First visit to Mtn FF only Lake on the Mtn this Yr

[Lue Taylor]

The forecast winds gust 12MPH which means high winds, after about a 1 1/2 hr the die down no more rollers. The water felt a little warmer than I expected, fish from 1pm to 8pm landed 29 fish (14 Bows & 15 Brookie), the bows was a mix bag in size as were the brook trout. I used two flies all day amazing because I was using 6X tippet only broke one off probably would have been more if I could seen the takes much to do with choppy water and I want say I met Wayne K. & Chris and one other which name elude me I want to say Tim Lockhart started a rumor that I am the loudest on the lake now everyone comes up to me an say are you Lue I can hear you. Damnit Tim you still piss I met you @ Lone with 4ft waves an out fish you That's all folks

 

[Tim L]

LT I've been afraid to fish with you ever since!

 

[Wayne Kohan]

I wasn't sure it was you Lue, because you were quiet. But I recognized your boat. And I swear you caught more fish than that, you seemed to always have one on.

 

[Chris M]

I too noticed Lue had a fish every time I looked over his way. The next day I took up Lue's spot and did very well.

 

[fkajwg]

Friday the weather was cloudy with occasional short showers, breezes and occasional gusts.

a mature bald eagle was a treat when it flew around most of the perimeter of the lake. And later when it returned it presented a classic NW scene, a banking eagle wings spread, and a raven with wedged tail harassing it, both above the dark hemlock treetop silhouettes, gray mountain slope behind, and gray clouds above.

a brook trout sampled early in the afternoon had a single intact leech and not much else.
few insects were observed.
gold beadhead gray hares ear in 14 was my fly choice, as it often is there.
i was in the gray porta bote.

jay

 

[Irafly]

Has anyone seen a bunch of people using gear there? A FB post makes it sound like there are people gear fishing, but that the ranger doesn’t care.

 

[Eastside]

I fished there on Thursday and saw no signs of gear fishing. Seeger was there so he will be the person to ask. The Seeger effect is going to impact the weather with mixed rain and snow in the forecast. On Thursday, the “W” was pretty strong with higher gusts. The gear fishing could be happening at Dog Lake where it is allowed.

 

[Cowlitz Bottomfeeder]

Has anyone seen a bunch of people using gear there? A FB post makes it sound like there are people gear fishing, but that the ranger doesn’t care.

I’ve been there four times (but not on weekends) and haven’t seen anyone using gear. There is no Ranger. The campground is maintained by employees of the ski area and they take care of the fee collection. Any enforcement would be done by game wardens or Forest Service commissioned employees which are more rare than hens teeth.

I pumped one Rainbow which contained 4-5 size 26 olive chironomids. There are a few damsel adults flying about and sparse hatches of mayflies. Winds were 15-20 Thursday so nobody was rising.

 

[FishyJere]

I was there Thursday as well and I did see 2 people at the rock slide end fishing from the shore. The wind was just too nasty to make it worth the effort to row all the way there to inspect them.

 

[Lue Taylor]

I was there Thursday as well and I did see 2 people at the rock slide end fishing from the shore. The wind was just too nasty to make it worth the effort to row all the way there to inspect them.

Good job of finding owner of the loose Shepard Jerry

 

[FishyJere]

That was a shaggy dog story. I was at the launch stowing my boat and a couple of guys came in as well. There was a dog, swimming, following them in. Nice old Shepard with a limp. I went up along the camps asking if they were missing a dog and hollered at Lue as well. I did find the owner in one camp and the dog had returned to him in the meantime. He was thankful for the effort and seemed very attached to his dog.

 

[Bass-O-Matic]

I dropped down to the roadside puddle (2+ ac) just west of the summit (4100') Thursday for a little more protection. Water temp was 40.9 degrees and my feet didn't like that. Between the two of us we landed 8 browns and 2 brookies. In classic 2023 style as I was sliding my tube down the bank a guy walks out of the woods, there was no vehicle in sight??? He didn't have a shirt on, was wearing shorts, sandals and well tanned, for a moment I thought I had met my first mountain man. He asked were there bass in there and I said very unlikely. He disappeared and returned with an inflatable kayak and gear rods with large spinner baits attached. Water was gin clear and this puddle was so small I figure he would light up every fish in the place on the first cast. He obviously didn't buy into my suggestion this was likely a bass-free lake. He putzed around and eventually decided to work on his tan. Thing was it was far from warm out and despite "the protection" there was a decent breeze more often than not. Later he beached his boat and walked up the feeder stream a bit and returned declaring the lake was like bath water compared to the tiny stream. Next a van full of guys stopped by and posed the same question... "are there any bass in there". Both parties wanted to fish the lake at the very top but deemed the wind to be a bit much. Something tells me regulations are considered optional by many folks.

 

[FishyJere]

Knuppenberg is a sweet little pond. I saw on the planting records that they put 150 browns in it recently. Roadside stuff takes a beating.

