Well after my utter demoralizing defeat fishing lake Washington last Saturday and then seeing salmonbarry's great report I had to go hit it again, and I did today. Got to the Gene Coulon boat launch about 7:45 am. Headed straight for the line from the cedar river to Mercer Island. Launched the FishHawk TD down to the bottom to get a temp read. Water temp was 65 degrees all the way down to 40ft. Hit my happy zone of 52 degrees at 60ft so that's where I started.

Started off with a cooper/silver sling blade and a purple wiggle wart with a pink gulp maggot, nothing. Switched out to an orange herring bone sling blade with a small purple haze hoochie and a pink maggot, nothing. Switched out to a green UV sling blade and a pink kokabow lure (that was still in the package in my tackle box) with a pink maggot, got 1 quick hit and a miss then nothing. From there it was a green/orange wedding ring behind a silver/UV DD dodger, nothing. By this time it's 11:30am and I have been back and forth on the South and SW end of Mercer Island 3 times already. Now I'm thinking I should just fire up this gas guzzling 350ci V-8 engine and go see if there is any action North of the 520 going on. Figured I would eat my lunch first while still trolling then go North. As soon as I took a bite of my sandwich, boom! First fish is on. As I reel I can feel it's a salmon but at least the funk off the day. Released a very fresh looking female sockeye. Reset the gear and as I was lowering it to 65ft on the downrigger, 2nd fish is on. I thought the line had just popped out of the released until I saw the rod tip starting dipping. Pulled in a very nice chunky cutt. Figured the action was on right here so I spun around for another pass, nothing. Decided to stay in the S end and finish the day. Next fish was about an hour later. Had the downrigger at 70ft for awhile and decided to come up to 55ft since there were a few targets around 55ft. As soon as I started to raise the downrigger and line, fish on again. Another nice chunky cutt. All 3 fish were caught on the same setup and at the SW cornier of Mercer Island. Setup was a kokabow Osprey pink spinner lure behind a UV herringbone sling blade dodger and herring scent on the flasher, trolling about 1.6 to 2.0mph. That was it for the day. 2 cutts (kept) and 1 sockeye (released).

As the afternoon went on it started getting pretty windy so I called it a day at 3:30pm. It was blowing a steady 12 kts when I got off and the water was very choppy.

On a side note I had some (wont say it) in a 60ft+ yacht decide that passing about 20 yards beside me while he's putting out this huge wake would be just fine. I was looking the other way reeling in my rod when I finally heard him and by then it was too late. I threw the rod on the floor and tried to get to the wheel to turn into the wake. Didn't have enough time or speed. Everything in my 22ft 4500 pound fiberglass Bayliner Trophy that wasn't bolted down went flying! My boat was rocked like it has never been rocked before. Thought maybe it was going to tip on the 2nd roll. My cell phone that was laying on the dashboard flew out the open cabin window and luckily landed on a small 6 inch walkway that has a slight raised edge around the edge of the boat cabin. If that edge was not there my phone would have been 110ft underwater.

I find most fisherman understand on the lake and give you a fairly wide berth, I do. Don't get that courtesy much from others. Be safe out there gang. Thanks for the intel salmonbarry! -G

motley

9/27/2017 8:31:17 PM

That's happening more often to me too!! And I had a guy drive around me at the Merced island ramp when I was first in line ready to launch? Some people are in such a hurry....

redroostertail

9/27/2017 11:43:21 PM

I have grown up boating my whole life and have never seen worst boating etiquette than I do at the south end of lake WA. I think most those boats Come out of Park Shore Marina on the west side.. my pal and I got buzzed within 20' several times in one day by a bunch of those idiots, waving at us , totally clueless about the effect of their wake. You'd think the state would require a boater's license to operate a water vessel. Oh, wait a minute, they do!!!!

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