Cutthroat Fishing On Lake Sammamish

21309 Views 147 Replies 56 Participants Last post by Deceased, Jan 6, 2020

richard f lange

Discussion Starter · Jan 8, 2017

I live at the north end of Lake Sammamish, and have been watching several boats each day go slowly down the middle of the lake fishing for Cutthroat, but they have not had much luck. I am interested in trying this fishing myself, and wanted to ask the forum if anyone fly fishes the lake for cutthroat, what flies they use, and the method they use to catch the cutthroat....

Reactions: 1

1 - 20 of 148 Posts

BDD

· #2 · Jan 8, 2017

I have been cringing looking at the other fishing report site, showing all the cutties being harvested from there. I would hate to see another urban (or rural for that matter) naturally-produced fishery be overharvested and lost as a result of a few greedy anglers with little foresight to the future. Hopefully WDFW has the means to manage it properly.

Reactions: 5

Stonefish

· #3 · Jan 8, 2017

BDD said:
I have been cringing looking at the other fishing report site, showing all the cutties being harvested from there. I would hate to see another urban (or rural for that matter) naturally-produced fishery be overharvested and lost as a result of a few greedy anglers with little foresight to the future. Hopefully WDFW has the means to manage it properly.

I agree.
Seeing people going out and harvesting multiple boat limits on consecutive days seems a bit excessive. I have no problem with people keeping a couple for the table.
They justify it by saying WDFW says the population is healthy. We've heard that before until things get closed down.
Sad to see so many nice native fish out of what is now a great urban fishery getting whacked.
SF

Reactions: 5

David Loy

· #4 · Jan 9, 2017

I don't frequent whatever site you're both referring to, and would also be disappointed. Initially I thought the op was looking for tips, so I'll just mention that the resident lake Cutthroat is pretty much a gear fishers game. They hang out deeeep most of the time, my understanding. I fool around in a park on LkWa fairly often, and only hope that I might encounter a rogue cruising the shallows. Some are monsters, but scarcer than the Powerball for fly guys. I do come across SMB occasionally. I also hope to find natal bound SRCs sometime, but so far no love there either. It's close (3 blks) and I enjoy casting (& running the dog) so I'll continue. Rest assured, if I ever do hit that Powerball, you'll all know it.
Chive on.

Reactions: 5

Scott Salzer

· #5 · Jan 9, 2017

I don't keep squat when I fish, except a few kokes from Mason Lake. If it's legal, you have no recourse. While it may not be what you would like to see, work to change the regs or just accept it.

I see people bringing fish across the sage from eastern wa lakes - they really don't taste that great. It's legal and I accept it.

"Accept the things that you can't change."

MB

Reactions: 2

Tom Bowden

· #6 · Jan 9, 2017

I've tried fly fishing Lake Sammamish & Lake Washington a few times over the years, with no success. The gear / down rigger fishermen seem to do better, probably because they can keep their lure deep and moving fast.

I grew up in the Bellevue area, and there was a fabulous fishery in Lake Sammamish for kokanee in the 1960's, before they "developed" Issaquah Creek and other small creeks that lead to the lake. Our technique was to throw out a bunch of "chum", then still fish with single eggs. I remember catching 14-16" fish that were the best tasting fish I ever had. My dad used his 9' Heddon #10 bamboo rod with light monofilament for this fishing, and really enjoyed it. I read a few years ago that WDFW is trying to recover this run, and hopefully they'll be successful.

Tom

Reactions: 2

mcoomer

· #7 · Jan 9, 2017

I've fished Lake Sammamish a few times and have only ever caught one fish. Sinking lines and leech patterns and wooly buggers is what I've used. I do think it would be interesting to fish the north end in the lily pads with some poppers in the spring and summer.

Mike

Reactions: 1

4357

· #8 · Jan 9, 2017

Enos Bradner used to troll a Carrot Nymph just outside the lily pads and pick up a Cutthroat or two.

Reactions: 5

Batt B

· #9 · Jan 9, 2017 (Edited)

Tom Bowden said:
I read a few years ago that WDFW is trying to recover this run, and hopefully they'll be successful.

