Do you have a way to filet these buggers so you don't wind up with a bone in your throat? Northern fried up on the stove top have a ton of bones but they are really tasty!

I understand lake Fenwick is full of carp. I was once out there and had my Helix 5. There were massive amounts of large fish on the finder. But it does not tell the species. I thought the lake had trout and I was getting frustrated in that I through in every thing and the kitchen sink to no avail. When I was pulling my boat back on it's trailer I got to talking with another fishing junky there. He said the lake was full of carp! I recently came across opinions on cleaning and cooking carp. I am not much for the idea but I will eventually try it. So the idea is to go back there some day, land one. If it is that part of the spring where the cottonwood is plenty that might be the right time. Thanks for the tip.

I looked up blue fish on line. It looks to be quite a fish and probably tastes excellent as well. I don't live in MN any more and that's where I caught Northern's. I also nailed a carp on a fly. I was setting on the bank of the Mississippi just downstream of a large moored boat and I noticed corn kernels floating downstream. Then I noticed carp actually rising up and taking those kernels. I've never seen carp rise before that or since. Well I beat feet back to my home, got the tying kit out and made me up a fly. Just a yellow chenille ball, no hackle. #10 or 13 hook I think.
I raced back to the bank and used my old Fenwick to put that little yellow ball right off the stern of that boat and let it float down just naturally. That old carp just sipped it up like dinner is served. But it brought on heart burn for him quickly! It took a fair amount of time and fight to get him to the bank. Unfortunately for carp, Minnesota's laws say "if you land a carp, you need to take it home or put it in a trash can" and I don't eat carp but it was the last kernel he ate.
Good fishing to you!

I learned back in Minnesota that Northern's were in many Lakes there, fun to catch but a pain in the neck to eat (tasty though!) I found a very interesting way to catch them. I tied up a fly sort of like a Micky fin. To start with I wrapped a streamer hook with a chunk of stainless wire so that it came through the eye and put an extended eyelet about 6" up to eventually tie to the tippet. That was to keep the toothy critter from cutting it and not weigh so much as to impede the cast. Them I used white and red for the colors. This fly is basically a simple streamer with silver tinsel wrapped body, long red deer hair on the sides flanking a white dear hair along the top. This seemed to drive these underwater cats crazy. And I gotta say there is nothing like a Northern on a fly rod!

I was going to categorize these but now I realize that the answers just categorize themselves. Thanks sow the great response!

I would like to start a thread forming a data base, stating when and where the salmon is this year with respect to the rivers. This list should cover any river coming from the Puget Sound.
Please share your info as an answer to this post if you are seeing the pinks or any other species of salmon heading up the rivers.
It would be great if you listed date, river and species.
I intend to cut and paste your posts on this site. I believe each time I post it, hopefully it should float to the top.
This might be a convenient tool for all of us.
Thanks in advance.

This is interesting news. I was thinking of taking a small boat out there at the beginning of next week. (1st week in Oct) These Pinks must not be too deep if they are using spoons and such, hand cranking from shore. I was thinking on a calm day (the boats only 12') And trolling spoons and some lures without much or any weight. I can probably get the boat down to about 2 MPH for trolling. Any suggestions? Or would this be a waist of time?

I do see where there are drinking water bodies and agree that not only motors should be prohibited but humans swimming as well, which from my research is just the way it is.

I wrote KC and there reply was admirable. We need to group together as fishing enthusiasts and suggest items to this department. This might help unscrambling rules that need to be clear.

If you would like to contact them with ideas on how they can improve their service, read the post. The guy I am speaking to is asking for our suggestions.

"Chris.Knutson@kingcounty.gov

Timothy,

My team manages that web page with the table of lake info, so I’ll pass on your suggestion to the folks who are working on it. We’re currently working to edit and improve our web pages, especially how they link to each other and how people navigate through them. This is a helpful suggestion – good to know that people are finding the table, but not the FAQ page!



If you’d be willing to help us out a little further, what search engine and search terms did you use trying to find this information? We’d like to make sure our lake pages come up in the searches people are actually using. The FAQ page is the first google result for “king county lake gas engine”, for example – and we can tweak some things behind the scenes so it shows up well in other searches, too.



