Northwest Fishing Reports

Well this week I went to Lake Kachess this weekend and brought the pole just to see what I could catch from shore and was catching a bunch of bottom feeding fish with my bottom fishing rig. I knew there were burbot in there after reading a thread on here awhile ago but this one was different. My buddy definitely caught a carp but all the other ones had a mouth that was different which makes me think they were maybe a juvenile and the mouth works its way down as they get older.

What is this fish?

That is a Northern Pikeminnow...

pikeminnow pic.

Pike minnow.

definately a pikeminnow

AKA squawfish. They get quite large and are a nuisance throughout the state. Most recommend killing them upon catching them. Good fertilizer

Oh thanks. Man I caught like 25 of them. Probably could have wiped them all out out on a 200 ft section of shore I was moving along on.

The lake is loaded with them and can get quite large. I've caught my biggest pike minnow out of that lake, went almost 5lbs. I keep mine and use them for crab, crayfish and cutthroat trout bait. You can use them for macs as well and Kachess does hold a few.

I don't believe that Kachess holds carp. I'm guessing you ran across a sucker fish which are also plentiful in the lake. There are some pics of them on this thread. Cedar River Suckers

they don' taste good?

They make reeeaaally good cut bait for channels too

Squaw fish. I catch those alot in Lk Wa. "DEATH TO THE SQUAW" (Pike Minnow). I carve them up for crayfish attracting.They are edible . They have mass bones much like a Chub. I tried cooking one once but I couldnt bring myself to eat it. My cat wouldnt eat it either.

racfish wrote:Squaw fish. I catch those alot in Lk Wa. "DEATH TO THE SQUAW" (Pike Minnow). I carve them up for crayfish attracting.They are edible . They have mass bones much like a Chub. I tried cooking one once but I couldnt bring myself to eat it. My cat wouldnt eat it either.

Tiger Muskys love them though...

KILL 'EM ALL, there is already a good list of things to do with them, laying in a trash can is better than swimming in our lakes

I've read in the paper they're thinking of release tiger muskies in Lake Washington to kill off the Pike Minnows. I guess they think it'll increase the smolt for the Sockeyes. The program would cost just 10,000 dollars/year for three years.

kzoo wrote:I've read in the paper they're thinking of release tiger muskies in Lake Washington to kill off the Pike Minnows. I guess they think it'll increase the smolt for the Sockeyes. The program would cost just 10,000 dollars/year for three years.

I can't imagine that the Tigers would be so selective to eat an All Pike Minnow diet though?? How about putting a bounty out there... a lot of unemployed/retired anglers.....and "Fishingboy" and his partner Bubba could make some cash.

Hell I would make a trip to the lake if there was a bounty on them.....say 25 bucks a fish sounds about right

scott080379 wrote:Hell I would make a trip to the lake if there was a bounty on them.....say 25 bucks a fish sounds about right

Haha, you think the state can afford that? They are already in a budget crisis as is.

The Quadfather wrote:

kzoo wrote:I've read in the paper they're thinking of release tiger muskies in Lake Washington to kill off the Pike Minnows. I guess they think it'll increase the smolt for the Sockeyes. The program would cost just 10,000 dollars/year for three years.

I can't imagine that the Tigers would be so selective to eat an All Pike Minnow diet though?? How about putting a bounty out there... a lot of unemployed/retired anglers.....and "Fishingboy" and his partner Bubba could make some cash.

I really didn't understand that either, I'm sure what ever is in front of a tiger, it's dinner. I didn't think they lived in the same depth either.

Matt wrote:

scott080379 wrote:Hell I would make a trip to the lake if there was a bounty on them.....say 25 bucks a fish sounds about right

Haha, you think the state can afford that? They are already in a budget crisis as is.

I'd even target them if it were $1 per fish. I hate them. Heck, I'd even target them if they gave me a free fishing license for next year if I brought in 100 of them. They are all over the Sammamish slough and I know that they are making a huge dent to the smolt population that go through there.

Suckers and carp were a big part of the decision to start stocking tigers in WA. Those fish silt up prime spawning habitat for other fish when they get to rooting around feeding, smoothering eggs. Squaws are a similar fish as far as body type so it'd make sense tigers would target them. Besides mayfield and tapps, as far as i know, the tigers really don't target they typical game fish or the spiny rays. Suckers, carp, and squaws are spineless treats that can't get away like a trout could. Just my two cent tho.

Here's the article, check it out.


http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/r ... _up_w.html