Anyone know if its going to be open this year?

if i remember correctly it opened about the 15th probably won't know for a little while longer, doug

I recall last year they were in thick around the 1st of October

8 ft your e-mail is blocked have some news

Sent ya an email Doug

Sent an email off to WDFW to see if LK. Wash. Coho were going to be open this year.

Please post whatever you find out. I'm getting anxious... They had announced it already by this time last year.

If I recall, they were biting on red/tiger plugs as well as a sockeye setup, but with green yarn/pipe cleaner and a bit of scent.

For those who had good fortune. I'd be interested in hearing what you had success with.

WED, OCT 3rd, 2001


Lake Washington opens for coho salmon fishing

A stronger-than-expected return of coho salmon to the Lake Washington system will allow for a recreational fishery for coho in the northern portion of the lake beginning Thursday, Oct. 4, through Oct. 31, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today.

More than 30,000 coho have cleared the fish ladders at the Army Corps of Engineers' Chittenden Locks in Ballard, leading fisheries managers to open Lake Washington to coho fishing for the second year in a row.

In the fishery that begins Thursday, anglers can take two coho per day with a minimum length of 12 inches. Only the portion of Lake Washington north of the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge (State Route 520) will be open to coho fishing, except within 100 yards of the bridge. All chinook and sockeye salmon must be released unharmed.

"Closing the southern half of Lake Washington helps protect wild chinook returning to the Cedar River, and the majority of the returning coho are concentrated in the north end of the lake," said Chuck Phillips, WDFW regional fish program manager.

"The extensive surveys that we've done of the spawning grounds in Bear Creek indicate that many chinook have already migrated from Lake Washington into northern tributaries to spawn," he said.

Puget Sound chinook, including those spawning in the Lake Washington system, are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.

For more information on fishing rules and license requirements, check the WDFW's 2001/2002 Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet.

Thanks 8 Foot, but now what do I do? We just came back from Edmonds today and limited by 10am. It was pretty darn good fishing. Maybe I'll try next Wednesday on Lake Washington. Too many tough decisions!

I was at the Issaquah Salmon hatchery...Nothing but Kings...Big Kings!

US Army Corps. says 30,000+ Coho have entered Lake Washington.

That means all those fish are sitting somewhere. I know where!

All the Edmonds fish your still limmiting on are destined for either Edmonds , Issaquah or the Green. I'm betn most of those fish are Issaquah fish headed for LK. WA.

Anyway I will let you know how it goes.

8 ft, are they holding same place as last year? going out on friday will let you know, but if you know something differant please let me know? thanks doug

Fished Yarrow Bay in Kirkland out on Lake Washington this afternoon. Got out on the water at 4:30 and had a limit shortly thereafter. My boat took #17,#14,#12 & #12.

There were 9 other boats present. 1 other boat had 2 fish, that was all.

8 foot, Come on my man, Please,please please give us a little info on what you fish with!!
I personally have never fished for silvers in the lake and I'm clueless on what to use.
I live in Yarrow Bay and plan on fishing Sunday. A little help? (please!)You can e-mail me @ craigh@sellen.com.

Golly Gee 8 foot, why not share your technique, those fish we don't get are just going to end up in the Muckleshoot nets anyway??? You could be our hero, a modern day 'Custer'. (no that would'nt be good he screwed up)

Sorry Periwink

My bad, should have posted right away what I was using.

Steelie wiggle-warts w/extra wide lip for deep diving and depth control tabs in tiger brown, flame orange and yellow fished off the rigger apprx 15 ft above the fish. Oh yeah with a rattle.

Not sure if they still produce that model with the depth control tabs, but it sure helps to have the tabs to control lure action. Lure action is the key. Gotta piss em off to produce strikes!

Theres also a trolling technique that applies to Silvers. It requires constant attention to the depth finder. The way you trigger Silvers to strike is the direction you troll through their schools. Not the right direction and all your doing is enjoying the afternoon out on the water. Troll the right way and its Fish on!

My trolling technique on silvers is based on my river techniques. Troll through shallow areas where fish are holding, lure them into deeper water by speeding up the troll ( Silvers like to follow fast objects, now whether they bite thats a different story), then slow down once your in deeper water so your lure is wobbling deadly slow. Usually you'll entice a strike then, if not speed up again, and make sure your drag is loose because Silvers can hit hard when they see what appeared to be an injured bait try to haul arse away.

In Yarrow bay if you have a good fish finder you'll know right away if you pay attention to it where to fish. Theres a few drop offs in the bay that have deep channels, troll over the shallow areas into the deep channels. The silvers are holding along the top of those drop offs.

This year the silvers are BIG! I suggest you come prepared with some stout line.

Goodluck and FISH-ON!!!

8 Foot, I think I got you mixed up with Steelhead Slayer from last year's posts (unless you're the same). Anyway, after hearing about the train fuel spill over in Edmonds, I guess I'll be out on Lake Washington tommorrow. Thanks for the trolling tips. I plan on throwing my various plugs at them and seeing what happens. Sounds like the fish are awesume this year.

Yes I am the same person a.k.a. Steelheadslayer

Fished Lk Wa this morning and yesterday morning for about 1 1/2 hrs each day. I had to go to work, otherwise I would have been there a lot longer.

Yesterday was very nice. The news hadn't traveled far yet and it was only me and about half a dozen other boats. The jiggers ruled yesterday. Myself and the other trollers landed a few fish but the folks jigging were catching them hand over fist. Lots of snags though... I came home with a nice bright #9 hen. Caught on a sockeye setup at 65 feet, 20 feet behind the clip.

Today the fishing was much slower in the morning and there was also about 10x as many boats. Mostly trollers and I'd have to say that they were doing better than the folks jigging(avg. fish per person). I had big fat daddy break my line at the boat. I had some abrasions on my mainline, presumeably from the downrigger cable. Bit of bummer really... Re-tied, got back in the water, but everything went quite for everyone for quite some time. Switched from a sockeye setup to a red tiger wiggle wart. I hadn't been in the water more than 2 mins and BAM!, fish on. Landed #8 buck, packed up, went home, and went to work.

I'm really looking forward to the mahem this weekend. Not! Anyway, see you all out there. Good Luck!

Yes I witnessed folks sitting anchored ontop of where the fish were stacked and they were snagging them with buzz bombs. Too bad!

Went out again this morning for a couple hours. Lot's of boats... I'd have to say that the fishing is getting progresively slower with the increased pressure. I guess those fish can only take so much of the canon ball assault. I probably saw less than 10 fish caught for at least 50 boats. The most succesful setup I saw was a green hot-spot flasher with what appeared to be a green coyote spoon (but probably not, it had a funny bend to it).

It was a bit more difficult keeping the line clean today. The winds brought in a bunch of milfoil that seemed to concentrate more of the tip of Yarrow pt. Between the points it was much better.

I didn't catch any coho, but I did get a nice sized rainbow at 60 ft in 80 ft of water. Released him though as it was foul hook.

Anyone else have any luck this morning?