Best,

Daniel"

I had to contact King County (KC) to see where they put the list of lakes not allowing motors on particular lakes. Here is the link; https://kingcounty.gov/services/environment/water-and-land/lakes/facts.aspx.
Then also I found where KC in another place posted all lakes in KC: https://kingcounty.gov/services/environment/water-and-land/lakes/lakes-of-king-county.aspx. In that list there is no mention of motors but it dose include boat launches, fish stocking and other items. I wrote the county to find out why these two lists are not combined?
I am awaiting an answer, which I will post here. Perhaps we the people could lead them to some common sense in listing instead of this piecemeal approach if a group of us start asking?
I'm not totally convinced of this but am hoping that if I start feeding info here, others might join and the combined voices get KC on the proper path.
Let's see if this bobber starts to indicate a strike?

Put American Lake King Co in the search engine. This come up with the WDFW report on the lake. It says; American Lake is open year-round and offers good harvest opportunities for stocked rainbow trout and kokanee. The lake also supports naturally reproducing populations of yellow perch, brown bullhead catfish, rock bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and coastal cutthroat. American Lake has some of the better yellow perch fishing in the Pierce County area.

WDFW boat ramp has a two-lane concrete plank ramp and vault toilets, while two county parks provide access, bank fishing and toilets. Private and military resort facilities are also available.

Seems there is a boat ramp but the question is what kind of boat? Seem like a pontoon would not have too much draft but the real concern is will you get a citation for just having a motor hanging off it?

Dozer, With pictures; very slick! So are you saying that there are no accoutrements to this rig; just rod and reel? No Down rigger? You must go slow for it to get down there? I also am one of those guys who's compulsion is to make it all myself if possible. Only I do it a bit different as my lures usually drive the fish away! Well, a bite once and a while is quite wonderful.

Senior Chief,
As a fellow veteran of the Never Again Volunteer Yourself club (and damn proud of it!) I salute to you with respect, welcome and thanks for your service! But I must ad, I'm glad you didn't make CWO, as how can a guy genuflect in a blog? : )

Thanks Papa D. In fact I am going towards using a Kayak for my main fishing. If it works out I should be able to fish many more waters here is Washington State. They a big on "no gas motors allowed" I some years back obtained an older fiberglass K2 that I am in the process of modifying. It will allow me to sit up and stand as well as sit down in the boat for faster traversing. I've pontoons set out so it has a 55" beam when expanded and collapsible to sister against the stern of the hull. This is an old style Kayak, 17' in length.
So if I'm reading you correctly you simply have a cable down to a weight with some sort of quick release clip on it and probably a rod holder?

Great answers to take into consideration. Do you guys agree that a hot pink type lure would work best or is there another color?

Angle lake is not to far. It does have a population of Kokanee. I have a small boat and a Helix 5 fish finder but no down riggers. I've been reading up on these fish to see what techniques are used. I would rather figure out a way to use existing gear then purchase new stuff with the aim of a new quarry. I would appreciate any suggestions as to locals how to bag Kokanee without a down rigger. I know they school and bite out of territorial aggressiveness rather then to eat. So my proposal is to search using the Helix rather than troll. And when I find a school to use very bright jig like lures to piss them off into biting. I know I' can tie up a jig that would be too much and scare them. And also that they go after bright pink (?)
I saw these fish before on my Helix and it shows the precise depth. They were at about 27 to 30 feet at that time. I could not get accurate enough with what I had to put a lure before there nose. A bait casting rod and reel with a line counter might give a real number as to how deep? If I owned one I'd use it. I use a countdown method with a spinning reel but it seems non precise. Or, with a small investment I see there are line counters. Have you used one with a spinning reel? I know you could not cast the line so is is limiting. I have looked for some new line where it changes colors every foot but I don't think it is made? I've even tried marking my line with paint markers but it got a bit messy and I through the line in the trash. Any suggestions for more precise depth control without down rigger trolling or other tips on Kokanee?