Lake Washington Help

[SeatoSummit88]

Hey Everyone,

I have never fished for Salmon in Lake Washington before. My father in law has a home on the lake near Oh Denny park. Is there a chance that salmon school up and cruise by shallower parts on their way to either find food or get to one of the river systems? It would be cool to be able to cast and work off the dock. If not, he does have some kayaks and I could probably use his 19' sea ray and troll with some deep sixes behind. Any information to get me going would be greatly appreciated.

thanks!!!

[G-Man]

The lake has some neat features off of Denny Park, namely a wrecked WW2 training aircraft (Valiant) aircraft sitting in a litle over 100' of water just off the shore. It's a popular dive spot so be careful if you fish in the area. That section of the lake also has a raised bottom that can be found a few hundred yards west of the park. I've fished the area but have not encountered any salmon, I think they shoot past this seciton of the lake and hang around near Arrowhead Point if they don't run stright up the Sammamish Slough. Your best bet for coho will be in a boat and fishing the Moss Bay area or the points (Yarrow, Hunts and Evergreen) just to the southwest of Kirkland. Unless it is early morning, you'll need to get down below 30' and fish in 50 to 90 feet of water, which seems to be where they hold.

[SeatoSummit88]

Thanks gman. That is great info. I appreciate it. Very cool to hear about the sunken craft. Ya I have been hearing about coho around the yarrow bay area. Maybe I'll run his boat over there and check depths and look for drops. Are you, or should I say, most people, using the same gear you would use in the salt? Flasher/spoon or bait?

Thanks again!!!

[TrackerPro16]

I think most of the Coho reports are either herring or flasher/hoochie combo. The hoochie combo was what I used with success yesterday.

[SeatoSummit88]

Great. Thanks trackerpro! It would be great to hook into a salmon close to home. and in Lake WA, none the less...

[BARCHASER]

The salt has some fish, although not as good as it was a week or two ago. My Seahawk had some motor problems and has been in the hospital at Jacobsens for a week. I finally got it back yesterday afternoon and put it back in dry storage at Edmonds Marina. When I put it back in dry storage I talked to some guys who were out around Edmonds. Slow, talked to one guy and he caught 3, all with a high fin, another guy got one legal fish .

One guy also said the Tribes put their nets in just south of Edmonds at 1:00 yesterday.

Since my boat was out of action I went out with my friend Terry in his boat, launched at Shillshole about 6:30. Fished until 2 on Tuesday and 11 yesterday. Got 3 nice hatchery fish on Tuesday and 2 hatchery fish yesterday. It is slower but the fish are bigger. On Tuesday we got two marked males that both weighed 9 pounds.

If you decide to launch at Shillshole, it is a zoo, even on a weekday. On a weekend go early, well before 6. Both days I counted 40-50 boats fishing the area near Shillshole. Not many nets flying. On Tuesday, Toby the fishchecker told us we were the top boat. I've talked to Toby at Edmonds. He goes out on the WDFW research boat which is kept in dry storage at Edmonds.

[BARCHASER]

According to the fishchecker reports, Shillshole has been running about 50% success. Which may be a good indicator for Lake Wa, since most guys were fishing pretty close to shore, and a lot of those fish are headed for the Lake.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/creel/puget/ ... oCode=1227

[SeatoSummit88]

Thanks barchaser, that is great info! luckily, no boat launch to deal with, but a short run to get to the grounds probably.

[BARCHASER]

I fish the salt most of the time, the Sno now and then. Some guys think the run is ending but I think there are still fish to come. I keep a fish record, and over the last 5 years (not counting 2016 since the salt was closed). About 60% of my fish have come in Sept and 40% in October. October is usually slower, less limits, but there are still fish to be had, just have to work a little harder. I hope it keeps up for another 3-4 weeks. I'd like 2-3 days of hard rain and then sunny and 70 degrees!

I've been surprised the Lake has been pretty good. I haven't heard anybody say there are tribal nets in the Lake. By this time they usually have nets in the Lake. The tribes are regularly putting nets out just south of Edmonds. Maybe they are cleaning up in the salt and just decided to forget about the Lake.