Going to Lake WA, inexperienced fishing lakes

[chasecaleb]

Hi, I used to live farther up north on the edge of San Juan Islands and fished a ton in the sound and rivers, but barely at all in lakes, especially not from the shore. Now, I'm stuck on banks. A friend of mine (who knows next to nothing about fishing) and I are going to Lake Washington Wednesday afternoon through evening, planning on Coulon park I think. Seems like we'll want to catch bass and perch, and I would love any and all advice on how to do so to make the most of the day -- he lives in Anacortes, I live in Auburn, so it's a solid drive for both of us.

I've read a decent bit about how to catch largemouth bass and tried a few times (unsuccessfully) at Fivemile Lake here in Auburn, but I at least have a basic understanding of the idea behind it. Smallmouth on the other hand, no clue. Any advice there, particularly for Coulon?

Then with perch, it seems like the basic concept is to use small pieces of worm. I don't have a clue what the best way to rig that would be though.

So anyways, HELP, please and thank you! I'll be sure to let you all know if the trip is a success or not too.

[MarkFromSea]

I drop shot for perch using #8 hooks and a single split shot at the end of the leader. I'm a worm guy, lots of others like jigs or other lures.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum ... p?t=292742

[kzoo]

Dropshot with a worm is a good bet. I'd go bigger #4, and drop shot weights of 3/16 or 1/4 oz. I brought my uncle out the other day, he got some perch and a 2.5 lb smallie using this setup. I have the worm with an inch and a half tail.

[chasecaleb]

I drop shot for perch using #8 hooks and a single split shot at the end of the leader. I'm a worm guy, lots of others like jigs or other lures.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum ... p?t=292742

Good idea, I never thought about drop shots for perch. Around what size split shot, or does it even matter? Are you talking about live worms or plastic? (I swear, there must be some secret code people use to distinguish the two that I haven't picked up on yet). Oh, and you said "hooks," are you using more than one at a time on a rig?

Dropshot with a worm is a good bet. I'd go bigger #4, and drop shot weights of 3/16 or 1/4 oz. I brought my uncle out the other day, he got some perch and a 2.5 lb smallie using this setup. I have the worm with an inch and a half tail.

Nice job! I have some offset hooks and drop shot weights as well as Kalin 3" and 5" single curly-tail grubs and 4" senkos, what do you think about using those? The grubs dark green with black spots and a few 3" ones are chartreuse, then the senkos are avocado.

[kzoo]

For plastics I use Sniper Bolts/Snubs. The senkos are little too rigid for my taste. But they will work. My favorite colors are Green Pumpkin and Sand (white). Try using your senkos on a drop shot, the single tail grubs should be paired with some sort of jig/football head.
Again, if you're looking for action, just get a box of worms.

Good Luck.

[MarkFromSea]

I drop shot for perch using #8 hooks and a single split shot at the end of the leader. I'm a worm guy, lots of others like jigs or other lures.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum ... p?t=292742

Good idea, I never thought about drop shots for perch. Around what size split shot, or does it even matter? Are you talking about live worms or plastic? (I swear, there must be some secret code people use to distinguish the two that I haven't picked up on yet). Oh, and you said "hooks," are you using more than one at a time on a rig?

Dropshot with a worm is a good bet. I'd go bigger #4, and drop shot weights of 3/16 or 1/4 oz. I brought my uncle out the other day, he got some perch and a 2.5 lb smallie using this setup. I have the worm with an inch and a half tail.

Nice job! I have some offset hooks and drop shot weights as well as Kalin 3" and 5" single curly-tail grubs and 4" senkos, what do you think about using those? The grubs dark green with black spots and a few 3" ones are chartreuse, then the senkos are avocado.

perch
"I'm a worm guy", that's live worms. LOL Weight size is conditions and depth, windy/choppy=heavier, calm=lighter. It does matter, find what works for you, adapt to conditions and location. Sometimes, I'll drift from a boat for perch using a 1/4" pencil lead but you said from a dock so I didn't mention that. Split shots, just add more if you need them. Look in your box, what size do you already have. Use the drop shot weights you already have, it's all good!:) Kzoo has great ideas/methods as well! I'll have to try #4s sometime and some plastics. I know nothing about bass.........It's a fish that usually eludes me.... LOL I have had good bass days, I was just lucky enough that they were biting that day or two. Back to the perch, yes, I use 3 hooks tied directly into the main line of the leader spaced fairly evenly on a six foot leader, weight is about 6-8" below bottom hook. It's simple, it works for me, I don't need to do anything to it if I clip on a weighted bobber, it's my all around go to rig for still fishing trout, perch, gills, pumpkin seed.

