Northwest Fishing Reports

Need info, have multiple friends ready to go and willing to take time off work. Need advance notice to take time off.
I am Looking forward to the sockeye alternative. Any info or experiances will help me get set.

Salmon season on Sammamish is Aug.16-Nov.30

Thanks Eddie have you fished it before. What did you use. ect.

are there pinks in the samamish?

needabiggerboat wrote:Thanks Eddie have you fished it before. What did you use. ect.

I've never fished Lake Sammamish for them but some guys troll Wiggle Warts off the downrigger, use your fishfinder a find schools and troll just above them to get them reaction strikes on them wiggle warts. I either fish the salt and rivers for them.
JT26-- there's gonna be a big run of pinks in the Duwamish-Green River closer to home. The last big run on the green I had alot of 20 plus hookups per trip out there(I only C & R them - I perfer the Silvers better for the BBQ.):thumleft:

JT26 wrote:are there pinks in the samamish?

Not a lot and in my opinion the fish are pretty skanky by the time they get there. It's a short hop to the hatchery from the lake.

Way back in the dark ages....... 60's the creek would get so full you could just grab them by the tail. You could have walked on them but they don't hold still. Don't ask how I know. It was a different era.

Bodofish wrote:Way back in the dark ages....... 60's the creek would get so full you could just grab them by the tail. You could have walked on them but they don't hold still. Don't ask how I know. It was a different era.

Bodo,

My step dad grew up in Falls City and he always talks about the Raging River being just like that..."you could walk across the river on the backs of those salmon." Wish I could've seen that.

It was a sight to see. You'll need to head way up north to see anything like it now.:pale:

Eddie when is that big pink run on the duwamish.
Hey Jt Ill pick you up and letts give it a go.
I have caught silvers on the duwamish. I can't tell you how much fun that is.=p~

needabiggerboat wrote:
Eddie when is that big pink run on the duwamish.
Hey Jt Ill pick you up and letts give it a go.
I have caught silvers on the duwamish. I can't tell you how much fun that is.=p~

The pinks won't be long from now. It's gonna be fun with the pinks and silvers filling the river. I usually start fishing the East water ways(Spokane St. Bridge) and later at the 112 walk bridge by boeing.
But as for now there are quite afew of Springers(Spring Chinooks)still around in the Skykomish right now,lost 1 on tuesday; gotta go again before the season for them ends(July31st.)

There are a few salmon reports for lake Sammamish, check the report section. I've tried a couple times with no luck, seems like there is always a better fishing option than this fishery. Maybe I need to work harder at it.

Don't be surprised if you catch some nice cutthroat if you drag around Wiggle Warts while fishing for kings.

Last year I fished the Chinook run three times. The first couple times, I had some doubles and at least 10 strikes within 4 hours. I wasn't anticipating their strength. I used 15# test and they kept breaking my line. I didn't have any thicker line. I was afraid to loosen my drag too much due to all the boat around me. The third time I used 30# test and didn't get one strike. Maybe the line disturbed the action of my red hooks. Jigging was productive as well. At the boat launch some of the carcasses were at least 40" long.

Sammamish has a chinook, coho, and kokanee (closed year round). They do get a few sockeye and literally a few. Only the chinook and coho have an open season, limit of two fish.

Bodofish wrote:

JT26 wrote:are there pinks in the samamish?

Not a lot and in my opinion the fish are pretty skanky by the time they get there. It's a short hop to the hatchery from the lake.

Way back in the dark ages....... 60's the creek would get so full you could just grab them by the tail. You could have walked on them but they don't hold still. Don't ask how I know. It was a different era.

The hatchery will tell you that the runs were wiped out from mining upstream and were brought back by the hatcheries. They probably have a website with a history of salmon in the area. I'm sure they were reestablished by the 60's like you witnessed.

The major decline in fish coincided with the I90 improvments, pressure from the housing developments and developing the valley it's self. It used to be farm land from the mouth of the creek to downtown Issy (that still sounds funny). The hatchery only stopped a very few fish going by when I was a kid. I used to watch them open the gates and let some in then shut it off again. Lots went by. There used to be a sizable run of Socks, my buddies and I would catch them just outside the Issy Creek no fish zone with large orange flatfish. We turned them all loose because they were bright red and we had better eating fair to catch on any given day. All three species made a good show when it was their time. Sockeye's still only run in significant numbers every other year.

Bodofish wrote:The major decline in fish coincided with the I90 improvments, pressure from the housing developments and developing the valley it's self. It used to be farm land from the mouth of the creek to downtown Issy (that still sounds funny). The hatchery only stopped a very few fish going by when I was a kid. I used to watch them open the gates and let some in then shut it off again. Lots went by. There used to be a sizable run of Socks, my buddies and I would catch them just outside the Issy Creek no fish zone with large orange flatfish. We turned them all loose because they were bright red and we had better eating fair to catch on any given day. All three species made a good show when it was their time. Sockeye's still only run in significant numbers every other year.

I go to the Salmon Days festival every year with my kids. Its alota fun. You're right they say they only let a small percentage go by because there isn't enough habitat to sustain a large population upstream, so instead they bring in the fish for everyone to view in the tanks. When the coho come in they look pretty bright and healthy.

The Silvers seem to hold up a little better than the others.

Mike Carey wrote:There are a few salmon reports for lake Sammamish, check the report section. I've tried a couple times with no luck, seems like there is always a better fishing option than this fishery. Maybe I need to work harder at it.

Fished with Eli Rico (guide). Two of us in the boat. Fished not too far off the boat ramp in about 50' deep water.

The water was flat with a little mist in the air, limited in 1 hr. 15 mins., not too big, 15 lbs. but what a blast!

I'm ready. Plan to be out there thursday afternoon. Good luck!!!