Lake Billy Chinook, Oregon Bull Trout

[wilyj]

Bull trout fishing has been very good, especially for larger fish. Two of us boated 9 yesterday, 6 over 22" with a 26" and a 30" 10 lb beast. We had another 24" come unbuttoned at the boat and got freight-trained into the rocks and broken off by a real bruiser that we never saw. Numbers are often higher, but yesterday's size was outstanding. It's a cast a strip fishery: 6 & 7 wt rods, Rio Outbound Sink 6 & 8 lines, 1X - 20lb tippet, 1/0 - 4/0 Puglisi & Bucktail Deceiver style flies. If you haven't fished for bull trout, IMHO, they are the strongest of all trout. Not a spectacular fight, but even the 20 inchers are capable of burying a 7 wt down to the cork, and big or small, they fight their hearts out. You gotta love their aggression and the way they pull. The bite looks like it may hold up thru the 1st week in May, but it all depends on water temps. Keep a close eye on wind forecasts: Billy Chinook is big water that's tough to fish in anything over 10 knots. Gotta go: re-doing leaders for Saturday.

[Scott V]

If you get a chance, I would really like to see a picture of one of those 20"+ bulls. I hope to head up your way next year to fish for those bulls.