At the south end of Steamboat Rock you will see tall poplar trees, which give the area its name. The Poplars is known for aggressive smallmouth that chase crankbaits. It is also known for busting boat props on the submerged roadbed. Keep a sharp eye out and motor slowly.

You don't need a boat to catch fish in this lake as there are miles of accessible shoreline. In the spring, try Osborn Bay where the water flows through culverts under Highway 155. In May and June, you can move downlake to an area south of Steamboat Rock known as Million Dollar Mile where you have access to huge flats and scattered weed patches filled with cruising fish.

HABITAT RESTORATION
All too often we hear complaints about how fishing just isn't as good as it used to be. Unwilling to accept declining numbers of largemouth bass, Nevsimal of Coulee Playland decided to do something about fish habitat in 1995, and the Banks Lake Enhancement Program was born. Since 1999 when the first work was performed, that program planted 15,864 shrubs and trees along the shoreline. Additionally, it constructed and submerged 1,027 Fish Habitat Units in the lake. One type, consisting of large tree limbs anchored by concrete blocks in 3 to 5 feet of water, were placed in known largemouth spawning areas. The second type, essentially a huge brush pile, serves as recruitment structures for juvenile fish leaving the nest.

Although the program was directed toward restoring largemouth populations, research has shown that the spawning structures are used by both species. Largemouth spawn under the tree limbs while smallmouth nest alongside the concrete anchors.

WHAT TO USE
Smallmouths love crawdads. Orange-bellied baits should be found in every tackle box. If you bounce the bait along the bottom, the orange should show when seen from above. Crawdads vary widely in coloration from a bright orange to an almost deep purple. The one consistency is they are always lighter in color when viewed from the underside. Match your bait accordingly.

Perch are the primary forage fish in Banks Lake so another choice of baits in sizes and finishes which match perch will work. In deeper water try drop-shotting with green-pumpkin baits.

Senkos, either fished weightless or on a jighead are popular.

Since I love to catch bass on a fly rod, I use a BananaRama, which is a bunny leech modified by adding bead chain eyes to make the hook point ride up. Field research has shown that smallmouth prefer bright yellow with purple and black being the next color choices. My next favorite pattern is a black rabbit bugger. Every flyfisher should have crawdad patterns as well.

Smallmouth have replaced largemouth as the dominant species. Fish size has changed over the years as well. A 5-pound largemouth used to be run of the mill but now merits mention. Smallmouth average 2 to 3 pounds, with several 5-pounders taken each year. Nevsimal has fished this lake since 1979, landing fish to 6 pounds, and he has been spooled three times by bass he simply could not control.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Boat access is good at Banks Lake. You can launch at Big Wally's (www.bigwallysfishing.com or 800-632-5504) at the south end of the lake near Coulee City, from Coulee Playland www.couleeplayland.com or 509-633-2671) at the north end of the lake by Electric City, or from Steamboat Rock State Park near the middle of the lake. Other access sites can be found online at www.wdfw.wa.gov/lands/r2banklk.htm. Coulee Playland is a full-service marina with fuel and fishing supplies. Big Wally's offers fishing gear and guide services. Mike Carney can be reached at (800) 811-5827.

The daily bag limit is five fish with no minimum size; no bass between 12 inches and 17 inches may be kept, and only one fish may exceed 17 inches. The Washington Department of Health recommends limiting the consumption of bass caught from the Columbia River system due to fears over heavy metal contamination.