WDFW is one of a number of valuable partners working to save and restore what remains of the Lake Sammamish kokanee runs.
http://www.kingcounty.gov/services/...lmon-and-trout/kokanee/kokanee-workgroup.aspx
I-90 especially hammered the early run kokanee (now extinct) in Issaquah creek and continuing development in the LS basin and its associated hydrologic effects (stormwater) threaten the extant runs that use a few small creeks around the lake. Hopefully with the removal of the barrier at WDFW's Issaquah hatchery, kokanee can be restored to that stream.
Re. the cutthroat--
When winter fishing had to close on the local rivers several years back due to PS steelhead being ESA listed, pressure on LS cutthroat picked up noticeably.

Reactions: 3

Jim Wallace

· #10 · Jan 9, 2017

Tom Bowden said:
I've tried fly fishing Lake Sammamish & Lake Washington a few times over the years, with no success. The gear / down rigger fishermen seem to do better, probably because they can keep their lure deep and moving fast.

I grew up in the Bellevue area, and there was a fabulous fishery in Lake Sammamish for kokanee in the 1960's, before they "developed" Issaquah Creek and other small creeks that lead to the lake. Our technique was to throw out a bunch of "chum", then still fish with single eggs. I remember catching 14-16" fish that were the best tasting fish I ever had. My dad used his 9' Heddon #10 bamboo rod with light monofilament for this fishing, and really enjoyed it. I read a few years ago that WDFW is trying to recover this run, and hopefully they'll be successful.

Tom

Tom, I fished for Kokanee and Cutts in Lake WA during the early and mid-sixties. We lived in Bellevue at the time, about a block and a half from Clyde Beach. Weusedthe same technique fishing off the dock there. I used a small closed face spinning reel on my Fenwick 6wt, loaded with 4#test main line, 2# test leader at least 3' long, single # 14 egg hook, small slip sinker.
Some old dude would come down to the dock and bait fish with a 9' bamboo fly rod and 20' or so of mono on the end of his fly line. He'd retrieve his single egg vertically using the hand-twist method. He had switched from his Medalist to a Pflueger auto-winder, so he could just hit the trigger and zip up the line as he hand-twisted it in. He often fished from a folding chair, but sometimes he would stand and fish like I did, with my elbows resting on the rail, and my gaze riveted to the tip of my rod.

Reactions: 3

steelydan

· #11 · Jan 9, 2017

Some buddies gear fished Lk Sammammish right after the smolt release and did well on them, as well as slaughtered a few pikeminnow that were way too fat.

wanative

· #12 · Jan 10, 2017

BDD said:
I have been cringing looking at the other fishing report site, showing all the cutties being harvested from there. I would hate to see another urban (or rural for that matter) naturally-produced fishery be overharvested and lost as a result of a few greedy anglers with little foresight to the future. Hopefully WDFW has the means to manage it properly.

Just use Lake Whatcom as an example. It cannot sustain itself forever with the 5 fish limit.

Reactions: 5

wanative

· #13 · Jan 10, 2017

Tom Bowden said:
I've tried fly fishing Lake Sammamish & Lake Washington a few times over the years, with no success. The gear / down rigger fishermen seem to do better, probably because they can keep their lure deep and moving fast.

I grew up in the Bellevue area, and there was a fabulous fishery in Lake Sammamish for kokanee in the 1960's, before they "developed" Issaquah Creek and other small creeks that lead to the lake. Our technique was to throw out a bunch of "chum", then still fish with single eggs. I remember catching 14-16" fish that were the best tasting fish I ever had. My dad used his 9' Heddon #10 bamboo rod with light monofilament for this fishing, and really enjoyed it. I read a few years ago that WDFW is trying to recover this run, and hopefully they'll be successful.

Tom

"WDFW is trying to recover this run".
That's not a good sign, good luck with that.

Reactions: 1

redlodge

· #14 · Jan 10, 2017

guess there are gill nets going into Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish for week long test fishing for warm water fish. Monday thru
Friday until further notice

Reactions: 1

SteveCo

· #15 · Jan 18, 2017

richard f lange said:
I live at the north end of Lake Sammamish, and have been watching several boats each day go slowly down the middle of the lake fishing for Cutthroat, but they have not had much luck. I am interested in trying this fishing myself, and wanted to ask the forum if anyone fly fishes the lake for cutthroat, what flies they use, and the method they use to catch the cutthroat....

