learning the montlake cut

**bpm2000** · 02-28-2007, 05:19 PM

Being stuck on the bank, I think I'm going to take a lot more time to figure out the Montlake Cut this yr for smallies and whatever else decides to swim in there, seeing as how its so narrow and accessible to a non-boater.

For those of you with experience in there (slab, ck, etc..?) it'd be great to get some more insight to this small area.

Structure/Cover in the Cut:
I know about the tiny point/flat right next to the observation deck thing and CK you've mentioned the little bend by the "tradition of excellence" area (whats down there anyways? what makes that a good place?) - are there any other areas in the Cut worth fishing? The only place I've ever caught anything in there was right off the point. Is the flat next to the point a staging or spawning area at all?
I remember rolling over the cut with Slab the time I went to Union with him and there were a lot of holes and contours right past the deck going towards Union: are those holes any good? How deep does it get in the Cut?
There obviously isnt too much cover in the cut (almost none actually?)- the only thing I can think of is sometimes right next to the seawalls a lot of foam and debris will stack up. Have you ever had any success throwing something under those?
Also, there are boat docks if you keep going past the cut that look good for LM but there are signs everywhere saying NO FISHING!!! on them. This doesnt apply to someone on the ground fishing AT them, does it? :p

Timing in the Cut:
Is this pretty much a warm-water only area? I doubt there are much of any fish in there right now, but I remember reading a thread here about someone hookin a LM in January? (I think it was urban or someone). I would imagine this place would be treated like any other shallow water area in lk wa? (55ish degree water up)
Also, any action midday or more of a morning/night area? I see a lot of crayfish being active in there during the evening, but I'm not sure how the baitfish stack in there at all, if at all, and what they are (never seen any sticklebacks in there, pretty sure there is perch, dunno about those smelt or anything).

Gear/Tackle:
My Cut fish have all been on a firetiger shallow crank (perch, anyone?). I would imagine a crawdad imitation like a twintail grub to be effective in there, although I've tried a few times with no success last yr. Any other proven lures in there?

I'm a little less clueless and a little more equipped this year but still got a long way to go!

thx and sorry for being long winded :D

**CK14** · 02-28-2007, 07:08 PM

wow, lots o' questions! :D

i'm no expert in the cut but the fish i've caught out of there have come on a watermelon GYCB 4" double tail grub. the bend/point thing on the observation deck seems to be a good spot. all along that area (from the bend up towards the boat marina) there is a raised platform about as wide as the walkway. there seems to be a lot of riprap all along there (lost a few grubs in there :o ). another time when i got one, there was a floating mat of weeds that was going down the cut next to the walkway and i pitched my grub through the mat and i got a smallike as soon as it got to the bottom....
i know those docks and weeds have largies but those rich people don't like it when you fish in there. one time i was fishing on one of the docks (the beginging part, before the big fancy door) and a couple told me i shouldn't be fishing on there. i said ok and left. then a few minutes later they sent security to find me and give me a lecture

. he said that fishing on the docks is illegal because it's "private property" but fishing from the shore, 1 foot away, is all good. whatever :p .

i also remember one time (a couple years ago) on the University side of the cut, there was a guy catching some decent smallies on grubs. and i saw at least 3 smallies right next to the bank/wall that were 2lbs-4lbs. the fish seemed to be on lock jaw though

. if i remember right that water was a little shallower and weedier.

**Kokanee King** · 02-28-2007, 07:42 PM

the cut can be agreat place to fish, I will PM you an even better spot for ya.... The cut holds just about everything that is in the lake if you cast some spinners right now I bet you can get some real nice trout. as for the bass you may be able to start to get some LM but it will be slow the cut is almost 35 feet deep in places and usually has schooled up perch and most likely crappie, I have not fished them just marked them on the finder. you are going to have to wait about another month with the way the weather is before you start getting any fish, if there is a warm spell with somt sunny weather, hit the cut and the other place i will tell you for LM and possibly some samllies that will hit the shallows to sun bath. Soft plastics are going to be key but do not be afraid to throw a spinner bait or crank bait , that LM that Urban caught in January was on a spinner bait......

**bpm2000** · 03-01-2007, 12:23 PM

thx for the info guys.

CK thats funny about that boat dock - pretty much exactly what I would've figured would happen there. I think im gonna fish them from the shore and see if i can get any glares in my direction :D. They look very LM friendly and I bet they don't get pressured at all cuz of the signs!

**SlabKing** · 03-01-2007, 05:57 PM

I think CK and Koke covered just about everything there is to know about the Cut lol. There are a few staging areas that the bass use. If it's a decent spring they'll be up on the "break" of the flats by April. When they are staging I've always done best casting white spinnerbaits along the breaks. They'll hit grubs and crankbaits as well but they don't seem to hug the bottom at that time so I use a spinnerbait to cover all depths.

After the spawn LM and smallies will school up in the morning (before light) and chase young of the year perch and squawfish along the seawall. That's when the crankbait bite can be pretty amazing. Those docks will hold some nice bass then as well. Topwater poppers (Pop R's) in a silver or blue back/chrome sides color work great. There's a nice hole back in there that the crappie spawn in as well. On the NW side by the UW hospital there's structure that holds crappie almost year round. From a boat you can find the rock humps out there. They just move up and down in the water column out there. There are some good smallie spots along that whole side as well. I think that are feeding on perch and smelt.

**bpm2000** · 03-01-2007, 07:14 PM

Are those crappie spots youre talkin about only reachable by boat?

thx for the knowledge

**Kokanee King** · 03-01-2007, 08:19 PM

hey slab, when do you think that you will be heading out there......

I plan on hitting up Duck at the end of next month, maybe you should make a trip down there.:rolleyes:

**CK14** · 03-01-2007, 08:58 PM

i might have to make a trip dow to duck as well......

**Kokanee King** · 03-01-2007, 09:40 PM

It would be well worth it. the bass will be on prespawn by then as well....... altough I have no Idea how to catch them.........But I have a good Idea on how to figure it out.

**SlabKing** · 03-02-2007, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by bpm2000

Are those crappie spots youre talkin about only reachable by boat?

thx for the knowledge

There's one by the millionaires club marina that you can reach from the bank. It's right behind that small brick building in the park. It's hard to explain but there's a spot right next to the main dock that you can fish from the bank. Crappie spawn in the weeds and along that main dock. The other spots can only be reached by boat although I have seen guys catch them from the North shore on the far West end of the cut.

Koke, I'll be out there mid-April. There's a lake close to my place that's shallow and holds smallies so I'm going to spend most of the pre-spawn out there trying to figure them out a bit. Been itching to hit Harts lake for some of those channel cats as well. I swear, I'm going to make it out to Duck with you this year :D.

Thread: learning the montlake cut

Thread Tools

Display

learning the montlake cut

Posting Permissions