whackin' a Muskie on Lake Tapps

[Denman]

Yesterday, I couldn't believe my eyes when I witnessed 4 uneducated morons fishing in Church Lake. They were trolling pop-gear and nightcrawlers and hooked a muskie right in front of my dock. This kid reels it in, he scoops up the fish with a towel, and whacks it before I could say anything. One kid shouted out to me "we caught a fish!" I asked them to hold it up. It was indeed a Tiger around 20". He proceded in putting it on a stringer. I told them the state minimum size to keep was 50". They just sat there and shrugged their shoulders, wide eyed like a deer in the headlights and threw their gear back into the water and proceded on. A police boat incidentally cruised by and headed over by their boat. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I'm assuming they were only checking to see if the boat was licensed. How are they ever going to manage this lake if there aren't any wardens that come out here? I heard they restocked the lake a couple weeks ago, but not confirmed. They were in a pretty old beat up blue and white fiberform (maybe) around 16', with an older evinrude motor. One guy in the boat looked to be around 40 and should have known better, but I guess people like them don't think there are any fishing rules on this lake. I'm not trying to be an armchair warden, but this pisses me off!

[Rich McVey]

Not Cool. Yea, they stocked 2 weeks ago. Get a pick of the boat numbers by any chance?

[Denman]

I couldn't make out the numbers and they would have been gone by the time I ran up to the house to get the camera. You fish this weekend Rich?

[Rich McVey]

We thought about it. Havent been fishing much lately. Busy most of the day Sat and just plain lazy on Sunday. Did get a tasty batch of short ribs smoked though

[Dustin07]

unfortunately, I don't think most people understand the consequences of their actions (either legal, or environmental). I don't think most of these people realize how complex the regs are. Those of us who post on forums like Walakes are fishing a couple times per week. I myself have averaged probably 3 trips per week, every week in 2009... the guys you saw out there probably were fishing 1 of their 2 trips for 2009 and don't really understand everything that goes into regulations.

I'm not saying they are justified, just saying... I know someone who would knowingly poach trout when the rivers were closed. I would ask him "are you sure that river is open this weekend" and the response would be "oh it doesn't matter, it's at my granparents cabin on their creek".... people just don't realize.......


We have to educate them.

[Denman]

We thought about it. Havent been fishing much lately. Busy most of the day Sat and just plain lazy on Sunday. Did get a tasty batch of short ribs smoked though

lazy was my m.o. this past weekend. I didn't fish due to that reason...it's getting pretty bad when laziness keeps us away from fishing..what's this world coming to anyways? I always looooove a good rib bbq:chef: . I did some last week on the Traeger which works perfect everytime.

[Rich McVey]

We thought about it. Havent been fishing much lately. Busy most of the day Sat and just plain lazy on Sunday. Did get a tasty batch of short ribs smoked though

lazy was my m.o. this past weekend. I didn't fish due to that reason...it's getting pretty bad when laziness keeps us away from fishing..what's this world coming to anyways? I always looooove a good rib bbq:chef: . I did some last week on the Traeger which works perfect everytime.

Im feeling a get togeather comming on...

[Jake Dogfish]

That sucks!
Some people don't know the rules and unfortunately don't look them up. How does a Muskie get into Church lake? I know its right by Tapps but are they connected somehow?

[Chrisw023]

To many people even knowing the rules prefer to still take illegal fish, until wardens crack down harder it's going to continue to happen. Of course you have the people who go out fishing believing anything goes when it comes to gear, or fish caught. The reg book should be mandatory with any purchased license. Not sure if it is or not I know I always have to ask for it though when I get mine every year.

[Denman]

That sucks!
Some people don't know the rules and unfortunately don't look them up. How does a Muskie get into Church lake? I know its right by Tapps but are they connected somehow?

Yes. Lake Tapps is made up of 5 flooded lakes making 1 with 45 miles of shoreline. Church Lake is the furthest southern part of the lake and used to be colder and milkier than the rest because the flume is located in that area which fills the lake. Now that they don't run water through there all year long, the lake is now clear and warmer for most of the summer. I fished yesterday morning throwing Roboworms with a dropshot near docks and stumps hooking up several times. Love the Robos. Work Sports has them now and would suggest trying them.

[Rich McVey]

Ive never been on Tapps during the winter. Do any of the original individual lakes reform when the water is low? I know there are some places you can almost walk across when its at its lowest.

It would be nice if everyone really cared about the regs and the rules, some are just to callus to get the point and dont care how much effort other have put into building something over years. Their mentality that one or two fish wont make a difference get amplified by their numbers.

Maybe a class and 50 hours community service to the fisheries or WDFW should be mandatory for the license.

