Hunter757
2/23/2016 6:14:00 PMI was out today no luck....had many fish come up from the bottom at my lines as seen on the FF. Saw some fish on the FF but not as many as normal but the lake water is way way up not sure how it's controlled but is high.
Bilgewater
2/23/2016 8:46:00 PMHunter:
Some things were different in 2015:
1. The kokanee catching was way down compared to 2014.
2. There was a perch die-off in mid-May; lots were floating belly-up.
3. The hot dry summer lowered the lake level 3 feet or more.
4. At 35 feet deep, below which WDFW says the dissolved oxygen mostly disappears in the summer, the temperatures got to:
2014 - - 61 degrees
2015 - - 69 degrees
5. From June 18 to December 31, I caught only 1 rainbow and 7 kokanee, and all kokanee came from the shallower southern half of the lake where they are typically not caught.
Yes, the lake level is sort of over-full now, after record rainfall. Must be quite a bit of water flowing out of the south outlet into Lake Sequilichew, and then Puget Sound.
Some things were different in 2015:
1. The kokanee catching was way down compared to 2014.
2. There was a perch die-off in mid-May; lots were floating belly-up.
3. The hot dry summer lowered the lake level 3 feet or more.
4. At 35 feet deep, below which WDFW says the dissolved oxygen mostly disappears in the summer, the temperatures got to:
2014 - - 61 degrees
2015 - - 69 degrees
5. From June 18 to December 31, I caught only 1 rainbow and 7 kokanee, and all kokanee came from the shallower southern half of the lake where they are typically not caught.
Yes, the lake level is sort of over-full now, after record rainfall. Must be quite a bit of water flowing out of the south outlet into Lake Sequilichew, and then Puget Sound.
Hunter757
2/24/2016 8:15:00 AMI remember the perch die off, in 2015 I don't think I got more then 5 fish total from American. I think the southern end has a few creeks that flow into it providing them something? I sure hope this year turns out to be a fair one. The water is looking like it did in 2014 with the green algae tint to it. Maybe this overfill will give it a good cleansing but who knows. Thanks for sharing the information sounds like you keep a very tight log. Tight lines, Eric
Bilgewater
2/24/2016 2:12:00 PMHunter:
The only creek flowing in to American is “Murray Creek.” It is a small, jump-across creek that appears to start on the other side of the freeway, maybe near Madigan, and might be spring fed. It flows through Camp Murray and enters American a little way south of the WDFW launch ramp. The creek mouth is amidst a lot of brush, and the creek flow is so minimal that you can’t see the mouth from a boat.
After the hot dry summer last year brought the lake down 3 or more feet, and now the overfill caused by the record-setting rains, I’m convinced that precipitation and the associated runoff is the source of almost all the water. Some say there is an underwater spring, and while certainly possible, it obviously adds little water to the lake.
By the way, I noticed two net pens at Fort Lewis Russell Landing. In previous years there was only one.
John
The only creek flowing in to American is “Murray Creek.” It is a small, jump-across creek that appears to start on the other side of the freeway, maybe near Madigan, and might be spring fed. It flows through Camp Murray and enters American a little way south of the WDFW launch ramp. The creek mouth is amidst a lot of brush, and the creek flow is so minimal that you can’t see the mouth from a boat.
After the hot dry summer last year brought the lake down 3 or more feet, and now the overfill caused by the record-setting rains, I’m convinced that precipitation and the associated runoff is the source of almost all the water. Some say there is an underwater spring, and while certainly possible, it obviously adds little water to the lake.
By the way, I noticed two net pens at Fort Lewis Russell Landing. In previous years there was only one.
John
Rip Lipper
2/25/2016 1:09:00 PMI had no problems catching more perch than I wanted to clean last year. 40 foot down with a slip bobber set at 38 with a garden worm from Wal-Mart on a (very important) red hook.
greenrowboat
2/27/2016 7:50:00 PMI've heard there are 3 springs, two I can locate due to the vertical column of fish stacked in it. The outflow goes through Little American (I call it), you can find it with a search, flows down to the next lake on Base. Slow now, and last 4 weeks as the RB are spawning, or in their beds on my cheap FF. Caught a 15" RB on 25th, two skeins of eggs in her, same as the 16" I caught 3 weeks ago. Like to release her but hook was swallowed, egg hook (size small- need my bi-focal to tie the 8' 2# leader on). Been really slow, a RB once every 3-4 weeks (1 trip per week)... G