Challenging Myself to Catch'em All

[hhc1482]

As a recent transplant to Seattle. I absolutely love the fact that there are lakes all over King's County within my driving distance. So far, I've managed to fish a few different locations. I'm constantly looking to try different lures, baits and techniques. Back in NY, where I originate. I had sought to catch all the different types of fish available within a certain region. I'm looking to re-create this challenge in a photo album that I've been keeping track of, here in my new home, Washington.

So far, I've had tremendous success with largemouth, smallmouth, and rock bass. I only recently managed to catch a bluegill and sculpins. Back in NY, panfish such as bluegills, pumpkinseeds, and crappies are actually quite abundant and sometimes a nuisance. I'm finding it the opposite here in Seattle, perhaps the lakes are more expansive or I'm not using the right techniques or approaches. I'd love to get some feedback and tips.

Places I typically fish:

West Ewing Park(Lake Washington Ship Canal)
This is the closest body of water to me, since I live in Queen Anne. I've managed to catch an abundance of small smallmouth bass with a few random big ones, there are also a lot of rock bass and one odd largemouth. This is also the place where I managed to catch my first sculpins. They are strange yet cute little fish. In terms of tackle, I find that live worms work best, and then jig grubs. I only recently learned that the Fred Meyers carried worms, since Big 5 hasn't re-stocked in a month or so.

Bear Shiva Park(Rainier Beach/Lake Washington)
I used to attend a church nearby, and so I often find some time to fish the boat launch area. The neighborhood is somewhat shady but I've never had any problems with the people here. Everyone's fairly friendly and open to talking about fishing. I like the fact that I can park my car nearby and keep an eye on it while fishing. Here, I've managed to catch smallmouth and rock bass. This is also where I caught my first blue gill. Here, everyone seems to use live worms. There's a small Asian deli that sells food and worms nearby. I've been told that there's catfish here, but haven't had any luck with it.

Lake Washington
By the piers before the bridge. I don't know the name of this area, other than the fact that it is on Lake Washington Drive. There's a string of areas for parking and launching. I've managed to catch smallmouth and rockbass. If I understand correctly the trout and salmon are further out in the waters, so fishing from the shore is a hit or miss for those species.

Ronald Bogs
Here I've caught small largemouth bass using a jig grub. I didn't have any luck with other species but I understand it is good for carp. I have also witnessed them moving around.

Log Boom Park
Caught nothing here, but also suggested to me as a good place for carp. It seems really large so I assume they travel all over Lake Washington?

Tukwila Pond
Had some nibbles, but never caught anything here. I saw a report or thread about it, and the number of catfish pulled out of it. I'm thinking of returning soon to try for catfish again here.

Twin Lake
This is a small lake in Shoreline fairly close to I-5, managed to visit the two lakes but caught nothing here. I'm told there are carp, catfish and bass.

Green Lake
Here I've had the most success with largemouth bass. They are often small and nothing like the ones I'd catch back in NY. These are typically palm sized to can sized. I often wonder if they grow any larger in this lake. I'm more used to catching basketball sized largemouth. But this lake seems overrun with largemouth. I've also seen carp circling and breaching the waters. This is also the lake where I just managed to catch my first catfish.

Bitter Lake
Earlier in the season, it was overgrown with weeds everywhere. Made it near impossible to cast without getting tangled. I'm incline to re-visit this lake and try my luck. There's apparently another lake close by, but very difficult to access. I tried driving to it once, but it was surrounded by private residence. I was even told by a local that the residents don't take too kindly to people parking on the streets.

Anyway, so this is just a brief summary of what I've experienced thus far. I'm really interested in catching different species of panfish, catfish and possibly trout or salmon. But I'm not entirely sure what the techniques would be to targeting these species.

[Mike Carey]

good luck on your quest!

[For Reel]

For the type of fish you are targeting it may be worth to take a trip over to Eastern Washington. I grew up over there and blue gil, crappie, and cat fish are at a higher abundance. Good Luck!

[hhc1482]

@ Mike Carey,
Thank you Sir!

