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Columbia Basin March 1st Opener Lakes

March 1st is just aroung the corner, with many anglers awaiting the March 1st opener of a good number of seep lakes in the Columbia Basin. However, this year the opener will be delayed for you bank and boat anglers due to the lakes being iced over and with the weather conditions we have been seeing it just might be awhile before they are free of ice. Now if the ice conditions stay safe there might be a chance of a little ice fishing. Make sure you play it safe as rotton ice is not to be taken lightly. All it takes is a little warmer weather and suddenly ice that was good is no longer such.

 

Anyway, here's a little run down on what you might expect from a few of the Basin March 1st opening lakes. Chad Jackson from WDFW in Euphrata was kind enough to give me a run down on what he expects to see this season.

 

Martha should see limits or near limits for anglers of 11 -13 inch yearlings with a few carryovers.

 

Upper Caliche shoud also see limits or near limits for anglers or 11 -13 inch yearlings with a few carryovers.

 

Quincy is looking better than last year and should have a very good carryover rate of larger fish.

 

Burke will be a wild card as yellow perch were planted illegally sometime after the 2012 rehabilitation and are now competing directly with the trout. Last season did not see outstanding fishing.

 

Lenice and Nunnally should produce well as always with fish averaging in the 14 -16inch range with some larger. These quality lakes usually have high catch rates with 12 - 25 fish being caught and released per angler not out of the question.

 

Lenore should once again see good fishing as there has been the past couple of seasons on Lahonton Cutthroat. Some anglers are catching and releasing as many as 15 per day last year.

 

This is a little run down on things and I will keep you posted as the season progresses.

 

 

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