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As I might have mentioned before, I moved to Sammamish from Chicago 7 years ago and have just this year begun to fish Lake Sammamish. On this day, my goal was to catch my first Lake Sammamish smallmouth. I've had great fun reading about how you regulars do it, and watching YouTube videos about it. On the water by 9ish probably, and was glad it was overcast, as I wanted to fish topwater. The spin & gurgle of the River2Sea Whopper Plopper would look really good to me if I were a brown bass.

First fish came on the 2nd cast. Dink largemouth from the weedbeds in front of the condo building just north of the launch. Ok, they can see it. I used the small size in the perch pattern BTW, and I didn't change lures until the sun finally came out around 2pm and killed the topwater bite. I ran it by docks and got bit. Probably had 6 fish and 6 misses, which are almost as fun because at least the fish shows itself even if it doesn't hook up. The real bite for me, though was over shallow weeds. Long casts were key because if I could see the weeds & the bottom, I'm sure the fish could see me.

Anyway, I got to check off my goal, and with the largemouths I added 2 more species to my Sammamish notebook.
Cutthroat Trout
Perch
Bullhead
Peamouth
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
Largemouth
Smallmouth

If I get a pike minnow next trip, does that complete the Sammamish Slam? Guess I need a Kokanee, too.

Rated the day a 4 because of the goal reached, not because I caught a hundred fish. I even snapped off my trolling motor, shifting from forwards to reverse (I'm so mad at Lake Union Sea Ray. They are SO incompetent at installations). Yep, snapped off and sank. If I hadn't grabbed the plug at the socket, I would have spent the rest of the day trying to snag a $1500 doorstop from the bottom of Lake Samm.

Oh, and this happened the next day:
At the first dock past the condo building, the one with the big yellow & blue water-tramp, I pulled up close the inflatable so the wind could push me back south while I fished the weeds & timber along that shore. Well, I must have looked like a giant inflatable water-tramp thief because here comes Mrs. Homeowner scurrying down the dock to, get this, start taking pictures of me on her phone! Then she plops down on the bench, I guess to keep an eye on me. Keep in mind A. I was there first. B. Her property line ends a few feet onto dry land (look it up on Zillow). C. Her dock extends 50ft out into public water, then there's a roped off "swim area" for another 15ft, and then there's her giant inflatable yellow water-tramp.D. I'm in an 18ft brand new center console Bayliner Element F18, not some 8ft rubber dingy with patches, and a pirate flag!

So I'm insulted. Technically, her dock and bouncy toy are sticking out into my lake by 80 feet. Do they pay extra taxes for that? It's water I'm apparently not allowed to fish. And now my photo is going to be posted... where exactly? For what crime?

So she's made her stand. I'm not welcome. Do I back out? Do I confront her? No, I dropped anchor and fished there for another 30 minutes. Didn't even make eye contact. She turned up the music wired to the dock speakers way louder than she needed to. I guess that was to scare the fish. Didn't scare me. She must have tired of the standoff because her daughter took her place after awhile. I didn't catch anything, so I pulled anchor after awhile, and went to troll the creek mouth. $2.98 million seems like a lot for a 3 Bedroom (Zillow), but maybe the bathrooms are fabulous. Love to fish that spot with a bunch of you guys sometime. She'd have a stroke!

P.S. Apologies to FishinFool for stealing your photo format. I'll develop my own style soon.

Amx

7/5/2017 7:44:59 PM

Interesting boat, should work great for Bass fishing.

Ya did great that day. Maybe I should fish that tube tomorrow. :-) ( I call the round ones 'donuts'. lol )

mizefish

7/6/2017 9:32:26 AM

Amx, yeah I know it's too much boat. For 10 years my hobby has been surfing CraigsList for used Lunds. Wanted to get a 14 footer, redo the wood on the benches and put in a floor & casting deck. I even surfed the old "beaters," the Crestliners and the Sears Gamefishers, with the idea of restoring them back to their former glory... a conversation starter at the launch, ya know? But we went to the Boat Show and my wife suggested something that she'd be comfortable in and that we could tug our teenage son & his friends around on a tube. I did NOT argue with her. Plus I've always thought the center console boats looked cool.

