lake sutherland tomorrow

I just bought a non resident one day license for tomorrow. The weather is iffy, I was going to head to freshwater bay and try for greenling and flounder but decided to hit lake sutherland in the am and then in the afternoon if it is not too windy try out freshwater bay. I have been searching for the location of where to put in on the lake. I read that it is a private lake so houses all around. Any tips on where to put in. I know it has not warmed up much, so the bite will probably be slow but i am going to try jigging and trolling for rainbows and kokanee. If anyone is up this late and knows a good put in spot I would really appreciate it. I am really hoping that i will have  a fish pic to post tomorrow night. It will be the first for me on a yak.

doug in sequim

Hi Doug, I haven't fished that lake yet, but I think the launch is on the back (S) side. I think that you take the access road around the E end and along the S side. You might be able to google it on a map of the lake. You can usually make out the public launches on the satellite photos.

Good luck!

thanks chm, I passed that road once then saw someone who gave me directions, It is as you say on the other side of the lake. I had a great day. got up at 6 was on lake sutherland at 8. Only one other boat out an inflatable cat. I caught three 10-12 rainbows and released them. they swam away strong for another day. I grabbed lunch at blackberry cafe in joyce then drove in the rain  and hail to freshwater bay. I fished there till 6. I don't think i was fishing the right area. I paddled and looked for a kelp bed and really couldn't find them. then i went around that big rock on the west side of the bay and was fishing in about 18-30 feet of water. I caught a little greenling, took a quick photo and released then caught a little ling and did the same. both swam strong. So... my first fish on a kayak. nothing big  but the experience was awesome. I need to spend some time reading the old posts here. I realize i need to learn quite a bit about techniques and locations up here. I am feeling it a bit right now in the elbows and low back so it is off to the ibuprofen.
grinnin doug in sequim.

I thought i remember reading once that you mentioned you have family over here. If you ever get up this way, let me know. I would love to head out with you. I could use a mentor.

Thanks for the great reports! Very nice work, getting in two successful outings on the same day. In new waters, too. I might have kept that greenling. The filets would have made tasty little fish sticks.
I'll let you know if I head up with my gear. My folks live just outside the Sequim city limits. I've just been whipping up there for brief visits (Mom is in a care facility recovering from a fall and partial hip replacement), and then heading right back, trying to get some beach fishing in for searun cutts along Hood Canal, if the spots I know happen to look good when I'm driving by. Haven't had my yak or U-12 with me on the last few trips. Hope to next times.

I might go lake fishing today.

Just for future reference, I believe suspending a C&R fish like that trout can potentially hurt it, particularly something larger. 

That little trout almost looks like a "cutt-bow." I think I see a bit of an orange slash on the underside of the lower jaw, and the body coloration resembles a rainbow. The two species are known to hybridize.
You can't tell from the photo by the way the fish is hanging, but cutthroats have longer maxilla (upper jawbone) than rainbow. On cutts, the maxilla extends beyond the eye, but on rainbow's, it doesn't. I would look for that if trying to identify a possible cutt-bow. Has to be measured with the mouth closed, though.
Cutts have small teeth on the backs of their tongues, too. Its possible that a cutt-bow would have these. You can feel them with your fingertip.

That Kelp Greenling was a "hen." The "bucks" are darker brown with some blue spots.

Thanks demonick, I realize that now. I kind of had the excitement going because it was the first fish for me on the kayak and i wanted a pic to show my wife. In the future i will release in the water. you had a post a while back where you had a batch of flounder that i think you caught in freshwater bay. How did you fish them? I was hoping to catch one yesterday but i am not sure i was fishing correctly nor in the right spot.
chm, thanks for the info. I think the rainbows do hybridize in that lake. In a new area not having caught some of these fish makes you ask quesions on identity. When i was bringing in that little ling cod i wasn't sure if maybe it was a big greenling. Later when i looked at the pics i could tell because the mouths were so different. When i went online to look at pics there is sometimes quite a bit of variation in color shades in the same species. As time goes on i am sure i will figure it out.

doug

SS, thanks for the trip debrief and especially for the pics!  I've never seen a baby ling before.

Thanks demonick, I realize that now. I kind of had the excitement going because it was the first fish for me on the kayak and i wanted a pic to show my wife.

Congratulations!  That first fish is a memorable event.  Mine was an 11" rainbow and I too kind of mistreated it. 

... you had a post a while back where you had a batch of flounder that i think you caught in freshwater bay. How did you fish them? I was hoping to catch one yesterday but i am not sure i was fishing correctly nor in the right spot.

Flatfish are found where ever there is a sandy bottom.  I've caught many off Richmond Beach and Bush Point.  Berkley Gulp!  Saltwater bait seems to be crack to these guys.  Stick some on a leadhead jig and drop it to the bottom.  Action could be almost immediate.  You may get action on the way down.  I've used Gulp! shrimp, crabs, squid, and curly tails, and they have all been taken.  The tails on the curly tails get nibbled off, so I tend to avoid them.   Keep your hooks sharp.  Any depth of water, limited by your desire to reel up from the depth.  I've fished for them down to about 300 feet, but the trip up is pretty tedious :-)

You can catch a lot of small flatfish, 10-12" on which there is not much meat and they are a bitch to fillet.  I'd use larger bait and set a personal lower limit of about 15".  The limit in WA is 15 per person.

Looks like a great day man!

Out here in WA Marine Area 2, that 15 flounder limit would be included in a daily limit of a total of 15 bottom fish, regardless of species. You could keep 15 flounders/sole/dabs if thats all you caught.
If you had already retained, for example, one Cabezon, two Greenlings, one Surf Perch, and one Ling Cod, and then hit "Flounder City," then you would only have 10 fish left of any bottomfish species to fill out your limit, and could keep those ten flounders.

Unless its under "All Other Fish" which includes species of sculpin not listed in the definition of "bottomfish" (P 22 of 2009 regs). Then you can keep an additional 2 each of those unlisted species, except that all unlisted sculpins count as one species.

Ready to move to Oregon yet?

I believe what CHM says is true in all WA Marine areas.  I misspoke.