Post by: luvmystang67 on November 08, 2019, 09:12:41 AM
I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I'm going to be living on Mercer Island with dock access. I work in Bellevue, which means that the most amicable spot I found that my wife and I could both agree on is Mercer Island (no I'm not rich, but the rental market here is fairly low priced compared to home prices).
In any case, for the first time in my life, I'll have almost daily access to Lake WA and a small boat to fish from, with downriggers.
What do I fish for and where do I go? I'll be kind of across from the Seahawks Training Facility. I know people catch a lot of perch, which doesn't really get me going. I'd love to hook into some good rainbows and be able to catch some crawdads (although I think their season is currently closed).
Anyone on here have good advice for fishing south Lake WA. To be clear, I'm looking for honey holes (lol). I don't even really know where to start. I've looked at some forums and it seems like fish are pretty deep in the winter. I have no idea which side of Mercer Island is usually better. I know there's a ton of species in the lake, but I feel like bass will be half asleep until June. What else should I be after?
Anyone on the lake need a fishing partner over the winter?
Post by: Angry Perch on November 08, 2019, 09:52:39 AM
Hey Hunt-WA Team,
I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I'm going to be living on Mercer Island with dock access. I work in Bellevue, which means that the most amicable spot I found that my wife and I could both agree on is Mercer Island (no I'm not rich, but the rental market here is fairly low priced compared to home prices).
In any case, for the first time in my life, I'll have almost daily access to Lake WA and a small boat to fish from, with downriggers.
What do I fish for and where do I go? I'll be kind of across from the Seahawks Training Facility. I know people catch a lot of perch, which doesn't really get me going. I'd love to hook into some good rainbows and be able to catch some crawdads (although I think their season is currently closed).
Anyone on here have good advice for fishing south Lake WA. To be clear, I'm looking for honey holes (lol). I don't even really know where to start. I've looked at some forums and it seems like fish are pretty deep in the winter. I have no idea which side of Mercer Island is usually better. I know there's a ton of species in the lake, but I feel like bass will be half asleep until June. What else should I be after?
Anyone on the lake need a fishing partner over the winter?
You might want to see a doctor about that!
Post by: 257wbymagkiller on November 08, 2019, 10:26:47 AM
Post by: Angry Perch on November 08, 2019, 10:32:17 AM
Post by: Alchase on November 08, 2019, 10:35:24 AM
Post by: Alchase on November 08, 2019, 10:38:27 AM
Post by: blackpowderhunter on November 08, 2019, 10:40:47 AM
pretty easy to mark the trout, and perch schools.
i've caught a few massive rainbows out there while kokanee fishing. :tup:
Post by: blackpowderhunter on November 08, 2019, 10:42:15 AM
you have electronics on the boat?
pretty easy to mark the trout, and perch schools.
you do owe it to the lake (and the salmon) to give perch fishing a go....super light tackle and it's a riot, AND they're tasty buggers
i've caught a few massive rainbows out there while kokanee fishing. :tup:
Post by: Angry Perch on November 08, 2019, 10:49:13 AM
Post by: luvmystang67 on November 08, 2019, 11:58:48 AM
Most of my trout fishing has been at opening days of lakes in the springs and summers, where I'm catching stockers on the top of the water or in the first 5-8'. Otherwise its been fly fishing rivers. I've not done much on big lakes.
In the winter are these cuttys down at like 50' or something? Are they going to be larger, wild fish? Are they kind of in open water?
Do people catch smallies in the winter? I've tried catching largemouth on my farm ponds at home and I don't think I'm patient enough for them in the winter.
Thanks for the advice. I'm excited to get out there and give it a shot.
Online it looked like some people had accidentally hooked into kings that we swimming around down there as well. Seems like you can catch all kinds of good stuff.
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on November 08, 2019, 12:01:26 PM
Post by: WSU on November 08, 2019, 12:09:12 PM
Post by: luvmystang67 on November 08, 2019, 12:13:42 PM
Perch make for a pretty tasty fish fry. I'd go catch a bunch at least a few times and fry 'em up.
