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Author Topic: Potholes Walleye...  (Read 9420 times)

Offline gasman

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Potholes Walleye...
« on: February 19, 2017, 12:55:31 PM »
Anybody but out yet fishing for walleye?

Are the boat launches even accessible?

I'm getting antsy for some walleye fishing.
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Offline Griz231

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2017, 01:08:46 PM »
I'd be curious as well.  Time to get the boat out.  Also has anyone been to Tri Cities for pre spawn action?
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Offline buckcanyonlodge

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2017, 01:36:33 PM »
Was in Moses Lake yesterday and it's still frozen over. No one ice fishing...maybe too thin?? Pothole is probably still frozen as well??
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Offline plugger

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2017, 03:24:25 PM »
Drove up today to check it out. 100 percent froze over. every lake in the basin is froze over. Don't be planning on fishing the lakes that open up march 1st. It will be several weeks before you will be able to fish poteholes or moses in a boat. And I didn't see anyone ice fishing anywhere. There were puddles forming on top of the ice, but from the snow melt.

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2017, 10:51:09 AM »
I've been told that Banks is still frozen over also. Will probably be a late start this year.
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Offline C-Money

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2017, 12:16:17 PM »
Yup, everything is still frozen. I imaging it will be frozen for a while cause its been dipping below freezing every night. Still quite a bit of snow on the ground as well. Late start to spring fishing for sure.
I felt like a one legged cat trying to bury a terd on a frozen pond!

Offline jessie88

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2017, 02:02:31 PM »
wonder if the potholes is gonna be any good this year. most the year last year was insanely bad for a lot of people. the big wallys guy near banks thinks the numbers of walleye were way down last year.

Offline C-Money

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2017, 05:37:47 PM »
Right..I fished it a few times and only caught bass trolling plugs. No walleye out of Potholes for me last year.
I felt like a one legged cat trying to bury a terd on a frozen pond!

Offline gasman

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2017, 06:31:03 PM »
Wake up walleye last year early season are potholes late January into the middle of February. Went back in April and only caught one tiny eight inch walleye, and some bass.
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Offline Encore 280

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2017, 06:45:23 PM »
 :chuckle: :chuckle: :fishin:

Offline plugger

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2017, 07:06:48 PM »
My guess is it will be a couple years before it comes back if there was a successful spawn the last few tears. Way to many fish taken out of the system. Way more people fishing them with all the other fisheries getting cut back. I would think next year you will start to see the smaller fish start showing up, 12 to 14 inchers. It will take awhile to get a few age classes built back up. Something to think about when everyone is killing those big females. You want good consistent fishing, then its up to us to manage it that way, the state isn't going to do it.

Offline jessie88

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2017, 07:40:54 PM »
i actually wonder if that 12 inch minimum is what made the numbers go way down from too many being kept?  seems you either have a huge population of 12-15 inch walleye with the old 16 inch minimum then you lower it to thin out the tons of smaller fish then the number are way low.

Offline C-Money

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #12 on: February 20, 2017, 08:57:39 PM »
16" minimum was working very well. Hope Moses and Banks are going to fish well this year.
I felt like a one legged cat trying to bury a terd on a frozen pond!

Offline lokidog

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #13 on: February 20, 2017, 09:24:42 PM »
My one and only time fishing Potholes for Walleye, I caught a 32' almost eleven pounder.   :peep:  Good luck when the ice is out.

Offline jessie88

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2017, 08:50:44 AM »
16" minimum was working very well. Hope Moses and Banks are going to fish well this year.

i wonder if they will change the regs again if the numbers stay low.  i guess having the walleye numbers down will help the bluegill and crappie fishing again though so thats a plus.

Offline C-Money

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #15 on: February 21, 2017, 08:59:40 AM »
Bluegills were thick as flies on traditional walleye grounds last year. I could not fish worm harness rigs on some of my old honey holes cause of all the gills! I will be surprised if walleye fishing is good this year on Potholes. To many clues pointing towards a low population.
I felt like a one legged cat trying to bury a terd on a frozen pond!

Offline Skillet

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2017, 09:22:39 AM »
My guess is it will be a couple years before it comes back if there was a successful spawn the last few tears. Way to many fish taken out of the system. Way more people fishing them with all the other fisheries getting cut back. I would think next year you will start to see the smaller fish start showing up, 12 to 14 inchers. It will take awhile to get a few age classes built back up. Something to think about when everyone is killing those big females. You want good consistent fishing, then its up to us to manage it that way, the state isn't going to do it.

It's definitely not the case that "everyone is killing those big females."  Been fishing walleye for a lot of years, cashed a few tournament checks as well. One thing I know to be true is that people who consistently catch the big fish typically release the big fish.  I don't begrudge anybody their perogative to legally keep a walleye of any size for the dinner plate. Even the occasional big one that they luck onto.  The spillway used to be a problem, but the regs regarding that seems to have slowed down the snagfest significantly.

As far as waiting for ice out, if you want a shot at a big walleye your opportunity is right now.  Best to find some moving walleye water (hint: it rhymes with Bolumbia) and get on it.
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Offline plugger

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #17 on: February 21, 2017, 07:12:19 PM »
Absolutely, the diehards release most of them, and all the big ones, me included. keep a few to eat fresh, there damn tasty. and I don't blame people for keeping fish, most the time, although I must say seeing a pic of a big dead walleye does kinda bother me. Its the amount of fish and the size limits that the state allows that turns my stomach.

Offline Skillet

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #18 on: February 21, 2017, 10:17:43 PM »
Yah, you look at the 10# club on walleye central and see a few guys on there catch the bulk of our big fish. And one guy in particular had a bunch of those fish pics taken with dead fish in a bait shop. At some point I think "really?  You don't keep a camera with you when fishing?"

