I was fly fishing from my new float tube on Monday off of the State Park. Managed to hook a fish on a wooley bugger, and when I got it to the tube, noticed it was definitely a salmon. I had time to see that it had some spots on its back, then it wriggled its way to freedom. It was approximately 13-14 inches, which I think is too big for a smolt. Has anyone caught any residualized coho or chinook salmon in Lake Sammamish? I'm pretty sure it was a coho, but didn't have the chance to look at the gums to help me identify it.

Fished with an indicator and chironomid the rest of the evening with no luck, although I did see sporadic activity on top. Lots of chironomid husks on the water. Good fishing!
LDR

I know Chinook and Coho both travel through Lk. WA to get to Lk. Sammamish and then to Issaqquaah Creek to spawn. There is a hatchery on Issaquah Creek. The creek empties out right at Lk. Sammamish St. Pk. If and when they (WDFW) open Lk. Sammamish for Chinook that is the place to be, right in front of the mouth to the creek.

So, ya, it is very likely you may have caught a small salmon the other day.

Wrong time of year for a salmon. How about a kokanee or more likely a cutthroat?

Carl, Lk Sammamish has been open by default the last few years, and I think will be this year. The only catch is that you must stay 1/4 mile away from the creek mouth to fish for salmon. But I see a bunch of snaggers there every year 'jigging'...

Mike, I am refering to a small salmon (fry) spending it's first years in fresh water before heading to the salt. But then again I am not a biologist, I just play one on TV.

I posted this message on another board, and one of the guys said that he had caught a similar size salmon last year. A biologist buddy of his identified it as a chinook. It makes sense to me that there would be a percenatge of fish, especially hatchery fish, that would residualize in Lake Sammamish. I should give the WDFW a call to see if they have any information on this topic....Anyone heading east to get out of the rain this weekend?

Resident chinook in lake Sammammish? Now that would be something. I guess it could be possible since it worked in lake Chelan. Seems you would hear of more being caught. Too big for a smolt, I stand by cutthroat.
BTW, I confronted a few of those "jig fishermen" a couple years ago. They were practising "horizontal jigging". Kinda ugly as you would expect. When the park ranger showed up they were all gone...

Mike,

It was most likely a young coho, they stay in
fresh water from 1 to 1.5 years. However, some
do not smolt and may live and die in either Lake
Sammamish or Lake Washington. I've cought quite
a few Blackmouth in Lake Wash. up to 5Lbs. WDFW
tells me a number of hatchery chinook just don't
smolt and go to sea. Too bad we can't keep them.

Cigar

What about it being a Jack from Issaquah Creek? A hatchery Salmon that never travels to Salt, just hangs out to eat eggs.