@ For Reel,
I think there will definitely come a time when I branch out and explore the rest of Washington, but I'm still kind of new to the area and so I want to focus my efforts on the local fishing holes within say...an hour of City Central. It's been really great exploring new lakes and trying different techniques that produce fish. I'm a 100% catch & release person, I don't eat fish and I don't like to give them away. For me this is purely the experience and it. I appreciate the tip though, I'll keep that in mind the next time I map a trip outside of Seattle.

By the way, what did you use to catch bluegills here? back in NY, it sounds strange but a small hook and any sort of bread, plastic or bug covering a small portion of the hook's tip, yielded insane results. The panfish back in NY were super aggressive, and being in many man made lakes, I can only guess that they grew conditioned to strike things like bread and plastics.

[Weekend-warrior17]

Blue gill / panfish
Few tips for this time of year :
•Steer clear of using all bait and scent (Worms , corn, power bait, Minnows <-- believe minnows are illegal in WA) when you intend to release the targeted species it is incredibly hard on the fish when it comes to removal of the hook and survival rate.

•Pan fish will be suspended out in about 10 feet of water as it gets colder.

•To locate them throw small Size 0 panther martin's or blue fox spinners match the color with the surrounding food sources you observe , spinners are a good way to cover a lot of water.

• Once you've located the fish throw small 1-3in plastic grubs either straight cast and retrieve or rig it up under a slip float and jig it in the fish. When it come to color I try to stick with pumpkin seed or bright yellow but it may be crucial for you to match the hatch with the jig color too. Always take water visibility into consideration .

This should get you somewhere.
Try targeting Yellow Perch they can be extremely plentiful and if you ever wanna eat a lake fish yellow perch and crappie take the lead. You'll may catch some with the techniques listed above but the can be a more deep water fish 20-25 foot in the colder months.

P.s the pic of that Cat is freakin sweet!

Tight Lines
Weekend-warrior17

[hhc1482]

Thanks for the advice Weekend-warrior17,

The locations I primarily fish out of are West Ewing Mini Park(the Lake Washington Ship Canal), Green Lake(Seattle's 'crown jewel') and Bear Shiva Park(it's a boat launching site for Lake Washington). I've noticed strangely none of these waters have a significant panfish population. Green Lake is mostly largemouth bass with the occasional rock bass, while West Ewing Park is mostly smallmouth bass and rock bass. Bear Shiva Park is the only place I've managed to catch a bluegill on a tiny piece of worm that was getting strikes from rock bass.

My main goal is to try and catch as many different species as possible and log them via pictures. I don't eat fish, so I'm 100% catch & release, I do my best not to damage the fish and return them safely to their waters. I almost brought in a trout(looked like it was golden) at a secret lake in Shoreline but hook probably didn't set properly and it got away. I'm looking to return there and try my luck again.

While catching bass in all different forms is fun, I mostly get my kicks from catching different species and learning what works and what doesn't. I'll try out your suggestion next time I'm on the water.

[For Reel]

hhc

I haven't fished for bluegill in a longtime but I believe we used worms and 3 separate hooks tied in parallel. Always check your regs as I'm not sure if a 3 hook system is still legal. BTW I'm glad you're in enjoying Washington State and having fun! Good luck out there!

[whorde]

In Ballinger you can get perch, largemouth, pumpkinseed, and the occassional trout and sculpin, plus it has easy highway accessibility. Bait on bottom seems way to go as water is murky enough to block a lot of plant growth beyond about 8 feet deep.

Another easy place you can try is the boat launch at Magnussen Park on Lake WA, or the shore south of there. maybe north also? Just never seen anyone fishing north. I've caught rock bass, smallmouth, perch mainly, occassionally a bluegill, pumpkinseed, pikeminnow. Lots of weeds though, so bait on bottom can be rough on your tacklebox. If you have a rubber raft though, once you get to about 18 feet deep the weed problem goes away. Can be rough water though between wind and powerboats.

[The Quadfather]

Magnussen Park on Lake WA, maybe north also? Just never seen anyone fishing north. .

If you go to the N. end of Magnusson Park, where the little sailboat rental place is, there is a pretty large dock there that people fish from.

