Hi All,

I'm heading over to Banks this week and have never been there before.  Can anyone share some pointers?  I have a map of the lake but I also want to know of any hazards to avoid or be on the look out for. 

Thanks,
Don B.

Well...big lake, many places to hurt your boat. Where will you launch? Coulee Playland is my favorite place, but I've launched into "The Punchbowl", and that's fine.

If the weather is good and water fairly calm, look at the "Million Dollar Mile" (low beach below where the highway is way up the cliff). There are big boulders submerged off a good part of the beach, and I'd think they'd hold fish, but my luck has been better at each end. If the water is too rough to see the boulders, you could hurt your boat there. Lots of cliffs and bluffs...my best results have been where there are shale slides at each end of the cliffs or bluffs.

It should be about the end of the spawn, so it may pay to look shallow, so the "Airport Bays" need a look. You need to approach with care, straight in from open water, because some have enough water to get in, and some don't. Some may have enough water to get in, but the Army Corps of Engineers may drop the water level and leave you stranded, so be aware! Best idea, maybe is to just not spend all that much time in any of the bays with tricky access. Stay offshore about a hundred yards when going past the Airport area...it's mud/sand flats, but very shallow.

There's a huge rock underwater in the entrance to "The Punchbowl". It's close to the one that sticks up. If you go down around Steamboat to "The Poplars" (I think), go well past that point before turning South...it goes a long, long, long....way out, very shallow. I don't remember who didn't, but it wasn't me, for a change.

I've been about 2/3  of the way down the lake, and the hazards are mostly down thataway...I guess it could be worth it if you had GPS and lots of gas money, but otherwise not. Lots of sunken roadbeds down there, way out into the lake. Look for 'muddy' water, indicating shallows, and stay away or slow way down. Lots of little bays filled with Carp, few bass. I'd stick toward the N. Shore if going far down the lake. There's some neat looking rocky islands across from "The Million Dollar Mile", but I haven't caught much there. Also haven't run aground there.

The two bays East of "The Punchbowl" can be good, but I can't think of the names right now. Look for fish in reeds, and under those Russian Olive trees. They look kinda like willows, but paler green leafs...and thorns about 1" long...Nasty!

Osborne Bay...a short run from Coulee Playland, watch for the sunken roadbed. You can see each end in the reedbeds, so start at one end and work your way along it. Don't hit it with the big motor...I forget who did that, but it wasn't me for a change! You should try the rip-rap, wherever you find it, but expect a lot of dinks. In fact, Banks is a great dink factory, but 14"+ fish aren't too easy to find.

Barker Canyon...and "Barker Flats" (near the Barker boat launch) can be pretty good during spawn. It's pretty safe, if you are away from shore and various islands. Try splitshotting the point in the back of Barker's Canyon. It's near the end of the canyon, so deep point near shallows is a key location. Lots of big boulders back there. Like the size of a truck+...underwater.

There are some nice humps between Coulee Playland and the inlet channel...I think there were some pictures of them at low water in the store. Also ask about the Airport Bays. Some are better than others...Dave should give you the straight scoop. "Schlaegel Bay" is great, if you can get in, but if not, anchor the boat, take a Splitshot or Gitzit rod and bag of plastics and wade in. Definitely worth getting a little wet. Just inside the sandbar, adjacent the reeds, the points,  etc. A lot of guys will blast in there on plane. I wouldn't. I have gone in on TM, sneaking along, and I have blasted out on plane. Doing an "S" on the way out will help keep the prop out of the sand...mostly.

I like splitshotting 4" Zoom lizards and pitching 3.5" tubes on spinning tackle at Banks. The shoreline south of Coulee Playland can produce good fish, if you don't mind 'used' fish. Splitshotting (or dropshotting) would be good techniques to use there, but others will have other ideas. Never pass up  fishing a boat launch ramp.

I've eaten at the taverns just West of Coulee Playland, both are good, with the + going to the one with the view. A decent walk from Coulee Playland, which can be a good thing. Stuck's Tavern in downtown E.City is also good, and the restaurant downtown by the Casino. It's owned by the dude that owns Coulee Playland, so you can easily get directions there. Just across the bridge and turn left, basically.

BAD Weather comes down the lake from the West. If you see brown clouds to the West, head for shore. It can get VERY nasty on Banks. Lots of boat launches, so you might want to go from camp to a different ramp each day. Also don't overlook "Little Lake Osborne", the bay across the highway from Osborne Bay. I've done pretty well in there earlier in the Spring. Launching can be a challenge, depending on boat and vehicle...4x4 is advised, smallish boat ditto. I've put a canoe in there several times, but never the big boat. Might oughta do that...

Probably big Squaw fish. Great job out on Banks!