With a crazy big winter this year, we are still locked down with ice on the majority of our high lakes. Even Crescent Lake is iced over later than I have ever heard for this time of year. I do have some updates and will share with you what I know.

Wickiup was the only Central Oregon lake that was open at this year's opening, with the exception of Odell. Jordan Whitton told me he picked up a nice 7 LB. brown hen on opening weekend. I would post a photo but we don't have the option of getting it off his phone. Scott Robertson, who will be working with us at TTG soon, sent me this photo of a beautiful 10 LB.+ rainbow from the Wick just last Sun. This is the biggest rainbow that I have heard about out of there in a few years. In talking with Joey Frazee at Twin Lake Resort this morning, I learned that an 11 Lb. 4 oz. hen brown had top fish honors so far into the young season. Things should only get better as water temps warm. With the snowpack and water conditions we have this year, Wickiup should hold higher water through the irrigation season.

Over at Odell, Jim Kielblock from Shelter Cove Resort said the opening has been great for macks! Several big fish have been weighed in with a 38 in., 24 LB. male leading the pack for top fish so far. He guessed that probably 35-40 legal size (30 in. min.) macks have been caught since opening weekend. As far as kokanee fishing goes, the colder water temps (38-39 degree) has not been conducive to much of a bite until now. He did say a group caught a dozen kokes in the last few days. Look for that bite to take off when the temps get a little higher into the 40's.

Lake Billy Chinook has produced a growing number of smaller bulls lately but from what I have heard, big fish have still been scarce. Some kokanee have been coming out of there all along to guys jigging and trolling. Remember that they have implemented a new limit of only (5) kokanee per day per person now.

I'm heading off to fish for a few days and will have something to post when I return in mid May........

Screamin' Drags,
Rick