Wasley Lake is one of "those" lakes. By that I mean that Rainbow Trout can reach exceptional sizes in this smaller body of water. The water has a slight tinge and remains fairly brackish, Lily pads, marl shoals, rock faces and mud bottoms round off this stillwater in the total lake category.
On my last trip to Wasley, where I shot & edited his short film entirely by myself, was during the hottest part of our summer. The key to locating the Rainbows was fairly straight forward, BIG BLOOD COLORED Leeches with gold crystal flash and gold Tungsten bead heads. I found that my type 3 sink, casted from an anchored boat in 6 to 8 feet of water, out into the depths of about 12 to 16 feet of water was the absolute ticket. A 15 second sinking count, followed by varied fast and slow retrieves was the ticket. The larger / mature fish were grabbing the fly within the first 4 to 8 strips, so I assume that they were cruising the 10-12 foot depth range, of course just above bottom. Hitting bottom weeds or mud during the odd cast was a must.
At Wasley Lake we have two Yurts located comfortably along the productive shorelines of this magnificent
piece of water. Each Yurt is spaced quite far apart which totals this ideal setting. Wasley Lake is almost an hour drive in from Douglas Lake road. If you are heading up there, be prepared to open and close a few gates as you ascend. The smartest drivers of the "convoy" take the middle vehicle position, for obvious reasons.
It's also a great idea to bring along extra ice, a small inverter (to charge cellphones or cameras) or even a generator if you wish to recharge your electric motor's battery. The Yurts are completely gas run, so electricity is VERY far away. If you get a chance, you should really take the time to plan a trip to Wasley or Mellin Lake. I can guarantee that it will become an annual thing....
BRENT GILL.
Stoney Lake Lodge Manager.