fishing is terrible!

[ruthven78]

maybe the hard long winter had something to do with it?

[Derrick-k]

The river's have been good to me, even when i sleep in I still can head down to my secret creek and get at least two or three above 10 inches.
As for bass, haven't tried for them yet this year.

Here's a secret at my favorite lake a lot of fish have been fished out, its very slow right now, BUT as soon as I cast out with a wooly bugger and a couple split-shots I get a fish, every time. Get out to the lakes EARLY right after the sun rises and start fishing or fish right as the sun is going down.

[Trent Hale]

Has any one tried night fishing?
I haven't yet maybe this week end. The bite has slowed and there are thousands of fri bass in every lake I've been to.
So they may not bite that good in day light hours.
I have seen larger bass eating the fri!
Or has any one tried troling with a small repala?

[Fish Antics]

Or has any one tried trolling with a small repala?

No, but this morning I gave up on throwing a lot of gear at potential SM. I had some small fish following some of my tubes to the boat so I threw on a wooleybugger and trolled around to see what they were. Caught a perch right off the bat. Had the little guy swimming around on the surface while I was getting ready to release it . .and a really nice big 'ole brown SM came up from the depths and eye-balled that perch for breakfast! I thought about running a small rapala . . .

[The Quadfather]

I went to Offut yesterday morning and there were maybe 10 boats on the water fishing for bass. By 10am, about half of them had switched to trout and I only saw 2 trout landed (could have been more, that's all I saw). Just from talking with people no one was catching bass. I had a few hits but got skunked. First time there, so most of it was just checking the place out and looking for structure from the tube. Good day fishing, bad day catching hehe...

What color is your tube... I was there Sat. through today, Mond. I saw a guy in a tube.

[AaronE]

Has any one tried night fishing?
I haven't yet maybe this week end. The bite has slowed and there are thousands of fri bass in every lake I've been to.
So they may not bite that good in day light hours.
I have seen larger bass eating the fri!
Or has any one tried troling with a small repala?

I'm down for some night fishing, definitely. Been looking around for a good portable black light since my old one broke.

I threw a little of everything at Offut Sunday AM but wasn't getting much of anything. Small Rapalas (bass and trout pattern, 3"), Rattle Traps (silver, bass), cranks (Tiger/Perch 8-15' and red/white 15+'), plastic lizards, jig and trailer, spinners, etc. Got a few taps and that was about it.

The ends of the docks were loaded with bass fry but I didn't see anything going after them at all. The pads were full of fingerlings and perch and they thought they could eat my lizard hehe

[AaronE]

I went to Offut yesterday morning and there were maybe 10 boats on the water fishing for bass. By 10am, about half of them had switched to trout and I only saw 2 trout landed (could have been more, that's all I saw). Just from talking with people no one was catching bass. I had a few hits but got skunked. First time there, so most of it was just checking the place out and looking for structure from the tube. Good day fishing, bad day catching hehe...

What color is your tube... I was there Sat. through today, Mond. I saw a guy in a tube.

Yellow Togiak. I was wearing a white t-shirt and a grey CAT baseball cap, got there about 7am and left about 1pm.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, that was a yellow tube I was looking at. I remember because I hadn't seen to many yellow ones before. Funny thing when you are out in the bush, and there are folks right under your nose whom you've chatted with online.
My daughter caught just one rainbow trolling a wedding ring. Yes, we saw tons of bass fingerlings off the dock also.

[fishaholictaz]

Yeah, that was a yellow tube I was looking at. I remember because I hadn't seen to many yellow ones before. Funny thing when you are out in the bush, and there are folks right under your nose whom you've chatted with online.
My daughter caught just one rainbow trolling a wedding ring. Yes, we saw tons of bass fingerlings off the dock also.

We could have done better if we weren't fishing in the heat of the day. Great time though!!

BTW there where about 15-20 crawdads in the trap this morning:cheers:

[George Anderson]

The river's have been good to me, even when i sleep in I still can head down to my secret creek and get at least two or three above 10 inches.
As for bass, haven't tried for them yet this year.

Here's a secret at my favorite lake a lot of fish have been fished out, its very slow right now, BUT as soon as I cast out with a wooly bugger and a couple split-shots I get a fish, every time. Get out to the lakes EARLY right after the sun rises and start fishing or fish right as the sun is going down.

Amen to the Wooly bugger down deep. Lately, that's the only thing that I have been getting any action on in Cottage Lake.

I've also tried fishing late, until about 10pm, hoping it had cooled off enough, but didn't do much good. I think the early morning must be better.

I had the kids out on Pine lake Sunday afternoon and trolled four lines with every lure/worm/rooster tail/wedding ring/worm/etc. in the tackle box. The most excitement we had was when one of the kids snagged on a short rope tied to an old clorox bottle filled with cement on the bottom of the lake. Boy that was tough to haul in. Left it up on the shore if anyone needs an anchor.

[AaronE]

Yeah, that was a yellow tube I was looking at. I remember because I hadn't seen to many yellow ones before. Funny thing when you are out in the bush, and there are folks right under your nose whom you've chatted with online.
My daughter caught just one rainbow trolling a wedding ring. Yes, we saw tons of bass fingerlings off the dock also.

We could have done better if we weren't fishing in the heat of the day. Great time though!!

BTW there where about 15-20 crawdads in the trap this morning:cheers:

I threw a 4" pumpkinseed and orange craw, too, got a few follows but nothing grabbed on. With all the rocks along the shoreline I bet the bass there are eating crawdads like a Louisiana buffet.

[BassinBomber]

Think I'll p/u some Crawdads at Cabelas in Lacey on my way to Battleground,..thanks Aaron!

[topdawg47]

I think a lot of anglers are having problems catching fish this season. I know I am. I went out yesterday and didn't even have a bite in spots I usually come away with something. I lost my crankbait and Carolina Rig tho... Good luck

[sickbayer]

i havent even fished since May as i had rotory cuff surgery...

[christopherbeebe]

The novelty of being out in a boat at night under the stars may just help get him out there. How old is your son? find something else fun for them to do like driving the boat or swimming, just make it fun.

that would be great unfortunetly i have no boat. maybe thats why fishing seems to be crappy cause i only can fish from the shore. he was interested in fishing i started him out when he was about 2 he is now 11 its just he gets so discouraged when he don't even get a bite and these lakes here in king county are almost unfishable cause they are all surrounded by houses and in order to fish them u almost need a boat, otherwise you are stuck trying to share a small shore with swimmmers, dogs, and millions of kids. well i guess i'll keep trying thanx

[sickbayer]

Or has any one tried trolling with a small repala?

No, but this morning I gave up on throwing a lot of gear at potential SM. I had some small fish following some of my tubes to the boat so I threw on a wooleybugger and trolled around to see what they were. Caught a perch right off the bat. Had the little guy swimming around on the surface while I was getting ready to release it . .and a really nice big 'ole brown SM came up from the depths and eye-balled that perch for breakfast! I thought about running a small rapala . . .

This has happened to me twice but with cutts on the line and a bigger one can up and took big bites at it. i often troll with rapalas, although you best go slow if you use the jointed ones. i do prefer spoons with no flasher. However this year i ended up using wedding rings with flashers and they have been great.