The unknown is the attraction at Tumwater's Munn Lake

Tumwater’s Munn Lake benefits from selective fishing My spider-like fly landed at the edge of the lily pads.

Two quick tugs on my fly line, the water swirled, the yellow-and-black popper disappeared in a splash and the line was taut.

But what was at the end of the line?

I’ve learned, on my first trip there, that the unknown is one of the attractions of fishing Munn Lake in Tumwater.

On this cast, it was a scrappy largemouth bass that came to hand.

On another, it was a chunky bluegill.

Later in the day, using a damsel fly nymph, I caught a rainbow trout.

But you also can hook a brown trout or a black crappie.

That diversity of finned residents and a new set of regulations have made this small water a popular South Sound destination.

Following the change to selective rules that took effect this spring, anglers must release their catch, use single barbless hooks, can’t fish from boats with internal combustion engines and they have to leave the bait at home. But they can now fish the lake year-round.

The lake is quickly finding a legion of new fans.

“I love selective fishing,” said Rich Hattrup of Olympia. “It’s a great concept. Your fish get to be a big size.”

Earlier this month, Hattrup was fishing the lake for just the third time. Casting from a small pontoon boat, Hattrup found fish willing to take his tiny plastic grub. He landed bass, panfish and rainbow trout as he worked his way along the edge of the lily pads that line the shore.

Jerry Merritt of Olympia caught a bass casting from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife boat ramp before even putting his small boat in the water. He also caught a crappie during his first trip to the lake.

“There’s a big bass I’m chasing, but I haven’t figured out what he wants,” Merritt said.

“I like that it’s catch and release, single barbless hooks,” he said.

A SUCCESSFUL CHANGE

Those comments echo others heard by Larry Phillips, area biologist for the state. He recommended the rule change that was approved by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

“It exceeded our expectations in terms of angler participation,” he said of the reaction from anglers. “It’s not unusual to have 20 float tubes out there on weekends and 10 on weekdays.”

Phillips said he considered requesting the change because the lake was often fished out within two weeks of the traditional end of April opening of the lowland lake trout season and because of a successful experiment with a spring catch-and-release season in 2009.

For nearly two months before the opening of the lowland lake season last year, anglers had to follow selective gear rules.

“It was an amazing success. I was getting calls from people as far away as some of the Seattle fly fishing clubs who said this was great,” Phillips said.

The lake is the only one in Thurston and Pierce counties with catch-and-release regulations and with a public boat ramp.

Buoyed by that success, and with the support of local clubs like the South Sound Fly Fishers, Phillips recommended the permanent rule change.

“This was one of the areas without a quality fishing lake like that. We were looking for lakes where we could change the management approach without affecting a lot of people.

“Looking at the lakes in the area, Munn Lake kind of jumped out right away,” Phillps said.

Munn was chosen because it is fairly small compared with other lakes in the area, has a good food supply, and any rule changes would not affect a large number of anglers. Trying to impose such changes at popular boating and fishing lakes like Black or St. Clair would have affected far more people.

A LAKE’S CHAMPION

Living less than a mile from the lake, Don Freeman has taken up the Munn Lake cause. Freeman, the conservation chairman for the Olympia fly-fishing group, said anglers quickly appreciate the fishing the lake offers.

“This is the best opportunity for quality fishing in this area,” he said. “I’ve had guys from Renton come down here and want to write a check so we can keep stocking the lake.”

Freeman has posted signs explaining the rules near the boat ramp, club members were at the lake the first week of the season to explain the changes to anglers and the club is trying to raise $2,500 to help defray the department’s cost for stocking the lake.

Because the lake is not conducive to trout spawning, the lake will continue to be stocked.

Phillips said caution would be used so the lake is not overstocked.

“You just don’t dump fish in a catch-and-release lake,” Phillips said. “You don’t want too many fish in a lake because there is only so much food.”

He also said the department, in response to angler requests, will stock fewer but larger fish.

Freeman is optimistic some of the planted trout will survive the fishing and warm summer water temperatures and carry over into next year.

“I hope we’ll find out if they fish will sustain themselves and grow,” Freeman said. “It’s hard to say if it was sustainable before because all the fish were caught and in a frying pan in the first week and a half of the season.”

Department staffers hope to visit the lake later this year to do a population assessment, Phillips said. They will look at what age classes can be found in the lake and try to determine growth rates.

Phillips and Freeman said there was some initial opposition to the change.

“It does limit some anglers from using that fishery, if they’re interested in consumptive fishing,” Phillips said.

“Any time you change management, you’re going to have people who like the way it was,” he said. “But then you see the success we’ve had at Munn Lake and the increase in angler days. That translates into people spending money to go fishing there.”

Freeman feels the changes will turn the lake into a trophy fishery for trout and bass anglers.

“There’s no reason you won’t be able to catch an 8-, 10-pound bass out of here in a few years,” Freeman said. “If they’re not being harvested, they should grow to epic proportions.”

As I kicked my float tube back to the dock after landing more than 10 fish on a hot and sunny afternoon, I made a few last casts with Freeman’s final comment in my mind.

“It’s a gem,” he said.

It’s an assessment, I found, few can deny.

Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640

jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com

blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure

About Munn Lake

Where: The state boat ramp is off 65th Avenue Southeast in Tumwater. The easiest way to get there is to take Exit 101 off Interstate 5. Go east on Tumwater Boulevard to Henderson Boulevard Southeast. Turn left and go north to 65th Avenue Southeast. Turn right and look for the small brown “Public Fishing” on the right.

Size: The lake is about 40 acres, and is as deep as 15 feet at the north end.

When to fish: The lake is open year-round, and is planted each spring and fall. During the summer, fish in the morning before the clouds burn off or in the evening.

What you’ll likely catch: Rainbow and brown trout, largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill.

What to use: Try trolling with a 1/16-ounce Dick Nite spoon in gold or silver; fly cast a size 14 or 16 hare’s ear nymph or damsel fly nymph toward the weeds beds and slowly retrieve it; small plastic grubs fished under an indicator will attract trout, bass and bluegill; cast popper lures or flies into the weeds.

MUNN LAKE RULES

Catch-and-release only

Selective gear rules apply

Fishing from boats with internal combustion motors prohibited.

Only one fishing rod can be used.