Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: Heartsblood on June 23, 2011, 09:20:36 PM

Title: Lake Bonaparte
Post by: Heartsblood on June 23, 2011, 09:20:36 PM: Wifey and I will be in Tonasket for a few days and plan to fish Lake Bonaparte at least once. Trout is the target, but we could also go after some smallies as well. Anyone fish this lake? Tips, stories, pictures anyone? Hopefully we'll have our own to post in the coming week or so.
Title: Re: Lake Bonaparte
Post by: Machias on June 23, 2011, 09:36:23 PM: Good luck!!
Title: Re: Lake Bonaparte
Post by: Heredoggydoggy on June 23, 2011, 09:36:37 PM: A friend of mine goes up there every year and rents one of the cabins for a week. His wife asked me to go up there for a few days one year so she wouldn't have to spend all day out in the boat with him. Trolling shallow, you'll get small trout. Troll deep in the middle and there are huge trout down there. I got a big German Brown out of the peat bog at the north end of the lake near the Scout Camp. We went up there to ice fish it one winter, and it was warm and the ice was punky. I caught a perch, and that was all we caught that trip. It's a pretty place!
Title: Re: Lake Bonaparte
Post by: CAMPMEAT on June 23, 2011, 09:43:29 PM: Quote from: Heartsblood on June 23, 2011, 09:20:36 PM
Wifey and I will be in Tonasket for a few days and plan to fish Lake Bonaparte at least once. Trout is the target, but we could also go after some smallies as well. Anyone fish this lake? Tips, stories, pictures anyone? Hopefully we'll have our own to post in the coming week or so.

Call the resort and ask. New owners now. A good place to eat too.
Title: Re: Lake Bonaparte
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on June 24, 2011, 10:11:39 AM: I love that lake, it was better before the smallmouth exploded, used to catch some real nice ones (3-5lb) but last couple trips seemed to catch 12-14" almost every cast, no time for the bigger ones to see my lures.
We would catch some real nice Brooktrout also across from resort by where the little stream flows in south of scout camp (biggest was 3+lb !) usually 14-18", but they seem to have gotten scarce lately also.
Would catch the occasional LARGE (at least to me) 7-10Lb Rainbow fishing off shore from little point just north of resort, down trail.
If you have a depth sounder, look for bait balls (schools of kokanee) between straight across from resort, the scout camp, and bouy, troll a J-11 trout finish Rapala, or whatever large, chrome silver/blue or RB finish lure you have through bottom of bait ball for Mackinaw, our largest was 17lb, several in the 10lb category.
Funny how after we hook them, and turn of motor to reel them in (takes a while) we almost always end up boating it right in front of restaraunt. (hook them usually just off bouy as it drops past 60 feet, but this is also earlier in year (May)
Have not been there in a few years (kids and fuel $) I will see if I can find some pictures....
Title: Re: Lake Bonaparte
Post by: Buckmark on June 24, 2011, 10:46:02 AM: When are you gonna be up there?
Horrible lake, no fish, :chuckle:
There are quite a few different species in that lake, Brookies, Rainbows, Macks, Kokanee, smallies, perch, and some others have been told but never caught.
The water level is really really high right now, higher than in a lot of years, lake is still running cold (good thing), the little reed island and the bouy are not visible at all (underwater), The resort has new owners (good thing) and the sat nite prime rib is really good.
Title: Re: Lake Bonaparte
Post by: Heartsblood on June 24, 2011, 11:05:26 AM: Hey thanks for the input y'all!

Yes, post pics if you can STIKNSTRINGBOW. I love seeing peoples good times!

@ Buckmark - we'll be staying at our place in Tonasket (Bannon Springs rd) starting tomorrow and leaving on wed .I'm not sure what day(s) we;ll be at the lake - kinda playing spontaneous so far. I've only been there once for about an hour - went swimming after a hike in the area. We are planning to rent a row boat and troll a bit. Cast a bit.

Any other tips or stories (pictures) - post 'em if ya got 'em.

Now if I can just talk the gal into getting up early.....
Title: Re: Lake Bonaparte
Post by: danderson on June 24, 2011, 07:15:19 PM: I usually go there every year with my boys to scout camp, we use power bait for rainbow trout, kokanee use white corn just off the bottom, we caught bass also, the biggest trout was 5 pounds.