Northwest Fishing Reports

So I have noticed with the change over to the new website, that the winter smallie fishing video has gotten a crazy amount of hits. Which makes me think that there might be alot of questions people have about what we did, where we fished, and seasonal patterns for that time of the year.
I thought it would be a good idea to have a post up where I might be able to answer those questions. Plus since it's raining cat and dogs plus other small animals I can't get out to fish.
So let's hear them.

Mark

Well, I have a question Mark. Not so much as what you were doing that day, but have you ever fished american lake in Pierce county? I have troubles catching largemouth in the winter. And this year I have found smallies to be a little more active than largemouth.
We have caught a few smallies from lake washington as well as many others that fish wawa and sammamish! What do you suppose is the difference at american lake. We know the lake very well and can't get bit there. I have pulled one smallie outta there all winter! The water carries a few degrees colder than Lake washington and it's pretty deep too. We mark fish really deep at American like 60-80ft.
Any help would be appreciated because American lake is allot closer for me than wawa or sammamish?

Whereabouts were you on LW? I just want a general vicinity...no need to start sharing specific spots

bassmasterderek wrote:Well, I have a question Mark. Not so much as what you were doing that day, but have you ever fished american lake in Pierce county? I have troubles catching largemouth in the winter. And this year I have found smallies to be a little more active than largemouth.
We have caught a few smallies from lake washington as well as many others that fish wawa and sammamish! What do you suppose is the difference at american lake. We know the lake very well and can't get bit there. I have pulled one smallie outta there all winter! The water carries a few degrees colder than Lake washington and it's pretty deep too. We mark fish really deep at American like 60-80ft.
Any help would be appreciated because American lake is allot closer for me than wawa or sammamish?

Derek,
I have never fished American. I do know someone who has fished it alot. Ok two guys come to mind. Let me ask them some questions about it and get back with you. I always try to break it down to simplest terms. Fish need oxygen to breathe and food to eat. Assuming that American is like Wash or Samm and doesn't have a thermocline. Then the fish can spread out anywhere. Plenty of oxygen to breathe. So it boils down to food. What do they eat in the winter. Two guesses come to mind. Yellow perch and small trout. Yes I said small trout. I have witnessed guys trolling for trout on WA catch smallies. These smallies were following the schools of stickleback minnows. The same schools of minnows that the trout were following. Stands to reason you have a big hungry smallie and it would eat a 6 to 10 " trout. I have seen smallies at Riffe lake blow up on injured silvers at the fishing bridge. These are fish that are up to 12" long. Not knowing what other small fish are in the lake, I'm not sure of what the smallies would eat. Remember that a fishes metabolism is much slower in the winter. A meal will last up to two weeks in a smallie's belly in the winter. The same meal will be digested in a few hours in the summer.
I would look for area's on American where the fish can move easily from deep to shallow water. Area's where the deepest water of the lake intersect main lake structure, points, humps. Don't be afraid to throw big baits in the winter. 4 to 5" tubes, big spider grubs and creature baits. The smallies or largies won't eat often but when they do expend energy to eat they want a MEAL.

Mark

TravisRush wrote:Whereabouts were you on LW? I just want a general vicinity...no need to start sharing specific spots

Travis,
I'm not afraid to share specific spots. We fished Coleman pt all the way out at the end of it where it breaks off into deep water. I mainly work 38 to 55 ft on Coleman. The southern end of Mercy Island has a series of humps and ridges off shore of it. Each hump and ridig is different in depth. On these spots I look for the most dramatic change and fish around those key area's the most. These spots are aprox. 1/4 mile up from the Mercer Island Swim and beach club. Use your graph and look for changes in depth and look for the rock bottom. A wide yellow band on the color graph indicates hard bottom. These spots will have big changes in depth, from 60 to 70 ft up to 42, or 55 up to 38. North of there in P-hole. Also known as Pleasure pt. Work around the point itself and just north of Pleasure pt in a bouy can in the water. Use the graph and find the deep underwater flat and the break off that flat.
As you can see what I am really saying is there are hundreds of spots on the lake. I have been over almost every square inch south of the 520 bridge. I can easily think of 30 to 50 spots that I have found with rocky bottoms on or near a break, underwater humps, extended pts coming out from shore, etc that will hold fish. Start with a few key spots, (like coleman pt) and get a feel for an area like that. Then use a heavy lead head or rev rig and start exploring new area's. The graph will lead you in the direction, the lure will tell you exactly what's on the bottom. Fish new area's everytime out on the water to learn new stuff. When you have success in an area, try to find area's similar to it.
Hope this helps
Mark

Travis,
I'm not afraid to share specific spots. We fished Coleman pt all the way out at the end of it where it breaks off into deep water. I mainly work 38 to 55 ft on Coleman. The southern end of Mercy Island has a series of humps and ridges off shore of it. Each hump and ridig is different in depth. On these spots I look for the most dramatic change and fish around those key area's the most. These spots are aprox. 1/4 mile up from the Mercer Island Swim and beach club. Use your graph and look for changes in depth and look for the rock bottom. A wide yellow band on the color graph indicates hard bottom. These spots will have big changes in depth, from 60 to 70 ft up to 42, or 55 up to 38. North of there in P-hole. Also known as Pleasure pt. Work around the point itself and just north of Pleasure pt in a bouy can in the water. Use the graph and find the deep underwater flat and the break off that flat.

Hope this helps
Mark[/quote]

Mark,

Thanks for sharing this info. It is a big lake, and i don't think that regulars sharing a little vague info. is going to kill this fishery. It gives me something to key in on with the depth finder.