Silver Lake Cowlitz County, Oct 11-12

Is there water access from Seaquest?  The State Parks website map makes it look as though it is possible... although, the area could be a complete marsh too.

Does the launch at the Silver Lake Resort have hours or is a 24hr launch?  I am trying to figure out how I am going to hit the water after dark and still make back to basecamp when I'm done. 

I do not think there is direct access from Seaquest.

I think the Silver Lake Resort is where they do good at night time crappie fishing off the dock.  May want to ask  ...

-Allen

Just called Silver Lake Resort, spoke w/ Nancy, and we have a green light for nighttime launches from their facility!    :icon_thumright:  :icon_thumleft:  

We should've just stayed there... oh well, there's always next time!

Sorry guys, I was unable to go.  Tuesday night as I was getting all excited about trying out my kayak for the first time and hitt'n the water with you at Silver Lake, I got hit with a cold.  I was hoping to drink H2O fast enough so that it just passes through and not stick.  Bu the damn thing grabbed me! 

So, I've been riding the couch from Wed morning till today sucking down water, vitamin C, hot soup and sleep.  Totally sux, but I don't like working in a "cleanroom" (at work) with a cold. 

Maybe next time.

Quick report... I made it up to Silver Lake and on the water by 8 am. It would have been 7am but somehow I woke up my son at 5 am when I got up and spent the next hour getting him to go back to sleep.

Right behind me was Zeelander and Polepole.  We soon met up and fished on the northeast side of the lake and I manged a 12 1/2" largemouth.  Sweet I thought, AOTY upgrade.  Turns out Allen reminded me that WA has a slot limit (under 12 or over 17).  No upgrade for me.

We headed in to one of the canals and managed some moderate panfish action.  Here I actually manged a real AOTY upgrade (not hard when my previous panfish is only 4" long).  After wading through a bunch of small yellow perch and cookie cutter 8 1/2" crappie I managed to find one 10 3/4" specimen.

We met back up at the boat ramp at 1 pm for a bit of a pot luck and I headed home afterwards.  It was good to see Polepole, Zeelander, Spot, Yarjammer, WanderingRichard and Please_Send_Rescue (along with his GF and dog).  I'm hoping everyone did a bit better in the afternoon.

Brian

Here's my slot limit bass..

Nice mug!   

Is the <12", >17" slot limit on the bass for breeding reasons? 

Anyone happen to take any lake pics, launch area pics, and general fishing pics? 

Is the <12", >17" slot limit on the bass for breeding reasons? 

Yep.  It's been a while sense I studied fisheries management, but from what I remember slot limits like this allow a majority of the "breeders" to be protected but still allow someone to keep a single trophy (>17") fish. 

I believe that they don't get used very often in most states because of their complexity.  Sometimes it's hard enough to remind people of a general size limit let alone an odd regulation like a slot limit. 

Oddly, if the fishery is mostly catch and release like a lot of bass fishing lakes, the slot limit has little effect because you actually want people to remove the smaller fish.  By removing a lot of the un-reproductive biomass (small bass) you leave more resources for the larger >12" reproductive fish.   In other words, you can get more larger fish in the population than with a normal size limits (>12").  Actually, you can potentially get more larger fish than if you don't allow any retention at all. 

Brian

Very nice to see everyone out there on the lake. Bsteves pretty much summed up the day's action. Lots of 8.5" crappie and perch but few LMB's. After B left Polepole and I went off to check out some other LMB hot spots. Found a nice ditch and while paddling through spooked some good sized fish. Chucked the crankbait around and got some nice followers. None would commit so went to the senko. To the BrushHawg. To the jerk bait. To a spoon!!?? Got lots of nice fish following all the offerings but they just wouldn't take the bait. Oh well, was great to see the NWKA boyz out in force and the mid day barbecue was awesome! Thanks to everyone for bringing the grub. Spot, you know some good chicken!

Z

Z- Thanks for taking care of my baby till I could pick her up!  I got a grand total of 5min and about 100yards in her.  Taylor just wouldn't give it up.  According to his feedback, the stability was great and she's got some speed but winds push you around a little more than on the F-n-D.....  I can't wait to find out for myself. 

You shoulda tried worms.    Lol!

It was great meeting everyone this past weekend.  I wish I had shared in some of the success on the water- I only managed to land a single 11" perch on a twin tail grub.  Much like everyone else I threw pretty much everything but the kitchen sink... quite a few bites, even on my bluegill swimbait, but only a single taker.

Once I get my GPS (see other thread) I definitely want to try and hit this one up in the late spring.  I found a new campground when I was lost that I'd stay at.  No idea of the name, but it is further down the Hwy from the public launch near one of the big crappie areas.

Yar, see my scouting reports in the HOW threads.. i think you'll find the link to the campground  you've mentioned.. brand new one , right?

Z- Thanks for taking care of my baby till I could pick her up!  I got a grand total of 5min and about 100yards in her.  Taylor just wouldn't give it up.  According to his feedback, the stability was great and she's got some speed but winds push you around a little more than on the F-n-D.....  I can't wait to find out for myself. 

You shoulda tried worms.    Lol!

Well Pole actually took care of her, I just gave 'er a ride. Yeah Taylor seemed really stoked on it. He was saying how much easier it was to paddle than the cobra. At least he's stoked about kayaking. Worms... HA! NEVER!!!

Z

Are you allowed to use live bait in Washington?  I was just thinking that a small bluegill or perch might be deadly for the reluctant biters.

Nope...  Next best thing would probably be a lifelike swimbait.