...for those of you "old timers" that may have any memories of the once, pretty decent steelheading in the Sammamish, here's an update on current status. Looks like we should have sniped some of those sea lions...thx to anybody that tried. This could have been a good "close-in" metro area fishery. Assume the situation the same for the once great Cedar River too...sad deal! Of course sea lions not all to blame, but...


The Sammamish River received annual releases of hatchery Steelhead smolts through 1993. The decision to discontinue releases was made in part because of the presence of sea lions at the Ballard Locks. It seemed that we were just feeding the sea lions with little benefit to sports anglers. The fishery for Steelhead on the Sammamish was targeting the hatchery returns and when releases were discontinued the seasons were closed. The WDFW supplemented the wild run of Steelhead in Issaquah and Bear Creeks in the late 1990's with very limited success. At this time, I expect the Sammamish River to remain closed to Steelhead fishing for several years.

Steve Foley
District Fish Biologist
Region 4 Mill Creek Office

I certainly remember those good old days. Many a morning I was on the slough at daylight, wearing my waders over my suit pants, dress shirt and tie, so I could pull the waders and head to Seattle for my job that started at 10AM.

It was pretty decent steelheading and could be good for Jack Chinook and mature Chinook in the fall, plus some SRC.

We've lost several fishing locations near urban areas due to various circumstances,

I used to catch cutthroat in Forbes Creek below what is now Highway 405 before they built an office park there. Juanita Creek was three minutes from my house in Kirkland and many late afternoon's were spent procuring pan-sized Cutthroat for dinner.

These waters have been closed for many years. I guess it is a sign of the times.

fished it once in woodinville, got a little 'bow, about 11". mosquito in the middle of the day.

Anyone know what the adult steelhead run was during the hey day? I'd be curious to know what the wild and hatchery run size was.

In December on 1981, I bet there was 15-30 steelhead taken at the Locks every day by the anglers. Especially on weekends.

Must have been a pretty good return, I remember being able to swing by on the way home from work and hook a fish or two almost any day during January. Later in February there were some big ones in there up around 15lbs.
I don't remember if any of them were clipped or not?
Anyone else remember clipped fish back in the 70's and early 80's when it was a hot little drainage?

fished both rivers alot back in the day. even took my girlfriend down to the sammy and she caught a few. i think that was march and these were all planted fish 6-8 lbs.
the one i really miss is the Cedar. those were some dandy natives.
always took line out real fast and they played hard.
what a bummer we cant fish there anymore!

I learned to steelhead on the slough...had several 30-50fish seasons in the early to mid 80's. So sad that they couldn't have preserved that fishery. I only remember a handful of hatchery fish though...most were nates in the 10-18lb. range. Remember one highlight day drifting pink corky and nightcrawler that I landed 12 nates in less than 4 hours all in the same spot!

CM

Ah the Cedar, what a great place to drift fish in the 70's and 80's.
I could walk to the river from work and it was darn hard to decide to go 100 yards to work or 100 yards to the river from the car park. Caught lots of Steelhead in that river and many were pretty big. Mid teens were pretty common.

The old train bridge on the Slough in Bothell used to put out a few fish every week and was another great place to stop by on the way home from work.

It was tough back then to get into work and to get home after work!!

79,80 took a friend of mine {2 different hi sch buds} to the Slough on Superbowl Sunday on back to back years, fished a float n cocktail shrimp below 405 outta the rain and each guy caught his first steelhead ever....

I'm an old timer all right. I caught my first steelie on the Sammamish right in the heart of the city of Redmond. I knew an old Norske who filled his punch card every year trolling a flourescent orange flatfish along the shore in Kenmore. About that time the Boldt decision was out and the nets were strung at the launch in Kenmore. I watched lots of fish loaded into the pickups back then.

It's too darn bad that this fishery is gone. I hope one day they re-establish a sports fishery on this "river". It might help take pressure off some of the other streams too.

