Hey Voodoo, I avoid W. Wash like the Plague now. Spent too many years over there
because I had to. Discovered a FEW great troutfishing spots and Steelheaded and Salmon
fished a lot,but for trout there is NO REASON for me to go to W. Wash. ever again. Sorry,
but if you ever get over this way......well I can show you what real troutfishing on the
flyrod is all about.
Sushi mentioned that all his/her? experience is on moving water and lakes are a mysterious
puzzle that's hard to crack. Well actually a lake is easier to analyize than most streams.
The feed is in the littoral zone, that area where sunlight reaches the bottom and weeds and
plankton/nymphs that support the food chain are. Generally this is from 3 feet deep to 15-20 feet deep depending on water clarity. The feeding fish (not all fish at any one time are feeding) are where the feed is. Not all spots in the littoral zone are as rich as others, some may be too rocky or hardpan soil etc.
Usually the inlet and outlet areas of a lake if they exist, are very rich. Good places to start.
Other ways to find the fish in a lake:
Go where the other fishermen are concentrated especially the "old hands" on a lake if you know any.
Where is the Loon concentrating his fishing....go there.
Where are the swallows feeding....under them are the trout eating the hatching chironomids.
Use your fishfinder to find concentrations of fish....if you have one.
Large relatively flat areas of 6-12 feet deep with a fast dropoff to deeper water are good chioronmid spots.
Look for the deepwater edges of dense weedbeds...always an area where trout will search food.
Once you find a hotspot on a lake remember it...map and write it down. It will usually pay off
time after time.
Lakes are no mystery,they are actually easy to read....if the fish are still there that is!