Lake Sammamish Fishing

[Jimmy Jimsoks]

My friend and I want to learn some good tips for fishing in lake sammamish since we live fairly close. We have a 12 foot aluminum boat with a 15 hp motor and minn kota, fishfinder, the works, and are mostly interested in fishing for cutthroat/rainbow trout and large/small mouth bass. If anyone has any good tips for bass fishing and trout fishing for this lake we would appreciate it if they could share them with us. We could use some good help!

Large or Small mouth Bass:
What kind of lures?: crankbaits, soft plastics, spinner baits..etc., time of day, weather, time of year, water temperature-- it was 54-56 degrees when we went out this morning/early afternoon, habitat: maybe some good spots for us rookie bassers? Anything else that helps!

We are very experienced trout fisherman, but we got skunked today and we wondered why . We would like to know some good spots to troll for trout. These were our setups:
Pop gear and flashers with flatfish on the end tipped with a worm trolled at around medium depth.
--Does this sound ok or is there a better technique?????
P.S. We have no DRs. Could that make a big difference? Will get them soon tho!

We appreciate any help!

[A9]

Yea we didn't do good today man..lets go next weekend when we figure out what to do..

[tcb]

I got skunked on Sammamish today too.. It happens to everyone. I thought the weather was perfect, but that shows you what I know.

Wasnt it nice out there today?

[A9]

Yea it was nice. We were on the lake at 7:15 and off by 11:45...We did some trout and bass fishing, butgot nothing...

I figured we weren't gonna hit limits like any little planter lake, but I'm glad to know that I wasn't the only one who got skunked cause I know I wasn't alone...

What sort of stuff/setup do you use for them out there tcb? This was our first time out there and we had no luck so we are looking for some pointers on what to throw out at them...

[Mike Carey]

Lake Samm can be tough. I certainly haven't figured it out and don't fish it that often (too big, too busy with skiers). But the trout are very nice quality when you catch them. I had limited success trolling with DR and various lures. I am interested in hitting it for bass this year and learnign the lake for bass fishing.

[A9]

Mike: Is Lake Washington a better bet for trout then?
We got skunked for bass too...Probably needs a few more weeks for the largemouth to move up....

[Easy Limits]

Mike,

Remember when we caught those nice trout when we were fishing for kings?

There are some nice trout in Sammamish but, like Lake Washington, Sammamish can be a tough trout fishery.

[iPodrodder]

Yea...Lake Samm is impossible. I never go there if I can help it.

[Mike Carey]

I remember, bare hooks, right? Both lakes can be challenging and both can yield some prime quality fish. I'm no expert on either lake, but my sense is lake Washingotn is the better of the two for trout, but that's just me

[tcb]

What sort of stuff/setup do you use for them out there tcb? This was our first time out there and we had no luck so we are looking for some pointers on what to throw out at them...

Don't take this as gospel, but I typical just do the standard trout rigs trolling (wedding ring, etc). I have caught a smallie or two, using just a worm. But I try -everything-. The only thing I havent tried is a shaky-worm setup. Maybe this coming weekend.

I just look for the areas that seem to be bass type habitats and fish there (underwater structure). I fish around people's docks. I have never tried fishing the south end of the lake (by the state launch) but I saw four or five boats just outside of the no-wake zone trolling. Maybe I'll try that soon too. I have been debating on getting a topo map.. anyone know where to get those at decent prices?

Anyone else have any not-so-secret spots? It's a big lake and I've only been going out there since last spring.

I have had one or two people ask me not to fish around their docks, and I try to be nice and move on if that happens. The largest trout I have cuaght out of there (22") was caught right in front of the house with the helicopter pad.

tim

[A9]

You can get good topo maps off this site...They are free.

Personally, I would keep fishing around their docks even if they said something to me. Thats just me. Not to be a complete jerk, but its fishing water, and as long as you don't bonk your lure all over their dock or boat, you should have every right to keep going with your fishing around there. If they don't like guys fishing their dock, then they should move off the lake.. It's fishing water, and its completely ok for you to fish there...

[Slabking]

Right now is a good time to work the points for smallmouths. They won't be under the docks in good numbers until after the spawn. Early to mid June is a good time to start working the docks early in the morning. Just check out a map and find the points that are close to a shallow bay or flat. The bass are stacked up on those points right now. Once they come in to spawn they'll be on the flats and in the back of the coves near those points. There's a good point midway down the lake on your left hand side. Try working that point with plastics then slide up into the bay next to it and work the wood and rocks in there. There are a lot of areas like that around lake. Once you work that area well you'll know what to look for.

[Mike Carey]

We don't have a topo map (unfortunately) but I recall we once many years ago had a link to a realator of all things that had a topo. How they got it I'll never know. Good luck googling that one!

Slabking, are you talking about the point about 1/8 mile north of the state park beach on the west side of the lake? Rocky/gravel bottom I believe. As I recall from my trolling days it's deep water and then shallows up as you discribe. Do you toss jigs for those smallies?

[Slabking]

Hey Mike, I just took a look at google map. They have a park listed there as Weowna Park. That point is right in the middle of that park area. Jigs and carolina rigged plastics work great over there.

Hey Jimmy, I'll be out there this Saturday from about 7am-2pm. If you spot a 18' yellow MonArk bassboat stop by and I'll try to point you guys to some good places to check. Wish I could help you with the trout too but I always catch them by accident while bass fishing. The cuts love grubs though .

[Eddie L]

Maybe this may help......

Lake Sammamish

[A9]

Thanks eddie. I already printed one of those off right before we went. We did use it alot, but it didn't get us any fish...But I'm sure its reliable cause I've heard some of those spots mentioned before...

[Jimmy Jimsoks]

Thanks Slabking!

Thats the best and most specific help we have recieved yet. We are more interested in bassing right now anyway... I don't think we will be at lake sammamish this saturday. Most likely Lake Washington for sure.