Bass in the Nisqually

I fished the Nisqually River today. While trying to stay away from the salmon mad house in the lower river, I stayed up higher and fished for trout. There was this nice flat slough that looked really Cutty, so I tossed a spinner back in there. That cast was rewarded with a solid strike, and straight up out of the water came this fish with a black stripe down the side. I've done my share of warm water fishing to know a largemouth when I see one, but would any of you warm water guys tell me what this fish was, and still is, doing in the Nisqually River?

Gorging on salmon smolts.

-N.

Word has it that the WDFW finally gave up on saving our coldwater anadramous fishes and has decided to start dumping bass and walleye in the local rivers.

This program, from what I understand, has been subsidized by Schmidts Beer and Quantum reels.