Hey guys you missed an awesome time this past weekend for the quest for the State Record on Chelan. I will give you the run down that Man with a View and myself had on these two awesome lakes.

We get to Kamei Resort campground on Wapato Lake about 8:45 PM on friday night. Put the tent up as fast as we could then dropped the Procraft in the water(Wapato) Start fishing the reeds right off the bat and low and behold my first 5-10 casts yielded about 18 pounds of Largies. Biggest was 5-14. We fished to 10:15 and hit the sack so we could be awake for the slay fest at Chelan.

Tied up the new swim bait for my quest for the toad and hit it early(4:30AM). Tried some top water first and on 2nd cast caught a 3-9. Tried the swim bait at many places and depths and had no takers. So went back to some plastics and proceeded to catch 17lb sack in the first 4 hours and caught over 10 -3-4lb smallies rest of the day.

Was getting real hot and boats were pounding the lake so we went back to camp for a small break. Retied some baits and hit Wapato again. This time we started at 5PM, big mistake because almost got heatstroke as it was getting hotter. Skipped Senko's and Man with a view sticks a 3-8. Kept working entire shoreline with tons of dinks to follow. Couldn't wait for the sun to go down below the hill so I could school The Man with my top water.

Sun goes down and even though still somewaht bright I throw the bait toward some reeds on the opposite side of the lake from where the Camp ground is let it rest so the ripples disappear and the Wham a 3+ blows up on it and misses. At this time I'm behind in the count against MWV as we are having a mini bragging rights event since I schooled him on Chelan earlier in the day. We proceed down the far end shoreline and catch about 8-10 dinks and I say lets hit our sweet spot where I took the 5-14 the night before. The next 13-14 minutes was absolute chaos. MWV sticks a nice 3-1/2, then I stick a 5, he then sticks a 4-1/2, then I stick a 3+, another 2-1/2. And what was cool we had an audience who couldn't believe after they had just fished that shoreline that we were slamming them. Our best 5 fish for both nights went 23+ lbs. Now Wapato has a new name, we called it "Wapatoad".

Guys if you haven't fished this lake before you are truly missing the boat. The fish not only slam your bait but they fight like they are all toads.

Russ Baker

Nice report, Russ.  How were the 'skeeters?  Chelan does get a bit wacky as the summer rolls on with boat traffic.  The family and I will be over there the second full week of August.  We, too, will be at Kamei.  What top water for the lm?

I have some pics will try to post them today or tommorow. Rich thats what MWV suggested one day at Chelan next day at Wapatoad for a tourney.
Russ