Musky, Or Pike in Washington

Zodiac-Fisherman · 02-27-2004, 09:05 PM

Folks,

I heard there is a lake not too far from Vancouver, Wa that is stocked with Northern Pike, and or Musky. Does anyone know the name of this lake, and whether or not its a productive fishery?

[ 02-27-2004, 10:06 PM: Message edited by: ZodiacFisherman ]

Ivana Fishalot · 02-27-2004, 09:07 PM

Mayfield Reservior

I asked about it not too long ago and it was mentioned that they are pretty hard to find. More will chime in so hold on.

Rueben4life · 02-28-2004, 05:52 AM

Do a search for muskies or tiger muskies and you should hit pay dirt!

Brett

love2fish · 02-28-2004, 06:17 AM

They planted Tiger Muskies in Merwin Res. a while back to control the *********. I think they get caught once in awhile. Mayfield was also stocked, and I think it was last year there were several caught there.

love2fish

Cowlitz Kidd · 02-28-2004, 06:52 AM

Lake Mayfield has Tiger Musky in it the state record was pulled out of there a few years back.

Bonneville Dan · 02-28-2004, 07:08 AM

We think they must have planted Tiger Muskies in Yale too. Here's why: The ********* are thick, the few Kokanee are getting smaller. It would make sense for the fish and game folks to plant a few. About 3 years ago we were trolling for Kokes, which was spotty at best. The lure on the pole in the middle was nowhere near halfway to the bottom. The pole was resting against the engine cover when it literally jumped out of the boat with no warning. Since we had only caught a couple of small Kokanee that day, and with all the rigging those little things barely get the tip of the pole wiggling, none of us were on guard. We were using typical Kokanee lures like wedding rings and needlefish.

I also heard that a large musky escaped into the Cowlitz and was hooked by a young fisherman in the last couple of years. That would be a bad thing for salmon and steelhead smolts, even if the muskies are sterile.

IFISH4U · 02-28-2004, 07:23 AM

MAYFIELD, LATE SUMMER, PRETTY GOOD TIGER MUSKIE FISHING SOMETIMES, GOTTA HAVE A COUPLE OF DAYS TO FIND THEM, SO GIVE YOURSELF A COUPLE OF DAYS. THERE ARE SOME BIG`UNS, THEY HAVE ALSO CAUGHT A COUPLE OUT OF LEWIS RIVER, PROBABLY FROM RESEVOIR.

Big TULE · 02-28-2004, 08:56 AM

No there are no muskies in Yale. I have fished yale my whole life of 27 years and i have never cought a *********. The reason the Kokanee are small in yale is there are more of them than the lake can handle. That is why the 16 fish limit in yale. Most likely you hit one of the many dead heads that rise 50 feet off of the bottom. Just float around with your depth finder and you will see pinnacles rising all over.

Bonneville Dan · 02-28-2004, 09:48 AM

Tule, you just made my story a whole lot less fun to tell in the future. Thanks man. I guess it could have been a dead head, since monofilament line could have snagged up and stretched before launching the pole into the wild blue yonder, propelled much faster than our troll speed could have produced. I guarantee the lure was way off the bottom, so any log that could have been the culprit would have to have been suspended quite a ways up from the bottom. I've seen them dangerously near the surface there and in Merwyn. They probably sink very slowly as they get more and more waterlogged.

I do want to point out that we have caught many many ********* in Yale fishing from the bank. It's hard to keep them off, but I've never caught one trolling either. Great fun for the kids, and it's doing some good for the lake too.

Dan

Zodiac-Fisherman · 02-28-2004, 10:25 AM

Sounds like i wouldnt have much luck chasing musky. Unless i go up to the north/ midwest. or into canada. it would definatly be fun to have a nice 30+ incher on the end of your line.

corkyking · 02-28-2004, 01:25 PM

There are some lakes just past Couer d' Alene, Idaho. They have some excellent Northern fishing. Couer d' Alene Lake also has some nice Northerns. Contact Jeff Smith at Fins and Feathers.

Bonneville Dan · 02-28-2004, 07:33 PM

Just a bit further south at lower Lake Mary, a few miles from Flagstaff, Az. has some fantastic Northern Pike fishing. During college, my friend Bill and I quit after ten pike each, since that was the limit for trout and we didn't know the regs very well. A game warden met us on the way back to the car and inspected our catch. Unfortunately the limit on pike was 7 apiece. He pointed us to a campfire, and told us if we clean and cook 3 each, he'd let us off the hook. I'll never forget how lucky we were. A $25 ticket would have meant baked potatoes for dinner for about 3 weeks (maybe with a little McDonald's ketchup on top).

Never caught a pike 'round here. Sorry for the lack of local advice.

Dan