lake washington perch fishing
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lake washington perch fishing
looking for a little advice ....heading up to lake washington saturday morning for perch fishing and site seeing ...wondewring were to launch ..and some fishing spots ..
RE:lake washington perch fishing
Don't launch at Coulon unless you feel like dropping $20 to put your boat in the water. I'd use Stan Sayers or the Mercer Island launch. Google them for maps and directions. Both are inexpensive and will put you in a more centralized section of the lake. As for where to fish, find a point or a bay and fish the outer edge of the weed line, which should be between 14' and 18' of water. If you don't hook fish in 10 minutes move and repeat till you find them. Chumming is legal so once you land a fish use it for bait and chum! One last bit of advice, get there early and avoid the launch crowd!
RE:lake washington perch fishing
Good advice G!
I launch in the Slough in Kenmore as it's free with a vehicle use permit, but you'll need to get there early to avoid the crowd as you will pretty much anywhere. There isn't much parking, but usually not a problem if you get there early.
Theres pretty good fishing around Magnuson (which you can launch there too, but I don't know how much they are charging now)
Like G said, fish the edge of weeds, if you don't catch any, move.
As for rigging, I usually do:
egg sinker (sliding) - snap swivel - short (12"-14") leader to size 10 or 8 bait holder hook
I use worms on that set up. (red wigglers work better than nightcrawlers, but if you have to use nightcrawlers, just use small chunks, not the whole thing. You can also cut up little perch and use perch fillets that work great for bait as well)
I also have had good luck with small white plastic grub jigs on small jig heads (enough weight to get it down to the bottom)
With both set ups, drop it all the way down to the bottom, and reel up once or twice so you're fishing JUST off the bottom.
These methods will work pretty much anywhere on the lake. I personally fish I broader depth range than G, I fish anywhere from 20'-10' this time of year. Keep in mind if you want to fish them later, or earlier, they do go deep as the water cools off.
Me and my grandpa use to catch hundreds of perch a year like this, and I still do! Some of the most fun action filled fishing you can get, and you can catch 100-200 fish in a day easy with two or three people.
Make great fish fry.
Hope some of that helps!!! Good luck and make sure you keep us updated!
I launch in the Slough in Kenmore as it's free with a vehicle use permit, but you'll need to get there early to avoid the crowd as you will pretty much anywhere. There isn't much parking, but usually not a problem if you get there early.
Theres pretty good fishing around Magnuson (which you can launch there too, but I don't know how much they are charging now)
Like G said, fish the edge of weeds, if you don't catch any, move.
As for rigging, I usually do:
egg sinker (sliding) - snap swivel - short (12"-14") leader to size 10 or 8 bait holder hook
I use worms on that set up. (red wigglers work better than nightcrawlers, but if you have to use nightcrawlers, just use small chunks, not the whole thing. You can also cut up little perch and use perch fillets that work great for bait as well)
I also have had good luck with small white plastic grub jigs on small jig heads (enough weight to get it down to the bottom)
With both set ups, drop it all the way down to the bottom, and reel up once or twice so you're fishing JUST off the bottom.
These methods will work pretty much anywhere on the lake. I personally fish I broader depth range than G, I fish anywhere from 20'-10' this time of year. Keep in mind if you want to fish them later, or earlier, they do go deep as the water cools off.
Me and my grandpa use to catch hundreds of perch a year like this, and I still do! Some of the most fun action filled fishing you can get, and you can catch 100-200 fish in a day easy with two or three people.
Make great fish fry.
Hope some of that helps!!! Good luck and make sure you keep us updated!
Fish Like A Girl
RE:lake washington perch fishing
Newport Shores has a ramp, costs 11 bucks to launch. Better dock and ramp than mercer, but the parking is not very open compared to the Mercer island. Check out the site http://www.ci.bellevue.wa.us/se_40th_boat_launch.htm
As for catching fish, just need to have a worm on the bottom of the lake, don't try using bobbers. The standard drop shot rig used for bass fishing with half a night crawler does the trick for perch fishing. You'll run into a lot of little ones. Early morning or late evenings are better for the larger ones, look for any point on the lake and fish 20 to 25 ft deep.
As for catching fish, just need to have a worm on the bottom of the lake, don't try using bobbers. The standard drop shot rig used for bass fishing with half a night crawler does the trick for perch fishing. You'll run into a lot of little ones. Early morning or late evenings are better for the larger ones, look for any point on the lake and fish 20 to 25 ft deep.
Last edited by Anonymous on Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
RE:lake washington perch fishing
Is that the fee to fish on weekends? I have only fished weekdays and it was only 8$ at the pay box.G-Man wrote:Don't launch at Coulon unless you feel like dropping $20 to put your boat in the water.
"When I grow up I want to be,
One of the harvesters of the sea.
I think before my days are done,
I want to be a fisherman."
One of the harvesters of the sea.
I think before my days are done,
I want to be a fisherman."
RE:lake washington perch fishing
thanks for all the great advice any chance the mercer island lauch parking lot will be full at 7 am saturday morning ... thanks in advance patrick
RE:lake washington perch fishing
Matt, I re-checked their web site and the fees are still listed as $10 for residents and $20 for non-residents of Renton 7 days a week. If it has changed that would be great news! The launch and public marina is by far the best on the lake.
The only time a boat launch lot will be full at 7 am on a Saturday is if the lake is open for Sockeye or it is a SeaFair weekend. You should have no troubles finding parking at that hour.
The only time a boat launch lot will be full at 7 am on a Saturday is if the lake is open for Sockeye or it is a SeaFair weekend. You should have no troubles finding parking at that hour.