by Bob Johansen, September 05, 2008

WITH MANY NORTHWEST LAKES NOW CONTAINING BOTH THE LARGEMOUTH AND THE SMALLMOUTH BLACK BASS, ANGLERS WHO HONE THEIR SKILLS CAN DOUBLE THEIR PISCATORIAL PLEASURES

Northwest bass anglers who become adept at catching both the largemouth and the smallmouth black bass can double their piscatorial pleasures on many northwest lakes. These two species, although quite similar, are also quite different in several ways. Both species can provide exciting bass fishing opportunities.

Because the largemouth is more adaptable and more tolerant of divergent habitants, he is found in far more northwest lakes than his hard fighting bronze back cousin. In the past few years, however, the smallmouth has been showing up in more and more northwest waters. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has planted the “small jaw” in several lakes and a few over zealous bass aficionados have joined the act by illegally planting a few others.

In today’s world of bass fishing, with anglers traveling all over the northwest (not to mention the nation) and skipping from lake to lake, it is time to become equally adept at putting both species into the livewell. Successful bass anglers need to recognize that the largemouth and the smallmouth prefer quite different types of habitats and each show preferences for lures that are different from the other. Both species are sometimes caught in the same area of a lake and both species are at times caught on identical lures but it is important for the successful bass angler to recognize the different preferences.

The smallmouth bass adapts nicely to many western waters. They prefer cleaner, cooler waters than their largemouth cousin and seem to lack any need for aquatic vegetation. They do well in moving water and flourish in clear water lakes and streams with steep sided drop-offs and rocky or gravel bottoms. Lately, however, they have been showing up in some quite stained lakes. Spanaway Lake and Black Lake are examples.

The rocky bottoms of these lakes and streams are a haven for the crawfish, one of the favorite foods of the smallmouth. Because of his fondness for these freshwater crustaceans, small crankbaits in the crawfish pattern are one of the most effective artificial lures when fishing for this somewhat finicky eater.

Modern crankbaits are so advanced in both color and form that they not only look like the real thing, but when fished right they almost act like the real thing. And, with the addition of some crawfish scent on these lures they probably even smell like the real thing. Crawfish range quite widely in coloration and so do the artificials. Try to select a color that most closely matches the real thing in the lake you are fishing. To be most effective, the crankbait should be bumping the bottom occasionally, kicking up little clouds of mud like a crawfish trying to escape.

The bronze back will also hit a wide variety of lures besides the crankbait. On still, flat water, surface lures like the floating Rapala minnow in the three and four-inch size can provoke smashing surface strikes. On clear water lakes, long casts are most effective. Once the bass sees you, he (she) becomes very difficult to entice into a strike.

Plastic lures like the 2 to 3 inch grub, fished on a 1/8 to 1/4 ounce lead head jig can be deadly when fished around private docks and rock piles. Many colors are effective but some of the best may be avocado, smoke and white. The fish also seem to like the flavored Berkley Power Grubs or grubs that have had a little fish attractant added. Small plastic worms in the four and five inch size are also effective lures. And, many a smallmouth has been fooled into striking small in-line spinners like the Mepps, Rooster Tails, or Blue Fox Vibrax. Lately, it seems like the drop shot rig has become the “go-to” lure for a lot of the Washington smallmouth anglers.

The largemouth bass has been endlessly transplanted because of its ability to tolerate a much wider difference of water quality and habitat type. Although they are often found in clear, cool lakes, they are also very much at home in murky, discolored water with lots of aquatic vegetation. Kitsap County’s Long Lake and Pierce County’s Bay Lake come to mind.

Some shallow, weedy lakes with gently sloping shorelines are excellent habitat for the largemouth bass. Washington’s Cowlitz County’s Silver Lake is a classic example. Considered by many anglers to be one of the best largemouth lakes in western Washington, this shallow, weedy lake with a maximum depth of only about 10 feet, has yielded many bass in the seven and eight pound class – and even a few that were larger.

Big largemouth bass are not particularly interested in small food items like insects. They eat some but much prefer larger, stomach filling offerings like a frog, baby duck, small fish, crawfish or sculpin. When you relate this to lures, think a little larger for largemouth and a little smaller for smallmouth. In general, the smallmouth seems to be a bit more selective in the variety of lures he will hit.

I have personally had the opportunity and privilege to fish most of the lakes and streams in Washington State that contain both the largemouth and smallmouth black bass. I will list a few of my favorites.

