Drano Lake is fairly well protected from prevailing winds, while the Wind is a little more open, and there is limited bank fishing at both spots. Because trolling is the main technique, and because the weather is usually decent that time of year, Shannon says the fishery makes a good family activity. Drano Lake opened last week and will remain open through June 30, to a two salmon daily limit, from the Highway 14 bridge at the mouth, upstream to the federal hatchery - about three miles of river. Both fin-clipped and unclipped chinook are legal. The Wind opened last week and will remain open through June 30 from the marker buoys at its mouth upstream to Shipherd Falls, and from May 1 through June 30 from the falls upstream to the hatchery.
Daily limit is two chinook, clipped or unclipped.
Hatchery chinook will average 12 to 15 pounds, Shannon says, with a high of 28 or 30 pounds. The wing bobber can be fished alone, or baited with eggs or shrimp, and plug-cut herring can be fished the same way. There's less pressure on weekdays, Hymer says, adding that during the peak of the season, on some weekends, there were over 150 boats counted at Drano Lake and over 300 at the mouth of the Wind last year. You have about 18 miles of river up to the Carson Hatchery, and it can be good in some areas. Old Hatchery Road, on the east side of the river mouth, is a dead-end and takes you right to the launch.