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Summit Lake Report
Thurston County, WA

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06/06/2016
86° - 90°
Trolling
Kokanee
Corn
Green
Sunny
Dodger
Afternoon
61° - 65°
06/06/2016
4
2493

Well the boy's wanted to hit up Summit lake today for some good times fishing. We arrived around 11 am and got set up with four rods on the DR and one long line. We fished for 15 min with no bites and were marking fish. I decided to start fishing with corn and some dipping sauce and that did the trick. Took 5 min and it was fish on. We repeated this for about an hour and no kokes at all. Nice RB but really wanted some kokes.

Headed to the other side of the lake where we had some luck in the past and whammo first koke in the boat. Small but fat, reset the gear and my son rod goes off and another nice 13" in the box. Headed up lake a bit and found more schools willing to play. My son was knocking them dead on the Wanna fish a lure Patriot and I was using the orange squidder from Mack's lures. He was also using a green wedding ring not sure who's but the RB trout killed that thing today. My other son long line got one fish today and he was happy. Now every time I gave him my rod with a fish on or his brother handed him the rod he would loose the fish, long release or right at the boat. Watched some nice size kokes swim away.....sob. But he is 27 and not really into fishing to much but he wanted to fish so kept giving him the rods and he got the hang of it and landed the best Koke of the day!! We all came home with limits leaving the lake at 2:30.

Now these fish have got major and I mean MAJOR lice....does anyone know why or what is going on? Some RB were bad and the kokes had them think in the gills and the fin area. Kinda ugly for sure. I am sure there safe to eat but these fish are going to die as there gills are mush...

Tight lines,
Eric


Comments

Toni
6/6/2016 8:37:00 PM
Thanks for the report Eric. Those things, copepods, don't harm the meat. But if infected to bad they will affect the health of the fish. So I have been told.
Hunter757
6/6/2016 8:42:00 PM
That is the name of them...was looking online at fresh water lice. The problem is the gills are mush and dull red. There gills are full and some had bad blotches on the side of them. One thing to note is half the kokes today were female with eggs and all had the adipose fin. They were running from 35 to 65 ft deep today.
Rocketvet
6/7/2016 1:55:00 AM
I fished there twice last week and commented on the copepods too. I saw no lesions in the meat. Still a bit unsettling to catch and keep fish with parasites though. Bummer cause the Kokanee are definitely bigger and more prevalent than last year. Some of the rainbows caught were just flat nasty.
Bob R
6/7/2016 9:43:00 AM
I've fished this lake for just about 40 years, we used to be able to fish without copepods until 4th of July, last 8 years or so it has moved up to 1st of June. Keeps it only a month after opening day for us type deal now, prob. will only get worse. After all, no such thing as climate change.Local bulb farm has never had such an early bloom, by 3 weeks . Deeper trout tend to be in better shape sometimes although the kokes have different parasites on gills. Don't remember the name, maybe another member can supply? Bob R
Hunter757
6/7/2016 10:28:00 AM
So the copepods are on the fishes body and there is something else on the gills of the kokanee then? They look like small white pills. They are nasty but not as nasty as some of the trout body slime. Yes the deeper fish seem to be in better shape but I would a manage that it will only get worse. The kokes are very nice this year and fat football with great shape to them. Still a very nice lake to fish even when others come out to play. Will be back for sure.
the doc'
6/7/2016 3:20:00 PM
i began my koke catching on this lake, about 1978. The copods were present then. The are cyclic. Some years not so bad.Others,worse. Takes the life out of the fish. When i first saw them, thought, wow. freshwater seal lice. They dont harm us, as toni stated. nothing can be done. other than nuking the lake. which, may bear some consideration. However, its also the homes water supply, so i think this would be out, unless their filtration system, would handle it, or the substance used, would go inert, in short order. Maybe our freinds at monsanto could help. lol. what i would like the dept to do, is to triploid the kokes. may be the only way to get added size out of them.
Bob R
6/8/2016 8:27:00 AM
I've NEVER heard of anyone raising triploid Kokes. Point me somewhere to find info on this. Bob R
Hunter757
6/8/2016 8:38:00 AM
Doc, I don't think the town wants to drain and let it dry out for the summer is my understanding the only way to get rid of the issues. But the next stocking that WDFW stocks with fish that have them well round and round we go right. As for larger kokes I agree with you but its up to the lake and what it can support. Stocking less fish might work but then less for us to take, or cut back on the amount we can harvest and let them grow but again it's what the lake can grow. This is the largest I have seen in from Summit but I have only fished it a few years, you would have a better idea on size in the past? Never the less this lake is fantastic and only dream of owning a home on the water would be a great retirement place in my eyes.
Bob R
6/9/2016 6:00:00 AM
In over 35 years of fishing Summit (and other local lakes) I can tell you the biggest kokes I have seen from Summit have been about 12 to 13 inches, but that was 30 years ago. Infestations of copepods was not as bad but still an issue. I have seen triploids planted in other local lakes but not Summit. As far as triploid kokes, it doesn't happen. Bob R
Why2Fish
6/9/2016 10:33:00 PM
Bob R, the Spokane tribe has been triploiding kokanee for Roosevelt since 2014
Toni
6/10/2016 7:33:00 AM
WDFW planted triploid kokanee in Lake Cavanaugh in Sept. 28, 2015 to see "Ad clipped for triploid growth comparison to natural production in
lake". WDFW doesn't grow triploids they usually purchase them. BobR: " To date, managers have established a successful Rainbow Trout tribal subsistence and recreational fishery. However, the establishment of a kokanee fishery has been meet with difficulty. Studies have found that resident kokanee are impacted by entrainment (loss over the dam), predation (by introduced Walleye and Smallmouth Bass), and early maturation. Early maturation is detrimental, as kokanee are semlaparous (die after spawning). To improve the strength of the kokanee fishery, the LRAPP will begin the culture and release of triploid kokanee in 2014. The triploid fish are expected to not initiate spawning runs and better resist entrainment and predation, therefore better contributing to the tribal subsistence and recreational fishery" http://www.spokanetribe.com/dnr-lake-roosevelt-fisheries-evaluation-program
Toni
6/10/2016 7:33:00 AM
WDFW planted triploid kokanee in Lake Cavanaugh in Sept. 28, 2015 to see "Ad clipped for triploid growth comparison to natural production in
lake". WDFW doesn't grow triploids they usually purchase them. BobR: " To date, managers have established a successful Rainbow Trout tribal subsistence and recreational fishery. However, the establishment of a kokanee fishery has been meet with difficulty. Studies have found that resident kokanee are impacted by entrainment (loss over the dam), predation (by introduced Walleye and Smallmouth Bass), and early maturation. Early maturation is detrimental, as kokanee are semlaparous (die after spawning). To improve the strength of the kokanee fishery, the LRAPP will begin the culture and release of triploid kokanee in 2014. The triploid fish are expected to not initiate spawning runs and better resist entrainment and predation, therefore better contributing to the tribal subsistence and recreational fishery" http://www.spokanetribe.com/dnr-lake-roosevelt-fisheries-evaluation-program
Hunter757
6/10/2016 8:36:00 AM
I think we need some of the fish that Idaho put into the Roosevelt water system they are beast!! I know they have the right food and stars are aligned but still have to admit those are some great jeans. Not sure if those are triploids or not? Great information Toni thank you.
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Available Guide

Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service

Phone: (509) 687-0709