Sammamish perch

[jamesfromseattle]

Put out a shameless request for advice because I don’t think this is a fishery anyone is too protective of. If anything, it sounds like the general consensus is that it would help the salmonids to take some perch.

The first fishery I ever learned was Lake WA perch from shore with worms under a bobber pretty darn simple. But it looks like Sammamish is a safer lake to eat fish out of. And I’ve got kids so now I’m sort of paranoid about that type of thing.

Any advice on Sammamish perch from a small boat? I am embarrassed to say I tried a couple of times earlier this spring and got skunked. Was going to give it another shot now that the weather is warmer.

From what I’ve found on the internet, it looks like 30ish feet of water with a drop shot rig is a good place to start. Is there any time of structure I should be looking for? Any advice would be appreciated. I’m not sure my ego can handle getting skunked by perch a third time.

[GWP]

Find the weed line around shore. Usually 20'-30'. Fish right along it on the outside edge. Drop shot works, or a Carolina rig with something that causes the bait to float a bit, but a bobber a couple feet off of the bottom works too.
Start with worms or Powerbait. 6" Powerbait worms cut to about 2" and split lengthways four ways is my go to for a limber strip.
I start with light color. White first. If that does not work, go to pink or red. Then green. Then black or very dark.
That said, the biggest Perch I ever caught was on a round blade with a large hook I was letting bounce along the bottom in 60' while drifting at about .5 mph.
Keep in mind at times they will not bite, no matter what. That is when the work starts!

[Mfowl]

If you are in a small boat try going out of Vasa Park at the SW corner of the lake off W Lk Samm Pkwy. You can head L or R and be in fishable perch waters quickly. You could also access the sunken forest easier than from the state park. I don't know that Samm fish are safer to eat than Lk Wa, its all the same water. I don't worry about having a few perch fry's from either lake each summer. I haven't tried for perch yet but things should be in full swing by now. Good luck, have fun!

[pickardjw]

I’ve been catching them the most in 18’-14’. Weed line is usually right around those depths and they like to sit in the weeds and dart out to eat. Caught a few mid day yesterday. Weren’t interested in powerbait really but got one to bite and cut him up for bait. They’re carnivorous and were much more aggressive once we got meat on the hooks. They’ll hammer worms all day too.

If you don’t have a depth finder, just get your boat on top of the weeds and toss a drop shot rig out deeper and drift that across the top of the weed line. They’ll be all around the lake at the weed line but concentrate on some spots more than others. That part is all trial and error.

[NRA4LIFE]

Strips of perch meat with the hook through the skin works very well.

[jamesfromseattle]

Awesome, thanks guys. Really helpful stuff. I hadn’t really conceptualized the weed line, but that makes sense. I’ve got a depth sounder, so should be able to get this figured out. Looking forward to getting after it.

@Mfowl, I would have though the same thing but there was a DOH publication that found for some reason PCB levels were much higher in lake WA fish. My recollection is that the theory was that there was more industrial pollution in WA. My assumption is that there much be just enough current heading away from Sammamish that the water doesn’t all mix together.

I get up eating fish out of Lake Wa all the time and have the right number of fingers and toes and agree with you that on a rational level it’s totally fine to eat every now and then. Especially low food chain fish like perch. But I’m admittedly irrational about what I feed to my kids. Definitely recognize I’m being overly paranoid.

[GWP]

Lake Wa is MUCH better than it used to be. The biggest pollution in Lake Wa was from logging and making treated poles. There was a LOT of stuff dumped into it. That is one reason why there are still restrictions on bottom fish. Sammamish didn’t have that.

On using Perch pieces for bait, it works good, just have to have some to use!

Don’t know how accurate or what your electronics are, but with mine sometimes I will putt around and look for a school. As soon as I see it and go over it I drop the presentation into the middle of it. ALWAYS get a bite that way.
And yes, those are all perch…