11 Mile Marina Weekly Fishing Report 03-07-19
CONDITIONS:: Park is open 24/7/365. It' still been Winter no open water. We did not get any snow out of the last big storm so trekking is not so bad. Ice thickness running 17 to 23 inches with four to six inches of snow on that. It was warm with snow melting yesterday. The drainage into the lake from shoreline areas will effect water clarity in the shallows and it has been bad. It's been a great season with the best yet to come. Don't give up now! North Shore hit with massive stocking yesterday and today. Bring the kids have a blast. It's a numbers game. Late season ice fishing edges go first so be careful although everything is very firm right now.
WATER FLOW: IN 49.9 CFS OUT: 59.7 CFS Water Temp: ICE COLD Water clarity poor.
TROUT: GOOD: Crazy stocker action on the north side of the lake. (They stocked again 3/6/2019 at North Shore). They are spreading around. Many fish in the 17 to 20 inch range showing up. Mostly Cuttbows some Browns. Greens and Pink continue to be good colors. Baits like salmon eggs, Pautzke Firebait and Crawlers also have been producing. Bigger fish spotted in deeper water just below the ice down to 12 feet. It's worth a hike to 30 feet and deeper although there are lots of big fish beginning to show up. Top pic caught on a 11 Mile Marina all Pink Krystal Lazer on the bottom in 13 feet of water. Huge fish being landed right now. Sandy shoreline areas in 3 to 5 feet of water. Salmon eggs and bait work well on the large spawning fish also but we like big tube jigs in white and green. Now is the time.
KOKANEE SALMON: STILL VERY GOOD: The great 2019 bite continues. Some days are better than others just like "fishing". Fish have been very finicky. But when the bite happens its all hands on. Have extra poles ready so as not lose any time while they are in. Don't even waste time getting them off the hook, just get another rig and get back in the game. Changing up is the name of the game when they reject your offerings time and again. Spoons are our favorite but they hit micro jigs too. Try a stinger hook with a four inch leader off your Kastmaster, Krocodile or Swedish Pimple and a size 14 salmon egg hook with just a meal worm on it. They often will come in on the spoon and hit the dangling worm. North Shore and Duck Island are two great areas with North Shore the easiest hike. We did well in only 45 feet of water recently.
NORTHERN PIKE:FAIR: Sometimes you would think these fish middle name is Kokanee as finicky as they have been. They are there but very leery. Waterdog on a tip up probably your best bet while fishing for Trout. If you are sight fishing stay cool, calm and collected when the big one comes in. We have seen these monsters stare at a bait for 20 minutes or more before inhaling your offering. It can happen if you let it. More often than not people get antsy and twitch their bait only to scare them off. Try 10 feet or less in coves or off weed beds. North Shore is full of stockers and large Pike full of stockers too! We have seen some monsters prowling the marina cove.