[chasecaleb]

I drop shot for perch using #8 hooks and a single split shot at the end of the leader. I'm a worm guy, lots of others like jigs or other lures.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum ... p?t=292742

Good idea, I never thought about drop shots for perch. Around what size split shot, or does it even matter? Are you talking about live worms or plastic? (I swear, there must be some secret code people use to distinguish the two that I haven't picked up on yet). Oh, and you said "hooks," are you using more than one at a time on a rig?

Dropshot with a worm is a good bet. I'd go bigger #4, and drop shot weights of 3/16 or 1/4 oz. I brought my uncle out the other day, he got some perch and a 2.5 lb smallie using this setup. I have the worm with an inch and a half tail.

Nice job! I have some offset hooks and drop shot weights as well as Kalin 3" and 5" single curly-tail grubs and 4" senkos, what do you think about using those? The grubs dark green with black spots and a few 3" ones are chartreuse, then the senkos are avocado.

perch
"I'm a worm guy", that's live worms. LOL Weight size is conditions and depth, windy/choppy=heavier, calm=lighter. It does matter, find what works for you, adapt to conditions and location. Sometimes, I'll drift from a boat for perch using a 1/4" pencil lead but you said from a dock so I didn't mention that. Split shots, just add more if you need them. Look in your box, what size do you already have. Use the drop shot weights you already have, it's all good!:) Kzoo has great ideas/methods as well! I'll have to try #4s sometime and some plastics. I know nothing about bass.........It's a fish that usually eludes me.... LOL I have had good bass days, I was just lucky enough that they were biting that day or two. Back to the perch, yes, I use 3 hooks tied directly into the main line of the leader spaced fairly evenly on a six foot leader, weight is about 6-8" below bottom hook. It's simple, it works for me, I don't need to do anything to it if I clip on a weighted bobber, it's my all around go to rig for still fishing trout, perch, gills, pumpkin seed.

I'm definitely trying out this setup tomorrow, I'm excited. Do you know a good place explaining how you tie up a 3 hook leader like that? Also, are you saying that you use a bobber and weight at the same time? I actually don't have any bobbers, ha. I want to get some slip bobbers I'm assuming?

EDIT: Ah ha, I found this page: http://www.fishing.sh/htmfiles/knots/snelling.html. Tie it like it talks about with two hooks, except use 3, put a weight below, and attach this to the main line with a swivel? Then I put a bobber on somewhere too (even though I'm using a weight), or not?

[MarkFromSea]

Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't use a bobber. Depth, snaggy material on the bottom........adapt to conditions.....
I'm using the palomar knot these days, keeping it simpler. I used to snell them......... the whole thing looks like hell when it flies through the air but it doesn't tangle up on me very often. When you use the bobber, take the weight off OR leave it...... not sure it matters that much either way.. I like how the weight stops the bobber from drifting into shallower depths.

LOL You're really over thinking this.... LOL Have some fun, change it how you like, experiment..... Then try other stuff. It's all good!

[MarkFromSea]

You'll like this better: http://www.animatedknots.com/palomar/index.php

It's the shizzle for learning knots..........

[chasecaleb]

Over thinking? Me? No way! Okay, guilty. It's a hazard of being a sound engineer

Had a fun time yesterday, only caught 3 perch, but at least I finally caught something in a South King lake. My friend caught his first fish too, so that counts for something! I found one spot to the east of Ivar's right in front of a parking lot where the perch schools swam through a couple times, I think. I'll have to try there again sometime now that I know what I'm doing.

Definitely need better slip bobbers, though. I got small 1.5" styrofoam ones that sank if you so much as looked at them, and the bobber stops came loose after a few casts.

[MarkFromSea]

LOL Glad to hear you had some fun. Some prefer the slip bobbers, I just use a fixed bobber.......styrofoam or wood, torpedo shaped with a weight/lead keel.

[chasecaleb]

LOL Glad to hear you had some fun. Some prefer the slip bobbers, I just use a fixed bobber.......styrofoam or wood, torpedo shaped with a weight/lead keel.

Ah, mine weren't weighted.

Here's the biggest of the ones that we caught, is that about normal size? Not sure if I want to go back again this weekend or try out somewhere else. It's a bit of a drive from Auburn, what with gas prices and all that nonsense.

[MarkFromSea]

You've got a lot of lakes to choose from that are a lot closer for sure......
That looks about average for what I catch out of Lake WA.