Friday the 13th - 13 May, 2011

Finally a warm day! It was a bright sun that greeted us at the Dworshak boat launch. We had chosen to get a late start and it turned out to be a very good decision. The temperature was already into the upper 40's. The sun was bright as we motored away from the dock. Our first stop was a short distance up the reservoir where a small stream dropped into the reservoir on the west side. The reservoir was still over a 100 feet below full pool. The fish cooperated at the first stop and we had 7 nice rainbow in the bucket. As we motored along the shoreline with the trolling motor I was excited when a Huge Smallmouth bass followed my lure up to the boat! He made a swirl at the lure before leaving!! Duane hooked up to a big fish on his jig/worm outfit. The battle was on! After staying deep and out of sight for a short time. Duane got him up to the surface and we discovered that he had a big "Bugle Mouth Trout" (better know as a sucker).

We then motored up to Freeman Creek where the bass was more active. The water temp was 52 degrees on the surface. The sun was warming up the water already. Duane caught a nice 2 lb smallmouth bass on a jig/worm combination before we motored to the next spot. I managed to catch a couple small ones on a crappie jig/worm combination. I was having the best luck with a red headed motor oil brown crappie jig on a 1/16th ounce jig.

The action picked up in Canyon Creek for a short time but after landing several bass and one crappie the action quit. It was hard to leave the spot but no more fish would take our offerings.

Additional stops were made in Canyon Creek, Indian Creek and back at the small drainage just west of the boat launch. I snapped a few pictures as we left the last spot and headed to the boat dock.

It was a beautiful day and the temperature was over 70 degrees when we quit for the day. We had a great fish fry that night with fresh smallmouth fillets the main ingredient. I must caution folks that the Annis house is not the place to learn how to play dominos!!!

Boat Ride Dworshak Reservoir

A beautiful sunny day means it is time for a boat ride on Dworshak Reservoir. I meant my boat Captain Duane at 0800am in Orofino. He was taking his boat today as a shake down cruise for our pending trip to Brownlee Reservoir in a few weeks. We of course brought the fishing poles along just incase the bass decided that they wanted to go for a boat ride. Minutes late we were at the marina unloading the boat.The gentlemen in another boat loading at the ramp announced that the reservoir w

as 185 feet down from full pool. It was the lowest that I had ever seen the reservoir. Duane motored away from the launch heading towards Merry's Bay. It was a beautiful day and the lake was very calm.

We motored slow

ly around the bay looking at ground which was usually under water during a normal year (even at low water level). We looked for fishing gear that might have been lost

as we went along. After a while we realized that any

fishing gear lost dur

ing the normal full pool would be at least 100 feet above the current water level. I spotted one fishing line but a quick check with the binoculars didn't reveal any fishing rod. It was a "LONG" ways up the very steep and muddy bank. I choose not to investigate any further.

A quick check of the dam showed that there was a lot of it exposed. The Corps of Engineers dock which was usually at the east end of the dam was not in pla

ce. The water must be too low for it to be used and it was not in place yet.

We then motored up the reservoir for several miles to the entrance of the Canyon Creek drainage. It was amazing to see bare ground where there was usually water!

We got the fishing poles out at the very mouth of the creek. The water temperature was 47 degrees! Very cold! The dass would not be very active in this cold water. Duane had brough along a supply of fresh worms...5 of them to be exact. He quickly put them to work. He sold me one for 50 cents. I wonder how much I owe him for worms borrowed already. Oh well....he knows that i will pay him ....someday! We quickly discovered that while the bas were not active the rainbow trout found our offerings quite to their liking. We soon had 9 flopping fish up to 14 inches long flopping in the fish bucket. Yours truly forgot to take a picture of them. They would have made a great photo to end the blog with! Well use your imagination and I will try to remember to take a photo the next trip of those that didn't get away!