Diamond Lake Techniques

[salmontroller]

It has been quite a few years since fished Diamond. Then, used to still fish with eggs in Cheese Alley...troll ford fender and worms with some luck and drift them when wind came up either on far side campground or along side by boat launch and sometimes down middle. Have not still fished at far end from lodge.

I do not really like still fishing, so wondering if fender and worms or fender and rapala or rapala alone would take some of those lunkers..along either shoreline or down middle. Your tips would be appreciated. Especially as applies to more updated luhrs if rapala no longer bait of choice.

[dre5063]

The last time I fished Diamond was in July 06 before the Tui Chub erradication. We fished the west end near the cabins about 40 yds from shore. Ran fenders with a wedding ring and small piece of worm. No weight/downrigger. Between the 3 of us we boated over 40 fish in a day. Weren't real lunkers, just planter size but boy did we have a good time!

[Jedcraft]

A year or two before the chubs took over it was still great using all the old methods in all the old spots. After ODFW planted the Williamson river fish to try and eradicate the chubs we still caught fish but not as many but still quality and did better in front of the cabins on west side. Did not fish it last year after the new stocking but should be great when the ice melts.

[SouthSantiamSlayer]

It has been quite a few years since fished Diamond. Then, used to still fish with eggs in Cheese Alley...troll ford fender and worms with some luck and drift them when wind came up either on far side campground or along side by boat launch and sometimes down middle. Have not still fished at far end from lodge.

I do not really like still fishing, so wondering if fender and worms or fender and rapala or rapala alone would take some of those lunkers..along either shoreline or down middle. Your tips would be appreciated. Especially as applies to more updated luhrs if rapala no longer bait of choice.

Ford fenders or dodger and nightcrawler work well!!
And my favorite trolling lure behind a dodger is a Luhr-Jensen Needlefish!!
They have caught me fish anywhere and everywhere!

[Johnandhis4x4]

I fished Diamond last year during memorial weekend. I haven't caught fish that big from that lake in a long time. It was nice to see, and catch. I have always fished west of the boat launch in the little cove. I have trolled and just anchored and both ways have caught fish. Powerbait, worm and marsh mellow are the most effective bait I have found. and bright spoons/spinners will work really well when trolled. Hope this helps.

[spottedhawk36]

I have fished diamond lake for years, we usually knock them dead using ford fenders with about 2 1/2 - 3 ft of leader trolling a flatfish f-3 frog. Last time i fished it a few years ago took my wife out one evening in the boat and she nailed a 17 inch bow, nice fish, i havent really still fished it much but they catch some good ones, i think alot of people still fish in the "cheese hole on the south end of the lake i usually troll the north and east shores. thats about all i have good luck.

[Eagleclaw]

flatline needlefish

[JCfisher33]

stay fairly shallow. achor up, casts your baits and wait

[Dullhook]

I haven't fished Diamond Lake since it's resurrection last year (gave it up during the chub infusion) but hope to make a trip to that beautiful place this summer or fall. One of the most exciting ways to fish it was to go out in the evening after supper and troll a f-4 frog or coachdog flatfish over the weed beds right in front of the main campground. We used a 5 or 6 weight flyrod with sinking or sinktip line and talk about fun! They'd slam the lure with a vengeance, make one jump and then head down into the weeds. Be ready to strip line in a hurry after the strike or bid your lure and fish goodbye. Those Eagle Lake bows were a blast to catch and mighty fine in the fryin' pan too. Can't wait to go back there. :excited:

[Deluxe]

We used to do the same thing. Last year we wind drifted worms and a split shot over there and our average fish was 19 inches. Caught one at 26.5 inches. I'm going to try ice fishing this weekend, and then mid june go back for the awesome wind drifting. There is nothing like a strike over those weed beds without all that trolling hardware. I'd gladly take 1 fish that way over 5 with all that heavy weight attached. Nothing like it. Diamond is on it's way back to the glory days

[waggle]

well even though yyou dont like still fishing, i went last year with JCfisher33 and we trolled and trolled, but only got one fish. went to power baith, the holy bait, and caught many many fish. including some nice big bruters.....thats what i knnow worked the best