FRESH NEWS: Warmer weather brings the largemouth out at Potholes
Local angler Bob McHenry caught this solid 6-pound largemouth while fishing the sand dunes on Potholes Reservoir this week.
Courtesy photo/MarDon Resort
The current water level on Potholes Reservoir is 1,043.2 feet, dropping 0.1 feet this past week. We are 3.3 feet below full pool. We have had a warm week of weather. Surface temperatures have warmed to the upper 40s on the main reservoir and to the mid-50s back in the sand dunes.
The largemouth bass fishing has been very good this week. This was illustrated this past weekend by Tate Webb and Hunter Wabs who won the Columbia Basin Bass Club tournament with a five-fish bag weighing 26.42 pounds with a big fish weighing in at 7.12 pounds. Fish for largemouth back in the sand dunes. Throw 1/2-ounce black-and-blue jigs, swim jigs, jerkbaits, chatter baits and Texas-rigged plastics.
Smallmouth bass are being caught. Fish 18-30 feet using drop shot rigs, blade baits and tubes. Fish the rock piles around Goose Island and along the face of the dam.
Walleye fishing is fair. Fish the humps in front of the sand dunes and near Perch Point. Trolling and jigging are both producing. Troll a slow death rig at about 0.8 mph on a bottom bouncer or jig 1/2-ounce blade baits in 18-28 feet of water. The walleye are about to spawn. This will push many of the fish into the channels in the dunes.
Trout fishing has been fair. Troll No. 7 Flicker Shads or spoons 2-3 mph. Fish Medicare Beach or from MarDon Resort to Blythe Point. Corral, Upper Goose and Long lakes have been producing trout. Use Rooster Tails or PowerBait from shore or troll Wedding Rings from a boat.
No reports of perch, crappie and bluegill, but it won’t be long!
Call the MarDon Resort tackle store for current conditions and fishing information at 509-346-2651.