Lake Washington Boat Launch in Kenmore

Talk about your boats, trailers, and boating specific topics here. Sponsored by Life Proof Boats.
Post Reply
jdp53
Petty Officer
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 5:47 pm

Lake Washington Boat Launch in Kenmore

Post by jdp53 » Wed Dec 26, 2018 9:19 pm

Can someone educate me on the best route from the Kenmore boat launch to Lake Washington? I have launched here probably 10 times now and I constantly find myself worrying about how shallow it gets when leaving the slough past Kenmore Air. It often registers a two feet or less on my fish finder. The best I have found is to hang a left 45° after the first two buoys. Am I missing something?

User avatar
The Quadfather
Rear Admiral One Star
Posts: 3744
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 2:27 pm
Location: Carkeek Park, North Seattle
Contact:

Re: Lake Washington Boat Launch in Kenmore

Post by The Quadfather » Fri Dec 28, 2018 12:38 pm

You are not crazy.. it is quite shallow going out of the slough.
Unless you are in some crazy large boat, you should be just fine though. Just use your sonar to stay as deep as possible. You should be able to keep it above 2’ , and very soon it opens up.

FYI.. depending on your fishing destination etc. the downtown Kirkland launch is free and open from Nov-March. It is a very nice single lane boat launch. It is a little janky in the workflow, in that you need to launch, then walk your boat via bow line out along launch/dock, secure boat to end of dock, then go back and park. (Parking is North of launch about 500’). Then walk down to your boat.
But you’l be Likely closer to your Cutthroat destination, if that is your target audience. :-"

jdp53
Petty Officer
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 5:47 pm

Re: Lake Washington Boat Launch in Kenmore

Post by jdp53 » Fri Dec 28, 2018 4:55 pm

Thanks for your input!

I went to check out the Kirkland launch thinking the same thing, free and closer to the cutt action, but I was afraid to launch there due to the weird drop off at the end of the ramp. I tow my boat with our lovely Toyota Sienna which doesn't do well with bumps or sudden changes in grade, so we went back up to Kenmore. I love the Kenmore launch (I will love it more once the construction is done) but I don't love having to navigate the shallow parts of the slough.

User avatar
Mike Carey
Owner/Editor
Owner/Editor
Posts: 7689
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:56 am
Location: Redmond, WA
Contact:

Re: Lake Washington Boat Launch in Kenmore

Post by Mike Carey » Mon Dec 31, 2018 7:36 pm

If you have GPS you can keep the bread crumb so you'll follow the same track each time (assuming you don't ground... #-o ). I have run my 20 foot Thunderjet through with no issues. I did raise the prop a bit and went slow of course.
Image

"Takers get the honey, Givers sing the blues".

User avatar
rseas
Commander
Posts: 547
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:19 pm
Location: Skagit County

Re: Lake Washington Boat Launch in Kenmore

Post by rseas » Wed Jan 02, 2019 9:01 am

The slough is doable with almost any OB. Just keep your line leaving the slough. That said, take it slow and be aware of the depth. As with Mike's boat there are times when I have to tilt the main on my 21' Thunderjet to get to the deeper water.

They used to dredge the lower slough. In my uneducated opinion, when they did the slough's flow was much improved. The water was cooler and more friendly to salmon survival/migration.

I grew up in Bothell and used to regularly catch winter steelhead and salmon drift-fishing corkies or Okie Drifters. I know that the slough no longer has a steelhead season but even if it did, there isn't any free flowing weed free water left.

I know that reduced stream flow is only part of the problem; increased fur bag predation at the locks, water temperature and the use of fertilizers or phosphates along the slough choking it with aquatic vegetation are all responsible for the decline in migrating fish survival.

The slough needs a management plan that focuses on increased stream flow and lowering water temperatures. The Lake Washington system used to host a very robust chinook, coho and steelhead population. I wonder if the co-managers/orca task force have looked at the potential for chinook production within the LW system?

jdp53
Petty Officer
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 5:47 pm

Re: Lake Washington Boat Launch in Kenmore

Post by jdp53 » Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:35 pm

I should probably erase some of the bread crumb lines as I have tried a few and some have been good while others have been a little uncomfortable. I run a 17' aluminum outboard so I really shouldn't have issues navigating.

As for the management of the slough, I agree. There are quite a few fish that come into the lake and I don't feel that they are given a very good chance to thrive in the slough. I grew up in Bothell as well and have heard so many stories about how great fishing used to be in there. I can't say I would ever like to see it open up for salmon/steelhead even if the conditions were improved, but I sure would love to see it be a viable option for improving the populations of chinook and steelhead.

User avatar
Bodofish
Vice Admiral Three Stars
Posts: 5401
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:59 pm
Location: Woodinville
Contact:

Re: Lake Washington Boat Launch in Kenmore

Post by Bodofish » Fri Feb 01, 2019 5:38 am

I'm not sure about needing bread crumbs or GPS, how about just using the navigation buoys, just stay between them till you get to the last pair. Kind of what they're there for. Kind of a silly question but do you have your boating safety card? [blink]
Build a man a fire and he's warm for the night. Light a man on fire and he's warm the rest of his life!

User avatar
rseas
Commander
Posts: 547
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:19 pm
Location: Skagit County

Re: Lake Washington Boat Launch in Kenmore

Post by rseas » Fri Feb 01, 2019 8:47 am

Boating Safety Card, what's that? When we bought the boat the dealer said it was safe! :cheers:

User avatar
Bodofish
Vice Admiral Three Stars
Posts: 5401
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:59 pm
Location: Woodinville
Contact:

Re: Lake Washington Boat Launch in Kenmore

Post by Bodofish » Fri Feb 01, 2019 4:32 pm

rseas wrote:Boating Safety Card, what's that? When we bought the boat the dealer said it was safe! :cheers:
Yes RSeas, funny, but for the poster, If you don't have a Boaters Safety Card when the safety inspection happens at the launch or you give LE a reason to come aboard, not having it will net you a healthy fine, not mention a possible impoundment of your boat if no one on board has one. And BTW in the course it gives a little bit of navigation how to for entering and exiting a launch facility. Mine is the only answer that should have been offered for the how to, anything else is to invite disaster. I've seen some pretty small boats stuck in the mud just off the mouth. You know the navigation buoys, the huge green and red guys bobbing about there with the bells. The ones that are so big if you don't notice them you prob shouldn't be running a boat. Safety is a serious issue and totally entwined in navigation. Telling anyone to disregard the channel markers is a disservice none of us needs.

As far as Salmon goes, I hope that the Issaquah Hatchery gets put back into operation. It used to supply a lot of Sockeye, Kings and Cohos. Now that Unsworth is gone we can get back to logic, no more collusion with the WFC. Shutting down hatcheries does not make more fish in a system, I don't care what the WFC says, it just doesn't happen. Issaquah should not be relegated to an educational facility, it should be pumping out as many fish as it can, like all the hatcheries he shut down or handed over to the tribes. They should all be running full steam in conjunction with environmental improvements and maybe even hatcheries for bait fish in PS. The ones the salmon eat.
<off soap box>
Build a man a fire and he's warm for the night. Light a man on fire and he's warm the rest of his life!

User avatar
rseas
Commander
Posts: 547
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:19 pm
Location: Skagit County

Re: Lake Washington Boat Launch in Kenmore

Post by rseas » Fri Feb 01, 2019 8:24 pm

Agree with all points, thank you.

Post Reply