Lake Meridian kokanee disappearance

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BentRod
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Location: Issaquah

Re: Lake Meridian kokanee disappearance

Post by BentRod » Sun Feb 16, 2020 7:53 am

Thanks for the help. I was looking at Sawyer too....but expect it's got the same story as Meridian....So, probably not a great time to go try for Kokes....and further hampered by the total lack of Kokanee in general. Think I might look for a different path until the temps come up. I do want to check out these lakes in the future though. Thanks again.

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Sideburns
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Re: Lake Meridian kokanee disappearance

Post by Sideburns » Tue Feb 18, 2020 12:06 am

It's amazing that wdfw still stocks so many kokanee fry in both Meridian and Sawyer. Its been around 5 years since Ive seen a kokanee in Meridian, and more like 10 years for Sawyer. I can't imagine why they continue... Its been suggested by some that the kokanee are stocked to feed the bass! I'm glad they continue to stock them though, for the possibility that the kokanee make a come back. I'll be out on both soon prospecting for kokanee (but actually catching trout).... I'll never give up completely.

Looking back through my google photos, Ive caught several good sized cutthroat in Sawyer mid to late February.
"If it still works, take it apart and find out why!"

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BentRod
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Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 7:59 am
Location: Issaquah

Re: Lake Meridian kokanee disappearance

Post by BentRod » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:17 am

Interesting topic. It is a good question.

I'm relatively new to the winter trout fishing on lakes thing. I am usually targeting Steelhead in our rivers, but the last couple years has been so bad I've needed to look for alternate fishing opportunities. Some friends have got me out on Lake Sammamish for Cutts and I have recently explored a couple other lakes that have Cutts in them. In my limited experience, it does seem that Cutts are pretty active in the winter comparatively. I hit north Lake Sammamish yesterday instead of trying Sawyer or Meridian. The water was still murky from the recent floods, but I still got a few, so a successful day.

I thought it would be fun to go try for Kokanee as another option, but learning to target a species when they're not apt to strike probably isn't the best way to go about it. I do look forward to trying Sawyer or Meridian though, even if for Cutts.

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