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Sammamish Lake Report
King County, WA

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05/04/2018
71° - 75°
Smallmouth Bass
White
Mostly Sunny
Crankbait
Afternoon
56° - 60°
05/07/2018
3
1988

Got out Friday afternoon from around 2pm to 7pm I guess. Water was a bit cooler than the week before when we had all that sun. Most places I saw 58degrees, whereas the week before I was seeing 62degrees in the backs of coves on the south end. North end was colder. I'm thinking that northwest wind was pushing warm surface water southward.

Anyway, I rated Friday a 3 because I eventually found some fish. Would have been a 4 but I spent way too much time fishing unproductive water based on memories. Don't fish memories. Or rather, don't fish them too long if nothing is biting. Fished the pad patch between the parks on the south end because I broke off a 3+ largemouth there the week before (first cast with a tube jig). Jumped and spit me while I reached for the net. But that was the week before... nobody home there on Friday.

Fished a weedbed near a private park area on the east side. Threw a chatterbait and a square bill for awhile, when I noticed baitfish breaking the surface as if they were being chased. Looked white with deeper bodies, like shad, but I'd learn better later. Immediately tied on an A-rig, which was the first time throwing that for me. Jeez, it feels like throwing a shopping cart. No bites. Bait still jumping all around.

Tied on a white jerk bait, to match the hatch. Nothing in open water. But I drifted closer to a dock by accident and threw the jerk bait along it — bang. First jerk bait fish of 2018. Hell, first fish of 2018 period. Next cast, bang. Another one. Nothing to write home about for size, but it was sure nice to have stumbled upon something that resembled a pattern!

So that happened with about an hour to go before my wife would be calling to see when I was coming home. In that hour I guess I caught 10 or 12 jerk bait smallies. Two of them measured 14", so I snapped a pic. Not huge but ok.

Oh, one of the 14inchers burped up a baitfish right by the boat. Looked like a semi-digested minnow, maybe 2.5 inches long and white, but that might not have been his natural color an hour ago. Wasn't shad-shaped like I had expected. Could be a trout or salmon fry I suppose.
I'd love to hear what you guys think. Smelt? Ciscos? What are the main forage fish in Lake Sammamish if not shad?

I'm strictly a catch & release guy on bass. But lately I've been wondering if we might be helping the average size situation by taking some smaller bass home for the frying pan. The sub-12-inchers maybe. Probably haven't eaten a bass since the 80s, but they're bigger than a perch, and if it helps the fishery... I don't want to start a controversy. Just thinking out loud. Lots of lakes have slot limits where you're forced to release all fish over a certain size, only taking the smaller ones for the table. Rainy Lake in MN has this, and the average walleye went from 18 to 23 inches during the decade that I fished it on my annual club trip. Washington doesn't seem to care too much about bass, so I'm not holding my breath for a slot limit on Sammamish. But we concerned bass anglers could adopt the policy ourselves and see if it makes a difference. Heck, the trout & salmon guys might actually applaud the idea of having fewer mouths out there snatching up fry.

Anyway, honk if you see me! White center-console Bayliner with a black hull & a ski-arch with rod holders attached!


Comments

Boston Whaler
5/7/2018 7:26:16 PM
Great report, thanks!
Markin' Fish
5/7/2018 7:27:44 PM
Hey there,
I was out today and those are definitely salmon fry. They release the fry from the Issy hatchery in May. I managed quite a few cutthroat today but could not coax a bass into striking. Threw a white jerk bait similar to the fry in color and size. Also threw a crankbait with no love. See u on the lake.

Mark
FishingFool
5/7/2018 8:14:06 PM
Nice going! I'll take a 14" fish any day of the week man!
FastActionGS
5/7/2018 9:05:57 PM
Mark, great to hear the fish are biting! ill be out there starting the 11th searching for cuts, then as the spawn pushes forward on the smallies I will be in chasing those suckers. looking forward to seeing you at the launch again soon brother! tight lines.
riverhunter
5/7/2018 10:09:02 PM
As a salmon guy I would encourage most to take what ever bass that will actually be put on a dinner plate and not go to waste(not calling for eradication just population control) of course I speak of waters where there is salmon runs not your local pond or lake where salmon are not a factor
mizefish
5/7/2018 10:17:50 PM
I figured the salmon guys would be up for more bass in the batter. Just remembered a huge argument I had on a fishing forum because some guys kept a bunch of smallies while ice fishing. Legal limits, mind you, but I ripped them a new one because I considered smallmouths sacred. I still do, but I've seen how slot limits increase the average size of a species. I owe those fellas an apology — just a jerk with a jerkbait!


jd39
5/8/2018 7:23:51 AM
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with legally keeping a few bass every now and again but don’t recommend the bigger fish for a few more practical reasons (in my opinion).
I kept a larger, ~5-6lb, smallie my nephew caught incidentally a few years back and don’t ever want to do that again, they are a PIA to clean. Actually burnt out the motor of my electric knife, had to get the big salmon knife out to finish the job and it was still tough to get through the bones.
Kept a few ~1-2lbers last year, they’re tastier in my opinion and much easier to clean.
Bigger fish have accumulated more toxins/ pollution from the environment as well.
I don’t fish for bass intentionally so they are few and far between being caught incidentally fishing for perch mostly but that’s my $.02 on them.
fisherman92
5/8/2018 9:56:16 AM
I'm a C&R bass fisherman but when I fish with friends who eat bass I'm all for keeping the 1 to 2 lbers depending on the body of water. We never keep anything over 3 lbs just to keep bigger fish in the systems. I say if you keep some smaller slot limit bass go for it! Especially larger bodies of water.
mizefish
5/8/2018 10:20:31 AM
Thanks. Yeah, I think I'm gonna start harvesting some smaller ones... that is, if I ever get room in my freezer from all the perch!

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Available Guide

Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service

Phone: (509) 687-0709