Northwest Fishing Reports

ok so,people who live on lakes,water their grass with chemicals,not all but most,so for lakes such as Lake Steilacoom,american lake,do you think the fish are safe to eat?

Iamfishing wrote:ok so,people who live on lakes,water their grass with chemicals,not all but most,so for lakes such as Lake Steilacoom,american lake,do you think the fish are safe to eat?

If you look at the fishing regulation there is a page that recommends consumption amounts and specifically lists certain lakes as not being safe to eat from. There are some signs at American Lake that warn you to clean your fish well due to toxic algea, but that's not a problem if you clean and cook them properly.

There are probably some fertilizers in American Lake, but I wouldn't be overly concerned with them being too dangerous. The fish aren't dying are they?

Remember that younger fish contain fewer contaminants and are generally better tasting.

I'd probably be willing to eat spring stocked trout from any lake. But as a rule, i really don't want to make a habit of eating fish from the dense urban areas. American, Washington, and parts of Puget Sound gross me out.

I haven't got sick yet though and have eaten fish from just about everywhere in this state. way too many flounder from seattle.

I dont know, considering the terain. American is up on a hill with decending flats out across the base. Where does it get its fresh water from? As a rule, I stay away from all urban lakes when it comes to eating fish unless they have a fresh water stream coming into them which you dont find on the very west lakes around here. Im sure plenty of people eat it with no problems but when they start putting out warning for limits on consumption. I just stay away all togeather.

RaMcVey wrote:I dont know, considering the terain. American is up on a hill with decending flats out across the base. Where does it get its fresh water from?

doesn't urban rain water carry polution? So glacial water would be your best bet, as the rain/snow was probably cleaner, but the water itself also gets natural purification/filtering on it's way back down to the lowlands.

If there's a lake that has algae bloom problems, the county website should have a place where it shows how high the warning levels are for the lakes in the county for consumption of fish and all that stuff. If they're lakes that are consistently having troubles with this, they consistently check the lakes every month or so to see if it's better. So pretty much check the county websites to see if they're safe to eat.

i been wondening about this at arbor lake in burien/white center area it has had pollion problems in the past with septic tanks and other crap in the water but i have try contacting the health dept and other dept's and they all say they have no info on it it hassent been stock in like about 12 years with trout but its has perch catfish bass and still has a few trout it seems like its getting better there but iam not sure there use to be no swimming sighs for years but the parks department took them down a few years ago and in the early 90's there was something growing in there some type of weeds or something and ether the state or county came in and put some stuff in to kill the weeds but it kill the trout and some of the bass

I lived on Lk wa for years at my parents home. We used to get reminders from the city not to use bad chemicals for fear of polluting. Its really quite absurd seeing there are in and around 50-150 yachts and boats together in Andrews Bay.For years creasote from the docks and piers,goose poop,gas,oils,fuels, you name it goes in that lake.I think the city of Seattle regulates the owners of wtrft property enough.Systemics for flowers,shrubs and trees,Diazon, . I try not to think of all the poisins in the water. Its just as bad in slaughterhouses and everything else we eat.Eating fish from these lakes cant be any worse then all the other junk we consume.

If you do consume fish, there are ways to limit your exposure to contaminants. Certainly eating younger fish and fish lower on the food chain when talking piscivorous types. Certain bottom-feeding types such as carp and northern pikeminnow may harbor larger amounts of contaminants. When preparing fish, the state recommends filleting, not eating head, entrails, belly-meat, skin or the fatty strip of meat closest to the skin.