Lake Wenatchee

[mallard79]

I haven't fished Lake Wenatchee for sockeye since I was about 11 years old and am working on setting up a trip over the hill for some sockeye. I am looking for info on launches and parking when we get there. The searches that I have done only list the one launch at the state park and from the satelite pictures it doesn't look to have a very big parking area.

Are there other launches? If we launch at the state park do people just start parking out on the shoulder of the highway?

Any fishing tips you are willing to give would be appreciated as well but mainly looking for the other info.

Thanks in  advance!

[L-ofalab]

State park means Discovery pass! I was looking at Google earth and it looked like no other launch and there is very little parking at State park. The fishing is pretty good though from the reports I've heard. There are a couple other rules to be aware of, knotless nets only can be used, no bait can be used, and no scent or flavor can be added. You can catch 6 sockeye fast early in the morning with size 0 dodger and the bare red hooks. Fish are shallow to start then move deeper to 90 ft.

[Kola16]

I was told by someone that lives on the lake that there are two launches. That is all I can tell you 

[antlerking]

We have fished it the last 2 weekends, obsolute crazyness!!!!!  They 4 rangers guiding traffic yesterday, I sat in the boat launch for over 1.5 hours just to get my boat out!!!!!!!!. We are done with it time to head back to the upper columbia!!!!!! 

Its that bad with hwy 2 closed, just imagine when tumwater opens back up holy cow look out!!!!

We are filling up the boat at 35- 50 feet down in the morning and then bouncing from there.

[CP]

There is only one public launch at the state park.  You do not need a Discover pass but there is a fee, $7 last time I was there.  Parking is limited and people park wherever they can.  It can be a zoo.

[C-Money]

Saturday was a mess. Kinda entertaining seeing all the wrecks at the launch. Man, some folks need to sharpen their boat trailing skills. Like said above, long lines at a single lane launch. Better have an experienced person with you, as there is no parking at the dock, and its a long way to park your rig and trailer. So, one person drives the boat around while the other takes care of the truck/trailer. We fished in the afternoon until almost dark boating one fish.

[mallard79]

Thanks for the info. I think we are going to try heading over saturday evening and sleeping on the boat.   

[quadrafire]

Hanks for he info. I think we are going to try heading over saturday evening and sleeping on the boat.   

That would be ideal, then you can be on the water early. 

[ALLTERRAIN]

Depending on the size of your boat, drive up to Glacier View campground. Sand launch and limited parking, but you are right there to fish. Was up there this morning and was able to put only 1 in the boat. SLOOOOW to sat the least. Saw a few others caught but only a few.

[acnewman55]

I arrived at the launch on Saturday around 5:45

We had about a 45 minute wait for the launch.  I will be back up Saturday, and will definitely be getting to the launch earlier to make sure we get our lines in before it starts getting too bright.

More importantly, we caught NO FISH!

I'm looking for some feedback on my setup:

My setup was a 1/2 oz in-line lead sinker, 2 feet above a 5" herring dodger, then about 12-16" of 20lb test leader followed by a pink or orange hoochie with a 1.1 smile blade (silver or red) and two tandem 2/0 red hooks.

After my lack of success, I realized that bare red hooks were the ticket.  I had a bunch tied up, but never changed up my tackle because I was convinced that my depth was the trouble the whole time.

I didn't feel like I was getting down deep enough with the setup I had, and everyone around that was having success, were fishing down riggers between 30-45 feet.

Any feedback would be welcome.  I don't have downriggers - I'm using a 12' aluminum boat with no gunwales.

Other than switching to bare red hooks next weekend, how would you weight your line to get down to the fish? 

Thanks!

[quadrafire]

You are probably gonna need to get 3-4 oz to get down without major long lining. Which is a pain in that traffic. I was up there this weekend and we caught them on bare hooks, hoochies and hoochies with smile blades. probably in equal amounts, "0" dodger and the set up 10-12 in behind the dodger.
The shallowest we fished was 35 ft, but saw some early  boats real close to the shore. We caught fish down to 70 later morning.
PS: the fish finder was seeing fish at all depths, vary your speed some as well.

[RB]

What about a Deep Six, or Jet Diver?? Would that help?

[h2ofowlr]

If your seeing a lot of fish at 70' it could be Kokanee as well.  If your going more than 1.2 mph your trolling to quick.  We run a 5-6 oz banana weight above an 0 dodger with 30-40lb, 12-14 leader with various gear.  Works good.

You can always get a release clip and a 6lb ball and attach it to some 200lb braided line.  Tie to your gunnel or cleat and mark it at 20, 25, 30 up to 60 max and drop your gear down.  Poor mans down rigger set up that will work.

[C-Money]

I would think a Dipsey in a size 1 would get you down to the fish! The fish I caught was on a pink squid, beads, and smile blade I tied up my self. 50' off the down rigger. I am leaning towards Brewster this weekend.

[bowguy]

On the lake fishing as I type. Beautiful day out and have 1 on the boat. If anyone is out here I'm in a green maxum say hi. I'll report later.