GPS Waypoint: 47.687781,-122.258842

[hhc1482]

@For Reel,
Thanks for the tip, I'll give that a shot. I checked the regs:
"Hook and line angling only. Barbed or barbless hooks may be used, and a hook may be single-point, double, or treble, but not more than one line with up to three hooks per angler may be used." Personally, I never use more than 2 hooks if I'm dropshotting but I don't even do that often. I'm more of a one hook kinda guy.

@whorde,
I've yet to try Ballinger, sounds like a good prospect to try out. Thanks!
I don't own any kind of raft or floatation device, I'm mainly a shore fishing person, so weeds and plants are a bit of an issue I have to contend with.

@Quad,
Thanks for the waypoints, I'll gps it and check'em out.

So far, I've caught:
Smallmouth bass
Largemouth bass
Rock bass
Sculpin
Channel Catfish
Cray fish
Bluegil
And a few lures

I'd really like to catch some different species i.e:
Carp
Pumpkinseed
Perch
Crappie
Trout

Green Lake seems like a good place to try out trout with reports indicating that some new ones were recently planted.

I also have a question if anyone can help clarify:

If I'm not mistaken, live minnows are not to be used? I assume this has something to do with introducing foreign species into a lake? Can they be caught and used for fishing? Also same question with cray fish or even sculpin? The reason I ask, is because I recently saw this on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUb1yg7Hadk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A tutorial on making a minnow trap, I was curious if that was allowed or not.

I checked the regs in regards to Cray fish and nothing was mentioned other than:
"1st Mon. in
May-Oct. 31
Min. size 3¼" from tip of rostrum (nose) to tip of tail. D aily limit 10 lbs in shell. A ll
females with eggs or young attached must be immediately returned to the water
unharmed. N o Shellfish/Seaweed license is required. See gear rules on page 136."

[fishinChristian]

Can't use live minnows of any kind in WA, anywhere. Crayfish have to come from the same waters as they are used in, and of course there are many lakes with special regs. I've fished here a lifetime and the regs are pretty annoying in some ways, especially keeping track of which area to measure with a tape when not marked "400 feet below such and such." or " every other Saturday, unless we say otherwise in a place you may not have checked." Mostly it is fairly straightforward, but WA is tighter and more confusing than many states about fishing regs. That being said, we've got great variety, both fresh and salt!

[hhc1482]

Thanks fishinChristian,

I like to do my best to understand the regs, and so I never try anything that might jeopardize that. It's strange that Green Lake isn't mentioned in this year's reg book supposedly the rules were clearer in the previous years. Anyway I'm a catch and release person, with no intentions of keeping fish. I was really just curious as to certain aspects of live bait fishing. For the time being I occasionally use worms, although I prefer using lures.

[hewesfisher]

It's real simple if a lake is NOT listed in the Special Rules section, just follow statewide rules found on pg 17.

[The Quadfather]

hhc, Think of it this way..
Is every single body of water in the entire state listed within the regs? I mean, every single alpine lake within all of the mountain ranges along the Cascades and Olympic mountains, as well as every pond where a 40' diameter body of water creeps up in brush somewhere.
Of course the answer is no. And that is why they call the lakes listed within the regs, "The lakes with Special Regulations"
Like Hewes said before, all those other unlisted bodies of water fall colectively into the "Standard Statewide Regs" page 17.
Sometimes people see a simple little lake located right in urban area and it lists it as having no out of the ordinary restrictions on fish species or limits or anything, but the reason it actually made it into the "Special Regs" section is that the lake is the short fishing season lake. (April-Oct) Many people think, "Oh, when does fishing season open? I can't wait to go fishing" That doesn't mean anything. Many lakes are open during the short April-Oct.... and many other lakes are open year round. Maybe the stretch of river you are looking at is open for 8 weeks in the fall? Well, that of course would put it into the special regs. section of the rivers.
To me "Fishing season" doesn't ever close or stop. It just means that you adjust to a body of water that is open at the time you want to go.

[hhc1482]

Thanks for the clarification guys, makes sense now.

I'm kind of in a weird position right now. Back in NY, I've caught trout that was stocked using floats and other bass lures. The other day, I arrived at Green Lake just before dawn and some guy was telling me that won't work after looking at my Rapala F8 Floating Lure, sounded very condescending too. He started to say I know nothing about fishing as I just laughed it off and moved away from him. I guess part of what he said is true, I don't know what works here in Seattle regarding trout. I've never needed to use Powerbait or the types of trout rigs used here.

