Swift report from Sat.

[trollin4trout]

Another marathon trolling day- from 5:00am 'till 8:00pm! The first two hours we trolled from about midlake, on down to the dam. After two hours we had only 4 fish:crazy:. I was saying to my two crew that they were not much more than ballast today, and the smack started flying:D. Just then I got a small hit on my spoon-down only 20ft-I picked up the rod and said" hmmmm-another small lure, BIG fish!" The reel went zzzzzziiiiinnnngggggg!!!!!!!!! and the fish jumped-we saw it was big!
After 15 minutes (6lb. test/ultralight rod) this beauty bull trout came to the net. We estimated at least 24 inches. Didn't remove it from the water and the hook was not even past the barb-wow lucky- gently released to become your next surprise!

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/bull4w.jpg

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/bull1w.jpg

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/bull5w.jpg

We trolled back and forth right in front of the dam for the next several hours-MANY fish on the sonar- and we started catching fish left and right. At about 4:00pm we had caught and released at least 80. We pulled up and went to the other end where the river comes in. YIKES- what a minefield of debris! We dodged floating logs and limbs all the way back- pretty treacherous actually. It was more concentrated near the river from the wind blowing it all that way. We fished anyway as best we could- it was difficult and constantly snagging stuff as we trolled. But there were lots of fish in between the tangles and we caught fish every chance we had to troll through a little clearing. At 8:00pm we gave it up in favor of being awake for the long drive home. Total 105 trout! Yeppers- that was fun!

[VanDaddy]

T4T; thanks for the report. That’s a beautiful Bull! Swift is on my list of lakes to try this summer, but I was concerned after I heard rumors of a significant fish die-off over the winter caused by silt from the November rains. Nice to hear they may still be some holdover fish. That is an interesting net you used in the photo. What type is it?

[trollin4trout]

It's a rubberized "knotless" net. Now required for fishing in WA under "selective gear" regulations. Apparently the nylon net full of knots is quite harmful by removing a lot scales and slime from a fishy body.

I wasn't in a "selective gear" area but I saw the rule change in this years regs and since I catch and release most fish anyway- it seemed like a better way to handle fish with less harm. Seemed worth the $20.

[The Overfishin Condition]

I spent a couple evenings with bobbers off the dam this week and did VERY well. The bobber wouldn't sit for more than a minute most of the time without starting to get worked over. If you jigged or trolled it a little, it was an instant bite.

I watched a couple big bull trout swim by, and tried to get them to take an offering, but they wouldn't. Not until I was bringing in a nice 10" rainbow and the bull trout came out of nowhere and nailed it on the side. This all happened right in front of me in a big splash. The bull trout nailed the little guy repeatedly, as I tried to reach into the water to grab the little one. He nailed it until it was nearly dead, then ate it in three gulps. I fought the bull trout for a couple minutes until it faced me and the little trout came flying out of its mouth!

Quite the event! After that, several bull trout patroled the shoreline just a few feet from the rocks nailing every trout we brought to shore! It was crazy.

Anyway, went back the next day, and they were nowhere to be seen. Fished for a while with a slow bite until it really heated up after dusk. Like Swift in the good old days!

[fishncliff]

Where is the boat launch for Swift?

I know Merwin and Yale.

[trollin4trout]

You have to drive clear up to the upper end of the lake to Swift Forest Camp campground. It's a nice paved ramp with dock- a large boat could easily be launched. It takes me an hour and a half with the boat to get there from Woodland. Lots of corners!
Here's the lake from the dam end looking east- you have to go way out there!

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Imgs/Jpg/MSH/Images/MSH84_aerial_swift_reservoir_swift_dam_06-22-84.jpg

[fishncliff]

thanx for the info. I think I am headed there on Sat. mornin