Fly Fishing Rufus Woods Lake in Fall

A Beast May Be Lurking, But Probably Not

Fifty-one miles of the Columbia River lays trapped between Grand Coulee Dam and Chief Joseph Dam. This impoundment is known as Rufus Woods Lake. Named after the former editor and owner of the Wenatchee Daily World newspaper and a major proponent for the Grand Coulee Dam project, Rufus Woods was formed in the 1950s when Chief Joseph Dam was completed.

Rufus Woods is home to the state record rainbow trout, which weighs in at almost 30 pounds. This trout was a triploid, meaning it was sterile. All it did was eat and grow. Today, you can expect to catch triploids from one-pound to five-pounds regularly with a few exceeding the double-digit mark spattered throughout. But the days of the giants is mostly over.

What Fish Live In Rufus Woods Lake?

Over 30,000 one-to two-pound triploid rainbows are released into Rufus Woods every year. These rainbows are the main targeted fish in the lake when it comes to fishing. Depending on what part of the lake you are fishing, you may also have a chance at some of the redband strain of rainbows that are native to the region. The most elusive trout are browns and they are only found in small numbers. Those who target them keep when and where to find them a closely guarded secret.

What Do The Fish Eat?

The lake has a variety of food that helps grow big fish. Most of your standard insect life can be found in the lake: caddis, mayflies, stoneflies, damsel and dragonflies are common. A cornucopia of baitfish can be found here as well. One pattern that always works here is the crayfish pattern. It doesn’t matter what time of year you use a crayfish pattern, sooner or later, you're going to get some action.

Best Spots to Fish This Lake

Fall seems to be the best time for me. The fish are hungry for everything they can fit in their mouths. It also seems that the larger fish are more aggressive; they’re usually the first to eat. Since I fly-fish, I find fall trout are apt to take streamers, buggers and leech patterns. Indicator fishing with Balanced Leeches in shallower water is highly productive.

You will find many good places to cast from shore. Some of the more accessible locations are Tim Ranch, Seaton’s Grove, and Coyote Creek. I would suggest picking up a map before you head out.

The map I use is put out by the Fish-n-Map Company. This map gives a detailed look at Rufus Woods. You can check out the map and pick several spots. Once you do you may have to do a little walking, but that will just put you into places the average shore anglers don’t go.

Note: there is more shore access from the Colville Confederated Tribal lands than you’ll find on non-tribal lands. You will need a non-tribal member fishing license to fish on its property.

Boat Fishing On Rufus Woods

Rufus Woods is a long, semi-narrow waterway, and the wind is a major factor when fishing from a boat. The wind can be blowing hard in one spot, and appear as just a whisper 40 feet further down the lake. If you are traveling more than a couple of miles from the launch, I would recommend a boat of at least 16 feet in length. Always leave the launch with a full tank of gas, wear your PFD, and make sure your safety items are in good working order. Cell phone service in the area is spotty, so don’t count on using your phone. Make sure people know where you are going and when you are returning.

The use of a boat will put you into some of the most productive spots on the lake. Buckley Bar and Nespelem Bar, Equilibrium and Monaghan, are great options. If you don’t have a large boat, a small 12-to 14-foot craft will suffice in and around the launch area. Some anglers use pontoon boats and have good success in the back bays, away from the current. There are a total of  five boat ramps on the lake.

• Chief Joseph Dam
• Bridgeport State park
• Tim Ranch
• At the pens at near Coyote Creek
• Seaton’s Grove

Tactics For Increasing Your Catch Rate

Work the bays because even the little ones hold fish. Get into a spot where you can work seam water—where the main current meets the slower, side-water of the bay. Take a few moments to figure out what depth the fish are holding, and you’ll be golden. If you want to swing, you can use your switch rod on Rufus Woods. To do so, just head to the upper reaches of the lake. The shoreline is open and casting is easy. The closer to Grand Coulee Dam you go, the better the swing gets. No matter how you fish this big lake, catch rates vary from day-to-day. Location, weather, etc., all play a role. When it comes together you might catch double-digit numbers.

Best Fly Rod, Line and Tippet To Use

Given the potential to catch fish over six pounds, I would not recommend fishing with anything less than a six-weight rod. One thing about triploid rainbows is they will give you a good five to 10-minute fight, but after that they’re easy to net. If you use a lighter rod, you run the risk of “over fighting” the fish, which leads to higher mortality rates. If you plan on throwing larger streamers, I would bump your rod up to an eight-weight.

Matching a line to your rod is easy. If you plan on using an indicator rig, I would recommend RIO's Xtreme Indicator in six-weight. I have no problem casting this line with a one-inch round indicator. For a full-sinking line, I like the Airflo 40+ Type 3 and for an intermediate line, RIO’s InTouch Deep Type 5 fly does the trick. All three options turn over easily with a variety of flies. The deepest I generally fish this time of the year, is about 20 feet, so a Type 5 fly line is your deepest option.

My leader length depends a lot on the type of fly I use. If I’m using medium-to large streamers with weight, I use about five feet of 10-pound straight mono with one foot of eight-to 10-pound fluorocarbon tippet. For indicator fishing, I use the RIO Indicator Tapered Leader in 3X, with one foot of 3X fluorocarbon tippet.

Recommended Flies for Fishing Rufus Woods

Balanced Leeches:

• Black or purple, #6 and #8 TFP Balanced Squirrel Leech.
• Olive, #8 and #10 Pumpkin Head Balanced Leech
• Black or olive #8 and #10 BTB Balanced Leech

Buggers:

• Brown #8 Conehead Krystal Bugger
• Red #8 and #10 BH Pop’s Bugger
• Black or olive #8 GB Crystal Rubber Leg Bugger
• Peacock/black #8 GB Flash-a-Bugger

Streamers:

• #4 TFP Stinging Smolt
• #4 Sculpzilla
• #4 TFP Bald Eagle
• White #8 Sculpzilla
• Olive #2 El Sculpito
• Olive or black #2 Galloup’s Peanut Envy
• Sculpin #6 Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow
• Pearl gold #6 Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow

"What flies are in our bins," you ask... Why these flies are of course.

These patterns have fished well for me over the years. I did not list any crayfish patterns because I have found everyone has their personal choice. If you do not have a crayfish pattern you prefer, stop by the shop. We carry many of them that are quite productive. One thing I have found with crayfish patterns, if looks like a good pattern… it will probably work.

This time of the year can be a little chilly in the morning, so prepare for the cold with layers. Sure, it can get cold, but the fishing this time of year can be great. So get out there for some solid rainbows and remember, when you get off the water with a chill, the coffee is always hot at the shop.