If you haven't heard, fishing for triploid rainbow at Rufus Woods Reservoir is hot right now.  I had heard reports of fish kills due to nitrogen saturation below Coulee Dam and that all the fish in the pens had died.  Well, apparently some have survived.  The river is full of them.  I even saw fish jumping in the lower net pens on a recent trip there.  Maybe fish were released from the upper pens rather than have them die in confinement.  Whatever happened, anglers will be reaping the benefits.  Jerrod Gibbons, Okanogan Valley Guide Service, invited me to come along on a trip to Rufus Woods with his father Tom and daughter Katlynn.  We launched at the rough launch on the Tim Ranch and ran about a half mile up to the lower pens.  The Gibbons clan were into fish immediately and caught fat triploids of 5 to 7 pounds on ¼-ounce jigs and an orange spinner.  When I switch to a rod with a ten-pound fluorocarbon leader I got in on the action, too.  We were using single barbless hooks and no bait so we could catch and release until we had out limit.  What a blast.  When we quit our stringer must have weighed 50 pounds!

Anton Jones with a 13.5 pound early morning Mack. David Kimble, a writer from Vernon, BC was the angler, but he thought I should have a picture of this fish holding it.

    What's hottest is continuing to troll the Bar early in the morning for Lake Trout on Lake Chelan.  Troll for Lake Trout in depths of 115 to 145 on the Bar before the sun get "two hands" above the horizon on Lake Chelan.  Worden Lures T4 Flatfish in either Luminous Chartreuse or Purple Glow on the Downriggers worked great.  Another Flatfish pattern to focus on big fish is the M2 in Chub.  On the outriggers try big Cha Cha Squidders by Mack's Lures, purple glow Rushin' Salmon Wobblers by Critter Gitter or Chartreuse Splatterback Kingfisher Lite spoons by Silver Horde.  After that early morning shot on the Bar fade your troll over to the South Shore by pulling through the deep holes between there and Minneapolis Beach.  We have had consistent success pulling U20 Flatfish in Purple Glow at 1.3 to 1.6 mph through there.  Silver Horde's Ace Hi Flies are a great alternate choice along there. 

    The Kokanee fishing has thinned out some but can be productive if you concentrate on them.  This is the time of the year that the face of Mill Bay from Rocky Point to Wapato Point is best.  The hot ticket should continue to be Mack's Lures Mini Cha Cha Squidder in pink behind their Flashlites.  Bait those Squidders with Pautzke's Fire Corn in Natural or Orange.  One to 1.3 mph is the best trolling speed for them, but don't be afraid to vary that to trigger them when the bite goes cold. 

    For you shore anglers, this is a great time to throw little Worden Lures Roostertails or Mack's Lures Promise Keepers for a potpourri of fish with Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pikeminnow or Trout all being possibilities.  Flinging them around dock complexes is the strategy. 

    Your fishing tip of the week is to "match the hatch" on Lake Chelan right now.  Big plugs on the Bar can produce nice trophy sized Lakers early in the morning or late in the evening this time of the year.  Use plugs that imitate Kokanee or Northern Pikeminnow for best effect. 

    The kid's tip of the week is to make sure the little kids life jackets are comfortable to head off fussing on the boat.  It can make the day a lot more enjoyable. 

    Your safety tip of the week is to stay focused for floating debris on Lake Chelan to save your prop and lower unit.  It is really loaded in the Narrows and scattered widely elsewhere.  Also, if you're trolling out there on Lake Chelan, remember our outrigger lines here can be four to six hundred feet behind the boat.