Merwin Saturday

Has anyone been up to Merwin lately. Wondering if the water is getting too warm to reasonably fish from a kayak without a downrigger? Saw a post a bit ago with success using 3oz at 85 ft with the normal terminal tackle.

FYI its free fishing weekend in WA this weekend.  That being said, I think you can get to them on merwin year round without riggers.  Any deeper than 50-60 feet and you are risking losing gear in the tree tops. 

Thanks for the tip on free fishing. Haven’t gotten my WA license yet this year so that saves me beer money!!

Assume just head out of Speelyai and look for schools?

I have yet to see much of a "school" on my hook4 but I don't trust it all that much.  I see a couple marks at a time. 

A few weeks ago I started trolling about 1/3 across the lake and to the west. Never really went past the point there on the n shore and did circles in that bay and picked up my limit.

Love Merwin.  I agree with Shin09- I never see the fish on the fishfinder.  Schools are usually pikeminnow.  I check northwest kokanee addicts on facebook and find recent posts for the correct depth and how the fishing is.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NwKokaneeAddicts/?ref=bookmarks
3 oz at 60-80 feet works.

I need to spend more time up there. Lost my first 6 in a row, but ended up with a decent dinner. It has been for ever since I have had Kokanee. Pretty damn good!!

I fish lake Samish near Bellingham using a downrigger and trolling motor. works great, limit most days I go.

What kind of down rigger? I have heard of folk replacing the wire with tuna cord. Did you have an issue with the wire humming?

I have a small Scotty downrigger and yes, the steal wire hums. I replaced it with Scotty, 200LB test, braided downrigger line. No more hum! I also use just a 3LB ball, it works fine given that you troll for Kokanee at about 1.5 MPH, and I wouldn't want much more in my kayak.