FishingFool

7/5/2017 7:50:40 PM

Nice going. Lol no worries. I had to do a double take on the photos, lol.

Those r2s lures work great, until u split the tail from wear and tear. :(

Ive yet to catch anything on my walking lures though. Maybe one of these days.

I will have to fish this specific dock later this week.

mizefish

7/6/2017 11:22:25 AM

FishingFool, I have a yardstick decal that I'm going to apply to a flat part of my boat, so that will become my photo fish photo format. But full disclosure... your rubber net inspired me to order my rubber replacement net bag for my net. Way heavier than the nylon nets, but easier on the fish and for untangling hooks. As for topwater lures, there won't be another cloud in the sky until September, and by 6am when the launch gates open the sun is already bright... I'm gonna break out the frogs and fish lily pads for the first time. Big summer of "firsts" for old Mizefish! Thanks to all of you for commenting. This board is fun and informative. Question: how do you guys fish bass on Samm. when it gets hot & sunny? Just docks? The snag field with big jigs? Is that area what you guys call the bass cove? And what is the FartHole? Sorry for all the newbie questions. CPR, boys.

Amx

7/6/2017 2:24:16 PM

Sun's up, I do a lot of dropshotting like I did today. Might do some pad fishing with a frog when I think of it. Any idea what day are you going next?

redroostertail

7/6/2017 12:00:03 AM

I guarantee I'll be spending some time at the end of that ladies dock. I'd like to know mam, did the house come as an accessory when you bought the lake?
I try to be respectful of people's privacy when bass fishing the docks and if they are using their dock I always go around to the next one. But when people come out just to try and shew you away, give me a break.99% of the people that live on that lake are great but every once in a while you'll run into a real beauty like that one.

mizefish

7/6/2017 11:42:54 AM

RedRoosterTail, that's the best line I've heard regarding the ownership of the lake, and believe me, I rehearsed hundreds of lines in my head while she was staring me down that day. I never fish a dock with people on it either. Hell, I don't fish a dock if the owners are in the yard or in the windows even! Just my preference. Rather concentrate on the bites than on human eyeballs. Hey, are any of you guys on the FishBrain app also? There's a Lake Samm basser on there with the handle IBbassinIt who seems pretty dialed in. Also, anyone noticed how empty the shelves are at Dick's fishing department? Guess they just wanna sell clothes like Cabela's & Bass Pro. Thank God for TackleWarehouse and eBay!

Oky777

7/6/2017 4:06:40 PM

There is no law that allows you to fish around docks, but there is no law that prohibits you from fishing there, provided you are fishing from a vessel, the vessel is not anchored, tied to shore, or otherwise trespassing. Lakefront owners may own the lake bed in front of their property (unless the lake is a "navigable water, " but that is a wholly different discussion), but they do not own the water column, nor the fish in it. Thus, while you may not trespass on the property (to wit, the bed of the lake), you can float in the water and fish. If you are legally fishing, and a property owner interferes with your fishing, the property owner is breaking the law. Obstructing the taking of fish, shellfish or wildlife, RCW 77.15.210, is a gross misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, a year in jail, or both.

mizefish

7/6/2017 5:33:48 PM

Thank you, Oky. You've done some serious research there! I especially like the last sentence. I might just copy that down and keep the text in my boat.

Amx

7/7/2017 5:18:49 AM

There IS a law that was passed just because of these people. The law includes the words 'can fish up to the normal high water mark'. The law INCLUDES and mentions specifically the lakes of Washington and Sammamish. I have a copy of that law in my boat. Had a discussion, friendly talk, with a dock owner, and he got educated-and he was a teacher, and then said that I was polite and so gave me permission to fish his dock, like I needed permission.

Bradabass

7/7/2017 2:19:27 PM

Thanks for your report! Also you forgot they got some big old carp in Sammamish, I've never caught one but it should still be on your list ??

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