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Pass Lake

2K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  filson 
#1 ·
Anyone fishing for browns on Pass lake? Thinking of pulling an overnighter on the water and wondering if I'll be wasting my time and effort. Also what's your experience with the weather? Seems like everytime I try this lake it rains on me and somepeople say that's good and some say not.

Thanks and tight lines.
 
#2 ·
Dress for wet winter. The whole region, not just Pass Lake, is in a rainy phase, at least into next week. Also, Pass Lake tends to be a chilly experience because of its proximity to the ocean.
 
#3 ·
when i was up last weekend the water was still very green. it normally has cleared a lot more by now. subjectively i think the water has also not cooled as much. on that day the fish were not very active although most anglers had "stumbled" into a fish or two, as did i. as far as the weather, in my experience pass fishes best in rain and clouds, but also well when its sunny. what does not work is rain, sun, rain, sun.... fish need some time to adjust to a barometric change and probably get a bit of nausea when it jumps around too fast. this seems even more pronounced in cooler weather, i guess because the accompanying temperature fluctuations tend to bring on hatches.
 
#4 ·
Pass Lake has no fish, don't waste your time up there. I'll see you there this weekend.;) Do dress warmly and don't expect to be into fish quickly. They always seem to make me wait about 3 hours before I catch one.
 
#5 ·
If weather holds and nothing comes up ...I was thinking of heading up there...(or switch of gears cascade) . I know leeches work up there...that's been the majority of my success ....don't care much for chromie fishing...is there a certain type of subsurface fly that would be good at this time...I have never tried prince nymphs/blood worms there.....any good? Any input appreciated.
 
#6 ·
you can't go far wrong with black or olive buggers or leeches. don't forget maroon or burgandy and I've had a surprising amount of luck on a yellow and brown bugger. The rocky areas in pass have some crayfish population if you're into that. when you see swirls near the shore its usually browns attacking the schools of shiners. almost anything shiner shaped (any fly and inch or two long) stripped fast will often inspire a hard take. At times they are going for the small fish (trout too) as they come up for a dry of some sort, and at times they are going for the dry itself. hard to tell, but if they don't take a stripped bugger, try a small dry mayfly of some sort. for me it seems feast or famine at pass. the feast days keep me going back.
 
#7 ·
Hey, I was there monday night for a couple of hours and the action was pretty slow. The water was still green and cloudy and wasn't very cold. There was a few fish rolling but not much size to them. I got skunked besides a couple takes and my budding caught 1 rainbow that basically rolled over and played dead. I think the water is still a little warm, but the lake should start to get better within a couple of weeks. If you do go stick to the basics buggers, zonkers, and leeches and let us know how you do.

cheers :beer1:
 
#8 ·
Based on that report I might hang off for now......I don't like hitting Pass with the green foam ....did it once and my tube and gear ended up with all kinds of crap on it......other times I have hit it ..it was blue and clear and the fishing success was much better. Tonight weather is balmy and windy ...so I am going to pass on Pass this weekend.
 
#9 ·
Based on that report I might hang off for now......I don't like hitting Pass with the green foam ....did it once and my tube and gear ended up with all kinds of crap on it......other times I have hit it ..it was blue and clear and the fishing success was much better. Tonight weather is balmy and windy ...so I am going to pass on Pass this weekend.
 
#10 ·
Porter, when you do decide to hit the Pass, Try the chronomids when the buggers don't seem to be working. Dangle it a few feet down off an indicator. I recomend a snocone or mattomid.
 
#11 ·
Thanks for reply....please don't take this wrong but look at original reply by me...regarding chronomids.......but now that I looked at it and put Chromie instead of Chronomie (even a word?) I understand your reply. (I just wanted to explain my stupidness regarding the post I just made)...I am dumb and need to work on my wording. Sorry.
 
#13 ·
I beg to differ with the analysis on pass. You guys are missing some of the best fishing of the year, you just need to be in the right place on the lake. The last two trips I've taken (all within the last week) I've bagged 5 and 8 fish, 4 being browns, and 2 over 22". Look at the new pic posts for the go to bug. There is about an hour and a half where you can't keep the fish off your fly (right near dusk). Last trip, I even had one jump and land on my fin!!

Good luck, patience is all it takes.
 
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