Lake Washington: This huge, 22,138 surface acre, clear water lake is located in the heart of the huge Seattle metropolitan area. Although it hosts both the largemouth and smallmouth, it is the bronze back that is now the most popular. It is amazing that this big, beautiful lake, in the back yard of nearly a million anglers, receives so little angling pressure. Bass anglers never feel crowded and never need to feel they must fish “used water.” It is quite possible to spend a day on the lake and never see another bass angler.

Fishing for largemouth is still fair to good at times. There are still several areas of shoreline with an abundance of pads and other aquatic vegetation that the lily pad lunkers prefer. This lake also provides very good angling opportunities for large rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and excellent fishing for jumbo perch in late summer and fall.

Public access to Lake Washington is excellent. Good boat launching ramps are located at Newport Shores, Gene Coulon Park, Stan Sayres Park and several other areas. Most now charge a launching fee. Food, gas, tackle and lodging are available in Seattle, Bellevue and Renton.

Lake Sammamish: This is another large clear water natural lake, located about 10 miles east of Seattle. This 4,897 surface lake is probably one of the best smallmouth lakes in Western Washington. It provides very good bass fishing during the spring, summer, and fall. Knowledgeable smallmouth anglers also catch a few deep-water fish during the winter. Summer anglers do well during early morning hours before this popular lake becomes a playground for water skiers, jet skiers, hot rodders and swimmers.

The lake also hosts largemouth bass but in recent years, much of the shoreline has been cleaned up by removing much of the largemouth habitat including old submerged logs and shoreline vegetation. Most bass anglers now target the smallmouth. Cutthroat trout, yellow perch and brown bullhead catfish are also present in this lake.

The best public access is Lake Sammamish State Park. Excellent concrete launch ramps and lots of parking for tow rigs and trailers are located on the lake’s N.E. shoreline. The park is for daytime use only and provides no camping facilities. Food, gas, fishing gear lodging and camping are available in nearby Issaquah.

Lake Whatcom: This 5,003 surface acre, clear water lake is located about 3 miles east of the town of Bellingham and in recent years is gaining the reputation as one of Western Washington’s premier smallmouth bass fisheries. Besides hosting a very good population of big smallmouth bass, Lake Whatcom also provides good opportunities for catching largemouth bass, kokanee, cutthroat and yellow perch.

The most popular fishing area is in the north end of the lake from Geneva Point north. The entire lake, however, all the way to the south end, provides good smallmouth angling opportunities for anglers willing to explore. Much of the shoreline of this beautiful lake is undeveloped and exploring for smallmouth and largemouth bass on a nice sunny spring day is a very pleasant task indeed. You will find fewer boats and more solitude as you explore from Geneva Point southward.

The fat, scrappy bronze backs main food supply in Lake Whatcom consists of crawdads, sculpin and small perch. Two, three and even four-pound fish are common and many fish in the five and six pound class are caught every year. Fortunately most of the Lake Whatcom bass anglers practice "hook and release” so many of the hard fighting fish live to provide thrills for more than just one angler.

Effective enticements for Lake Whatcom bass include crankbaits in the perch and crawdad patterns, a wide variety of plastic grubs and small black or white spinnerbaits. My personal best Lake Whatcom smallie hit a white, curly tail grub fished on a ¼ ounce lead head painted red. Floating minnow lures are very effective and provide some heart-pounding surface strikes.

The Donovan Access on the north end of the lake at Bloedel Park provides an excellent launch ramp and usually adequate parking space. The Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife public access at the south end of the lake was just adequate with limited parking space the last time I used it. Food, gas, fishing tackle and lodging are available in Bellingham. Camping is available at Larrabee State Park (360) 676-2093 located about 7 miles south of Bellingham on Samish Bay.

Eastern Washington also has many waters that can provide excellent smallmouth and largemouth bass angling opportunities. Among my many favorites are:

Banks Lake: Banks Lake is located in the northeastern part of Washington State between Grand Coulee on the north end and Coulee City on the south end. This 24,900 surface acre reservoir is a bass angler’s paradise. The lake provides ideal habitats for both the largemouth and smallmouth bass and very good populations of both largemouth and smallmouth are found in these waters. The reservoir also host populations of jumbo walleye, rainbow trout, yellow perch, crappie, lake white fish and brown bullhead catfish.

Banks Lake has several public access areas with good boat ramps and camping areas. On the north end of the huge reservoir, contact Coulee Playground Resort, (509) 633-2671. Steamboat State Park, (509) 633-1304, provides 26 standard camp sites and 100 utility sites with full hookups. The state park also provides a very good boat launching ramp and parking.