What confuses me, is how the rigs work. Why must there be a leader for trout? Do they often snap the line? How do the beads work?

I was using a swimtail jig and noticed a school of trout following it but not hitting. So is it that impossible for trout to attack a bass lure?

From what I researched, it seems people here use a number of tactics for trout:

1. Powerbait Nuggets or Doughbait, I assume the way you use it is covering the hook with it and attached to the mainline via swivel and egg weight, using the swivel to prevent the weight from slipping off. Where does the beads come into play? and why? (This is still fishing if I understand correctly) But I've also heard of people using worms, which is something I tried but kept catching LMB.

2. Using trout lures like mepps, rooster tails, spoons, and spinners? Would using something called a wedding ring lure work? I'm confused as to why there must be a leader using this technique? (This is power fishing?)

[The Quadfather]

Hhc,
Darn it! I'm typing on cell phone and lost entire response.
Anyway, the guy who was disrespectful to U at Greenlake is just a troll. Let it go. Some people just want to somehow act like they dominate U by telling you how you are wrong in what you're doing.

Greenlake has VERY large German Brown Triut. Those fish are predators! They love stuff like your Rapala. They like stuff that looks alive and mimics baitfish.
Would they suck up your "Power Nuggets/Dough bait?" I Say, Never say never.. Who knows, or cares.
But your Rapala is a a fine choice for large predatory trout.

I know people who have caught fish using Ciggarete butts! Don't let anybody shake your confidence.

And then at the end of the day... Buy a float tube.. Push off from shore, and say goodbye to the chumps.
( typing in movie theater on cell phone... Can't see my spelling errors, sorry)

[hhc1482]

Thanks for the reply

Honestly I'm kind of dumbfounded because he was right to an extent, lately I've only been managing to catch LMB in Green Lake, looking at the reports it should be very productive with trout. I even seen them in schools swimming along and sometimes chasing after my jigs or rapalas but never biting. It's strange to me, because as you said, they are predatory fish. And I've had past luck in other parts of the country with trout using rapalas. The only explanation I can come up with, is that being stocked fish, they are probably more preferential to dough or other feed baits, at least until they start scavenging on their own for smaller prey. I've actually seen a few people in float tubes in Green Lake so it's something I'll have to invest in at some point.

[The Quadfather]

I was referring to the German Briwns and larger holdover fish. The stocker trout have lived their life on hatchery food and dough baits or things that are simple like that usually are a more sure thing.
On the subject of bass plugs etc...
There is a video I saw around here just the other day which demonstrates people casting various types of bass plugs for salmon. And plenty of action from the salmon.

[BentRod]

Hhc,
Darn it! I'm typing on cell phone and lost entire response.
Anyway, the guy who was disrespectful to U at Greenlake is just a troll. Let it go. Some people just want to somehow act like they dominate U by telling you how you are wrong in what you're doing.

Greenlake has VERY large German Brown Triut. Those fish are predators! They love stuff like your Rapala. They like stuff that looks alive and mimics baitfish.
Would they suck up your "Power Nuggets/Dough bait?" I Say, Never say never.. Who knows, or cares.
But your Rapala is a a fine choice for large predatory trout.

I know people who have caught fish using Ciggarete butts! Don't let anybody shake your confidence.

And then at the end of the day... Buy a float tube.. Push off from shore, and say goodbye to the chumps.
( typing in movie theater on cell phone... Can't see my spelling errors, sorry)

Quad is absolutely right! And, I've caught countless rainbow trout trolling Rapalas on our local lakes. That guy is the one who didn't know what he was talking about.

[jonb]

I'm from upstate NY and I moved here 5 years ago, went through what your going through. 1St I'll say rapalas are my favorite lure for big trout. I've caught 20" trout from green lake with a size 8 rapala so don't let that guy fool you. You'll get hog trout with that lure. If you want to catch these stockers get a 1/4oz castmaster in firetiger or gold color and you'll knock 'em dead. As far as the leader goes the point is to create distance between the bottom and your floating bait. When using power bait your bait must be suspended off the bottom.