Thread: Lake Wa Report

Thanks for the heads up ajacobs. I always go to Linc's but sometimes he doesn't carry them until late April. I'll have to give him a call today and see what's up. I can order packs of 500 online for $5 so I may just do that if he's not stocking yet.


The thing is....I'm not sure (neither is the State) how many sturgeon are really in there. They used to head up Sammamish Slough from the Sound to spawn every year before the locks where built. The state figures that the reason only large fish are caught is becuase they were in the lake when the locks were built and became landlocked. Sounds reasonable to me but then again there's an older Native gentelmen that fishes for them all the time. I seen him at the launch one day and noticed the heavy rods he had onboard so I asked him what he was going out for. He claimed he has been fishing for them since the 60's.

There's no doubt about the channel cats and walleye in there. At least one 10lb cat was caught last summer in the Slough. I don't know if they have been illegaly stocked or what but there's some in there. The walleye have been in there for at least the last 8 years or so to my knowledge. I was able to get two of them out last year thanks to someone marking a few spots on my map for me to check out. I don't think the population is huge but it's fishable. The Juanita Bay area seems to hold the highest numbers. I'd be willing to bet that they head up the Slough to spawn if there's any gravel beds in it.

I just think most people head out there and focus on bass, trout or perch for the most part. If more guys starting searching out the other species of fish in that lake we'd learn more about it than the state ever could. They figure if they can't catch a fish in their nets are with the electro boats....they are not in there or they are not spawning in the lake. Hell, I've never heard the State mention the Tench population in there and there are a ton of those things in the lake. Same for the Warmouth and flounder in Lake Union.