How To Catch Lahontan Cutthroat Trout During Fall

How To Catch Lahontan Cutthroat Trout (1)

Lahontan cutthroat trout live in waters not fit to drink. They thrive in alkaline waters that other trout cannot survive in.

Okanogan County offers two lakes—Blue and Omak—that hold Lahontans. Omak is the standout for a couple reasons; it rests just 15 minutes from the town of Omak and grows fish that average three-to five pounds with a few behemoths that reach 15 pounds. Blue Lake also holds a good cutthroat population, with many of its fish stretching to 20 inches.

The more popular of the two is Omak Lake. A 15-minute drive east of the city of Omak will bring you to the green waters of Omak Lake. Our other lesser known lake that has a good population of Lahontan cutthroats is Blue Lake north of Omak by Wannacut Lake.

Fall fishing for these predatory fish can be a very rewarding experience.

Omak Lake has fish over the 15-pound range with many cutties in the 5/6-pound range. In Blue Lake, you’ll find most of the fish are in the 20-inch range.

Minnow patterns and buggers are going to be the fly of choice at both lakes. The exact fly from day to day sometimes changes. I have found that even during the day, the fish can change their choice of flies.

You may be using a 2-inch minnow pattern and doing well at 8 am, only to find the bite looks to have turned off by 11 am. Switch to a brown crystal bugger and the action is back on again. You just need to be ready for whatever the fish are doing.

You will find many fish cruising close to the shoreline in the morning. If it is a bright, cloudless day, they will move out to a little deeper water as the sun gets higher in the sky. At sunset, they will once again move into the shallower water. And if you’re lucky enough to be out on a partly (or completely) overcast day, they will stay close to shore and hungry.

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Gear And Tactics for Catching Lahontan Cutthroats

For Omak Lake, I'd recommend a 6wt or even an 8wt rod because this lake has bigger fish. On Blue Lake, a 5wt or 6wt will work just fine. A fast or medium fast action rod is your best choice due to the size of some of the streamers you will be throwing (or if you choose to use a strike indicator).

I carry a couple of different types of lines with me when I'm on the water. For indicator fishing, I use RIO'S InTouch Xtreme Indicator Fly Line. Want more options for fly line? An intermediate sinking line and/or a type 3 full sinking line. It seems that from one day to the next your retrieve may have to be varied to match how the fish are feeding that day. I would start out with short slow retrieve, and from there keep changing until you find what the fish want.

If you don't have a boat there is still good shore fishing at both lakes.

How To Catch Lahontan Cutthroat Trout

Where to Fish Omak Lake And What Flies to Use

  1. Tak's Mini Minnow (olive/white)
  2. Silverman's Mo-jo Minnow
  3. Near Nuff Sculpin
  4. Bownen's Mandolin Minnow
  5. Franke Shiner Streamer
  6. Krystal Bugger (brown)
  7. Rickard's Chub Minnow
  8. Galloup's Peanut Envy
  9. Galloup's Pearl Necklace
  10. Rowley's Grizzly Dragon Nymph

At Omak Lake, there are three areas that offer ample opportunity to cast to hungry fish just off shore. Mission Bay, Nicholson Beach (Beer Can) and Cowpie Beach, are easy to access locations.

The best boat launch is found at Mission Bay. With a boat, you expand your opportunities and can cover more water in your search for bigger cutties. Whether you are fishing from shore or a boat, work the areas around 10-feet deep and cast back toward the shallow areas. In a boat, you will be able to move into a little deeper water if that is where the fish are holding on warmer, sunnier days.

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Blue Lake Flies to Use to Catch Lahontan Cutthroats

  1. Tak's Mini Minnow
  2. Rickard's Chub Minnow
  3. Franke Shiner Minnow
  4. Gold bead crystal bugger, black or olive
  5. Rowley's Grizzly Dragon Nymph
  6. TFP Balanced Squirrel Leech, black
  7. Damsel nymphs
  8. Carey Special
  9. Simi Seal Leech

Blue Lake has a public boat launch at the southern end of the lake. Only electric motors are allowed on Blue Lake. Pontoon boats, float tubes and hard boats up to 12-feet will your best bet here. There are shore access sites, but you will need to make sure you are on public land as there are private properties along the shore in different places.

Again, just like at Omak Lake, the cutts will be working the shallows this time of year. From a boat using a full sinking type-3 line, cast towards the shallows and strip back to the deeper water. Like on most lakes, the fish will move around, so keep moving until you find their feeding locations.

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Weather and What to Expect when Targeting Lahontan Cutthroat

Remember this is fall, so you won’t be seeing pods of fish cruising close the shore like you would in spring. In both lakes, the fish will be out a little further, but I have watched them make runs to attack schools of minnow, so they are aggressive.

Weather is always a factor this time of year. Temperatures are cooling down so dress warm. I would recommend layering your clothing. Mornings can be quite frosty while mid-day can warm up. By layering, you can take off a layer or add to it as temperatures change. Wind is another factor more so at Omak Lake then at Blue Lake, but both places can get windy. If you are in a smaller craft make sure you have a PFD on. Pontoon boats and float tubes can be blown to the other end of the lake if the wind comes up hard and fast. Your safety should always be number one on your mind when on the water at any time of the year.

Stop by the shop for a cup of coffee and the latest information. Good luck out there.