To be honest, Perch was really not the target as Pete and I met at Stickney Lake at about 5:00 AM. The priority was Rainbow Trout, but with warm temperatures in both the air and the water, I came prepared to try for some Spiny Ray action. Lines in the water by 5:15... started out with "Mice Tail" Power Bait (red w/natural tail) on one rig, worms under a slip float on the other. Overcast, with mild temp... 63 at outset, water temp at shoreline was 72 degrees. Action on the worms was almost non-stop all morning... first caught a half dozen small Bluegill (C&R) then finally connected with a Perch of about 8". About 6:30 had a strong hit on the MT and reeled in a 13" Rainbow triploid. About 8:00, another strong hit on the MT... a strong fish, several leaps out front, and landed a 13" er, strangely slimmer fish. At the time, was anxious to get the fish off the hook and onto ice in the cooler, so did not examine it closely... later, upon cleaning it, discovered that it was a beautiful 13 1/2" Cutthroat... telltale orange slashes under the throat and the jaw line extending beyond the eye belayed it's identity. Two skeins of developing eggs indicated it was of the female persuasion. Stickney Lake's connection to Lake Washington via Swamp Creek would suggest the fish's origin. Meanwhile, Pete was having success on the MT... landed one trip of 13", then proceeded to fill his limit on Rainbows of 11" to 12". Funny, he reeled in several trout when he went to check his bait... the fish were so covered with the lake's bottom vegetation (Millfoil) that he had no idea that they were on his line! Increasing vegetation is a serious problem when trying to fish off the bottom, bringing in 5lbs of lake salad every time you check your bait!. Pete left the lake a bit before noon. About 12:30 I had another hit and reeled in my third trout, a 13" trip.
Meanwhile, I was having a ball catching Perch... not huge, but plentiful! Most were in the 8" to 9" range, kept 15 and released another 10 or so smaller sized, so long as were not injured in the gills. Fishing worms under a slip float with the bobber-stop set at about 7'. Took awhile to develop the strategy... watch the float until it begins to move... lift the line off the water until the "take" is felt, then set the hook straight up, quickly. Great fun on a 8' UL rod! Brought back memories of Summers on South Sound lakes years ago when my sons were young boys, catching gunny sacks full of Perch and Crappie... big fish frys and lots and lots of fun!
Was shocked to see a family group of five Swans (I believe they were the Mute Swans) land on the lake at about 9:00. Huge, beautiful birds, they were still on the lake when I left at about 1:00. PTL!

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