[Denman]

Rich, they don't drop it enough nowadays to form the original lakes, but when Church Lake is completely dry, Tule Lake is still there. It's a small lake in the southern most part of Church that maintains water through the winter...but don't see that much anymore. Tapps has had a bad rep. for years that it's just a reservoir and not really a sport lake. But since the Muskies were planted, it's gotten better reviews. People used to dump garbage, yard waste and back in the sixties, septic tank drain off went in there too. Since then, it's cleaned up pretty good, but now and then you see garbage floating around. I'm not sure if there are regs posted at the park concerning Muskie retention, but there should be for the weekend fishermen that don't get out much.

[Big Smooth]

Not Cool. Yea, they stocked 2 weeks ago. Get a pick of the boat numbers by any chance?

What did they stock? Planters? I've never hooked a trout in this lake. My brother has stories of Salmon, Dollies and trout, but my luck has only been with bass, carp and perch. I guess I never heard of F andW stocking Tapps?!?!

Thanks in advance for the info.

Steve

[Rich McVey]

Not Cool. Yea, they stocked 2 weeks ago. Get a pick of the boat numbers by any chance?

What did they stock? Planters? I've never hooked a trout in this lake. My brother has stories of Salmon, Dollies and trout, but my luck has only been with bass, carp and perch. I guess I never heard of F andW stocking Tapps?!?!

Thanks in advance for the info.

Steve

They stocked like 1800 baby Tiger Muskies a feew weeks ago. Thats the only thing that gets planted in Lake Tapps I think.

[Dustin07]

To many people even knowing the rules prefer to still take illegal fish, until wardens crack down harder it's going to continue to happen. Of course you have the people who go out fishing believing anything goes when it comes to gear, or fish caught. The reg book should be mandatory with any purchased license. Not sure if it is or not I know I always have to ask for it though when I get mine every year.

I don't think it's the wardens not cracking down as much as it's a lack of wardens TO crack down. The wardens I know travel basically the whole state hitting particular GMU's and Lakes/Rivers on opening day. just not enough man power.

[Rich McVey]

To many people even knowing the rules prefer to still take illegal fish, until wardens crack down harder it's going to continue to happen. Of course you have the people who go out fishing believing anything goes when it comes to gear, or fish caught. The reg book should be mandatory with any purchased license. Not sure if it is or not I know I always have to ask for it though when I get mine every year.

I don't think it's the wardens not cracking down as much as it's a lack of wardens TO crack down. The wardens I know travel basically the whole state hitting particular GMU's and Lakes/Rivers on opening day. just not enough man power.

Ath our club meeting on Tuesday, our club execs announced that they all took this training called "Crime Observation & Reporting Training (CORT)," Eyes in the Woods. Gets you trainied as a crime reporter for when you see some poaching gong on or other heinous activity in our fisheries.

Cool stuff. Were gonna do it!

[Denman]

To many people even knowing the rules prefer to still take illegal fish, until wardens crack down harder it's going to continue to happen. Of course you have the people who go out fishing believing anything goes when it comes to gear, or fish caught. The reg book should be mandatory with any purchased license. Not sure if it is or not I know I always have to ask for it though when I get mine every year.

I don't think it's the wardens not cracking down as much as it's a lack of wardens TO crack down. The wardens I know travel basically the whole state hitting particular GMU's and Lakes/Rivers on opening day. just not enough man power.

Ath our club meeting on Tuesday, our club execs announced that they all took this training called "Crime Observation & Reporting Training (CORT)," Eyes in the Woods. Gets you trainied as a crime reporter for when you see some poaching gong on or other heinous activity in our fisheries.

Cool stuff. Were gonna do it!

sounds like a good idea. Treat the lake like the neighborhood and report all questionable behavior. And I've seen some questionable behavior out there for sure.

[Rich McVey]

Were printing copies of the 50 inch notice and identification poster and will carrying copies with us incase we come across some of "The Uninformed". Were pretty busy this weekend but looking to be on the lake Monday or Tuesday evening.

[Rich McVey]

Rich, they don't drop it enough nowadays to form the original lakes, but when Church Lake is completely dry, Tule Lake is still there. It's a small lake in the southern most part of Church that maintains water through the winter...but don't see that much anymore. Tapps has had a bad rep. for years that it's just a reservoir and not really a sport lake. But since the Muskies were planted, it's gotten better reviews. People used to dump garbage, yard waste and back in the sixties, septic tank drain off went in there too. Since then, it's cleaned up pretty good, but now and then you see garbage floating around. I'm not sure if there are regs posted at the park concerning Muskie retention, but there should be for the weekend fishermen that don't get out much.

Yes, at the county park there are Musky 50inch signs as well as SM and LM Bass limit/slot signs right at the launch.

[racfish]

Denman I feel your pain.I live very close to lk Wa. I can see boaters fishing the lake.I know sockeye fishing when i see it.I've written boat licences down july - sept.It sickens me watching boaters targeting sockeye in a closed season.Ive told them in the past that you cant keep them and I'm told to mind my own business.Ive seen fishermen I know who fish for sockeye every year.These people know better but greedy.I too am an Armchair Warden and I'll continue to write boat licences down.