Northwest Fishing Reports

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My grandad introduced me to saltwater black bass (rockfish) on topwater. There would be hundreds of acres covered with 4-10 lb and bigger fish. The trouble was, he often didn't track his lure, and I ended up unhooking Puffins, seagulls, a pelican and others while getting pounded by wings and pecked by beaks. One I didn't have to unhook was a dolphin, who headed for Hawaii form WA coast, and probably made it. I know he didn't slow him down!

Top water is my favorite summer time Bassin tecnique. Much more effective in the ponds and lakes on the east coast tho, and can produce alot of big bass and pike. Have had better success with jigs and carolina rigs here in Wa.

It seems lake WA bass like crankbaits running at 5ft or deeper, althoug in some smaller lakes in the city, just twitching a rapala on the serface will get some attention. I know a place were pumpkinseeds will hit lures the size of them all day long, but you need a boat or float tube. I tried some frogs in Lake Wa on and around the lilly pads, with no success, switch to a cray crankbait, that runs 3-5 ft. Casted the legth of the pads n weeds, that produced fish. Fish the same spot with floating frogs, and nothing. I think its moslty due to all the boat traffic in that lake, especialy in the summer

I got a few top water lures last year to try and get my first top water bass. I had a couple of strikes, but never connected. Bought a new popper for this year. Will see how it goes.

Funny how a play on words turned into the real thing.

I catch about 20-25% of all the fish I catch on topwater, most years, though this last year was the lowest percentage of topwater I can remember. I'd rather catch one or 2 fish that way than 10 another way! Especially when they approach leaving a wake!