[pigburner]

Hit the winter opener on Fourth of July Lake with a friend on Black Friday. It was total dud. Arrived about 8:15 am, there were about 40 or 50 cars in the lot, almost all bank fisherman. I kicked in my tube against the not so gentle breeze from the launch down lake 0.85 miles. Trolled a bugger and a leech, first on floating line over the weeds, then a sinking line as it got deeper. Then under an indicator off the bottom for a while where there was a little structure on the bottom on my friends fish finder. Not a bump in 4 hours. My friend had one nice, fat rainbow on that he fought to his pontoon. We did not see one fish on among the dozens and dozens of shore anglers the whole time we were out. A couple anglers had a fish or two on the string when we went by, but that was it. A boat that went out and came back in the same time we did went further down lake but did not have any action at all on pop gear, spinners, or flies. Don't know where the fish were that were planted this spring.

We pulled out, then headed to Amber and fished for a couple hours before dark. We both found some willing fish, a few nice, solid 18" rainbows among others, and a stunning sunset to close the day. It's never a total loss when you're out fishing.

 

[Old406Kid]

Beautiful sunset!!!

 

[DeadandBloated]

I always hit that bigger lake just northwest of Fourth of July Lake... watch the wind floating, however

 

[tkww]

I hit it the next day, as the wind was a little less. Ended up with two fish, a ~11" that was extremely fat, and then a much larger fish that was also tubby. He fought well and jumped a few times. Both and another strike on a leech. Tried an indicator for a while but no luck. Got off the water just at dusk as the rain started. Not exactly fantastic action (but better than a skunking!).

I marked fish at certain points but it was a extremely sporadic. I'd mark a bunch and then 20 seconds later the screen would be empty for many, many minutes. Assuming they were fish that I was marking they seemed to be pretty schooled up. However my marking didn't coordinate with the three strikes I had, so....

Talked to someone in a 'toon who had watched a shore guy gut a couple fish. "Full of stoneflies." The closest thing I could come up with was dragonfly nymphs.

 

[junkie]

I always hit that bigger lake just north of Fourth of July Lake... watch the wind floating, however

I agree 100%. I wouldn't even consider fishing Fourth of July with the bigger lake right there.

 

[Coomba]

I was the fly fisherman in the boat at the takeout, you're right, it was a total bust. Couldn't believe how crowded it was. That place is a real wind tunnel, we ended the day at Rock Lake, which believe it or not was not as windy. It was my first time at 4th of July and to be fair, I need to give a few more tries. The fish I did see were very nice.

 

[tkww]

I always hit that bigger lake just north of Fourth of July Lake... watch the wind floating, however

I'll keep that in mind. Never have fished it, but I should probably change that. (Though I am also really averse to road noise.)

 

[7919]

I agree 100%. I wouldn't even consider fishing Fourth of July with the bigger lake right there.

ive had some really great fishing at 4th in years past. but, like i told you before, it was super crowded on opening day. but if you can hit it on a cold weekday before it ices up it can be a very awesome place to fish. it has a natural beauty that sprague just lacks.

 

[7919]

I'll keep that in mind. Never have fished it, but I should probably change that. (Though I am also really averse to road noise.)

dont worry, the wind is loud enough to drown it out and carry it away.

 

[DeadandBloated]

dont worry, the wind is loud enough to drown it out and carry it away.

or the loud screams of someone being blown away from the launch in a pontoon.. or lifted up into a dustdevil/waterspout!

the big lake northwest of 4th puts out much stronger, bigger, healthier fish than 4th.
the bigger, shallow lake has tons of food. 4th is not the biggest food producer-alot of deep water.

The bigger lake has more variety of fish as well-caught my first Walleye on a fly there.

 

[tkww]

has more variety of fish as well-caught my first Walleye on a fly there.

Funny you mention it, I've had that on a list of things to do for a few years now. I've heard they fight pretty poorly, but I'd still like to catch one just for the heck of it.

 

[DeadandBloated]

Funny you mention it, I've had that on a list of things to do for a few years now. I've heard they fight pretty poorly, but I'd still like to catch one just for the heck of it.

I caught the walleye from a float tube many years ago in the big lake, fully at dark. I was quite surprised and do not recall it fighting a ton-not like a Pike on a fly, which are like hooking a missile at first.

