Chelan 2014

[Steelheadin360]

Already getting reports of 17-18" fish being caught in the lwoer basin. The little guys have already showed up in huge numbers and some guide friends are already pulling limits... In February...



Ill be heading over sunday/monday and will be back to report!

[KokeRook]

Already getting reports of 17-18" fish being caught in the lwoer basin. The little guys have already showed up in huge numbers and some guide friends are already pulling limits... In February...



Ill be heading over sunday/monday and will be back to report!

This year on Chelan could be Truly Epic!

[washingtonlakes]

April won't be here soon enough! We have three trips planned.

[Mharri333]

I will be there the first week of April for 7 days and 4 days for the Kokanee get together in May. Can't wait!

[Steelheadin360]

I fished Chelan on 3/3/14 with a buddy. It was snowing,cold, and very windy but we did find one 16" Koke, a couple of 20"+ Trout and lost a VERY healthy fish I never got to see (im guessing Chinook)

All I wanted out of this trip was to confirm the fish are gonna be big again this year and they are big!

Im back over there next week and I will report

[Mharri333]

Thanks for the heads up! Looking forward to Chelan this year.

[chukardave1]

Heard from a buddy up there that limited in just under 90 minutes a couple days back. I would be on it if I lived up there for sure.

[jtj]

Without getting your favorite fishing spot, where about is a good place to fish? I read "lower basin", not sure where that would be. It is so long, it looks as if you could fish for days trying to find the fish. I have never been but plan to make a trip in the next year.

[Steelheadin360]

My best advice is to launch in Mill Bay. Head straight out to 100+' of water and fish 40-60' feet deep. The schools will be all over the lower basin. Watch the other boats

[washingtonlakes]

Going this weekend. So excited...

[clawman]

Good article about Chelan in April Salmon Trout Steelheader.

[Mharri333]

Chelan has been a little slow the last two days. The first day I got out and had to figure out lots of new things on the new boat. Made for a slow start. I tried to take it easy and get things ironed out with the boat rather than half assing it and trying to fish.

First fish on the boat was a nice Mackinaw. A little blood in the boat was nice. (Some fish some mine) Kokes weren't having any part of day one. Second day I saw Anton (fish guide) unloading his boat and chatted for a couple minutes. He said kokes have been slow and the only action was prior to the sun coming over the mountain and hitting the water. I fished with him last year and really enjoyed it.

I am not going out today. (Killing me) I have to be social and do the winery thing... I will be back at it tomorrow at zero dark thirty.

By the way, the Thunderjet is amazing. My comfort level and the boats ability is off the charts. Very happy I traded now. Hopefully tomorrow will be more fruitful.

[Mharri333]

Today on Chelan was a little better. We picked up two kokes. One was just shy of 18 inches the other about 14ish. We also hooked into a 10 pound laker. That's our biggest laker so far and very happy to have gotten him on the new boat. At the ramp everyone was saying the fishing is slow. Trout apparently are hitting around the monument but kokes are slow. I saw Mike Carey at the ramp this morning (WA Lakes). I hope he chimes in with his report. I saw him here last year and I know we both did better, but it is early. Going at it early tomorrow. Will be to shooting up to the state park this time to see how it goes...

Hopefully a little better. Will let you know.

[dragonfly]

mharri333 that is one lake on my bucket list and hope to get up there in the next couple years, glad the TJ is working out, its a beautiful boat, dfly

[downriggeral]

mharri333 Glad to hear you "christened" the new boat with fish instead of wine! Sounds like all of the effort was worth it in the end. Look forward to hearing how you did Monday. Tight lines - Alan

[Mharri333]

Thanks for the encouragement. Dfly, if you want to fish Chelan some time lets talk. Shorter trip for my boat than yours. I would enjoy taking you out sometime. I am sure I have a lot to learn. I am also getting to know the lake. If this year is as good as it is hyped up to be it would be worth the trip.

[dragonfly]

that might work out for next year also if you want to do wickiup, odell or greenpeter let me know like you said no use dragging your boat when we could use mine down here. dfly

[washingtonlakes]

Just got home and as Mharri333 posted, it's been slow. My wife and I pounded the water yesterday and today. We got five kokanee and one chinook. Most everything was 17-18" except for one "dink" 15 1/2" kokanee. We lost three fish over the two days. I word of encouragement - I marked a pretty good amount of fish at Rocky Point. Getting them to bite was another matter. I'll post a report on my site shortly. So the good news - more BIG kokanee to be had. The not so good - at least for now - they aren't in huge numbers yet.

Attachment 7090

[Mharri333]

Thanks for the update Mike. Today was the same. No one at the docks had anything to show. I fished until about 9am then changed gear and locations and started fishing for Macks. We stopped around 1pm with 16 fish. Turned out to be a good day but not with the kokes we were after. Hopefully it is better when you do your gathering in May. I will see you then.

[Mharri333]

Windy! Last day at Chelan. Only fished until around 11 then had to drive back to Bellingham. We scratched out 3 kokes today. Two between 17 and 18 inches one around 14. Super windy on the lake. No one was catching anything. Talked to a guide on the docks who said the same thing.

If anyone is going to the WA Lakes gathering in May I will see you there. Hopefully it will get better.

[washingtonlakes]

windy, time to put out the sea anchor! I'm an optimist, I think it will improve. Plus, aren't those bigger fish something else? Makes the 14" look like a dink, LOL.

[Mharri333]

I lost my fishing partner for the WA Lakes fishing get together on Chelan first weekend in May. Is there anyone that is interested in going that needs a seat on a boat? Right now it is just me. If someone is interested I may still go. Otherwise I might pull out

I was planning on getting there that Friday and staying until Monday. I think I may now drive down Friday after work, fish Saturday, attend the get together then fish Sunday until noonish and drive home.

[washingtonlakes]

I lost my fishing partner for the WA Lakes fishing get together on Chelan first weekend in May. Is there anyone that is interested in going that needs a seat on a boat? Right now it is just me. If someone is interested I may still go. Otherwise I might pull out

I was planning on getting there that Friday and staying until Monday. I think I may now drive down Friday after work, fish Saturday, attend the get together then fish Sunday until noonish and drive home.

Bummer. We have an available seat section on the RSVP list, and you could post up over there. Would make someone's day for sure.

[Mharri333]

Thanks for the suggestion Mike. Got it all ironed out. I will be bring my original fishing partner.

I will see you there!

[downriggeral]

Glad you got it ironed out. Looking forward to meeting you and seeing that awesome boat you have been working on.

Alan