About two years ago while i was fishing for cutthroat i hooked a big king on the slough broke my damn rod, lol no steelhead though

I lived in the area in the 70's and the slough was a fun fishery. As far as clipped fish go for that era,..... I am fairly certain that any steelhead hooked when open for steelheading, was legally eligible for the wood shampoo. In those days, Salmon, Steelhead, Sturgeon and Small Mouth Bass, seemed to be plentiful. I remember catching my share, that's for sure. When the kings were running, you had to be careful and not trip on fishing line attached to broken Snoppy Rods that the kids would abandon. Never saw a Game Warden while fishing the Slough. It was like a don't care attitude when it came to Salmon and Steelhead by F&G on the Slough in those days. BTW, I hooked a Sturgeon (6 footer), while fishing for silvers one morning, near where Bear Creek enters, after exiting the Old Golf course. Plenty of slab Small Mouth Bass (early mornings and late evening, using spinners) just before the slough enters Lake Sammamish. I will never forget the way some of those Bass would attack those spinners. SPLASH!!!!!......Nothing like it!

What happened ??? ...... You are probably asking yourself ? You are correct, if the answer is related to the mass influx of people that migrated to the Eastside in those day. I lived about a mile or so from the slough in those days, and I would often spot deer and other wild life, between my house and the slough. Heck, I often had Pheasants, and Bob White, hanging out on the property. The last time I was in that area (Bridal Trails) the density had tripled or worse. What were 5 acre parcels are now divided into horse acres. Where Redmond Golf course was, is now occupied with high density housing that practically straddles the Slough. The slough also now serves as a public dog saloon and play area. They have a fenced in area, that goes out to about midway, where dozens of Phee Phees can play while bathing. I could go on, but I think you get the message.

my favorite stretch in the late 1970's was from mouth of Bear creek down to the existing bridge. the old golf course boarded the Sammamish river in those days, sometimes had to dodge errant golf balls!
back then when the Snoqualmie was out the Sammy was fishable. It was always a good high water river and a couple split shots and small corkie-eggs, cast with a steelhead spinning outfit were the ticket. Ole time Sammamish anglers came armed with Mitchell 300's, Zebco Cardinals or Quick spinning reels as you had to use so little weight that the old Ambassaduers back then (5000D and such) couldn't handle such light weights.

Always one of my favorite stretches but sure looks different now with all the development.

That was my go to reel in those days. I matched it with an FS83C. I would get up, go to the Slough, fish for an hour and bring home fresh fish for breakfast.

Echo that MAV, I recollect some days catching fish in there when I'd swear everything in the state was blasted....was probably using the DAM QUICK.

I caught my first steelhead there when I was seven years old...1977...I posted a pic of it in the "Pics of First Steelhead" a couple of weeks ago...multiple fish days were the norm in there in the late 70's and into the early 80's...I remember when they started clipping fish, and I think it was around '79 or '80 for the Slough.

For such a measly little ditch it sure had some nice sized wild fish...Bear Creek, Issaquah Creek, Vasa Creek, and Tibbets Creek all had viable populations...Issaquah Creek was quite a little sleeper back when it was open, right in what is now the middle of downtown Issaquah...it was the middle of an airfield back then, and you'd have gliders and airplanes flying over your head all morning!

I caught my last one out of that system in Bear Creek fishing for searuns, a few years after the system had closed to steelhead fishing.

Fish on...

Todd

mmm memories.......1953-55....Redmond Junior High, lived at the beginning of Avondale Rd., fished Bear Ck. from Slough to above "old man Keller's property. Swam in both the slough and at the North end of Lake Sammish. Can remember 1000 of salmon at the "fish trap" by the gas station....Avondale and Union Hill Road......

Those were the days!!!! Bicycle Derby Days.....where they would race clear around Lake Sammish....fun times........Horse back riding in the Union Hill area, movie at the "Mound Theater", dances on Friday night for jr. high kids.......wow........mid 50's were a fun time in Redmond.

Haven't been back there since about 1972......the 70 acre farm was mostly apartments.......sometimes change is not for the better!!!!!

My roommate and I used to fish it often when we lived in Woodinville up until '85. Fished it around the mouth of Little Bear creek. The creek made a small gravel bar in the slough. We used to call it the snatch hole because of all the joggers that ran by all day. When the silvers were in we would fish it nearly every day for our dinner. The 25 cent solution to the problem would have been to go down to the locks at night and plug old Herchel.