MarDon Resort Fresh News – April 23rd, 2025

MarDon Resort Fresh News – April 23rd, 2025

Late April on Potholes Reservoir means longer and warmer days. With those warmer

days the water temps begin to rise and the Walleye and Bass that call potholes home

begin to spawn. The spawn can be a tough time to fish as many angler found during the

Potholes Bass Club’s 46th annual “Potholes Open” bass tournament. This tournament

had almost 150 boats entered and Aaron Echternkamp and his son clinched the #1

position with 33.66 pounds for 2 days of fishing.

Bass - Targeting spawning bass involves finding them in shallow protected areas with

hard bottoms and deeper water close, using lures that mimic their forage or are bright

and easily visible, and presenting them in a way that simulates a threat to their nests.

Lizards, creature baits, and bright colors are good choices. Spawning bass may not

immediately bite at a lure, so be patient and make multiple presentations. Don't be

afraid to experiment with different lures and presentations to find what works best in

you.

Walleye – Anglers are finding walleye in the Lind Coulee and Crab Creek. Look for

areas with a hard bottom (gravel, rock) in 12 to 20 feet of water, where current and

cover are present. Most anglers are trolling Mack’s SlowDeath worm rigs behind a

bottom bouncer @ 0.9 to 1.1 mph. Also jigging 4 & 5 inch curly tail grubs and 3.5 to 4.5

inch tubes have been proving to be good choices.

Crappie – Anglers have reported large schools of feeding crappie in Soda Lake. Anglers

are using sonar to locate these schools. After the school is found use a slip bobber set

to 6” to 8” above the school and drop down a Strike King Monkey Shine “Lil Suck’R”.

The current water level on the Potholes Reservoir is 1045.68 feet – Rising 0.49 feet this

past week. Water temperatures range from 55 to 60 degrees depending 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

 

MarDon Resort Fresh News – April 9th, 2025

MarDon Resort Fresh News – April 9th, 2025

It’s not as easy as “shooting fish in a barrel” but it is definitely more fun! This Saturday

April 12th is Washington Bowfishing Association’s Youth Night Shoot. These youth

shooters will take aim at putting a dent into the massive Carp population on Potholes

Reservoir. For more info or to sign your youth up for a fun filled night of cruising thru the

shallows with lights as bright as the sun, harvesting Carp for chance at some great

prizes, contact the WBA thru Facebook or email washingtonbowfishing@hotmail.com

Channel Cats – Its that time of year when the Channel Cats move up into the shallows

of flowing water to take advantage of the warmer water and easy meals. Anglers are

having great success finding Cats over 10lbs nightly in the Frenchman’s Wasteway and

the Lind Coulee using cut bait or chicken livers sitting on the bottom.

Walleye – Soda Lake anglers are still finding limits of 14 to 16 inch walleye trolling

Mack’s Slow Death Smileblade worm harness in 15 to 25 FOW @ 1 to 1.2 mph.

Reports of a few Walleye being caught up the Lind Coulee are starting to come in.

While fishing in the Lind Coulee focus on 12 to 20 FOW where the water is moving.

Anglers in the Coulee are catching walleye trolling and using jigs.

Crappie – Anglers are starting to find Crappie scattered thru out the Dunes. To target

these slabs, work your boat through dunes looking for areas with heavy cover. Once

located throw 2” swim baits along the cover to entice a bite.

The current water level on the Potholes Reservoir is 1045.19 feet – Rising 0.58 feet this

past week. Water temperatures range from 46 to 52 degrees depending 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

Picture: Wyatt Harmon from Yakima hold his 14lbs Channel Cat

 

MarDon Resort Fresh News – April 1st, 2025

MarDon Resort Fresh News – April 1st, 2025

Northwest Bass kicked off the Tournament Season with a great turnout of 90 entries

and 86 boats fishing. Anglers greeted the red morning glow with a high speed run to the

dunes to find the 5 biggest bass they can. This is always an exciting time of year on the

reservoir with anglers coming from across the state to test their skills against some of

the best. Congrats to Dan Jensen & Taylor Smith who took 1st place with a total of 21.10

lbs and big fish with a weight of 6.90 lbs.

Bass -- Fishing has been fair this past week and expect it to continue to get better and

better as the water levels and water temps rise. Anglers are having success using early

season tactics focusing on pre-spawn behavior, fishing around cover and structure in

areas with warming water, using lures like Bladed Jigs, Lipless Crankbaits, Glide baits,

and Jerkbaits.

Walleye – Anglers are finding limits of 14 to 16 inch walleye fishing Soda Lake trolling a

Mack’s Slow Death Smileblade worm harness in 15 to 25 FOW @ 1 to 1.2 mph.

Anytime now Walleye will be moving up the Lind Coulee arm into the shallows for their

annual spawn.

Sturgeon – Anglers are finding keeper sized sturgeon in the 85-100 feet range. To catch

these prehistoric fish use your sonar to find a deep hole around goose island, then tie a

8/0 circle hook tipped with chicken thigh that you forgot about and left on the smoker

way to long and drop it down. While you’re waiting on a bite. You should crack open that

ice cold beverage that you picked up from the Tackle Shop on your out and contemplate

how these monsters made it into the reservoir. Maybe thru the canal system, maybe a

bucket biologist, or maybe it was April 1st when this report was written?

The current water level on the Potholes Reservoir is 1044.61 feet – Rising 0.52 feet this

past week. Water temperatures range from 41 to 44 degrees depending 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