MarDon Resort Fresh News – September 24th, 2025

MarDon Resort Fresh News – September 24th, 2025

The leaves are changing, nights are cooling, and grass is covered with morning dew.

What do these signs mean to an angler? These signs mean that the fall bite is ramping

up. For many of us the fall season is the best time to fish Potholes Reservoir. The water

temps dropping below 70 degrees is the signal for the fish that winter is approaching

and to start to feed heavily & with the low water fish are easy to locate.

Walleye – Pick your favorite technique. Anglers have been producing good numbers of

Walleye while trolling crankbaits, bottom bouncing worm harnesses, and throwing jigs

like Blade baits or jigging raps. Anglers are finding these walleye on the deep humps on

the face of the dunes to the mouth of crab creek and along the rock flats on the east

side of Goose Island. Also, this is the time of year the riprap along the dam starts to

produce large walleye on jerkbaits.

Perch – The Perch are back! Anglers have been catching great numbers of big Yellow

Perch ranging from 12 to 16 inches in the reservoir. Most of these perch are being

caught while bottom bouncing worm harnesses around the mouth of crab creek and the

humps to the north of crab creek.

Bluegill & Crappie – Anglers are reporting that the schools are starting to disperse, and

the bite has slowed. Anglers are still getting limits, but they are having to hunt for the

schools a little bit more. Anglers are finding most success around Habitat boxes in 10 to

15 ft of water.

Bass – As the water cools the bass bite heats up! Anglers are having great days

catching both smallmouth and largemouth bass. Anglers are reporting finding bass in 1

to 35 feet of water. Ned rigs, 4-inch Senkos, drop shot rigs, blade baits, crankbaits and

tubes have been excellent along the dam, around goose island, and along Medicare

beach for Smallmouth. For Largemouth top water has continued to be good in the

morning and evenings. Squarebill crankbaits, Chatter baits, Spinner baits and lipless

crankbaits have been producing good reactive bites. And you can’t go wrong throwing

the ol’ faithful baits ie: tubes, hula grubs, and Texas rigged Senkos.

The current water level on the Potholes Reservoir is 1025.91 feet – Rising 0.41 feet this

past week. Water temperatures range from 67 to 72 degrees depending on where you

are on the Reservoir. As always for more info or help choosing tackle, stop into our fully

stocked tackle shop. We also carry ammo, boating and hunting accessories and are

open 7 days a week all year or call the MarDon Resort Tackle store for current

conditions and fishing information at 509-346-2651

 

MarDon Resort Fresh News – September 3rd, 2025

MarDon Resort Fresh News – September 3rd, 2025

Largemouth bass fishing has been excellent this week! Fish top water early and late

and make sure to have a wacky rigged senko or drop-shot rig ready to throw at missed

fish. Fish from the state park up the face of the sand dunes and into crab creek. Anglers

are using ó oz jigs, swim baits, chatter baits, spinnerbaits, and Texas rigged plastics.

Fish are being found in 1-20 feet of water. Lots of 1–3-pound fish are being caught with

a few in the 4+ pound range.

Walleye fishing has picked up this past week. Walleye can be caught by trolling the

deep humps on the face of the sand dunes and along the outlet. Troll either a #5 or #7

Flicker shad at 2.2 to 2.5 mph. Anglers can also troll a slow death rig with a crawler at

1.2 mph. Fish in 10-25 feet of water. Jigging should start to be effective, try casting or

vertically jig Jigging Raps or blade baits.

Trout fishing has been fair. Troll a #9 Flicker minnow or spoons at 2-3 mph. Fish

Medicare Beach or from MarDon Resort to Blythe Point. From shore, fish Medicare

Beach with PowerBait or Night Crawlers.

Reports of bluegill, crappie and some big perch are coming in from the face of the sand

dunes as well as on the humps in front of the dunes. Most fish are being caught by

anglers trolling for walleye. Anglers that are targeting Pan fish are using a slip bobber

set up tipped with a trout magnet or Strike King Lil Suck’r along the channels and

Habitat Boxes after marking the school on your electronics. Also trolling a #5 jointed

Flicker Shad across the face of the sand dunes is another way to locate schools of pan

fish.

The current water level on the Potholes Reservoir is 1025.91 feet – Falling 1.81 feet this

past week. Water temperatures range from 75 to 80 degrees depending on where you

are on the Reservoir. As always for more info or help choosing tackle, stop into our fully

stocked tackle shop. We also carry ammo, boating and hunting accessories and are

open 7 days a week all year or call the MarDon Resort Tackle store for current

conditions and fishing information at 509-346-2651

Pictured is Lilly and Levi Meseberg posing with their winning bag

 

MarDon Resort Fresh News – August 5th, 2025

MarDon Resort Fresh News – August 5th, 2025

Hot August days brings in hot fishing to Potholes Reservoir. This is the time for anglers

to hook into all the species that Potholes has to offer. As the water level falls the fish

tend to flush out of the dunes and start to congregate on the face of the dunes and

along the riprap on the dam. As the population grows anglers find it much easier to fill

their livewells with Crappie, Bluegill, Perch, Bass, Trout, Catfish, and even a few

Walleye.

Perch – Anglers are finding good numbers and good-sized perch along Medicare Beach

and in the Crab Creek channel. To target perch slow troll night crawlers along the

bottom in 10 to 20 feet of water @ 1 mph. Once you have located the school mark that

location and start throwing a 1/32oz VMC Neon moon eye jig tipped with a pinched

night crawler.

