Potholes Bass Club - Potholes Open 2017 Tournament

The Potholes Bass Club held their 38^th annual “Potholes Open” bass tournament this past weekend with a full field of 132 boats participating!

We were truly amazed by both the quantity and quality of fish that were caught, weighed and released on the Potholes Reservoir. There were nine Largemouth bass brought to the scales that weighed over 6 pounds with two of them weighing over 7lbs! That was just on Day 1. There were quite a few 6 fish limits weighing over 20 pounds with four limits over 25 pounds throughout the 2-day event. There was a total of 2,571 pounds of bass caught and released!

Congratulations to Jordan Doucet and Chad Eidson for finishing in 1^st Place with a two-day total weight of 46.32 pounds for 12 Largemouth bass. Congratulations to Aaron Echterncamp of Moses Lake for weighing in the biggest fish of the tournament – a 7.15 pound Largemouth!

Most the action was taking place back in the sand dunes as the bass are in pre-spawn mode. Anglers used a variety of baits and techniques to catch their fish. Many pitched and flipped jigs and punch baits close to shore in the heavy cover. Others caught fish on chatter-baits, spinnerbaits, swim jigs, and swim baits. There was quality smallmouth bass caught on the main lake as well by anglers drop-shotting and throwing football heads and hula grubs.

This should be a fantastic year for bass on the Reservoir!

MarDon Resort Fishing Report 4/6/2017

The water temperatures are rising on the Potholes Reservoir and the surrounding Seep Lakes and the fish are responding! Surface temperatures are running 53 degrees on the main lake and up to 55 degrees back in the sand dunes.

The sand dunes are producing some impressive early Largemouth – up to 7 lbs. 10oz. with several in the 5-6 pound range! Most fish are running 2-4 pounds. The Largemouth are hitting on Flipping jigs and Punch baits pitched into 1-4 feet of water in heavy cover.  Smallmouth anglers are doing well along the face on the dam fishing ½ oz. Blade Baits in 14-22 feet of water over submerged rock piles.  The Smallmouth have been running in the 2-4 pound range. Bass fishing is picking up in the Seep Lakes below O’Sullivan dam as well with Largemouth bass to 4 pounds. Shiner and Hutchison (On National Wildlife Refuge property – NO Gas Motors allowed) produced 8 fish to 4 pounds for a pair of kayak fishermen. They were throwing plastics and flies for their catch. 

The walleye are just starting to show. Most action has come from Perch Point on the east side of the Potholes Reservoir where anglers are trolling spinner rigs and night crawlers behind 1 ½ to 2 oz. bottom walkers for keeper sized walleyes in 40-45 feet. A few walleye are also being caught off the mouth of Frenchman’s Wasteway and at the mouth of Crab Creek on Blade Baits in 28 to 45 feet of water.

Right now there is a good opportunity to catch big Rainbow trout in the 2-5 pound range all around the Reservoir. Shore fishing has been good from The MarDon Resort shoreline using a marshmallow and night crawler or Power Bait on the bottom. Anglers are catching trout trolling Medicare Beach and the area just to the east of the resort as well using Kastmasters, Needle Fish and squid rigs behind flashers. The seep lakes below the dam are yielding nice rainbows up to 5 pounds. Power Bait and night crawlers are the bait of choice in the seeps right now.

No reports from the dock yet. 

For the latest fishing report and information call the tackle store at 509-346-2651 - open 7 days a week!