With several areas in the North Sound opening Tuesday for blackmouth fishing, Mike Chamberlain of Ted’s Sports Center in Lynnwood expects anglers to fair well in the coming weeks.
In the South Sound, staff members at the Point Defiance Boathouse Marina say blackmouth are biting between the boathouse and the point and near the mouth of Quartermaster Harbor. A flasher-and-hoochie setup should do the trick, but some anglers are doing well using filleted herring.
SALT WATER
South Sound: Boston Harbor is showing signs of being a good place to try this week.
North Sound: Cornet Bay near Deception Pass has proven to be good for smelt fishing of late, Chamberlain said.
RIVERS
Chehalis: Coho are biting here although catches are fewer and farther apart than a few weeks ago.
Columbia: From Oct. 24 through Sunday, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife sampled 70 salmonid anglers with 2 adult and 1 jack fall chinook, all of which were kept. Sturgeon anglers did better with 84 boat anglers keeping seven legals between the Wauna power lines and the Bonneville Dam. Sixty bank anglers caught 18 brown trout in the northwest corner of Klineline Pond. They used biscuit dough under a bobber.
Cowlitz: Fishing has been good, according to the staff at Fish Country Inc. Anglers are catching coho, some of which are starting to get pretty dark. Fish are biting up to Barrier Dam. Try using shrimp and eggs together near the dam. Downriver, try corky and yarn, jig and bobber or sand shrimp and spoons. Boat anglers should try pulling divers with eggs and sand shrimp.
Kalama: Bank anglers are catching coho and fall chinook according to the WDFW. Most of these catches have been released.
Lewis: The WDFW reports that fishermen are landing chinook and coho, but more than half of the fish were released last week.
Klickitat: Coho are biting for both bank and boat anglers.
Humptulips: A good place to get an occasionally nibble from cohos, chinook and chum.
Quillayute: Chinook are coming, and some anglers have reported an occasional winter-run steelhead.
Methow: Chamberlain says many anglers are heading east to try this river, but the fish haven’t been as bountiful as last season.
LAKES
Goodwin: While many lakes closed for the winter as of Tuesday, some year-round lakes like Goodwin are still proving to be a good place to catch rainbows.
Scanewa: Fish Country Inc. recommends pulling plugs on this section of the Cowlitz River.
Riffe: Not many anglers here, but Fish Country Inc. suspects the coho will start biting soon.
Washington: Perch fishing is going well here for those fishing at a depth of about 45 to 55 feet. Cutthroat trout also are starting to bite.
Chelan: Trolling for Mackinaw is going well right now. The biggest fish are biting near the yacht club. