Pass Lake 5/19/24

[The Fish Whisperer]

Fished Pass Lake on 5/19.
When I first got on the lake, there was a gentleman parked on the highway and I could clearly see he was using a spin rod with a spinner......totally illegal. As soon as I got my phone out he started to pack up and leave. I left it at that since he was going and that was all we could do. Moving forward, it was a newer model white Honda Accord.
So be on the lookout if you happen to be fishing up there because there folks from time to time I see fishing from the pull outs that are not following the rules.

At any rate, brought a fair number of fish to the net and lost some that ran at me when hooked. Mr Eagle paid me a visit, but I waved him off with the net in one hand while sticking the rod waaaaayyy down in the water with the other......definitely a test of coordination and chaos.

Found the fish a little deeper and away from the shore. Used a type 6 full sink with a basic leech pattern. Takes were soft....not the usual aggressive swipes we see most of the time. I suspect that the they are switching over the food sources.

 

[aaronj]

Nice. I was there Friday afternoon until dark. A mix of sizes, 14-19". Most came on, of all things, a yellow bugger. I also ran into three Green Sunfish which I quickly transported into the afterlife. Mr. Eagle also buzzed me on my last fish of the night, silently flying by from behind...a little unnerving; you gotta keep one eye on the sky! The water still was fairly clear, but that will change soon, I'm sure.

 

[Tim L]

I also paid it a visit Sunday, late. Looked pretty typical for May after midge madness dies down. Still plenty of that activity with bugs and birds, but you can tell different foods are occurring throughout the day. The lake can seem slow at times - I found I really had to follow the food around. Both the when and the where mattered a lot.

Mainly I found two good "episodes" within a couple hours of dark. The point lit up in tight over the shallow vegetation, I think with those little "dancing mayflies" that horde the shorelines in eves. Too much activity up and in, but the fringes just before the bottom disappears were really productive.

That all ended at the flip of a switch, 7:30 on the dot, and very little went on till after sunset. At first the swallows came back out, reacting to the "little green gnats" that take to the air around dusk. I figured the fish had their fill already, seeing nothing, then the surface began boiling all around.

I always hate reacting to something that fast, carrying only one rod...longest 4 mins in fishing. Simple floater/GRHE cast & kick, and there was no counting to ten after any cast. Short lived though, and that was it. Better ones earlier off the point, as the boilers were all the smaller ones. Fun nevertheless.

Unless much has changed, I'd look for even more evening fun into June. If minnows are still a thing at Pass, the shorelines will get really active with plenty of the nicer fish (and better odds on browns).

That's all I have - tough to follow this place from 2,000 miles away. Glad some are getting out there and enjoying!

Edit: F Whisperer you got a name change! I was too old and blind to notice your pic, glad you reached out. I'll write back proper from the airport in a bit.

 

[WhidbeyJ]

Fished Pass Lake on 5/19.
When I first got on the lake, there was a gentleman parked on the highway and I could clearly see he was using a spin rod with a spinner......totally illegal. As soon as I got my phone out he started to pack up and leave. I left it at that since he was going and that was all we could do. Moving forward, it was a newer model white Honda Accord.
So be on the lookout if you happen to be fishing up there because there folks from time to time I see fishing from the pull outs that are not following the rules.

At any rate, brought a fair number of fish to the net and lost some that ran at me when hooked. Mr Eagle paid me a visit, but I waved him off with the net in one hand while sticking the rod waaaaayyy down in the water with the other......definitely a test of coordination and chaos.

Found the fish a little deeper and away from the shore. Used a type 6 full sink with a basic leech pattern. Takes were soft....not the usual aggressive swipes we see most of the time. I suspect that the they are switching over the food sources.


View attachment 115152View attachment 115153

My son and I were there on Sunday too. As we were launching our raft, I noticed two guys pulling their old boat out. I nodded howdy but got the stink eye from them. Anyhow, they looked a little shady to me and after they were out and pulling away, I noticed an electric trolling motor hanging off the back and what looked like spinning rods but wasn't sure. I'm guessing they weren't confused about the regs, just didn't give an eff.

We were there late morning/early afternoon. Anyhow, my kid caught his first two Stillwater rainbows, both while trolling around a white balanced leech on an intermediate. He's a new caster and the transition from a floating line to an intermediate was a little too challenging. We lost the 2nd one to the Eagle. No pics.