Chopaka Lake is a beautiful place for great fishing and camping. Dry flies for rainbows and a few cutts!

May 25th through 27th,  we will be having our annual outing to Chopaka Memorial Day weekend. This is historically the best time to catch the world famous Mayfly hatches there, and to get blown off the lake, frozen, fried, or wet! Honestly, the spring weather there can be “mixed”, but most of the time it’s just plain beautiful. Chopaka is just about the prettiest place I know, sunny or not! We will be gathering, as usual, in the meadow campgrounds on the lake. The regulars know what to expect, but for you newbies, it’s real camping. The sites are mostly “unimproved”, with a few shelters available, and some outhouse facilities. There is a well and pump there, but most consider this a dry camp, and bring their own water.

The club will provide a big barbecue grill Saturday for everyone to put their own entree choices on, during and after the 5:30 happy hour. Bring your best side dishes and appetizers to share at dinner time! As always the club will provide beer, pop, and cheap wine.

Sunday morning is the pancake breakfast (volunteers needed) served with cowboy coffee! Sunday evening is the traditional “tempura nite”, also during happy hour. Bring snacks and side dishes that might go with fish!

In between all this frivolity is some of the best lake fishing in the North West! Mayflies, most days after about 11:00, on the surface. Often the damsels come on strong too, with a pale watery green nymph effective along the reeds, and an adult foam blue for those smashing takes a little farther out. Don’t forget the black marabou leeches, and black foam ants. It all just depends on the weather!

Get to the lake through the metropolis of Loomis, WA. Turn west on Toats Coulee road, and head up the impossibly steep gravel road on the mountainside above you. Follow the road for a few miles, past some cows, look for a right fork in the road, and follow for another mile or so to a tight hairpin turn over a little creek. Cross a couple cattle guards, and crest the hill to view the lake. Campground is at the end of the road.

Sign up on the website as soon as possible so that we will head count or the meals and beverages! Volunteers needed to haul coolers and gear over and back, so feel free to call me, Dave Schorsch at  206- 227-6134 if you can help out.

Speaking of helping out, We’ve added the option for you to donate $30 to help cover the costs of the meals and beverages that will be  provide by club for Chopaka outing – your choice.