MarDon Fishing Report: MarDon Fresh News

MarDon Fresh News – September 28, 2018

The fishing on the Potholes Reservoir remains very good. The current water level on the Potholes Reservoir is 1027.58 feet – rising .25 feet this past week. The water temperature on the main Reservoir is right at 62 degrees. Of interest to duck hunters – the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is forecasting that the outflow gates will remain open until October 22 of this year – indicating that the water will remain low until the closing of the gates. The Reservoir should rise fairly quickly after that.

The walleye bite is good – if you hit the right day. It seems that the bite varies literally day by day. One day it is on the next may a little tough. This past Saturday two guide boats brought in 54 walleyes for eight anglers – so the fish are here! Fish the humps in front of the sand dunes and around the mouth of Crab Creek and the rocks off Gooses Island. The bite seems to have switched to more of a crawler rig bite versus a crankbait bite – even though crankbaits are still working early in the morning. Troll a Slow Death hook with a worm by itself or a Smile Blade/Slow Death rig behind a 2-ounce bottom walker around the deeper mid-lake humps in the 15-25-foot depth range. Bring lots of worms as many incidental catches of bluegill, crappie, bullhead and bass are being reported.

The Largemouth bass bite continues to be strong. Both Largemouth and Smallmouth are along the face of the dunes, and along the face of the dam. Some anglers are finding bigger fish in the 15-20-foot range. Top baits for Largemouth include – swim baits, spinnerbaits, crank baits, Wacky Rigged Senkos and Skirted Heart Throb XL’s fished on a 1/2 oz. football head and fishing a drop shot rig. Smallmouth are being caught on the rock piles off Goose Island and along the face of the dam as well as around the face of the dunes. Use Flicker Shads, 3½” tubes, swimbaits, drop shot baits and Senkos for the Smallmouth.

The trout fishing on the Potholes Reservoir is picking up with the cooler water temperatures. Trout fishers have been catching trout trolling #5 and # 7 Flicker Shads and Shad Raps.

The crappie fishing continues to be good throughout the Reservoir. Big crappies are being caught trolling #5 Flicker Shads and #5 Rapala Shad Raps along the face of the dunes, and jigging VMC Probe jigs and Wingding jigs on the deeper humps. The MarDon Resort dock continues to hold fish. Fish Trout Magnets and Gulp Alive Minnows off the dock on a 1/64^thoz. jig head. Big bluegills are being caught around the mouth of Crab Creek and along the face of the dunes. A few perch are being caught off the dock and around Goose Island and the mouth of Crab Creek. Fishing from the MarDon Dock is reserved for registered guests only.

Both Channel Catfish and Yellow Bullhead fishing has been very good over the past couple of weeks. Anglers have been trolling walleye rigs with crawlers in the dunes, on the face of the dunes and around Goose Island. Bank fishermen have been doing well on Cats in Lind Coulee and at the mouth of Frenchman’s Wasteway using Magic Bait Catfish Nuggets and Crawlers.

If you are a bird watcher – now is a great time to see the lesser Sandhill Cranes on their migration from Alaska back to California for the winter. Look to the skies early in the morning as they fly to the fields to feed and again in the evening returning to roost in the sand dunes. Take a drive around the fields between the Potholes Reservoir and Othello to spot them feeding.

If you are a Pheasant hunter – now is the time to sign up for the Royal Hunt Club. The Royal Hunt Club offers access to approximately 25,000 of private property. This year 700 birds will be incrementally released throughout the season on Saturdays. The cost is $300.00 per hunter for the season. Call MarDon Resort at 509-346-2651 to get your application.

Call the MarDon Store for the latest fishing info and to make reservations at 509-346-2651.