Kidney Lake, WA

When I had my own car my junior year of High School I started to explore fishing opportunities in Southwest, Washington. There was an article written in the Columbian for places to try opening weekend. On that list was many lakes I knew about but also Kidney Lake. Over the next two years I would fish Kidney Lake heavily. I would get out of class at 2pm drive 45min down the 14 from Vancouver and have my pontoon on the water before 3:30. Fishing this lake on average three times a week until the rivers opened in June I know where the fish sit and how/what they bite. Did I mention my birthday is the same weekend as opening weekend for lakes in Washington. Once at school in Seattle my friend and I made it a tradition to drive down every year for a weekend on the lake.
Kidney is not some glorious lake. It is small (11acres), power lines stretch across, its littered with beer cans and worm cans, but it fishes well in late spring and holds triploid trout. In case you don't know what a triploid is, they are genetically altered to eat instead of breed, stocked over a pound they grow to 20# if left for a full year in good conditions. Not to mention brood stock are planted at 5 & 10 lbs. These fish are what draw me to this lake.
There is a inflow on the North side of the lake and outflow on the Southwest corner. Through the channel the lake is 60+ feet deep. The other side of the lake is shallower and even warmer. You either want to fish the stream channel or the middle of the other half of the lake. The triploid start in the channel and move to warmer water by mid-May.
Once again this year, three of my friends and I headed out to the lake Saturday of opening day (it was crowded) and we set on the water, them in a raft and me in a float tube. Trolling a worm behind a woolly bugger works well but just as well works a woolly bugger with a carey special. You can use either floating or sinking line, depends on how hot the day is, and let you line drift behind you as you mingle around the lake. I caught one of my nicest fishing eating a sandwich, sitting still, and line sitting 10' below me. We had a good day catching 40-50 fish between the four of us.
If you don't care about fishing next to a floating busch light can, then this is a good lake to fish.

Note: If you want to fish from shore a bobber with a worm works on overcast days about 30" down and egg weight, swivel, and floating powerbait on hotter days off the bottom.

Summary
Location: Kidney Lake, North Bonneville, WA
Time: 10am-3pm
Rod: 5 wt w/ floating line & sinking line
Tackle: Woolly buggers (brown or black), casey special and the occasional worm dropper
Fish: 40+
Species: Rainbow
Biggest Fish: 16"
Smallest Fish: 11"
Rating: 8/10

 Sean, Dalton, Johnny (left-right)

Fivemile Lake

     I moved to Federal Way for my new job with Kiewit and there are a handful of lakes near my house. My buddy Dalton and I took Saturday (the day before) to drive around and see what each of the lakes were like and which ones we should fish first. In the morning I went out in my float tube and within 30min I hooked up while. While reeling in the fish Dalton called and he wanted to join me. So I got out, picked up a raft, and Dalton and I were back on the water that afternoon. Fishing planted fish they like to eat bait early after they have been stocked, at least they tend to. So we rigger up out fly rods with a wolly bugger, 10" of tippet, barrel swivel, 10" more tippet and a hook with worm. Having never been on the lake and occupied by beer we floated around finding were the fish hung out the most. Dalton lost a few and I managed to land one after floating around for an hour. What we did figure out is the fish were indeed hanging out in the middle third of the lake on the western side. We focused are drift on that side of the lake and in the next two hours we picked up six more fish and lost several others. Enticed by the heat we called it a day and bbq'd at Steele Lake to give it a look. In all over the weekend we looked at Fivemile, Steele, Geneva, and Dolloff Lake, along with Lake Kallarney. Fivemile, Steele, and Geneva are planted by F&W and promise to be good fisheries this spring.
     I should mention that this lake does have a good fishing dock that Dalton caught a fish off of Saturday and has never been crowded while I have been at the lake in four visits.

Summary
Location: Fivemile Lake, Federal Way, WA off of Military Road
Time: 9am-5pm
Rod: 5 wt w/ floating line
Tackle: Wolly buggers and the occasional worm dropper
Fish: 9
Species: Rainbow
Biggest Fish: 14"
Smallest Fish: 11"
Rating: 8/10

Looking north from the middle of the lake

 One of the fish we caught

Dalton's fish off the dock

Yakima River

Decided to try the Yakima River again and get out of the Seattle weather again. This time I took my good friend Johnny from Virginia hoping to get him on some trout. Unfortunately we did not prevail, but we did have a good trip with the puppies. Showed up about a week early for the skwala hatch. Heard they were popping the following week. Tried the mouth of Teanaway hole again and also a hole up by the Henry Ponds.

Summary
Location: Yakima Riverr, near Cle Elum, exit 84 off I-90, 85 min east of Seattle
Time: 1-5pm
Rod: 5 wt w/ floating line and sinking line
Tackle: Stone nymph with various midge droppers
Fish: 0
Species: N/A
Biggest Fish: N/A
Smallest Fish: N/A
Rating: 5/10

Johnny trying at the mouth of the Teanaway

 

Feeding snow to my puppy Luna

Yakima River

Went fishing with my buddy Dalton, but I forgot my waders. The weather was fantastic and it was still a good escape from the Seattle weather. Tried to wade fish this trip and I know of a few holes that have produced near and around Cle Elem, Wa. There was still snow on the banks and the water was cold. No hatches happening so mostly nymphed all day giving Dalton a few lessons. I did stir up one bite but didn't manage to land any fish. Stopped in the local fly shop and was told of a new hole or two down the road from the usual ones I try. Was told to park by Taylor Rd and walk down to whatever looked good to me. There seemed to be some good holes and look forward to trying them again later when it warms up.

Summary
Location: Yakima Riverr, near Cle Elum, exit 84 off I-90, 85 min east of Seattle
Time: 1-5pm
Rod: 5 wt w/ floating line and sinking line
Tackle: Stone nymph with various midge droppers
Fish: 0
Species: N/A
Biggest Fish: N/A
Smallest Fish: N/A
Rating: 5/10

 

Mouth of the Teanaway into Yakima

Snoqualmie River, WA (Steelhead)

Steelhead are a treasured secret to all fisherman so I'll tell you as much as I can without killing my secrets or honey holes. If you want to see them, come fish with me. Talked to a good buddy of mine that has been giving me some great tips on where to fish what rivers for which fish. Out of respect for him, I have to be shy here as well.

Anyways, the winter steelies are starting to move in and it looks like its going to be a great year. I have driven by the stretch of river and even floated the stretch of river near fall city but never fished it for steelies. Talking with my buddy he said this can be a great stretch if you look around a little for good holes. There is a public fishing parking spot off the fall city farmers road, try looking around there for a hole and up river around the camp ground.

I went to a specific place and found some good riffles and pools to fish that turned out very productive. Hooked my first fish in the first fifteen minutes. Couldn't believe it, my buddy told me the hole and it produced. Wandered down the river and 40 minutes later found my second fish. Steelhead well eat shrimp but otherwise you need to irritate them. I like to use pinks and greens when I can, but a subtle purple with a little red works well too. Aka, the egg sucking leach.

Summary:
Location: Snoqualmie River, near Fall City, WA
Time: 11:00am - 1:0pm
Rod: 8 wt w/ sinking tip with 2x tippet
Tackle: size 4 or 6 egg sucking leach, green and pink streamers
Fish: 2
Species: Steelhead
Biggest Fish: 11lb
Smallest Fish: 8lb
Rating: 9.5/10

Green River, WA (Chum Salmon)

Talked to a buddy about fishing the Green River for Chums. Have never fished the green river for chum salmon before so it seemed like a fun adventure. Went and tried up by Flaming Geyser State Park. You can park before the park entrance and there is plenty of places to hike around and try your luck. Found some good stretched of river and if you find the meadow your getting into some good fishing. Something my buddy told me that was a little odd was that the size of the fish this year was small. Yes, 6lb chums do exist. I didn't believe this but as I scouted other part of the river, including the other public fishing park on the way out to the State Park I spotted some chums in a creek. Pulled my care over to take a look. Sure enough the chums were in and spotted 5 or 6 in the tributary. All of these fish ranged from what looked like 6-8lbs. Some of the smallest chums I have seen. Tried some long purple, pink, and chartreuse streamers with no luck in the Green. Also, didn't see more than 4 fish in the main river though. Checked out the wholes by the Green River Bridge off hwy 18 and again looked like good fishing but no luck. Stay patient and wait for them to run. Talking with others on the water and and my friend there are chums running this time of the year, you just have to find them.

Summary:
Location: Green River/Flaming Geyser State Park, off hwy 18, near Auburn, WA
Time: 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Rod: 8 wt w/ sinking tip with 0x tippet and Salmon open face rod
Tackle: Purple, chartrouse, and pink streamers. Orange, pink, and green vibrax.
Fish: 0
Species: N/A
Biggest Fish: N/A
Smallest Fish: N/A
Rating: 7/10

Don't have my camera with me right now but do have pictures.

Kalama River, WA

Went out to the Kalama again with John and company trying for Steelhead. Conditions where good but we were just a few weeks early on the season. Saw a couple of fish, maybe a half dozen total. Would diffenitly recommend trying again in a couple weeks when they really start running closer to Turkey day.

Summary:
Location: Kalama River, Exit 32 off I-5, near Kalama, WA
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Rod: 8 wt w/ sinking tip with 0x tippet
Tackle: size 4 or 6 egg sucking leach or woolly bugger in black, purple, and olive
Fish: 0
Species: N/A
Biggest Fish: N/A
Smallest Fish: N/A
Rating: 6.5/10