. At least we didn't get skunked. Walleye in Potholes often hold just below ledges and drop-offs. Also, considered the Burbank Heights, this section still belongs to the Snake river. The Snake has many turns and bends to its winding waterways. 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. Be adaptable at this reservoir, and youll do well. Potholes Reservoir Fishing Trips Potholes Reservoir is located about 7 miles south of Moses Lake and offers a variety of warm-water species fishing. According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the season will look similar to last year. It has a variety of lodging options, a lot of other fun activities, and a small store for fishing and other supplies (check out their great lake map). The Lind Coulee Arm is more likely than the rest of the lake to freeze thick enough for safe and productive ice fishing at Potholes. Lady Evelyn is a massive lake region which can be divided mentally into four distinctly different fishing sections. Where the perch go, so do the hungry walleye. Use a 1/8- to 1/4-ounce egg sinker with an 18- to 24-inch leader or cast Rooster Tails from shore. I fish for walleye in each of these for zones differently based on season, depth, water temperature and past experience. While most walleye here measure out in the teens, on occasion, there also have been some giants pulled out during this time. I would like you to read them and consider some different options and tactics that you have not tried before. The city of Moses Lake has all the amenities you may need, and its namesake lake also has excellent walleye fishing. I want you to come to Ontario and have the best Walleye fishing trip of your life. We then managed another 4 walleye, though my son lost one right next to the boat. 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. Attach a barrel swivel to the braid and then a short section of 10-15 pound mono to the worm harness or blade bait. Our trips are accessed from the Lyons Ferry Marina boat ramp. Largemouth fishing can bring in some good sizes, with a good number of fish in the 2- to 4-pound range as well as some bruisers. One theory is that this lake is so prolific with yellow perch in shallow water and immature smallmouth bass along the edges of the deep water that these two species are filling out that necessary food source for the many larger trophy fish Lady Evelyn has to offer. Most important, our anglers choose to hire our guide service to chase the potential new world record. Undoubtedly, Lyons Ferry is the most popular section on the snake river system. The deepest spots are near the Ice Harbor Dam which is considered wintering walleye water. Panfishingin certain years can be very good, but isinconsistent year-to-year. In fact, weve boated 15 lb. The docks are great for fishing as well. Elevation: 1042 ft. 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. I decided to try jigging a big school I had marked on the sonar. There have been stories of a trapper north of Nakina catching a 40-inch Walleye through the ice and feeding it to his dogs. In my website I have written fishing tips based on fishing different lakes across Ontario. Oh, and in case you didnt know, Potholes has some pretty great walleye fishing of its own. Bass in the spring may hold up in the flooded willows. The usual crappie jigs and other small lures that imitate minnows will do the job here. For closer access to the sand dunes area, theres a boat launch off Perch Point straight across the big reservoir from the state park. Fishing through the summer months can be enjoyable with nice warm weather and schooling fish. Google defines European Plan as being the same as housekeeping but that is not correct when describing Ontario's lodges. Vernon got fed up and put one of my clean worms on and about three minutes later caught a nice 24-incher. The Wicked Lures Trout Killer can pick up quite a few walleyes as well. Potholes Reservoir Potholes Reservoir is located about seven miles south of the City of Moses Lake.