Northwest Reel Life April 2023 Volume 2 Issue 8 - Flipbook - Page 20
I tend to use whatever I already have rigged
up for kokanee fishing at other lakes. As for
locations, you really can’t go wrong on Riffe
Lake- you can start trolling almost as soon
as you launch at Mossyrock Park and will
usually start catching fish right away. If the
fish are being stubborn, try targeting points
and coves. Keep an eye on your fish finder
if you’re using downriggers, the lake can
shallow up surprisingly quickly.
In recent years, it’s been difficult to keep the
triploid trout off your hooks if you want to
target the land-locked coho salmon in the
reservoir. The salmon and trout tend to bite
on the same lures and hang out at the same
depths in the early season, so you can expect
to catch a mixed bag. In general, the coho
hang out deeper than the trout in the later
season, making downriggers and a good
fish finder almost a necessity for targeting
them. The salmon tend to like a faster troll,
so don’t be afraid to bump it up to 1.9 or 2.2
MPH. However, the trout taste great on the
grill and put up a great fight, so most anglers
don’t mind catching them.
As a word of caution to boaters, check the
water levels at Tacoma Power’s website or
give them a call before heading out. The
lake’s level fluctuates throughout the year
and launching can be difficult when water
levels are low. The launch at Mossyrock Park
is usually your best bet year-round. It has a
large dock with 2 lanes to launch at, which is
nice when the ramp is busy. Don’t sweat the
crowds too much though, the lake is massive
and there is plenty of room for everyone.
The other boat launches, Taidnapam and
Kosmos, are unsuitable for low water
conditions. Check the wind forecast before
hitching up the boat- the afternoon winds at
Riffe Lake can kick up and create nasty white
caps, catching unprepared boaters off guard.
Still Fishing Techniques
Don’t have a boat? No worries, Riffe Lake has
plenty of shore access! You can fish at the
dam in Mossyrock or at the fishing bridge
at Taidnapam Park. These spots can get
crowded on nice
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weekends though. Most shore anglers cast
out shrimp or worms under a bobber with a
sliding weight. Experiment with setting your
bobber stopper anywhere from 3ft to 15 ft
until you figure out where the fish are at.
If you can’t get a spot at the dam or fishing
bridge, fishing at nearby Lake Mayfield or
Swofford Pond is a good alternative. Lake
Mayfield is stocked with tiger muskies, which
are difficult but extremely rewarding to
catch. WDFW also stocks decent numbers
of rainbow trout there every year. Swofford
Pond has good populations of panfish,
stocked rainbow trout, and brown bullhead.
There is a boat launch at both lakes, and
good shore access. Many folks fish Swofford
Pond with inflatables and kayaks, as there is
an internal combustion motor ban.
Before you grab those poles and hook up
the boat, keep in mind that Riffe Lake has a
5 fish limit. They can be any combination of
landlocked salmon and trout, so you cannot
legally keep 5 coho and 5 trout. The land
locked coho don’t tend to survive catch and
release very well, particularly in the summer
heat. The lake is large and deep, and those
afternoon winds can kick up unexpectedly, so
make sure that everyone on your boat has a
life jacket. Keep these rules in mind, hook up
the boat, and have fun!