Annual opening day trout trip with dear ol' Dad. Started by 8am. Calm wind, made passing the Lake Chelan ramp at Mill Bay, real difficult!. That was short lived. Caught and released several fish on lures. Dick nites, triple teasers, super duper, and a first time for me the wiggle fin in front of a smile bladed fly! One rod on the dr at 20 to 35ft, one leaded line out 1 to 5 colors depending on the time of day, last rod had 1/4 to 1/2oz, again depending on time of day.

Dad is a old school, anchor up and bait fish kinda guy. So, we did that for 1 1/2 hours due to he wind! It had become brutal. I am talking 20 to 35+. That wind cleared the lake of all boat except mine, a guy in a 12 ft aluminum displaying a full size American Flag on a 6ft pole off the stern. That flag would flap in the same direction as the boat, when the boat traveled with the wind. Looked strange. But clearly the wind was blowing way faster than the top boat speed possible with a 9.9 motor. I had dropped dad off for a potty break at the ramp. Went back to get him and the dock was plugged with boat's. All boat's were heaving in the white cap driven waves, and many were 16-18 foot boats!

Caught nothing while still fishing. So, back to trolling and bucking the wind. Found the leeward end of the Lake to be very manageable. Caught a couple more during the next hour, but fishing had really tapered off. Came across another boat out during the big blow. Chatted as we trolled side by side. They had caught and released 13, and lost 11 in the 11 to 16 inch range.

They were feisty, line peelers. Pulled hard! Leaving the outboard in gear while reeling in the fish, made reeling them in take too long, and consequently the hooks had a better chance to pull loose, and did several times. Was better to leave the kicker running, in neutral, then kick in a out of gear to keep other lines fishing. Lost one due the the turning prop, dove 3/4 oft the entire rod under water for the ones that went under the boat.

From about noon to 6pm, the wind was howling. Anton talks about wind shear in his Lake Chelan report. At times, the wind was so strong, that water drops ripped from the waves. Traveling parallel too, and just above the turbulent waters surface. I want to say 35mph is a fair number.

Boat control? There wasn't any! it was keep the bow from being pushed to far one way or the other or you went 180 in an instant. Fishing picked up again around 7pm. It was fish on or drive by's every 5 minutes.

Saw three port-a-boats this year. The most ever! Talked to one gent in a porta, that was having trouble hooking fish with a wedding ring. Saw him later in the morning heading in, and he had pop gear and the wedding ring. That was a effective tactic, when I used to pull blades, years ago. Do not know how he did. But sure was a shinny set of blades, elevated off the upright rod, and strung out by the wind, spinning in the breeze!

Was another fun trip, hoping for many more!

This was our 12th annual fishing trip to Wapato where we have fished the same weekend every year. We fish hard (peer pressure) from 6:30 a.m. until Noon and this year we had 15 guys fishing and caught 4 (four) trout. We used to easily limit (with the exception of maybe 1 or 2 guys), but the numbers of fish caught has steadily declined each year until this year's depressing catch. Some tried different depths/areas and some tried trolling, but the fish caught were on powerbait 18-24 in. off the bottom. There were a number of other fishermen in the Manson campground whose success rate pretty closely matched ours. Not worth the drive if it's fish you're after. :)

Fished Wapato Mon evening. It was pretty windy! One gust picked the front end of the boat up a bit. That was unnerving to say the least. Lots of heavy strikes but only pulled in a couple of football shaped trout. I was surprised to see so few people at either of the two campsites. There was just a few boats on the lake when I started and none when I finished. Years ago this was a HOT lake. It's still ok.... The ramp at the south end of the lake is still no charge, it's no longer a WDFW ramp.

Annual Father/son opening day fishing trip. Air temp 50-55 at 9am, supposed to climb to 70 degrees for a high. Water temp was between 49 and 53. I and my Dad had started fishing around 8:00am. We were trolling toward the shoreline on the SW end of the lake. An older, man and wife couple had rented a 12 foot boat from Kamei (found that out later). They were trolling south, along the shore when I saw them. We were trolling to shallower water, headed toward the same shoreline they are trolling parallel to. We were at a distance, and I kept checking that our trolling paths would not interfere. We had just caught a fish and were resetting our gear behind the boat. Glanced for that boats location as well as others traveling in that same direction, and went about our business of letting out more line.