But I'll never lecture a guy at the cleaning station.  It's his perogative.

 I saw a monster walleye some years back in a cooler full of trout at 7 bays when a guy was trailering his boat.  His young kid kept looking in the cooler on the dock every 30 seconds, so I went over and asked what he had in there. He hefted up a big ol walleye,  way over 10#. Caught it trolling a wedding ring and a worm out over deep water. Total fluke. No way was I going to rain on this kid's parade.

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Offline C-Money

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #19 on: February 22, 2017, 07:33:02 AM »
The big ones are harder to run an electric filet knife through anyway...ribs are to big. :chuckle: Oh how I love a fish dinner of 16-20 inchers.... :drool: Fingers crossed the fisheries in our area are healthy, and I hope last year on the Potholes was a fluke.
I felt like a one legged cat trying to bury a terd on a frozen pond!

Offline Angry Perch

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #20 on: February 22, 2017, 08:21:27 AM »
In my experience, Potholes will do that. Have a great year, then a tough one, then another good year. There's  a lot more in play than just population.
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Offline rasbo

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #21 on: February 22, 2017, 08:55:07 AM »
I just wanna catch a keeper, :chuckle:

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #22 on: February 22, 2017, 09:19:03 AM »
I fished banks last yr first time loved it. Went for walleye two days only. Marked tons of fish caught 1. Park ranger says should have been here the other day, couldn't keep them off the hook  :chuckle: Beautiful area and water. All you Eastsiders  :tup:
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Offline jessie88

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #23 on: February 22, 2017, 10:53:18 AM »
Bluegills were thick as flies on traditional walleye grounds last year. I could not fish worm harness rigs on some of my old honey holes cause of all the gills! I will be surprised if walleye fishing is good this year on Potholes. To many clues pointing towards a low population.
]

dang haha wish i knew where to get gills. ive never hooked one on potholes in all the time ive spent trolling.

Offline Bill W

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #24 on: February 22, 2017, 11:42:25 AM »
We caught a real big bluegill last year on Moses fishing for walleye.   The guy took a picture and put it back.  My guess is it was close to 10 years old.

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #25 on: February 23, 2017, 08:04:13 AM »
I found a dead one washed up at the mar don swim beach about 20 years ago.  Had to have been nearly 2 pounds!

I remember how great the spiny ray fishing was when i was a kid.  Seems like all i catch there any more are walleye and bass.
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Offline jessie88

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #26 on: February 23, 2017, 08:17:03 AM »
I found a dead one washed up at the mar don swim beach about 20 years ago.  Had to have been nearly 2 pounds!

I remember how great the spiny ray fishing was when i was a kid.  Seems like all i catch there any more are walleye and bass.

im sure the introduction of walleye decades ago took a huge toll on the panfish. 

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #27 on: February 23, 2017, 10:23:45 AM »
There is no walleye in Potholes  :chuckle:
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Offline Bill W

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #28 on: February 23, 2017, 10:35:54 AM »
Ice report:  One guy out fishing on Moses today when I drove back from town.

Offline rasbo

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #29 on: February 23, 2017, 11:39:44 AM »
Ice report:  One guy out fishing on Moses today when I drove back from town.
he looked so lonely too,went to sportsman grand opening,and then sportees for breakfast,came back through mardon,didnt see anyone there either

Offline gasman

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #30 on: February 23, 2017, 12:32:25 PM »
There is no walleye in Potholes  :chuckle:

Not for you at least.
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Offline plugger

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #31 on: February 23, 2017, 01:04:23 PM »
Or the thousands of comerants, pelicans and grebs that hang out there all spring and summer

Offline jessie88

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #32 on: March 04, 2017, 12:24:13 PM »
do you guys think the walleye spawn will happen later this year now?  or not that much different.

Offline Bill W

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #33 on: March 04, 2017, 03:04:21 PM »
It's based on water temperature.   Wait until the ice melts and then ask your question.  Just remember, Santa Claus always comes on December 25th, grasshopper.

Offline plugger

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #34 on: March 05, 2017, 11:46:19 AM »
water temp is the key. If I had to guess, it would be later this year. Later would actually be the old normal. The last two years its been way earlier.

Offline BigGoonTuna

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #35 on: March 05, 2017, 04:18:51 PM »
Or the thousands of comerants, pelicans and grebs that hang out there all spring and summer
funny thing, on family trips 20+ years ago we would stay at mar don and spend the days out on goose island fishing and playing on the beach.  the last time i was out there it was deemed some kind of sanctuary for those nasty caspian terns - the ones that kill salmon smolts by the thousands in the columbia river.  the water around the islands was disgusting too, with rafts of floating bird crap everywhere.
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Offline plugger

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #36 on: March 05, 2017, 04:51:11 PM »
Now there are thousands of ribbons tried up on the island to keep the terns away, or at least from nesting there.

Offline lokidog

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #37 on: March 05, 2017, 09:41:07 PM »
I found a dead one washed up at the mar don swim beach about 20 years ago.  Had to have been nearly 2 pounds!

I remember how great the spiny ray fishing was when i was a kid.  Seems like all i catch there any more are walleye and bass.

BTW walleye aND bass are both spiny rays.  ;)

Offline Bill W

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #38 on: March 06, 2017, 09:13:54 AM »
Mt St Helens put a big hurt on the Potholes also.  Took some time to recover.

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Re: Potholes Walleye...
« Reply #39 on: March 06, 2017, 04:18:57 PM »
There is no walleye in Potholes  :chuckle:
Nope none at all so just bypass the whole area, pay no attention to the boats out fishing, they don't know what they are doing. I heard down in yakima there is great fishing.
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