[Idlechater]

Hey Gang:

The boys and I were not able to make the trip last weekend. However, we are headed over this weekend... I really want to get my boys, ages 14 and 10 on some fat trout, so I am asking for advice... We have never been to Rufus...

1) I have been told to put my boat in at Chief Joseph Dam... Is this the best place to put in? I have a 20' Intruder and Durango. Will I have trouble at the launch? Should I take chains? Is there a better place for us to launch?

2) Where do we go from the launch? My understanding is that it really isn't a lake, but just a strech of the river.

3) Any specific advice on artificials to use? I have been told to troll wooly buggers. Any specific color combo's? How about spinners/spoons? Anyone fish a fly and bubble? How about jigs?

I appreciate any help that you can give me and I promise to post pictures of the boys with any fish that they are able to catch.

 

[HickvilleFF]

I dont know about boat access as i fished from shore, however i have been told that a boat slowly drifting down river and jigging just of the bottom with jigs works well. Most any colors seem to work, as my last trip i hooked fish on brown, black, and olive, and saw a guy catching them on pink and purple. I did best on olive though. Hope this helps some!

 

[Hunter P]

We launch at Seatons Grove which is a couple miles downriver from GC Dam. If you launch there,you'll have no problems with your boat/SUV. Its a nice launch with a concrete ramp.

If you launch at CJ Dam you can fish just upstream of the Dam itself. Trolling works well. Spoons,spinners,plugs all work. If you want to use jigs just cast them out and slowly retrieve. I haven't used any flies yet,but Wooley Buggers or Muddler Minnows should work great.

All my biggest fish this Winter (7.5,9,11lbs) have come trolling plugs. I like Perch colored Hot Lips,but my friend got a couple on size 30 Green Pirate Hot Shots last weekend.

 

[YellowFever]

The best advice i could give you as far as fishing goes- bring your steelhead jigs and be AGGRESSIVE with them!

 

[Antlershed]

We launched at the shallow launch right by the pens, and it was definitely shallow. If you have a sled its no big deal, but there was a deep V boat and they couldn't get their boat close enough to shore to get in the boat without walking in the water.