Bluegill – Large schools of bluegill are being found around the habitat boxes in front of

the state park and center channel. Anglers are using sonar to find the boxes that are

holding the schools, once the school is located anglers are parking above the school

and are vertically jigging 1/64 oz jigs tipped with a red wiggler worm. This technique has

also produced large Crappie

Bass – Bass fishing has continued to be excellent. To target Largemouth bass start the

morning throwing Top water frogs, spooks, or whopper ploppers. As that bite slows

transition to fishing jigs, drop shot rigs, or 8 inch or larger curly tail grubs. Lipless

crankbaits and deep diving square bill crankbaits have been providing an exceptional

Smallmouth bite. These Smallmouth are being found suspended at 15 -18 feet deep

along the steep walls in Lind Coulee and along the outlet of the dam.

Channel Cats – The Channel cats have finished up their spawn and now are feeding

and protecting fry. Look for deep holes around Goose Island and the face of the dunes,

after finding a deep hole, drop down cut bait or premade catfish bait, if they are active it

shouldn’t take long to get a bite.

The current water level on the Potholes Reservoir is 1032.16 feet – Falling 1.51 feet this

past week. Water temperatures range from 75 to 80 degrees depending on where you

are on the Reservoir. As always for more info or help choosing tackle, stop into our fully

stocked tackle shop. We also carry ammo, boating and hunting accessories and are

open 7 days a week all year or call the MarDon Resort Tackle store for current

conditions and fishing information at 509-346-2651

Pictured is Taylor Stapley

 

MarDon Resort Fresh News – July 8th, 2025

 MarDon Resort Fresh News – July 8th, 2025

Largemouth bass fishing has been excellent this week! Fish Spooks early and late and

always have a Senko rigged to follow up on missed fish. Throw ó oz jigs, swim jigs,

spinnerbaits, and Texas rigged plastics. Fish are in 1-20 feet of water. Lots of 1–3-

pound fish are being caught with a few in the 4–5-pound range. Anglers have also been

reporting catching Channel cats in the shallows while targeting largemouth.

Smallmouth fishing has been good this week. Fish 5-20 feet using Ned rigs, Senkos,

drop shot rigs, crankbaits and tubes. Fish the rock piles around Goose Island and along

the face of the dam and up Lind Coulee.

Walleye fishing has remained decent this past week but as the water temps raise

expect the walleye bite to slow. Most of the walleye have been found in the weeds along

center channel and crab creek and were caught on bottom bouncers and worm

harnesses.

Reports of bluegill, crappie and some big perch are coming in. Use a slip bobber and a

Bobby Garland Baby Shad or Trout Magnet along the channels and along the willows

after marking the school on your electronics. Fish 6-22 feet. Also try trolling a #5 Flicker

Shad across the face of the sand dunes.

The Seep Lakes south of the Potholes Reservoir are fishing well. Top trout lakes are

Warden, Upper Hampton, and Upper Goose. Use PowerBait 18” off the bottom or cast

Rooster Tails. From a boat troll spoons and spinners. Long Lake is producing good

Numbers of Walleye, Largemouth, Smallmouth and Perch.

The current water level on the Potholes Reservoir is 1038.8 feet – Falling 1.58 feet this

past week. Water temperatures range from 70 to 75 degrees depending on where you

are on the Reservoir. As always for more info or help choosing tackle, stop into our fully

stocked tackle shop. We also carry ammo, boating and hunting accessories and are

open 7 days a week all year or call the MarDon Resort Tackle store for current

conditions and fishing information at 509-346-2651

Pictured is Daniel Ford

MarDon Resort Fresh News – June 11th, 2025

MarDon Resort Fresh News – June 11th, 2025

Hot days make hot fishing. As we enter summer and the water temp rise and the water

level falls all the different species of fish get more active and easier to target. This truly

is a special time of year, when anglers are able to fill their live wells with walleye,

crappie, bluegill, perch and bass all in the same day.

Bass – Anglers are reporting great days on the water catching over 50 largemouth per

day. Most of these anglers are starting off the morning throwing top water baits and then

transitioning to swimbaits as the day warms up and then transitioning to deep diving

crankbaits and jigs in the hottest part of the day. Look for shaded cover, Beaver huts

and steep drops. Smallmouth bass have moved in heavily along the dam and rock

outcroppings around Goose Island.

Pan fish – Hutchinson Lake and Shiner Lake have been the stars of the pan fish show

this week. Angers are getting daily limits of Crappie, Bluegill, and Perch. Anglers

targeting pan fish on these lakes are slowly trolling a size 10 bait holder hook tipped

with a 1.5 inch piece of a red wiggler worm under a slip bobber. Reports of Perch being

caught in Corral Lake have also came in last week.

Walleye – Anglers continue to find good numbers of walleye up the Crab Creek Channel

in 10-12 ft. To target these Walleye troll bottom walkers with Mack’s lure Smileblade

Slow Death rigs @ 1.1 to 1.3 mph in 10 to 12 ft of water as close to the weed edges as

possible without getting weeded up. As the water level starts to fall, the walleye fishing

will get better and better.

The current water level on the Potholes Reservoir is 1043.97 feet – Falling 1.56 feet this

past week. Water temperatures range from 70 to 75 degrees depending on where you

are on the Reservoir. As always for more info or help choosing tackle, stop into our fully

stocked tackle shop. We also carry ammo, boating and hunting accessories and are

open 7 days a week all year or call the MarDon Resort Tackle store for current

conditions and fishing information at 509-346-2651

Pictured is Luke Green holding a 8 pound Walleye