Do you just do heads off, guts out and then whole fish or do you try to fillet the tiny buggers?
Also, anyone ever tried to catch a river monster in the lake?
https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/whats-lurking-in-lake-washington-monster-fish-explained/281-602612586
Post by: WSU on November 08, 2019, 12:17:11 PM
I hadn't tried it until this summer. We stayed with my brother in law and his family on a lake. Kids caught dozens of perch and it didn't take long to fillet them.
Post by: Skillet on November 08, 2019, 12:44:31 PM
Perching for monsters in Lk Wa is a real thing. They start grouping up in massive schools in late sept/oct, then start getting deeper as winter comes on. First week of November, I usually looked in 40-60 ft off of Groat Point to start. Vertical jig a chrome Swedish Pimple with a perch eye as bait. Great fun, 12"+ fish not uncommon..
Post by: Chesterdog on November 08, 2019, 01:25:11 PM
Post by: Angry Perch on November 08, 2019, 01:49:24 PM
Winter cutthroat fishing is good. Longfin smelt and three spine stickleback are the primary forage fish, so emulate either for success in the winter. A pearl UV coho killer is a superb cutt lure.
Perching for monsters in Lk Wa is a real thing. They start grouping up in massive schools in late sept/oct, then start getting deeper as winter comes on. First week of November, I usually looked in 40-60 ft off of Groat Point to start. Vertical jig a chrome Swedish Pimple with a perch eye as bait. Great fun, 12"+ fish not uncommon..
:yeah:
For perch, don't look for fish on the bottom, look for humps, or areas where the bottom gets "thick". Get on a good school with a few rods in the boat to keep the action going, and it can be lights out. Don't be scared to size up that spoon a bit too. Think miniature Point Wilson Dart type lures that will rocket to the bottom. Try to fish jigs in 60 feet and your spending more time dropping than reeling 'em up!
Post by: elkchaser54 on November 09, 2019, 05:23:47 AM
Post by: J.Brower on November 09, 2019, 07:35:12 PM
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Post by: jeffro on November 09, 2019, 09:08:49 PM
But ‘bows over 20” are considered steelhead and must be released, so I targeted cuts mostly.
Might be a bit of a run for you, and the weather can kick up really fast.
I also fished bass down nearer to you, the point outside of Newport shores and the I-90 bridge abutments always seemed to hold fish.
Perch, I would head over to the east side of the channel north of Seahawk camp.
Good luck
Post by: Sutherland on November 09, 2019, 09:39:09 PM
Post by: bassquatch on November 10, 2019, 01:03:50 PM
Structure: drop offs, humps, ledges, creek channels, etc.
Cover: wood, rocks, vegetation, dock and bridge pilings,etc.
Combining any of the two is a higher percentage spot. Now through Dec-Jan 30 to 50 feet can be productive with rocks being the best 'cover' option.
Hula grubs and drop shot are good options. Use each with at least 3/4 ounce weights/jigheads. :tup:
Post by: Brushcrawler on November 10, 2019, 07:11:03 PM
Post by: Axle on November 11, 2019, 06:36:56 PM
One guy who lives on the lake said the perch go to the south end of the lake in fall and winter. He must have been right because that's the only place I can get them in fall and winter.
One day last year, my son and I were fishing in 70' of water and on one end of the boat, my son was nailing the perch but on the other end of the boat, I could not stop catching peamouth chubs. Allmost all of them were 1.5lbs to 2lbs each. We've caught a few crappie in winter too.
Post by: luvmystang67 on November 12, 2019, 11:05:14 AM
I'm still not convinced on eating the perch, but it sounds like i need to give that a shot too.
I ate some deer kidneys in the UK and some sheep spinal cord in Kazakhstan, so perch aren't too crazy.
Post by: WSU on November 12, 2019, 11:14:29 AM