Northwest Fishing Reports

Hello Everyone.

I just found this forum. I am just getting back into fishing. After hardly getting out for the past 15 years, I purchased a fishing kayak and am dying to catch some late summer bass. I live in Snohomish County and was wondering if any of you could point me toward your favorite lakes and what kinds of lures you are using this time of year.

I'd really appreciate any help. Thanks in advance and have a great day!

Sent you an email/PM.

I cant think of a lake in snohomish county that I haven't caught bass in... and I have fished a lot of them from pontoon and/or boat. Put the kayak in and hit the water!
Look at lakes you might want to try and search the forum for the bass reports and that should give you a good start.

Thanks guys for the replies.

I'd love any more information from anyone who wants to chime in. (I understand that this forum is not as active as it used to be.)

Here is what I have learned so far:
Topwater fishing is a blast in the mornings and evenings.
Wacky Rig is a great tactic to locate bass and to catch bass when they are less active after the morning bite. I have also found that before the evenings in mid to late afternoons the wack rig is the only way that I get any fish at all.

The lakes that I have tried over the past month:

Bosworth: I've only been out here once and it was windy and spitting rain the whole time. But I pulled out 5 bass all in the 1-2lb range. This lake is interesting to me because fish that people are pulling out just seem to be a bit bigger. Most other lakes, I am pulling a lot of smaller dinky bass, but everything that hit at Bosworth was quality.

Cassidy: it's close to home and relaxing and quiet which I appreciate. It's nice to be on a lake where there are not houses all over the place. I've been here probably 6 times in the past month. I've never been skunked, but I'm also not pulling out a lot of fish. Two weeks ago on an afternoon when I felt like I might not get anything (windy and rainy) I pulled out my largest bass in a long time. Big 5lb bass that grabbed a wacky rigged worm and swam right at my kayak. Once I finally got the hook set he thrashed and pulled like an absolute monster. Gorgeous fish. Topwater frogs in the pads in the mornings and evenings is super fun.
Besides the fish on the top water, I am mostly casting parallel to the shore just outside of the weed lines. As far as I can tell there are no severe dropoffs in this lake and the bottom is relatively free of structure and cover down deep. I really don't have a lot of luck much deeper than 8ish feet of water here.

Shoecraft: A few bass and a big perch on my one visit here. Fishing the edge of weed lines. I've heard that there are decent smallmouths here from a friend. The thing that worries me about fishing here is leaving my car in the parking area. It is super secluded. The bathroom also was just filled with garbage.

Crabapple Lake: I've been here twice, once in the afternoon, once in the morning. I was impressed that from the boat launch in the afternoon, I nabbed 3 bass including one 1.5ish lb one within about 20 minutes. I had just come to scope the lake out and didn't put the kayak in. I also saw something really interesting, some sort of school of baitfish or something moving around between a few docks to the left of the boat launch. Plenty of fish were actively feeding on them, this was about 5pm.
I came out here in the morning the next day. Got consistent hits on topwater frog near the shore early, and then finesse fishing some weedless and wacky rig worms. Quite a few dinks that were grabbing and dropping the worm, but also a good 2+lb bass in the mid morning. At about 9:30, the camp on the shore started sending out a bunch of canoes full of kids. It was noisy and probably not the best for the fishing. They were everywhere and came and went in waves. There is a lot of structure with downed trees and limbs as well as some pads in the water. Enough that you really need a weedless set up to avoid snags. Even between docks there were quite a few limbs.
This was a fun lake to fish despite the traffic from the camp.

Sunday Lake:
I hit this lake on the way back from work last week. The boat launch is a disaster. Totally overgrown. Don't try to pull your kayak or canoe through the mud, you will lose a shoe before you get close to the water. I had to slide the Kayak down the dock (which is in really sorry condition too.) You can't fish from the dock because of how thick the pads growing around the dock. I was here in the late afternoon and though it was windy and difficult to get the kayak launched, I was almost immediately getting fish. Tried topwater and had some blowups but didn't hook any of them, so I went to a weedless rig and wacky rig and started having success. I had about 6 fish in an hour and only one of them was a dink. The rest were over a pound.
I pass near this lake almost every day, but it is such a hassle to launch the kayak, I just don't know how often I would care to get out there. I've also heard from a friend in Stanwood that the gate sometimes does not get opened on time in the morning and that it gets closed early at times. Apparently this is due to crime or drug use or something. But it makes me think twice about the parking area.

I'm trying to hit some of the smaller lakes in the area. I'm eager to try:
Lake Howard
Martha Lake
Lake Loma
Panther Lake
Lake Ki

I'm going to alternate between trying these lakes that i have not fished before and going back to Cassidy and Bosworth.

The best part about all of this is that all of these lakes are less than 30 minutes from my house. I know that Western WA is not known for Bass fishing, but I am thrilled that I can be on the water and fishing at any of these lakes so quickly and easily.

You are on it! Sounds like you have been having a blast. Nothing like exploring lakes that are new to you and catching fish! Start posting reports and people will chime in on the responses from time to time. Sounds like you are getting dialed in and everything you have been doing is what most other bass fisherman are doing too.

Sounds like you are having good luck. Other lakes I have hit that hold bass Wagner Lake in Monroe got 15" out of there, Armstrong Lake in Arlington steep banks got all my fish very close to shore in July and in shade or behind logs, Bryant Lake would be good lake for your Kayak...you have to park along hwy 9 pull out by Centennial trail then hike to lake but you will be only one there...it has bass and crappie in it. Cassidy I have good luck with top water minnow...but you have to fish it slow there (let the ripples go away then wait...then twitch it and let it sit some more) I have spooked more fish by moving it too quick there see big roll and wake behind it more often then not. I have never gotten any fish out deep there from pads...expect a crappie and couple trout on top water or trolling on trout.. And its usually windy there in afternoons. Sunday Lake water level was way down this year...you used to be able to launch your boat by side of board walk...Lake has some bigger bass and perch in it. Frogs, top water poppers, minnows and used to catch them on buzzbaits when milfoil was bad there in 90's...but homeowners now spray the lake so not as bad. Spinnerbaits work there too caught fish in March there before. Lake Loma is a good lake to catch some bass and crappie. I have gotten numbers there before 20-30 fish in evening but nothing huge but lots of action and some big crappie pushing 11". Lake Ki I haven't tried for bass its a trout lake early in year and very clear and has lots of swimmers in summer. Howard Lake is good for bass after trout crowd dies down you can get lots of action there. Chain Lake used to be good for bass in Monroe but now its a barbless single hooks select fishery lake...trying to make it a premium trout lake 14" is minimum size to keep. I have gotten lots of bass there on top water and 20+ fish is average day in Summer/Fall. Nothing huge 12" on down but occasionally you get one pushing 15". It open year round boat launch is a bit rutty but good small lake...but now you have to use barbless bass gear (yep its for all species now)...Flowing Lake I have gotten bass there as well and one huge trout in fall. But its a lake that has a lot of speed boats on it in summer so might not be best for your kayak. Good luck. James