Northwest Fishing Reports

If you fall into either of these categories, maybe this forum would be a great place to connect with your new best fishing partner or just a once in a while partner to help with gas and other fishing related expenses.
I've heard rumors of a few folks that are looking partners for the Open and rumors of folks looking for open back seats for Merwin. Add to this thread and get together. Teaming up with someone for a fun fishing day is cool to.

I'm looking to back seat at Mayfield.For safety reasons,I won't be bringing my 12ft.yacht

Where is Mayfield or Merwin?I'm sure I'm not real popular with the Muskie fisherpeople but Id be willing to give it a shot.I have a 16' with 3 seats and no one to fish with.

rf, don't worry about your standing with the local muskie fishermen. Now that you're acquainted with our local customs, I'm sure you'll receive a warm welcome and get along fine with everyone. Mayfield and Merwin lakes are both in southwest Washington and accessible from Interstate 5 between Tacoma and Portland. To reach Mayfield Lake, go south from Tacoma on I-5 through Olympia and Chehalis to the exit onto Highway 12 to Morton, and from there it's another 15 or 20 miles to the lake. To reach Merwin Lake, go south on I-5 most of the way to Portland, past Kelso and Castle Rock to the town of Woodland, exit at Woodland and get on Highway 503. From town, it's about 20 miles to the Speelyai boat launch, which has a sign. If you're coming to Mayfield from eastern Washington, get on Highway 12 in Yakima and stay on it all the way through the towns of Morton and Mossyrock to the Tacoma Power park about 4 or 5 miles west of Mossyrock. If you're coming to Merwin Lake from the Portland area, get on Highway 503 in Vancouver and follow it through Battleground and Amboy to either the Cresap Bay (closest) or Speelyai boat launches.

I must have been hitting the bottle again
I will be able to attend Merwin if anyone has a spot open.

kevinb wrote:I must have been hitting the bottle again
I will be able to attend Merwin if anyone has a spot open.

Kevin,
You shouldn't have any trouble getting a back seat for Merwin. I'll bet there are a few folks looking to split the fuel on this one. Ski and I went down a couple weeks ago and split about $200 between the truck and the boat.

racfish wrote:Where is Mayfield or Merwin?I'm sure I'm not real popular with the Muskie fisherpeople but Id be willing to give it a shot.I have a 16' with 3 seats and no one to fish with.

You are more than welcome to attend. The Mayfield Tourney is open to all but Merwin is Chapter members only(you can join us)
Don wrote some great detail about Merwin in the lake reports but we have to watch out for bigfoot and D.B.Cooper.
Wait,....Would if bigfoot and Cooper are the samething?:-k

kevinb wrote:I must have been hitting the bottle again
I will be able to attend Merwin if anyone has a spot open.

I'm confused, are you looking for a seat at Mayfield, Merwin or both?

mtsiview wrote:

kevinb wrote:I must have been hitting the bottle again
I will be able to attend Merwin if anyone has a spot open.

I'm confused, are you looking for a seat at Mayfield, Merwin or both?

Its now both. My work schedule has been jumping around a little but now is returning back to A-shift.
So,..both. Sorry for the lame excuse#-o

Thanks for the kind remarks.Can you fish these lakes with a toon for Muskie or is that type of watercraft not proper for this type of fishing?I have a few boats to pick from.The toon is the best on gas prices.Hehehehe.Where can I read up on muskie fishing? Like type of gear and preferred baits or lures?

I'd be alittle afraid the tiger's teeth might do damage to the 'toon' but it might work. If you visit www.nwtigermuskies.com you can get alot of information by roaming around the whole website including lots of pictures, info on the lakes that have them in this state and also some info on lures, ways of fishing, etc. You are also more than welcome to come to one of our club meetings which are in Federal Way so they aren't too far away for you. Most of our members are more than willing to share all their "expertise" with you about this elusive fish. Bill and I don't make the meetings very often because he works swingshift but I'm sure the members there will make you welcome.
Rosann

What's a toon? A float tube? Yes, it's feasible. Merwin is a big lake (12 miles long, 4000 acres), and fishing from any small craft limits your mobility, but you can still fish Merwin successfully by concentrating on a relatively small area, provided you pick one that holds fish. The most successful Merwin angler I know is a young man who caught over 40 muskies last year from a kayak. No outboard, no electric motor, just a paddle.

If you can stay at Campers Hideaway and launch from their waterfront, following the shoreline in either direction will immediately put you in prime muskie territory. If you launch at Speelyai, you can readily fish the sheltered bay from a float craft, but getting to the south shore of the main lake, where the largest concentration of Merwin's muskies is, would be difficult (because of the distance across the lake) and hazardous (due to risk of getting run down by powerboats). From Cresap Bay, you can work your way over to Campers Hideaway along sheltered shorelines with only an easy crossing of the river inlet to make.

The recreation area at the dam doesn't have a boat launch, but does have a day use area including picnic facilities and a swimming area. I don't know if the power company will let you launch a float craft, kayak, or cartopper there. They might not, as it's inside the outer barrier boom, but if so you could reach the lower end of the lake from there. To find out, look up Pacific Power's recreation number on their web site, and call to ask them.

In summary, I think it's practical to fish for muskies at Merwin with a float tube, kayak, or oar-powered cartopper -- although obviously you will not be able to run-and-gun up and down a 12-mile-long reservoir with that type of craft. And, in fact, you may do better than boat anglers, because you are less likely to spook fish and you'll probably see more fish because you can sneak up on them.

Don Wittenberger wrote:What's a toon?

Pontoon

I should get me a translator! To translate 21st century English into 20th century English. :study: You know you're getting old when you can't understand what people in your own country are saying.

Don Wittenberger wrote:I should get me a translator! To translate 21st century English into 20th century English. :study: You know you're getting old when you can't understand what people in your own country are saying.

Thats Ok Don, I had to take a few years of "Current Language" brush up and joined a parents support group... just to understand the babble comming out of my step kids mouths... Ya get my jizzle?#-o

I do indeed! Uh, ... I think so, anyway. Er, ah ... umm ... what does "jizzle" mean?

Jizzle means everything and anything, Jizzle however dose not mean "NO"
It's kind of like the ARMY'S "HOAH"

Oh, that's perfectly clear ... I think ...

:jocolor: You guys are too funny!

Hey, I'm hoping to get out on Lake Tapps this weekend (for the first time, I might add)...who can give me some pointers are where to launch and where to find some great Muskie territory?


Also, I say come join us Rac...for the Mayfield Tourney. I'm sure if you and kevinb hook up, you'll learn a lot; and if that's not the case, I'm pretty sure you'll have a few laughs.

How about this weather...it is warm, warm, warm out there!! Try to stay cool!

Happy Fishing!

PAD

We ask a simple question
And that is all we wish:
Are fishermen all liars?
Or do only liars fish?
~William Sherwood Fox