Perch, Deep top opener lakes

Fish and Wildlife Fish Biologist Chad Jackson offered the following results report of the lowland lake opener last Saturday. Read on.

Warden Lake had 65 anglers checked with 232 fish kept and 20 released for an average of fish caught per angler of 3.9 and an average of fish kept per angler of 3.6.

Warden Lake highlights:

Overall fishing was very good for mostly 11-inch yearling trout. Trout 16-20 inches were also recorded in the catch. At approximately 10 a.m. 15-20 mph winds came up at Warden Lake hampering shore and boat anglers alike. Many anglers went back to camp to wait out the wind.

Blue Lake had 36 anglers checked with 129 fish kept and six released. The average fish per angler caught was 3.8 and the average of fish per angler kept was 3.6.

Blue Lake highlights:

Boat anglers experienced very good fishing with high harvest rates over three trout per anglers. Shore anglers unfortunately experienced much slower fishing at one to two trout per rod.

Trout size was excellent with most fish at 12.5 to 13.5 inches. Holdovers ranged in size from 16-20 inches. At approximately 10 a.m. 15-20 mph winds came up at Blue Lake hampering shore and boat anglers alike. Many boat anglers went ashore and back to their camps. Shore anglers followed suit. Most anglers were very happy with the quality of their catch.

On Park Lake 76 anglers were checked with 184 fish kept and 37 released. The average fish per angler caught was 2.9 and the average of fish per angler kept was 2.4.

Park Lake highlights:

Same comments at Blue Lake, except a little slower fishing.

At Deep Lake 91 anglers were checked with 343 fish kept and 86 fish released. The average fish caught was 4.7 per angler with the average number of fish kept was 3.8.

Deep Lake highlights:

Great fishing for 11- to 15-inch trout. Several anglers found refuge from the wind. Very fast fishing for near to complete limits.

Perch Lake had seven anglers checked with 25 fish kept and 12 released. The average fish was 5.3 and the average fish kept was 3.6.

Perch Lake highlights:

Generally a lake with low angler, mostly shoreline, effort. However, fishing can be good and anglers can get away from the crowds of Blue, Park and Deep Lakes. Trout size was good at 11-13 inches with some of the triploids planted showing up in the catch at 14 to 16 inches. By approximately 10 a.m. the wind picked up hampering shoreline fishing success.

At Vic Meyers Lake eight anglers were checked with 31 fish kept and one released for an average of 4.0 fish caught and an average of 3.9 fish kept.

Vic Meyers Lake highlights:

Same comments as Perch Lake, except the catch was mostly comprise of triploids and holdovers of 14 to 20 inches.

Dennis note: Garnet and I drove north to the Sun Lakes area arriving at about 1 p.m. A bunch of the anglers usually camping along the Highway 17 side of Blue Lake had headed home or elsewhere when the wind began to blow.

However, the anglers at Deep Lake continued to arrive and catch fish. It seems the lake was sheltered a bit from the wind.