The Fishin' Magician: The recent endeavors of Joe Heinlen

I talked to Joe Heinlen, Lake Chelan Adventures the other day. He has been busy fishing for lake trout on Lake Chelan and on Rufus Woods for triploids. I want to get up there and do a show on winter fishing on Rufus and he is willing to help me out.

The fishing for lake trout on Chelan is fantastic right now, with double digit numbers of lakers being caught and even some nice, big rainbow. He even caught a small Chinook the other day. On Rufus Woods he is working harder for fish. He likes to troll and cast for triploids, so he can release them. He doesn't get as many in the cold water of winter with this method as he does in the spring and summer, but it is a lot of fun for his clients. He gets some big fish doing this, too. He got an 11-pounder the other day, but he has taken triploids over 20 pounds.

I am really looking forward to taping the show and getting out on the water with Heinlen to have him show me his secrets. He did share a tip, and that's many of the triploids gather along the can line above the dam when food gets scarce.