I flyfished a lot in tubes at night in the lakes in the area. The night fishing picks up when the weather gets warm, and is a bust in a colder season. Gotta be aware of snakes at night when paddling the shorelines, late May on.

 

[junkie]

I was the fly fisherman in the boat at the takeout, you're right, it was a total bust. Couldn't believe how crowded it was. That place is a real wind tunnel, we ended the day at Rock Lake, which believe it or not was not as windy. It was my first time at 4th of July and to be fair, I need to give a few more tries. The fish I did see were very nice.

I was at Rock, but must've been around the corner in my pontoon. I rowed like a half-mile into the wind and anchored up. I was then going to wind drift back, but it completely died just before dark and I had to row back, too. I was with the couple that had two little girls. I had the big dark grey Ford.

 

[DeadandBloated]

I was at Rock, but must've been around the corner in my pontoon. I rowed like a half-mile into the wind and anchored up. I was then going to wind drift back, but it completely died just before dark and I had to row back, too. I was with the couple that had two little girls. I had the big dark grey Ford.

While in the fisheries program at EWU, we took a lab boat to sample Rock Lake and saw some big carp, nice Brown Trout and almost ran into some very spooky vertical rock spires the lake is known for, a boaters nightmare that made it difficult to move at much speed on a lot of the parts of the lake. We sampled Sprague Lake, too, but spent most of the time on the Pend Oreille River.

Rock also contains the very cool, miniature Grass Pickerel. We took one to the lab and it lived in a tank until I left. It ate Goldfish. Amazing that these mini-pikes would reach a maximum size of 12 inches or so, what a neat fish ! I spent a lot of time observing the pickerel and a Bull Trout we had in another tank. I did some drawings for publication while observing them.

adult Grass Pickerel

 

[Irafly]

While in the fisheries program at EWU, we took a lab boat to sample Rock Lake and saw some big carp, nice Brown Trout and almost ran into some very spooky vertical rock spires the lake is known for, a boaters nightmare that made it difficult to move at much speed on a lot of the parts of the lake. We sampled Sprague Lake, too, but spent most of the time on the Pend Oreille River.

Rock also contains the very cool, miniature Grass Pickerel. We took one to the lab and it lived in a tank until I left. It ate Goldfish. Amazing that these mini-pikes would reach a maximin size of 12 inches or so, what a neat fish ! I spent a lot of time staring at the Pickerel and a Bull Trout we had in another tank. I did some drawings for publication while observing them.

View attachment 156394
adult Grass Pickerel

Bucket list!

 

[junkie]

While in the fisheries program at EWU, we took a lab boat to sample Rock Lake and saw some big carp, nice Brown Trout and almost ran into some very spooky vertical rock spires the lake is known for, a boaters nightmare that made it difficult to move at much speed on a lot of the parts of the lake. We sampled Sprague Lake, too, but spent most of the time on the Pend Oreille River.

Rock also contains the very cool, miniature Grass Pickerel. We took one to the lab and it lived in a tank until I left. It ate Goldfish. Amazing that these mini-pikes would reach a maximin size of 12 inches or so, what a neat fish ! I spent a lot of time staring at the Pickerel and a Bull Trout we had in another tank. I did some drawings for publication while observing them.

View attachment 156394
adult Grass Pickerel

I knew they were in there, just haven't caught one. My trip before black Friday I caught a three pound largemouth. After Halloween.

 

[DeadandBloated]

I knew they were in there, just haven't caught one. My trip before black Friday I caught a three pound largemouth. After Halloween.

I do recall we shocked top some nice LM Bass there as well. There are some smaller chain lakes in the Sprague area that have the Grass Pickerel and they have more reeds-ambush water for the little predators.

 

[Coomba]

I was at Rock, but must've been around the corner in my pontoon. I rowed like a half-mile into the wind and anchored up. I was then going to wind drift back, but it completely died just before dark and I had to row back, too. I was with the couple that had two little girls. I had the big dark grey Ford.

yeah, I remember seeing them. I noticed fly fishing gear, I thought you might have been fishing the outlet creek. I would have liked to meet you, maybe next time.

 

[7919]

 

[7919]

later when i get home ill post a video of the place. im not gonna leave it up for to long though, so peep it tonight before i take it down. im wanting to share it with all you folks who have or did fish there, but i dont want it to be on the internet forever.