When glancing over , this time the man was now out of the boat swimming behind it. The boat was listing hard to the starboard side, so much so that the bottom of their boat could easily be seen and most if that was out of the water!!. Clearly the starboard side was under water and the boat is in motion, curling around toward the man in the water!!. I suggest to my dad, who has his back to the incident that has occurred. To quickly reel in, there is a fisherman in the water!! We throttled up the kicker motor and headed for the man in the water, while dragging my two lines (two pole endors.) and fish behind our boat.

There is a tackle box and two seat cushions floating in a straight line between him and their listing boat. We are now 50ft or so away and I can hear him laughing as we approach!! I positioned my boat between him and the quickly approaching, listing, half under water boat. I am thinking I can get their boat and the old guy in one move. I kill our motor and throw a bumper that is attached to my boat, over the starboard side for the guy in the water to grab onto. While on the port side, my dad grab’s the bow of the moving, half submerged boat. As that boat swings around, there is a lady in the boat, leaning against the side that is under water. She is submerged to her waist, calm and quiet as can be, with one hand clutching the submerged side of the boat, the other stretched out as far as she can above her head, with food in it, a strange sight to see.

My dad has the bow of their boat with one hand and the ladies outreached arm that is clutching the food, with the other. The back of the little aluminum boat swings around to our transom. I see the 12v battery is at least a foot under water as I reach back and turn off the electric motor which has been pushing us toward a floating dock on the shoreline. The whole thing is so surreal and you are not thinking as much as acting on some sort of instinct and adrenaline.
For some odd reason the lady never said a word. No screaming for help or calling out for her husband! In one hand she held there bag full of food above her head, while holding onto the boat with the other, going for a wild ride wherever the motor is blindly taking her. I motion for other boats to help, but they are taking their sweet time, mostly watching. As if we have it under control. But we are far from it!

The electric motor had pushed us away from the older gentlemen. Who was still laughing while doing the dog paddle or breast stroke? Another boat pulled him from the water, he never yelled out to his wife to see how she was doing! We asked another boat to come along our port side to aid in lifting the lady form the water and the boat she was in. She had no strength to help, and did not want to let go of the food. So I finally asked if my dad could remove the food from her right hand so she had two hands free for aiding in climbing out of her boat and into a rescue boat. I asked a couple of times if she was cold, but she replied each time that she was not. Our F.F. indicated a water temp of 51 degrees during the rescue. Because she has indicated she was not cold, I am thinking she is hypothermic. At this point we are 10ft from the floating dock, and the homeowner of the dock comes out to the end of it offering a cup of coffee to the lady. Another boat approaches, donating two blankets. It is a struggle to get her into the rescue boat. She has no strength and is stiff as can be, legs not working either. 3 of us are able to slip her over the back and into the rescue boat floating along with us.

At last count there are 5 rescue boats involved, 18 people on board, two donated blankets, and one dock owner offering a cup of joe. While the topic of a cup of coffee not being the drink of choice for the cold, wet, lay. I am transferring their stuff that is in my boat and floating about in theirs, into the rescue boat with her in it. Which, consists of one soggy throw type seat cushion, one lime green tackle box, an oar, a fishing rod, and that clear plastic grocery bag full of soggy food.

So, all wet occupants and their stuff, is stowed and being towed back to the resort using 3 different boats. And I find it ironic, that for the second year in a row. There is a Sherriff’s boat on the water, going from boat to boat performing a floating, boater safety equipment check and verifying your required, valid boat registration is on board at all times.

While, a couple hundred yards away. We the general public, are performing a real, live, unrehearsed water rescue!! As the excitement is diminishing, and the wet occupants are headed for the safety and warmth of dry land. From my vantage point. I can see the Sheriff's boat performing another safety check. Totally oblivious to what had just occurred, in view and during there watch!!

After the excitement. I was wondering, if after being a good Samaritan. If safety checked by the sheriff, if they would let me off with a warning for not having my boat registration on board? It was in my truck glove box at home. We drove my Pops truck this time. I hear it is a $100 fine.

Had a good day at Wapato lake. Caught 7 trout in about 3.5 hrs with me and a few kids. Fish were large rainbows average about 1.5lbs and 16 -18 inch triploids, Fished from the bank on the West side of the lake. Used about a 8-10 foot leader to get my bait above the weeds.