Lake Samish??

[spenny1823]

Hello all,

Just wondering if anybody fishes this lake much for kokanee? A friend and myself were going to try it next week, but we are both newbies to kokanee fishing. Not looking for any gear info I believe I have that figured out, just really want to know if it is worth a drive to check it out. Any info would be great pm if you dont want to post on here.

Thanks!

[Mike Carey]

This is rseas's home waters. He may chime in. Good lake to fish with a nice population, but you'll have to deal with Whatcom County's invasive species fee and inspection.

[Idstud]

Yes make sure you get inspected which is 20$ before you go in the water or you will get a 1000$ fine. Look up the topo map I would try straight out from the launch and head north in a troll. Its deep is on the hwy side and as the lake shore turns theres a green is pump station thing on a dock type structure where I made my turn away from the shore and head back south. The next spot I like was up in the smaller lake its deep and I would go to the far west side and troll up and down the tree line its deep 150 ish range and the lower end in the 70ft range of depth. Purple,pink, green, and red. You might have better luck in the lower bigger end in shallower water. I hope that helps. I have only been there a handful of times and everything I learned was from Rseas you can look back on posts for the lake and get great info from him. Very knowledgeable and a big help in my success stories.

[rseas]

I just spent an hour on my phone doing a one-finger dance party and then hit the wrong button. Aparently they pulled my dance card and my efforts evaporated. I'll type out a reply on my computer in the morning...

[spenny1823]

Thanks for the info guys! Idstud, I thought that you just needed the AIS permit is that what you are talking about? Or do you need to get inspected every time you go to the lake? Looking forward to your post rseas...sorry about your dance card haha

[Idstud]

Thanks for the info guys! Idstud, I thought that you just needed the AIS permit is that what you are talking about? Or do you need to get inspected every time you go to the lake? Looking forward to your post rseas...sorry about your dance card haha

I know Rseas can shed more light on this. I know there is a Ais sticker you can get after a class and some training then you can be on the water before the inspectors arrive. If not its the big fine. You can pay 20$ for a 2 or 3 day inspection pass or 50$ for a year inspection pass even though you have the year pass and the sticker you still have to get inspected with the year pass there just unlimited. Theres a great write up in the Articles section about the lake and AIS on page 8.

[rseas]

OK, I am back. Well sort of anyway, I'm actually in Atlanta waiting on room service and hoping that I don't fall asleep before dinner arrives. That said; I apologize and I had planned to get this out before the weekend but my time management skills seem to be lacking lately.

I think that the original question was "whether or not anyone fishes Lake Samish for kokaneee much." I have to laugh, my first thought was "if they don't they should". But then I got to thinking about it and decided that many people may not know that the lake is open year round, has a healthy kokanee population and can produce limits all year. Idstud was right on in his overview and really the only thing I can add is; don't overlook the west shore of the big lake or the bottleneck. Most of my Lake Samish winter kokanee are found while working those areas.

Once you do locate the fish the challenge begins. During the winter fishery I change the gear up from my spring/summer offerings. I almost exclusivity run metallic dodgers followed by small home made spinners, typically a bronze or copper Colorado blade and beads.In the winter I tip the pointy end of things with meat, typically worm, maggots and the like. I also run a longer set back maybe as much as 40-60' or even 100'. Part of the reason for the longer set back off the DR clip is to chase meter marks. During the winter I am glued to the meter and will consistently rise or lower the riggers to a meter mark. My biggest advice is to stick with it and learn the lake. It is a sold, year round fishery that can produce kokanee limits any time you are able to splash the boat.

And if that is not enough the lake has a healthy population of perch. As mentioned earlier my eyes are glued to the meter when I fish Lake Samish for winter Kokanee. When the boat moves through a school of perch I make a mental note of the general location and as time permits I will hit those areas before I head in for the day. The tactic has produced many buckets of perch over the years. My standard perch gear is a light weight 6' spinning/reel combo, a 1/2-3/4 oz dart type jig with and a dropper loop tied about 15" above the jig.

Idstud mentioned the AIS inspection. I don't really have any new information but beginning 4/2014 most boats operating on Lake Samish require the AIS sticker and if the AIS station is open on a given day, inspection. The Whatcom county sheriff may have their boat on the lake on a given day and I have even been inspected by a Sheriff operating out of the trunk of his patrol car. The Whatcom County AIS program is what it is so just roll with it and get your AIS sticker. A positive byproduct of the program and the enhanced oversight is that in my opinion, the Lake Samish WDFW ramp is safer now. Good luck out there and go catch a box full of cold water kokanee.

[Duckworth195]

YES, the county requires a permit to put watercraft into the lake. Was a new fee implemented last year I believe.
Lk Samish is a beautiful lake, and WDFW greatly upgraded their boat launch for last year. That was the location for
the inspection / permit sales when I was there last.
The fee keeps me from using the lake.....I believe the fee for the permit last year was $ 50 for the year.
Not worth it to me, just to get on the lake.
You can launch and fish without the permit, but subject to citation from Sheriff if found on lake without the permit.

[Mike Carey]

And in a year or two that fee will extend to Baker Lake - and the Whatcom County Invasive Species Money Grab will be in full motion.

[Idstud]

And in a year or two that fee will extend to Baker Lake - and the Whatcom County Invasive Species Money Grab will be in full motion.

Let the fun begin. There sure no how to ruin a good fishery dont they.

[spenny1823]

We actually ended up not going at all because of that. If we were to fish the lake enough to make it worth it that's one thing. Unfortunately we probably won't =/

[Mike Carey]

I know, same here.