 

[Cowlitz Bottomfeeder]

I dropped down to the roadside puddle (2+ ac) just west of the summit (4100') Thursday for a little more protection. Water temp was 40.9 degrees and my feet didn't like that. Between the two of us we landed 8 browns and 2 brookies. In classic 2023 style as I was sliding my tube down the bank a guy walks out of the woods, there was no vehicle in sight??? He didn't have a shirt on, was wearing shorts, sandals and well tanned, for a moment I thought I had met my first mountain man. He asked were there bass in there and I said very unlikely. He disappeared and returned with an inflatable kayak and gear rods with large spinner baits attached. Water was gin clear and this puddle was so small I figure he would light up every fish in the place on the first cast. He obviously didn't buy into my suggestion this was likely a bass-free lake. He putzed around and eventually decided to work on his tan. Thing was it was far from warm out and despite "the protection" there was a decent breeze more often than not. Later he beached his boat and walked up the feeder stream a bit and returned declaring the lake was like bath water compared to the tiny stream. Next a van full of guys stopped by and posed the same question... "are there any bass in there". Both parties wanted to fish the lake at the very top but deemed the wind to be a bit much. Something tells me regulations are considered optional by many folks.

I think I spoke with you earlier at the lake on the top. The lake below is named Knuppenberg and was stocked with 1000 tiny brown trout. It’s a general regulation lake and bait is allowed. The brookies probably came out of the stream. No bass up in that country.

 

[Eastside]

That was a shaggy dog story. I was at the launch stowing my boat and a couple of guys came in as well. There was a dog, swimming, following them in. Nice old Shepard with a limp. I went up along the camps asking if they were missing a dog and hollered at Lue as well. I did find the owner in one camp and the dog had returned to him in the meantime. He was thankful for the effort and seemed very attached to his dog.

That dog followed me halfway across the lake while we were working our way back to the launch so I met you, sort of. I need to be a better job checking with folks that I meet for connections to PNW Flyfishing. The dog knew which direction to head for camp. It was a big dog that had broken its rope. Owner needs to get a stronger one. Kudos to you for walking through camp to find the owner. I’m going to take my brother-in-law this week but we are watching the weather. The Seeger effect seems to be at full strength.

 

[Bass-O-Matic]

I checked on the stocking, seems like a crazy number to put in there? I could see into the depths very well for most of the puddle. Might have spotted one fish that went 14". About half caught measure 11". It was a very bright day and I do wonder how a cloudy day might play out when the water warms up to 50 degrees?

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/reports...+LK+(LEWI)&county=&species=&hatchery=&region=

Cowlitz Bottomfeeder - Thanks for the tip to beat the breeze up top.

 

[Cowlitz Bottomfeeder]

I checked on the stocking, seems like a crazy number to put in there? I could see into the depths very well for most of the puddle. Might have spotted one fish that went 14". About half caught measure 11". It was a very bright day and I do wonder how a cloudy day might play out when the water warms up to 50 degrees?

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/reports/stocking/trout-plants?lake_stocked=KNUPPENBURG+LK+(LEWI)&county=&species=&hatchery=&region=

Cowlitz Bottomfeeder - Thanks for the tip to beat the breeze up top.

About 28 years ago my daughter caught her first fish there- a 15” brown trout. I don’t know why they put browns in there. But once it warms up a clever fellow in a tube might try tossing streamers or muddlers at the shoreline. Worked 30 years ago.

It’s an interesting little lake. Like a spring creek. Weedy bottom, current down the middle to the outlet. I haven’t fished it for 20 years.

 

[Lue Taylor]

Browns are nocturnal may have better luck fishing evenings for bigger ones.

 

[Shawn Seeger]

OK sorry have been preoccupied. I did a day trip up in Monday (12th) to fish with my brother and friend. Yes the "W" was really blowing out of the west. Caught a little of both, but the "w" won.

As I was rowing west along the campground side, I heard 2 people talking (don't accept language as a barrier), I saw a man in camouflage cost holing a rainbow in a towel, retrieving from woman's line. Then he walked over in front of his chair, retrieved a mesh bag with probably 15+ bows in it and he dropped the new one in. I rowed right at him, just as the woman was about to recast a big bottom weight and globe of bright chartreuse powerbait. I politely told the man, who was startled by my talking to him, that it was a "fly fishing only" lake, NO bait. He tried to pretend he didn't speak English, I corrected him. Then he said he didn't know it was "fly fishing only" and didn't know there was no bait (he was in the furthest west site), I politely told he he should already check the regs first! And then told him that he had driven past a sign that clearly stated the rules, again he feigned english or reg understanding. I said "Well now you know and your better move along!"

The woman was packing up very quickly! And the left right away.

@Irafly I have had a very clear conversing with the FB post person and shared the attach wdfw regulations. It is really frustrating because no matter how hard it is to get clear wording on regs, POS are still going to try and find loopholes!
I say talk with people first (if safe) the text and call wdfw and add a last resort call the state patrol!

 

[fkajwg]

It is not helpful that they allow keeping a rainbow and otherwise general rules.

I have see some folks w fly gear enthusiastically taking their limits or more.



j