I for my self havent tried fishing lake washington yet,for the reason is that lake is huge, just speaking for my self, I think you'll need a boat to find a good spot.but just go to the forums area on this site you'll get lots of info.,and if you dont mind driving a bit,try green lake you'll catch trouts and bass over there.good luck,good fishing.

Coulon is one of the many spots that i u fish very often. if you want trout go ti Green lake, i have caught one trout at Coulon a few years ago. If you want the sun fish go to the round abbott by the canoe launch and throw out a worm on a bait hook with a split shot weight and let it sit. ave caught 17 in perch there using that method and all sorts of other fish. If you want bass though the best spot would be to go to the boat launch and throw crank baits, top water baits, worms, and white jigs. it seems the bass over there love them and thats were ave caught all of mine. just fish all over the boat launch and you should get them. Since the weather though st very warm the fish my not start bit ting for a few more weeks due to water temp. Good luck though and try those spots...

It's a learning curve coming to the NW, I had to adjust even being from Michigan, we did go to Lake Forks in Texas several times.

Keep with the drop shot rig. Try using sniper products, like bolts in green pumpkin or Sand (white). You don't need a large hook, #4 with a 3/16oz weight with 10 to 12" from weight to hook. Most bass right now should be spawning to the postspawn, of course there'll be few late prespawners too.

For covering water during low light or windy conditions, try using a jerk bait, luckycraft staysee, not a cheap lure, but it's been most successful for my efforts. Go with the deepest bill, can't remember what it's rated, feels like 6' to 8'. I'll go with the aurora shad or blue back one.

Good Luck

I fished Coulan last year for the first time and threw everything out there without a single bite. Then I put on a brown trout rooster tail tipped with half a night crawler and caught 4 nice size smallies and another aggresive fish(cant remember the name) all in about 1 1/2 hours. But it seems bass up here are on their own schedule and it can be painfully slow some days. Just gather as much information each time your out there and sooner or later you will have success. Good luck!

Lots of good info. passed on already.. but also, go to the forum section and click on the lake reports tab. Search for Lake Washington reports. There will lots of boating reports, trolling, etc........ but there will also be lots of Coulon dock reports.

Thanks everyone for the advice...I'm going to try a couple of these things (probably this afternoon) if it warms up just a little. I'll post another comment with my results.

Norther SMs are differint than southern LMs. Target anywhere rocky ranging from 2-25 ft with crankbaits/ lipless crankbaits/spinnerbaits early in the morning or closer 2 sunset. You will need a baitcasting set up, but koopers livetarget crawfish cranks work exceptionally well. Espically the 17-20ft ones. Keep 2 natural colors. You'll find it more difficult than southern LM fishing, but welcome 2 WA bass fishing

You need to get a pontoon or small boat and go around shorlines where it doesn't get fished too hard. Coulon gets hit hard those bass have gotten really smart

I live pretty close to Coulon park, just down the street. Just PM me if you want to head out and I can take you around.

Also got some videos up on Youtube, so check them out! hillybilly191 is my account name

Michael and I fish Coulon OFTEN! 80% of the time. HAve you ever bed fished smallies before? PM me or check out my youtube channel at Lippinsmallmouth. We can help you out and coulon is hit pretty hard but i catch decent amount of fish everyday i head out there fish ranging from 1-3 pounds and the occasional 5 pounders. We have A LOT of secret beds too nobody knows about it.

Went out again yesterday afternoon and it was really great weather. Took some of the advice that was posted with little luck. I started over by the launch ramps with a spinnerbait and then a drop shot rig with a brown worm. Then I moved over towards the long dock area between Ivars and the boat ramps and worked my way around all the way to the gazebo on the other side of Ivars. Tried a new crankbait, a rooster tail, a couple different rigging methods with different color worms, and nothing.

The bass are way different here than what I am used to in Texas. There, the LM bass will pretty much eat anything on every cast...so weird. I just need to get used to how smallies up here react, etc. I also think I was out there too early...I'll have to go out later in the evening next time...

Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll keep trying different spots/rigs. Michael & LippinSmallmouth: I may have to take you up on the offer. I'll PM you.