[Dr Hook]

Big George, Salmon Slayer, Netdab and I kind of made a last minute decision to head over and fish Rufus for a couple days. Other than being very cold the weather was nice and the critters were out and about.

Critter Watch:

• Elk
• Porcupine
• Eagles
• Deer
• Quail
• Turkey
• Coyote
• Sage grouse

The big fat trout were biting on powerbait and my favorite (plain white marshmallows). Use about a 3' to 4' leader and enough weight to keep your bait from moving down river in heavy current. Anywhere from 1/2 to 1 oz. Not really much to it actually, bait up, cast out and wait. :mrgreen:

It's lots of fun spending a couple days on the bank with good company!

Here's a few pics:

Driving Directions

Link:

Directions to Net Pens and Campground from Coulee Dam

Start address: Coulee Dam
End address: BIA-10/Columbia River Rd - Turn off into campground and net pens

Start at: Coulee Dam

1. Head east on WA-155
2. Turn left to stay on WA-155 - 13.9 mi
3. Turn left at BIA-10/Columbia River Rd - 6.5 mi (Just past the Trading post)
4. Turn left into campground and net pens

 

[sir john]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

Great looking photos apart from the scary second one.

 

[cmessling07]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

great report hook. i cant wait until the big get together next month!

 

[scalecarp]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

Great report! Thanks for sharing your wonderful time Tup:

 

[Quill's wife]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

Love the pics! Still can't believe we lived there for 8 years!

 

[icatchum]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

clap: Nice guys! Looks like fun Tup:

 

[old crow]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

Did you see the fish going up the water fall??

Bruce i hope you made George eat the heads of them tar fish, you should have cleaned them , there is a little green coming out of them

NICE PICTURES what was the temp ? stay in motor home?

 

[The Weazle]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

Nice report and pics. Looks like a fun time was had by all. Tup:

 

[Duroboat]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

Great pictures !
Looks like a blast Tup:

 

[the kid 2]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

Most excellent dude(s). Hey, was informed at Aub. S&M that WDFW is writing tons o' tickets over there for culling. Seems when using bait you have to keep every fish you land regardless if your going to keep a limit.. Those who use bait and practice cnr, waiting to keep the biggest get a ticket for every fish they releasee over a daily limit.. Any truth to this that you dude(s) witnessed?

 

[oldguy43]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

It looks like you guys did better than I did on the hump, in 4 days I landed 2 both dark. Way to go guys....

 

[Dr Hook]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

Most excellent dude(s). Hey, was informed at Aub. S&M that WDFW is writing tons o' tickets over there for culling. Seems when using bait you have to keep every fish you land regardless if your going to keep a limit.. Those who use bait and practice cnr, waiting to keep the biggest get a ticket for every fish they releasee over a daily limit.. Any truth to this that you dude(s) witnessed?

You must have got some bad info at ASAM. You do not have to keep every fish you catch using bait, however you must stop fishing once you have released the equivalent of your limit (2 fish at Rufus) if you are using bait. That is the statewide general rule, its also in the Coleville Tribal reg book.

Did we see tons of people breaking the law? No. Did we see tons of people getting tickets? No

If an angler wants to CnR some fish use a black jig either under a slip float or without letting it sink to the bottom then slowly work it back in. I caught a few using a nightmare jig under a float set to about 20 ft.

 

[AkKings]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

Cool pics Tup: , looks like fun, 1 question though, do those fish fight very well? I wouldn't mind making a trip over there and trying it sometime but not if they fight like turds. I remember as a kid lake Fenwick was (maybe still is) planted with big triploid trout and it was like reeling in a wet tee shirt when you hooked 1, you could crank them right in with a trout rod and 6 or 8 lbs. test, didn't take long to get bored of them Tdown:

 

[Dr Hook]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

1 question though, do those fish fight very well?

Their not great fighters, but not terribly bad either. I've never caught a turd, but my guess is that they fight better than turds. If your looking for a great fighting fish, I'd probably look elsewhere.

 

[mavsled]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

Those trip trout sure look beautiful and the eating must be good.
Nice pics, enjoyed by me sitting at home with the flu instead of battling fish (and the crowds) on a Grays Harbor county river system today.

 

[jrsculpin]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

Darn Bruce, It looks like that porcupine found a home on top of your head, or is that a hat? :shock: :mrgreen:

 

[AkKings]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

1 question though, do those fish fight very well?

Their not great fighters, but not terribly bad either. I've never caught a turd, but my guess is that they fight better than turds. If your looking for a great fighting fish, I'd probably look elsewhere.

Being trout I wouldn't expect great fights but showing any sign of life while hooked would be an improvement over those lk. Fenwick fish :roll: .
Is there a "best time" or can they be caught year-round?

 

[Dr Hook]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

1 question though, do those fish fight very well?

Their not great fighters, but not terribly bad either. I've never caught a turd, but my guess is that they fight better than turds. If your looking for a great fighting fish, I'd probably look elsewhere.

Being trout I wouldn't expect great fights but showing any sign of life while hooked would be an improvement over those lk. Fenwick fish :roll: .
Is there a "best time" or can they be caught year-round?

Their OK fighters. Not knowing your expectations, thats a hard question to answer.

They can be caught year around, but I think the best time is Jan/Feb. I like going over there during the winter.

 

[MYSTICAL LEGENDS]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

Some nicedamn trout. I have to make it over theere sometime. One of these days your gonna have to teach me how to take a good pic.

 

[reelinanrockin]

Re: We made it home ~ A couple days at Rufus Woods

wow that is great fishing..Did you guys catch any other fish out of there besides rainbow..?