Northwest Fishing Reports

Hi everyone,
I'm new here. I want to take my son fishing this weekend and was thinking that Bluegill might be the perfect introductory fish. Can someone point me to a good local lake. We live in Ballard but are willing to drive about an hour or so. I'm not looking for you secret spot here, I'm just looking for a point in the right direction.

Thanks!

-Luke

Green Lake isnt far from you. I live by Lake Tapps so I fish there most of the time, and with the water level down you have access to alot of bank area to fish from.

Check google maps for lakes then look at the lake reports/info pages to see whats happening there. http://www.washingtonlakes.com/LakeIndex.aspx

This can be a tough time of year for bringing a kid along to fish. Cold, wet and the fishing is not consistent. I don't know of any lakes within an hour of Ballard that contain Bluegills. The warmwater fish your going to encounter in the local lakes will be perch, bass, sunfish (pumkinseeds) and the occasional crappie. Right now the best best for freshwater fishing will be for trout. I know this question has come up before and this past post should help.

Winter Trout Fishing Methods

As the weather warms up the lakes, the spiny rays will be more active and easier to catch. You can try Lake Union, The Arboretum and most any dock on Lake Washington and my personal favorite, if you have a cartopper, Beaver Lake. I haven't fished any of the smaller lakes in North Seattle for ages but you can check the lake index for information, be sure to look for past March entries.

Welcome aboard.
I second targeting trout. Green Lake or Beaver Lake are suggested "open, nearby, and accessable" spots. The action is very slow right now, but you might have some luck. If you use worms or lures you might have a shot at a bass or two also. Let us know where you go and how you do in the reports section.

Double - you didn't say how old your son is - but if he's young Beaver could be a good spot.

I was there late last year when a guy and his son of about 5 turned up. the guy took a bobber and put small hook about 12" below the bobber baited with a piece of worm. the kid had a small (about 3") fish every 5 minutes or so. they were fishing from "the point" which is easily visible from an ariel view (across from the boat launch).

Good luck.

Welcome to the site.Green Lake is a good lake for kids.Fishing is good from shore even.I dont know about if Ballinger Lake is open or not.Its cold right now for Panfish.You might want to try the Lk Wa ship Canal down off Leary Way in Ballard.From Salmon Bay all the way to Lk wa offers good fishing.A nightcrawler and marshmellow would get you a bite almost anywhere in our lakes here.I was under the I-5 bridge off of Eastlake ave and saw some really nice fishing areas.Even a public dock.Good luck...

Blackman's Lake in Snohomish is easy to get to and stocked with trout. I live in North Seattle and we can get up there in about 20 min. on a Saturday morning.

The two docks are located in Hill Park. The benefits are the parking is close, there are two docks, working/clean bathrooms and a small play area (if he's young) incase your son gets tired of fishing.

We've been having fairly good luck bottom fishing using power bait, but others are using worms.

I second the recommendations of Beaver, Blackman's and Green lake.

If your kid young and have a short attention span you might want to consider http://www.goldcreektroutfarm.com/ I've never been there, but have been thinking of taking my 6 yr old there.

GoldCreek= still stands use to swim/public there right next to her over 45 years ago!!!!:cheers:

Most spiny ray lakes have limited shore access on the westside. Lots of places are good if you have a boat. If you want to fish trout from shore Gissberg ponds at Smokey Point are great for kids as the north pond is for kids only fishing.

Thanks for all the tips! I think we'll stay home this weekend as it's supposed to snow!! I'll take the little dude out when it gets a bit warmer. I appreciate all the responses!


-Luke

swedefish4life1 wrote:GoldCreek= still stands use to swim/public there right next to her over 45 years ago!!!!:cheers:

That's a great one if the boy is young! Always take the little shavers there, they go wild and get a good taste for the catch with out standing around in the cold getting board.

When the water warms a bit in late spring early summer Crescent Lake out by High Bridge in Monroe or Shadow Lake by Clearview are both great lakes to take a kid. They both have bass, crappie, sunfish, perch and a few other species of fish. A bobber and worm is all you need, and is plenty of excitment to get a kid hooked.

If waiting that long for the warmwater species is to far away, than spring trout fishing is always good fun for the kids. There are a few lakes that are year round and get stocked before the seasonal lakes do that would be worth a shot. Keep your eye on the WDFW site for stocking info. Most trout lakes open the last Saturday in April which is always productive.

opening week at pine lake in late april. he is guarenteed to catch trout. Just put powerbait on a hook and sit back. Easy limits through may and then as the summer warms and the swimmers come in, the bass and perch get biting.

Gian,
I don't have a boat. Is pine accessable from shore? Also, I heard the lake was closed for construction, will it be open for the April opening date?

Thanks!

DU,
I took a look at the City of Sammamish website and they're predicting to have the improvements (at least to the dock) done by opening fishing weekend. There was a fishing pier there before, which is to be improved, so you do not need a boat.
Here is the link:

Pine Lake project update

I agree with G Man on this one, this is a difficult time to catch bluegills, or any other panfish. If you want to take a kid, i would recommend fishing for the trout that will be planted next month. Beaver and Pine Lakes are good lakes to try.
Another problem would probably be the cold. So keep your kid warm, and try to keep him entertained so he'll want to go back out.

In the summer time its a different story. You can fish a lot of piers on Lake Washington and easily catch Perch. If you have or plan on getting a boat, you can hit Lake Sammamish for non stop, like seriously, a fish every cast, perch action. I can give you more details on that if you'd like to know.
Oh, and in June, at Beaver Lake, its easy to catch sun fish (like bluegills). Theyre spawning at that time and you can see them in like 3ft of water spread out along the whole shoreline of the lake.

I agree with JT
Last year on pine lake for the first 3 weeks it was open in my boat i would average 35-60 trout in about two hours trolling lures. And limit in like 15 minutes on the dock.
I also agree with the bluegills.
Caught tons last year in the shallows.
Some very big females during the spawn to be caught on worms or small jigs

If u need help when pine opens up just shoot me a PM
I have some tips that usually help you outfish the others on the dock

You guys are awesome! Thanks for all the tips. It looks like I might wait until the trout stock at Pine and Beaver and then wait for the warmer summer months for the Panfish. This is really a great lead, thanks!


-Luke