The Spalding ramp was open this morning but it may not last too much longer. However, we are expecting warmer temperatures this week but they are accompanied by possible showers. We did get some precipitation early this morning in the form of rain as the low temperature only dropped to a little above 34 degrees. Currently it has begun to rain.

We have a 40% chance of showers for Tuesday. Wednesday should be mostly cloudy with a high of 44 and a low of 33, east wind to 5 mph.

Snow is likely on Thursday (60%) and Friday with highs in the high 30's and lows in the mid 20's. So far NOAA hasn't posted any wind speeds but chances are it will be gusty.

There is ice forming in Halfmoon Bay but it has receded quite a bit the last couple days.

Boaters be aware that extreme cold temperatures wreak havoc with boat motors. I/O units that are water cooled should remove the freeze plugs and drain the block. It is not unusual for cast iron blocks to crack by having water left in them when temperatures are that low. Our high temperatures won't be high enough to thaw things out. 4-stroke outboard owners...drain ???em down and drain ???em up to prevent the water pump from freezing up.

Fishing Report

The entire lake remains open water but ice started forming along the waters edge along Halfmoon Bay and the tules. The warmer temperatures and high winds have helped keep things open this week. The ramp in Spalding can ice up any day now. The first folks to launch have broken up any ice that may have formed overnight but don't attempt to break through more than ?? inch.

Even thin ice can cause some boat damage and it is unbelievable how powerful the ice can be so don't be fooled by it. One time we launched in open water but the thin sheet ice that had formed in the still water had drifted into where we launched, blocking us a few hundred feet from shore once we came in. So, don't play games once the ice starts increasing, this lake has been known to claim the fools who dare her to take them down in winter. Trust me, I have the stubby paddle to prove how much ice it had to break.

The lake temperature in the north and middle basins have driven most of the trout and tui chub minnows to deeper water. A few fish always remain in the shallow basins but finding them can be tough. Most of the action has been around the Youth Camp and Biology Station as well as the slightly deeper water on the south side of Pelican Point and Miners Point.

The west side of the south basin (Lake of the Woods) has been fishing pretty well but the shore and fly fishermen are having days that the fish just don't move into water any shallower than 10 to 12 feet even though many are still being caught above that level. This is normal for years of low water and higher pH. This is one reason that I always suggest having a float tube.

The east side along the Springs to Eagles Nest has had its good days and bad days however, fish are starting to move around in that area now. Shore access for vehicles is limited to Eagles Nest subdivision which can be inaccessible during inclement weather.

Fish are being caught at the 7 to 10 ft depths in 10 to 20 feet of water at the Youth Camp; while those fishing the deeper water 30 to 50 feet deep are not only finding fish at 7 to 10 feet deep but 21 to 24 feet deep has also pulled up a few hogs.

Action has slowed up in the shallow north and middle basins, however a few trout do remain. It won't be long before the shallows ice over. It isn't wise to attempt to walk on the ice when it just forms. Once it thickens up and ambient temperatures don't rise much above freezing it can still be dangerous. Many folks ice fish when conditions allow. But, this year most of the water one would be able to safely walk to will at most be 3 to 4 feet deep. We generally prefer to fish the south basin in late fall and winter.

The early bite has been short and sweet. Fish have still been caught after sunrise but some folks have been working for them while others are doing much better. Most fish are being caught near the surface however, some are also being caught much deeper.

Typically the lake becomes the same temperature throughout the water column this time of year and the fish are caught at many different levels above 30 feet. When the bite slows up, I tend to go to the more natural colors of brown or olive over bright and flashy colors.

Best lures

Sure Catch: Large Red Dog, Medium Goldie Locks, Medium Zebra, medium Gator.
Needle Fish: Fire, Florescent orange (pearl or brass back), rainbow trout, frog.
Rapala's and minnow imitations work best where minnows are present. Nightcrawlers behind dodgers are also a productive method this time of year.

Trolling Flies

Plain Jane brown has still out fished many of the other popular colors. Florescent orange (J Fairs "hot one" has produced some fish but will steadily get better as water temperatures drop causing the native shrimp to turn orange.

Bait fishermen using nightcrawlers have also found some action but more in the early morning hours than late morning hours. Be sure to have some attractant along. Garlic Gravy and Krill have been the most successful flavors. Powerbait in combination with nightcrawlers has also worked well in the past. Colors include Florescent orange, chartreuse, rainbow and occasionally red or hot pink. If you are using powerbait to float your nightcrawler off the bottom, be sure you use enough to do the job. Test it before you toss it.

Shore fishing has been good one day and not so good the next. Some days the fish have not moved in close until later in the morning. Using longer rods for steelhead and salmon will cast much farther than the typical 6 foot rod from shore. Accesses to shore fishing in the south basin include Pikes Point and the jetty at the Eagle Lake Marina, Christie Day Use area and the Circus Grounds, Wildcat Point (via Brockman Lava Beds) and Rocky Point (both sides). Shore fishing is also available along highway 139 however there has not been a heck of a lot of action this season there.

Jig fishermen have used long rods for years just lighten up the pound test on the spool. Jig colors that work best are natural wild turkey (almost black once wet) olive and brown. Occasionally when the water has been stirred up by some fierce winds yellow and white begin working.

Fly Fishermen need not look any farther than good old wooly buggers and wiggle tails. Brown has been the best color over the years but olive works well also. The small florescent orange wooly buggers are best along the rocky ledges when water temperatures drop below 45 degrees. Sizes 10 and 12 are the normal sizes we use here. If you are going to the effort to hike in to fish, make the effort to pack your float tube. I can't stress the importance of being able to reach the fish that are just out of reach for the average wading fisherman.

Shore fishing has been pretty slow for the average fisherman this season, so don't be fooled by what the big fishing news publications are saying. Most folks have been working pretty hard to catch a fish, let alone two. There have been some fish foraging along the shoreline but most have been holding in deeper water. Having waders and a float tube so you can access the deeper water will substantially increase your catch rate. Fish are being caught close to the surface but not in water any shallower than 12 feet.