2023 Lake Billy Chinook Reports
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good luck. let us know how ya do
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Having searched the internet to the end, and ifish archives…. The bulls are everywhere. Under the schools of kokes in the lake. The Metolius arm is where most originate but they go where the food is.
If the wind calms down you probably won’t be alone. I’ve fought the wind enough solo fishing. I wait for calm days.
If the wind calms down you probably won’t be alone. I’ve fought the wind enough solo fishing. I wait for calm days.
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513 Posts
Sounds good! By any chance was that you (and your small dog) my dad and I were talking to at the ramp a couple weeks back? Had my new Lund and we were talking about a boat you were selling and your new boat?
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Hit LBC Sunday about 7:30. Wind was worse than forcasted so we went to a somewhat sheltered at the confluence of the Deschutes and Crooked arms and dumped three rods down to 90-100'. Had a pretty good bite going until we decided to pick up at 12:30. As we were leaving the lake the wind had died down. Ended the day with 13 kokes in the box with a couple LDR's and a nice 16" bull C&R. Caught fish on orange/gold dodger with orange Mysis bug, Wonderbread combo from Kokanee kid and Green glow slingblade with a green wee-tad, including a triple so color seemed to really not matter. Caught fish on Bloody tuna/anise, pink cured with anise and pink cured with garlic so scent didn't really make much difference either. When we first headed out we went straight across from the ramp and saw a massive slug of fish on the screen but the wind determined that fishing there would not be a thing. Kokes were mostly 10-11 with a couple in the 9 ish range.
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Beautiful day on the water. I got on about 11am. Solo today. Wind was super light. Started trolling straight out of the Crooked river docks and then had a motor issue. (Water spraying out where it shouldn't). Shut if off and Bam, first bull hit me. Not great fish handling on the first one as it was a bit of a situation with my motor and then getting my first ever bull at the same time and trying to take a pic. First one came in at a hair over 20".
![Vertebrate Vision care Goggles Sunglasses Water]()
Switched to my electric motor and tooled around in the same area since I did not want to stray too far due to my main motor issue. Decided to change setups and shut the electric off and then bam... second one hit me hard. This one came it at right about 25".
Caught both on just a standard kokanee dodger and then a long leader to a Rapala as deep as my little Scotty's could go.
![Cloud Vertebrate Sky Smile Fisherman]()
![Cloud Water Sky Watercraft Boat]()
Need to get this motor issue figured out and get back out there!
Switched to my electric motor and tooled around in the same area since I did not want to stray too far due to my main motor issue. Decided to change setups and shut the electric off and then bam... second one hit me hard. This one came it at right about 25".
Caught both on just a standard kokanee dodger and then a long leader to a Rapala as deep as my little Scotty's could go.
Need to get this motor issue figured out and get back out there!
Awesome job guys! Making me super jealous and anxious to get out. I almost lost my truck and trailer at the deschutes launch years ago when I was 16 or 17. It was about this time of year and I was solo and went out for an afternoon. Got finished up and pulled up the ramp and parked about 50 feet up the ramp. Didn't know any better at the time, but parked on the hill put my 65 ford in park, got out, made it about 2 steps before it let go. I tried to open my door but she was on her way backwards down the hill. Trailer jacked knifed, through my little alumacraft in to the water, scattered all my gear, and the trailer got ducked underneath my truck. That saved it actually. Truck only went in as far as the floor boards. Long story short, I was able to get it out on my own and collected by belongings. Trailer wasn't going back on the road. I loaded my boat in the back and drove out. Passed my folks by the Culver way station coming to look for me. Dad and I went back later with a flatbed to grab my busted trailer. Good times. I'm always a little leery of boat ramps and vehicles now a days!! Hard, but good, learning lesson.
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Great job on the bulls.
My boat is in drydock this winter so I don't think I will make it over this year until much later. I too am looking forward to catching my first bull trout.
I always use a big wheel chock when I get out of my truck and go behind it to disconnect the boat before letting it into the water. I never trust the parking brake only on the boat ramps.
I have forgotten to grab it and driven over two and left one on the ramp. Them suckers are getting pricey.
My boat is in drydock this winter so I don't think I will make it over this year until much later. I too am looking forward to catching my first bull trout.
I always use a big wheel chock when I get out of my truck and go behind it to disconnect the boat before letting it into the water. I never trust the parking brake only on the boat ramps.
I have forgotten to grab it and driven over two and left one on the ramp. Them suckers are getting pricey.
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Nice heavy duty hard rubber ones at Harbor Freight. Cheap!
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Feel free to share any tips or techniques with us. I need a salmon replacement, and the Bulls are it.
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Beautiful morning today. Lots of Kokanee to be had. The ramp had a touch of ice at 8am when I launched, but nothing serious.
The pic is the set up of choice today at 100 feet deep, 40’ set back, 1 mph ish speed.
Tried a long line 120’ back, no weight= no fish. So I put a brads Kokanee plug thingy on to see if kokes or maybe a Bull would go for it. Nothing. So I dropped it down to 100’ next to the other rig, nothing.
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good looking fish! gratz!!!
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