Fall is finally setting in here in the PNW. No better time to Target Lake Washington’s giant Cutthroat Trout.

Started the morning targeting coho but couldn’t get any willing biters. Schools were marked few and far between so I soon changed up tactics and went after Cutts.

Not long after doing so I hit my first fish. 50ft of water 45 on the wire. First fish was decent at 19 inches long with some serious girth. Next two fish barely pushed 12 inches so back they went. Shortly after releasing the little guys my rod buries under and I am fighting what felt like a coho. After a very fun fight I land my largest cutt ever caught on the lake. Just shy of 4lbs and 22.5 inches long. This fish displayed some Beautiful fall colors. Last and final fish was hooked as I was letting my gear down and snagged the fish right in the gills. Small 14 inch fish so I kept it due to the amount of blood coming out.

3 fish kept, 5 fish hooked in an hours worth of trolling. Here are the details:

Location: Kirkland Water Front

Gear used: Shasta tackle Sling blade UV, chartreuse hoochie, UV smile blade

Bait: Herring Strips

Scent: herring

Trolling speed: 1.7 - 1.9