Potholes Reservoir: The Potholes Reservoir, located about 10 miles south of the town of Moses Lake in Grant County is also a great destination for the camping, boating bass angler. Created in 1947-1949 when the Bureau of Reclamation built the 19,00 foot long O’Sullivan Dam across Crab Creek, this 22,200 surface acre, at capacity, body of water is probably better known for it’s great largemouth fishing than it is for smallmouth angling.

Smallmouth, however, are present and can provide an exciting bass fishery. Some of the better places to try for the smallies are around the rocks near Goose Island and the rock rip-rap along the face of the dam. Small crankbaits and Berkley Power Grubs on 3/16 to ¼ ounce lead heads are among the favorite smallmouth enticements. Don’t be too surprised if you connect with a lunker largemouth or walleye when casting for the smallmouth. The reservoir also hosts good populations of large rainbow trout, yellow perch, crappie, and bluegill. I once hooked a 5 pound rainbow while fishing for perch.

Camping fishermen can find excellent camping facilities at the Potholes State Park, (509) 346-2759. For reservations, you can call 1-800-452-5687. The park provides 60 sites with full hookups on manicured lawns as well as 66 more rustic campsites without hookups. The park has modern restrooms with hot showers and a couple of very good concrete boat launching ramps.

The Mardon Resort (509) 346-2651, located on the south west end of O’Sullivan Dam, provides a nice place for camping with lots of nice shade trees. They also have a store with fishing tackle, ice, groceries and gas.

Palmer Lake: Located in a spectacularly beautiful settling on the north side of Grandview Mountain, in Okanogan County, Palmer Lake makes a nice destination for camping, boating bass anglers. This large, 2,063 surface lake plays host to a variety of fish species including the smallmouth and largemouth bass.

The smallmouth were stocked into the lake in the early 1980’s by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and is now considered by many as one of the best smallmouth fisheries in the state. The cool waters, at 1145 feet of elevation, and the rocky shoreline provide an almost ideal habitat for these fish. Small yellow perch, crappie, squawfish and bullhead catfish provide an abundant food supply.

This rather remote bass lake probably receives a lot less fishing pressure than most productive lakes. The big reason for this is that Palmer Lake is located so far away from any large metropolitan area. It is almost a full day’s trip from the Seattle or Portland area and of course another day for the return trip. The local anglers enjoy great fishing and for the most part they try to keep it a “local secret.”

Palmer Lake bass are aggressive fish and will hit a wide variety of lures. Small crankbaits in crawfish and perch patterns work well along the rock rip-rap and fast drop offs on the south end of the lake. Small, 1/8 ounce jigs worked off shore in 15-20 feet of water are also effective smallmouth enticements. Some of the best colors include motor oil, pumpkin pepper and smoke/silver flake. Both the largemouth and smallmouth will hit top water lures with reckless abandon. I once hooked a large, aggressive squawfish on a devils horse at Palmer Lake while fishing for bass.

There is a DNR campground located on the N.E. section of the lake. Food, fishing tackle, gas and lodging are available in Oroville or Tonasket.

Many other lakes in Washington State now host both the largemouth and the smallmouth black bass. Among my favorites on the east side of the state include Sprague Lake, Chapman Lake, Loon Lake, Osoyoos Lake, Soda Lake and Umatilla Lake. Umatilla Lake is an impoundment of the Columbia River. On the west side of the state, I have found good largemouth/smallmouth fishing at Lake Goodwin, Lake Sawyer, Lake Meridian, Black Lake and Spanaway.

For more information on the many fishing opportunities in Washington, I would suggest looking through Terry Rudnick’s excellent fishing guide titled, “Washington Fishing.” This book lists more than 1,000 fishing spots in the state of Washington. Terry not only provides volumes of information, but it is written in an easy to read, interesting style. I am proud to have provided a small amount of bass fishing information for this book.
And of course, for the most up to date information on lakes across the entire state check on line at “washingtonlakes,com”

Washington State Parks provide some very nice camping places around the state for the camping fisherman. For more information about the parks call 1-800-233-0321 or visit their web site at http://www.parks.wa.gov. Reservations may be made year-round for camping between April 1 and September 30. To make a reservation, call Reservations Northwest at 1-800-452-5687.

For the latest rule information, including seasons, lure restrictions, size limits and emergency changes call the WDFW fishing hotline at (360)902-2500.

By: Bob Johansen - 2008