Lake Roosevelt

[gutsnthegrass]

We have a house boat trip coming up in a few weeks.  I know the lake has several different species to fish.  we will have several kids and adults fishing.  Any suggestions on what kind of lures/bait to bring.  We will have a larger fishing boat and a small boat that we will tow behind the houseboat.  I just want the kids to have fun and catch as many fish as possible.  Thanks for any pointers.

[Henrydog]

Walleye and Smallmouth troll a bottom bouncer with a wedding ring and worm very slowly.  Lots of guys pull trolling flies in the mid and Sothern end.  Up in the great white north the lake is mainly sturgeon   

[ctwiggs1]

@buckcanyonlodge

Are there any walleye left in Roosevelt? 

[baldopepper]

Might want to look into a crayfish trap along with your fishing gear. Lake actually has quite a good population and the kids love pulling the traps with them in it. Lots of info on line about the traps and bait, just throw them over when you stop for the night. Still fishing is kinda quite right now but trollers seem to be doing ok down around 35-45 ft for trout with a variety of typical trout gear

[10Key]

We typically bass fish with artificail lures when there, but I always have a bobber rod rigged with a slip float and nightcrawler for when we stop off and play on the beach. We have caught nice trout and smallmouth soaking that in 10 - 20 feet of water. To catch bass, best for kids is something they just cast and reel, swimbaits with an 1/8 oz. head work well for that and you will catch an occasional walleye. I despise trolling, so I don't have any input on bottom bouncers, wedding rings etc.

[Henrydog]

[ I despise trolling, so I don't have any input on bottom bouncers, wedding rings etc.
[/quote]


Wow I did not know my son was on this page   I was a die hard flyfisher from age 12-40.  Once I hit 40 I would rather sit in the boat with a slight breeze and enjoy an adult beverage watching the rods.  It absolutely drives my son nuts... I think because he knows I actually used to fish

[trophyhunt]

My buddy spent the 4th on the lake, they caught lots of walleye bottom bouncing.  Had a fish fry on the beach and said they tasted great.

[bhawley76]

lots of trout also, I don't really like eating trout but there fun to catch, pop gear and a frog flatfish seems to work well around the basin! 

[buckcanyonlodge]

@buckcanyonlodge

Are there any walleye left in Roosevelt? 

Not like there were before the Indians---can I say that word?-- started killing them with nets. I counted 10 nets in front of the Lodge and went down to watch them bring in the nets...see pics--I counted over 20 dead walleye and one pike in the first half of a net. couldn't stand to watch after that.. It took them all day to bring in the nets because the amount of time taking the dead fish out of the nets. Then they re-set the nets.  All summer long.

[wazzu99]

are they targeting the walleye or targeting the pike?  also what are they doing with the fish?

[buckcanyonlodge]

They are targeting anything that swims in the bays in the lake. Nets are not selective. No idea what they do with the fish. The Spokane tribe has  ( or had) a bounty on walleye.

[Fishmaker57]

The Colville Tribe is the only one doing anything to slow the downstream spread of Pike. The have a $10 bounty on them as well. The netting project is mainly focused on the mouth of the SanPoil River, to target invasive species (yes, Walleye are classified as invasive) that predate on the only native Rainbow in the State - Redband. The Walleye they capture go to Tribal distribution, and are not wasted.

[buckcanyonlodge]

The original "redband rainbow " of lake Roosevelt had 50 years to inbreed with hatchery rainbow planted in the lake . Only in recent years have they just planted triploids which do not breed. What % of redband  blood from 50 years of inbreeding make them the only native rainbow of Washington today. Just asking. Also, They couldn't stop the spread of pike into Lake Roosevelt from the Pend Oreille by netting the crap out it...they sure aren't going to stop them from getting downstream from Grand Coulee. I have seen the nets from by Kettle Falls down to Hunters all summer long. Slow them but not stop them. And yes, I have made money from the Colville tribe with pike heads. Just my two cents on this subject.

[JakeLand]

The original "redband rainbow " of lake Roosevelt had 50 years to inbreed with hatchery rainbow planted in the lake . Only in recent years have they just planted triploids which do not breed. What % of redband  blood from 50 years of inbreeding make them the only native rainbow of Washington today. Just asking. Also, They couldn't stop the spread of pike into Lake Roosevelt from the Pend Oreille by netting the crap out it...they sure aren't going to stop them from getting downstream from Grand Coulee. I have seen the nets from by Kettle Falls down to Hunters all summer long. Slow them but not stop them. And yes, I have made money from the Colville tribe with pike heads. Just my two cents on this subject.

your 2 cents are more value then that

[ne kid]

There are still a lot of walleye in Lake Roosevelt, and a lot more native trout than people think coming out of all the feeder streams. They can net and put bounties on pike and walleye there will be plenty left.