Hey y'all,

I just got back from a week of field work on Lake Chelan. It is pretty interesting driving around the Wapato basin right now because the water level is about 15 feet below full pool. That doesn't show a whole heck of a lot of shoreline because Chelan is so steep, but it does show some stuff you won't see at other times of the year.

I can tell you there are planted brushpiles, manmade rock humps in the middle of sandy beaches, and HUGE boulders to see right now. I annoyed all my coworkers by stopping to take waypoints from our research boat every once in a while. I hate my job. 

The point of my post - if you want to find some cool structure on Lake Chelan, get out there now! It will be dropping a little more until the end of March. That is the word from Chelan PUD. With all the snow over there, they are pumping out water very fast right now.

The drive is pretty safe right now if you go Snoqualmie to Blewitt to Chelan via HWY97alt. Of course, that can change at any time, but I just got done towing a 22' foot Almar without any drama.

So get your digital camera, notepad, and GPS and stay at the Apple Inn for $35 bucks a night. It's a good way to beat the winter blues.

Chris

P.S. If you want to catch some big lake trout while you're over there, IM me for some good spots!

Hey Mr. Harris,

Good to hear from you!!!

To be honest, I have not spent a lot of time actually FISHING on Lake Chelan.  I have mainly spent time out there "working" (insert joke here).

But, since you haven't been out there, I can give you a few general tips. The lake doesn't offer much in way of different cover. It is mainly made up of rocky banks and steep drop offs. There are some weedbeds. My thought is that the best areas in April are going to be rockpiles on big sandy flats. The best flats look like all the shoreline from Mill Bay to Manson Bay, including Wapato Point. The water is so clear that if you cruise the flats, you can see rock piles on the bottom. I would dropshot and crankbait those areas.

Also, the south end of the lake has the most weeds and is very shallow. It should definitely warm up faster than the rest of the lake. I would pound away down there with reaction baits, like that rat-l-trap you mentioned.

That's all I can say for now. That is all mainly speculation, as I haven't had a chance to check these things out. Maybe someone else here that is more familiar with the lake can lend a helping hand?

Good luck, Adam! And make sure to come back on here and give us a report! Say hi to Ma and Pa for me...

Chris