I took a drive down the Coulee three days before Xmas. Day waz calm & cloudy.
No Ice anywhere....still no ice anywhere!!!!

Dry Falls waz dead. Park waz dead. Blue had a few risers. Alkali waz dead.
Got to Lenora and those huge Lahontin Cutts were wallowing,slurping,gulping
porposeing.sipping,and generally raising hell all over the surface near shore area all
the way down the lake.
I've never seen a winter hatch that attracted so much attention from so many
big trout.
Of course the lake is closed (why does it so often happen when the lake is closed?)
So I didn't stop and try to figure out what it was they were after.
Knowing Lenora though I'll bet it was Midges!!!
Next year should be good on Lenora as it's full of fish.

Ron,

My guess would be chironimids, chironimids, chironimids.

I've fished them over here on the west side during winters past when I had cabin fever and just had to get out. The hatches I've encountered are usually good sized black chronies... about a 10 or a 12.

I forget the name of this one lake, it was out Sultan Basin way. Drug a canoe down to it. Didn't take into account the angle up... and had to use a tow line to help get the canoe out.

I'll be up for fishing Lenore next year. Shouldn't have too many outdoor projects like I did this year.

Zen is right. it would be Chiros. I have been on Lake Sammamish twice this week, and the Midges are thick. About big enough to span a nickel, and something like a 10 or 12 size hook. The trollers have not been having any good luck, and my thought is that they are trying to tempt stuffed trout. <img border="0" alt="[eat]" title="" src="graemlins/eat.gif" />

Wow, that sounds like the "Brown Bombers" hatching over there already!
Hope that doesen't mean the hatch will be OVER when spring comes.
It's turned cold over here now (10th. Jan.) and all hatching activity has stopped.
But weatherman sez EARLY and WARM spring this year so be ready!