Lake Union bass?

Has anyone here ever fished for, or especially caught, bass in Lake Union or Lake Washington?  I know May is the month to try because I see the fancy bass boats out there from my back porch and I have seen them catch fish.  I have lots of trout gear but don't know what kind of rigs to use for bass.

I live right on the lake so if anyone has suggestions or wants to try, just let me know.

Bill

Hi,

I have fly fished for Blue Gill/Pumkin Seeds in Lake Union and used small poppers and clousers.  Have not targeted bass on Lake Union or Lake Washington but have had luck with these in other lakes with smallmouth.  As for traditional gear I am sure the various baits that the bass tournement folks use would work in Lake Union including rubber worms, swim baits, crank baits ect.  One of my fishing buddies goes out around Magnussen Park on Lake Washington and I recall that there is a time of year when the fish move into the shallows and become more agressive (spawning behavior?).  I will ask him if that time is now and if he has any favorite lures.

Tomas

Watch the water temps for when the bass will move up into the shallows... between 55-60 they'll start moving up onto the beds.  Pre-spawn bass are challenging, but still fun to catch when you can.  I have heard that the cut between Lake Wa and Lake Union holds smallmouth.

Depending on what gear you have will determine what method you use.  I love using weightless senko's and grubs on spinning gear.  Other's have great success with crankbaits and topwaters.  I am going to attempt bass'n on the fly this year with poppers and streamers w/ my 8wt.

BFB,
What are you doing Thursday afternoon? I'm headed down that way from the N end for the Seattle / North Sound meetup at Smartypants in Georgetown. If it's doable for you,  it would be cool to fish Lake Union for a couple hours beforehand. I've got plenty of bass gear for the two of us.

- Karl

I know a few people who like to work the dropoffs in front of Gasworks Park dropshotting tubes and grubs.

Z

I know a few people who like to work the dropoffs in front of Gasworks Park dropshotting tubes and grubs.

Z

I know a few people that work their way over to the Fremont Bridge for smallmouth.  Or the east shore for largemouths in the small clearings between the docks to the shore.  Or the south side woody structure for large crappie suspended over it.  Hmmm, I wonder if they're staging now?   

-Allen

Karl, thanks for the invite but I have to work Thursday till after dark.

It's still a little early and the water is still too cold for the bass in Lakes Union and Washington.  When it gets a little warmer I see from my porch all the boats out fishing and they have not been out yet this year.  I'm pretty sure it's May when they start.

One way or another I'm going to drop my yak off the porch and get a line out and see if I can catch one.

There is a Federation tournament on Lake WA that you must be seeing the guys pre-fishing for or seeing the actual tournament.  You can fish year-round for bass, crappie, and perch; no need to wait until after the lake has rolled. 

At the southeast end of Lake Union is a little cove between Seattle Seaplanes (north side) and the marina (south side).  I've often wondered if it holds any bass.  This cove is right in front of the Fairview Avenue bridge, and contains a floating walkway and small floating public dock, the old oil dock (now closed and inaccessible) for the old Lake Union power plant, and a number of old pilings and submerged pipes.  I occasionally see people fishing from the dock and walkway.  I'd advise against eating anything caught there as the Lake Union power plant site was contaminated with PCBs because in the dark past Seattle City Light would empty the cooling oil from their transformers into the oil storage tanks.  There were inevitable leaks.  To me it looks like prime bass territory.

I agree on the no need to wait. I've caught smallies in Lk. WA in Feb. and Mar. Just have to be willing to fish deeper.