So first off Cottage lake has toxic algae so I will not be back for quite a while. I only stayed because there was really no time to go elsewhere and I mainly wanted to be out and enjoy some solitude. I got that mainly because no one else was there. A few people came through to take photos or with their dogs.
I did not go out in my raft for the algae. No thank you. So I fished from the dock.
I am pretty sure Cottage lake had it last year too but somehow it was not caught. Probably because they were busy elsewhere. I really wish they would take more visits to river and catch the poachers.

I arrived near around 7 am. Water calm and ugly. I saw no fish feeding close. I tired worm and a bobber and got one large 14 inch cutthroat. I was not able to release her. Was full of eggs. So now I have a cleaned fish from the lake I do not know what I will do with it. I was just not thinking so I switched to a sliding bobber and joe fly. I cast out and got a bit quickly after I slowly brought it in. I was awesome and fun. Another beautiful cutthroat hooked just barely. Let that one go. I had several more who hit it or were on but threw the hook. Once when I was bringing in the lure. I saw a massive looking fish shadow that had followed it. It was a very big large mouth bass. I am pretty sure it was actually chasing my bobber. It watched me jog the line for a little while and then swam off. My guess is if you have some kind of large top water lure you might get into some of those big bass that are in that lake.
I also put one of those special hooks that is shaped such the fish cannot swallow it so if I tried to use worm again the fish would come off easy. I decided to try it out and many fish shook the hook. I brought two more small cutthroats up and easily released them(also hooked just in the mouth). Such pretty fish to see. Too bad the lake is toxic. This is my favorite time of year to go for cutthroats.
At one point I just practiced twitching a jig. just for fun. I was able to improve some but I need to really go to the river to do that.
So yeah I will not be going back there for a while. Sorry my phone is broken so I cannot upload pictures. If it clears up before the fishing season closes. It seems that the cutthroat like to school around the perimeter of the lake. At least there seem to be significant schools that prowl not far off the dock. With a little water in a bobber or some weight the kiddos could enjoy hooking into some intense fighting fish.

oxmary

9/18/2015 8:54:00 PM

Heatherlyfish, is there a sign at the lake saying the lake has "Toxic Algae" and if so what are the ramifications. I know when they had toxic algae at Green Lake they said no swimming and make sure animals do not drink the water. Can you eat the fish? I know in previous years Cottage Lake has had green algae from time to time and I ate the cutts from the lake. Thanks

Heatherlyfish

9/18/2015 9:24:00 PM

I ate cutts from cottage lake as well last year. I honestly do not know. No sign saying you should not eat the fish from there. I found this on the internet. https://public.health.oregon.gov/HealthyEnvironments/Recreation/HarmfulAlgaeBlooms/Documents/fishermanAlgae_factsFINAL.pdf
So basically it might be harmful but they do not know if it is or not. Probably not unlike the pollutants that build up in other fish like Tuna and such but to a smaller scale. I guess I am worried but should not be. I will be sure to fillet it though just to be safe. Yeah same warning posted up there at cottage now. Says to make sure to clean the fish there and remove all guts. Extra caution would be wash well at home also and remove skin.
The fishing is great there right now till close for cutthroats. Maybe I will see ya out there sometime. Next lake for me to try is Bosworth as it sounds like they have cutthroats there too.

oxmary

9/18/2015 11:08:00 PM

Thanks for the information. We met at cottage last year. Probably head up there the end of the month. Perhaps the cooler weather will get rid of the algae.

Heatherlyfish

9/19/2015 8:22:00 AM

Yeah that is right. Sorry foggy memory. This year I have an inflatable raft. amusing enough the cutthroat still are more thick near the dock( I am thinking they hunt near the perimeter of the lake or there is a deep hole near dock)but the boat thingy allows me to get to crappie and other species and fun to row about. I am hoping as it cools it will. I noticed that one of the cutthroats I released had a worm too. That I have not seen for a while but guess some still have em.

I_colley84

4/29/2016 12:18:00 PM

https://www.nwtoxicalgae.org/Gallery.aspx
I've never seen conditions on the north end that looked like this, are you sure it's TOXIC algae?

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