Winter is supposed to be the best time to fish LW or LS without downriggers and modern technology. The cold surface weather turns over the thermocline(s) so fish aren't trying to stay deep where the cold water is. Cutts are caught at the surface down to 20 feet or so. That said, I've been working LW from a canoe and shore since Christmas and haven't had a strike. Not giving up though . . .

SHART

· #16 · Jun 13, 2017

Just came across this thread after Google searching my concerns on how many cutthroat are harvested from wa and samm. What can we do to get limits lowered, or a catch and release possibility? Highly doubt we can get it switched to C&R, but one can hope.

Reactions: 1

napawino (Roger Craft)

· #17 · Jun 13, 2017

I'm sure WDFW will do the right thing.

Reactions: 1

Stonefish

· #18 · Jun 13, 2017

Elliott5400 said:
Just came across this thread after Google searching my concerns on how many cutthroat are harvested from wa and samm. What can we do to get limits lowered, or a catch and release possibility? Highly doubt we can get it switched to C&R, but one can hope.

Elliott,
Next time we can submit public comments on rule changes, you can submit your suggestions for reduced limits.
I can't remember when exactly the next public comment period will be. Perhaps someone will chime in on that.

I'd like to see a two fish limit myself in both Sammamish & Washington.
Those guys bonking those 14" cutts have no clue as to what the potential of those fisheries could be.
They catch a 18-20" and call them a hog. Those are nice fish but after seeing pictures the 14 lb Lake WA cutt, there is a lot more potential then 20".
I'm not saying everything will grow that big, but you'd think 5 lb cutts should be fairly common if so many weren't getting bonked.

It is cool to have such a great wild fish fishery in a urban setting.
Regardless that WDFW says they can sustain the current harvest levels, I'd rather play it on the safe side then have them be wrong.

Those Lake Washington Cutts are pretty tasty though.

SF

Washington State Dept of Health
Lake Washington

PCBs
Advice:

Limit Cutthroat Trout to 1 meal per month

See less See more

Reactions: 5

SHART

· #19 · Jun 14, 2017

Stonefish said:
Elliott,
Next time we can submit public comments on rule changes, you can submit your suggestions for reduced limits.
I can't remember when exactly the next public comment period will be. Perhaps someone will chime in on that.

I'd like to see a two fish limit myself in both Sammamish & Washington.
Those guys bonking those 14" cutts have no clue as to what the potential of those fisheries could be.
They catch a 18-20" and call them a hog. Those are nice fish but after seeing pictures the 14 lb Lake WA cutt, there is a lot more potential then 20".
I'm not saying everything will grow that big, but you'd think 5 lb cutts should be fairly common if so many weren't getting bonked.

It is cool to have such a great wild fish fishery in a urban setting.
Regardless that WDFW says they can sustain the current harvest levels, I'd rather play it on the safe side then have them be wrong.

Those Lake Washington Cutts are pretty tasty though.
SF

Washington State Dept of Health
Lake Washington

PCBs
Advice:

Limit Cutthroat Trout to 1 meal per month

I will do that when it is available to comment. I've seen some pretty barbaric actions fishing wise this last year. I wonder how many of those cutts actually get eaten, and how many sit in the freezer for 5 years until the next cleaning.

Reactions: 1

blackbird

· #20 · Jun 14, 2017

Matt B said:
WDFW is one of a number of valuable partners working to save and restore what remains of the Lake Sammamish kokanee runs.
http://www.kingcounty.gov/services/...lmon-and-trout/kokanee/kokanee-workgroup.aspx
I-90 especially hammered the early run kokanee (now extinct) in Issaquah creek and continuing development in the LS basin and its associated hydrologic effects (stormwater) threaten the extant runs that use a few small creeks around the lake. Hopefully with the removal of the barrier at WDFW's Issaquah hatchery, kokanee can be restored to that stream.
Re. the cutthroat--
When winter fishing had to close on the local rivers several years back due to PS steelhead being ESA listed, pressure on LS cutthroat picked up noticeably.

I remember seeing salmon in issaquah creek 20 years ago
Anything specific other than development that ruined this
?
J

1 - 20 of 148 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.