MarDon Fresh News – June 22, 2021

 

MarDon Fresh News – June 22, 2021

The current water level on the Potholes Reservoir is at 1038.60 – dropping .96 feet over the past week. The water temperature on the main lake is in the mid-70s. The water back in the sand dunes is warming to the mid-70s to mid-80s.

The fishing will remain extremely good even though the temperatures have and will continue to rise over the next week and beyond. The fish will still eat – but for your best shot – fish very early – the sun is up around 4:30am – or fish late - last light is around 9:30pm! Now is a great time to think about night fishing. Get out after the sun is down and the air starts to cool. If you do head out at night make sure you have a good navigation system on board, lights, and all the necessary safety equipment. The water level is changing daily with the heat. All the techniques below are current - just have to fish early or late!

Trout: Trout fishing – remains good! Troll a #7 Flicker Shads, Wee-Gee spoons, and Needle Fish spoons in front of the Potholes State Park and at the mouth of Lind Coulee to Perch Point. Troll in 15- 30 feet of water. From shore fish Medicare Beach with Berkley PowerBait or marshmallows and worms.

Warden Lake, Lowers Hampton, and the Pillar Widgeon Chain have been the top producing Seep Lakes. From shore use Rainbow PowerBait and a 1/8-1/4oz egg sinker with a leader long enough to keep it above the weeds. From a boat troll Dick Nites or small spoons behind Pop Gear. Fly fishing a black #10 Bead Head Leech has been very productive as well.

Walleye: The Walleye has bite is good right now! Fish the weed lines in Crab Creek in 7-10 feet of water. You can pick fish up trolling Slow Death/Smile Blades/crawler combo in 6-12 feet of water along the weeds, or cast spinnerbaits, Optimum swimbaits, or Zoom flukes in the weeds and willows in 3-8 feet of water.

Smallmouth Bass: The Smallmouth bass fishing continues to be good this week. Fish for Smallmouth bass along the face of the dam and the rocky area between Goose Island and the dam. Use a 4” wacky rigged Senko, Missile Baits Ned Bomb and #7 Rapala shad Raps in 4-15 feet of water.

Largemouth Bass: Bass fishing is and will continue to be incredibly good back in the sand dunes. This time of year, a variety of baits will catch bass back in the dunes. Top baits have been   oz. Freedom Flipping Jig with a 4.00” WGT Mobster Craw trailer, swim jigs with a 4.25” Skull Fish, SPRO Poppin’ Frogs frog, 5” Senko, Z-Man Chatter Baits and Spinnerbaits. Fish 1-10 feet of water.

Panfish: Several reports of panfish coming in from the dunes. Perch are being caught back in the sand dunes! Troll a Mepp’s spinner with a piece of worm to locate them, then throw out a worm or vertically jig worms over the school.

Both Bluegill and Crappie are showing up in the weeds and willow back in the dunes. Vertically jig or use a slip bobber with a 1/32 oz head and a Baby Shad or DS Fry. Also throw small Mepp’s spinners or Rooster tails through the schools.

Call the MarDon Tackle Store for the latest Spring fishing report and information at 509-346-2651 – things quickly change this time of year!

Mike Meseberg with a 13+ inch Crappie that was released back into the Potholes Reservoir in order to keep this fishery thriving!