Northwest Fishing Reports

Last I looked, most or all of the Sammamish Slough was closed to all fishing, so look at the DF&W fishing regs to be sure you'd be legal. I believe it was stated in Special Rules for Westside Lakes, under Lk. Sammamish. May have been repeated under Sammamish River, under Westside Rivers, but I know ...

Yes, absolutely. High density of stupid bass. One of my favorite places to try out new techniques and gain confidence in new lures or rigs. The last time we went was about 9-10 years ago. Lots of LM and Bluegills, very few Perch or Crappie. Normally, you need to stop in some of the sloughs or backwa...

All's good. I vaguely remember wasting my daylight hours like you! LOL.

Haven't heard back!

Well, I use both LH & RH crank baitcasters. I've never been accused of being well coordinated or ambidextrous, and yet I don't find it that difficult. When I make the switch, it takes about 3 casts with a bit of concentration, and after that, I'm on automatic. Not a big deal, IMO. For some "presenta...

Sent a PM with my cell phone number.

Oh, yeah...they'll give you a good price break if you buy more than one item, and pay cash....mention "cash money" when you make an offer.

Long ago, I decided that any good baitcaster HAS to have a metal frame, none of that "graphite" stuff. It's not stiff enough, IMO. I'd suggest checking pawn shops near the military bases. Lots of military guys sell everything they can so they don't have to ship or carry it. If it looks like it's bee...

Google will lead to diagrams of these various rigs. I used to forget that, but now it's become 2nd nature. Sometimes it requires navigating several websites, but it will work! Remember that each rigging has to be a balanced system. This starts with the lure, then hook size, line size, and rod power....

I looked it up on Google Earth. Could use some details about the lake...weed growth, for instance. If sparse, I'd suggest splitshotting a 5" Zoom lizard (green pumpkin and watermelon work everywhere). Throw it out and let it fall to the bottom, then drag it in slowly. If thicker weeds, a 5" GYCB Sen...

When are you available? I'm retired, and I'm not too interested in fishing weekends. Too much of a zoo. Tapps is an interesting lake. Can't say I'm an expert on it, but know some spots here and there, and ways to catch 'em. I honestly don't think it's a wonderful fishery right now, due to the long d...

Joining a club is a good way to get started bass fishing. There are probably a few not too far away, but be aware that they are all different and have various goals, ambitions, and costs. A lot of fun can be had for a little money, or a lot of money can be spent for a lot of frustration, so choose w...

That Senko bass reminded me of a 3" Smallmouth I caught on a 3" Senko. I didn't feel a bite. About 1/4 of the Senko was stuck down its throat, and no hook was involved! I had to squeeze the sides of the mouth at the hinges between thumb and index finger to open the mouth enough to get teeth disengag...

Driving E. on I-84 from Portland once, I was thinking "my, how pretty!" and "uh, maybe there's a boat launch along here?" When the highway got closer to the water, I thought "I'm going to need a bigger boat." Couldn't see the whitecaps from much of the highway. Had the same thought going N. from Wen...

Proves only that there's a first time for everything! Steve

April 3, 2017, caught this 5 lb. Smallmouth from Lake Meridian. Water temp was 49F. One bite, one fish. She liked a 5" GP Zoom lizard well enough. Line just got heavy so I yanked! I was ordered to post the picture here. Steve

FWIW, both fish in both pictures came from Lk. Meridian. The LM was probably October 2015, and the SM was a week ago. Both fish came on 5" GP Zoom lizards, the LM splitshotting but swimming it, the SM shaky head on the bottom. We haven't fished Meridian between those two days, so almost a year and a...

Four of us (WBC members) took two boats and went exploring some lakes over near Shelton, sometime in the mid-90's. We'd been on Mason Lake for a few hours and I went looking for the other boat. Found them, had a little pow-wow and asked if they were done fishing this dock. "Yep", and they moved off....

Isabella (a bit S. of Shelton) would be a good lake for a 'toon. I've been there twice. Caught a 4 lb 6 oz LM the first time. Did good off the high bank opposite the boat launch. Right now, water temp will be around 50 F., so if you catch a fish it might just be a dandy! It's a small lake, so Catch ...

April 3, 2017. First time to fish this year, first and only fish for the trip, a 5 lb. Smallmouth and new PB SM from Lk. Meridian. She had a big belly and full of eggs, waiting for Spring to warm things up some. Water temp was 49-51 F, and as a result, the fish didn't fight much at all. It's been ma...