Eastern Washington Fishing Report 03.15.18
Lenore Lake
Lenore Lake opened March 1. Lenore was one of the Washington's first lakes to have Lahontan cutthroat. For a long time, Lenore had some real bruiser fish in it, but in the last 10 years the size of the fish has diminished. Still, you can expect fish in the 16"-20" range. This time of the year the north end of the lake is going to be a very productive area due to the fish podding up for the spawn cycle. I was able to get out and hit the lake a few days ago and got a hook into a couple of nice fish. But they came unbuttoned shortly after hook-up. The water clarity was poor. Visibility was down to about eight inches and I don’t really didn’t know the exact reason behind the dirty water. Like most years I'm confident it will get better. If you get a chance to hit the lake, #8 black leeches or a #14 red Snow Cone chironomid would be my first choice out of the box.
Omak Lake
Omak Lake anglers have been filing mixed reports of late. Most have reported bringing at least a couple Lahontan cutthroat to hand but the hot fishing expected every year in early spring has not materialized yet. The last week or so, afternoon temps have flirted with 55 in the Omak area, but nighttime temps have dropped well below freezing. Winter's grasp is holding on for now. However, rain and lows just above the freezing mark are expected this week. Shouldn't be long now. Most slopes surrounding the lake are still blanketed with a foot or more of snow so expect runoff and turbidity. Spots to avoid once runoff really gets in gear are the areas around No Name Creek in Mission Bay (which closes March 31) and the far southeastern corner of the lake where Kartar Creek flows in. Best techniques in the next few weeks include casting (or trolling) full-sinking lines well beyond the color change in 6 to 18 feet of water. Black or olive streamers size #4-8 will do the trick in this cold water either stripped or twitched under an indicator near the bottom. Largish chironomids #10-14 are also a smart choice, either alone or as a dropper behind your streamer offering. As always, call the shop for the latest on road access and fish reports as it always seems there is a state of flux this time of year.
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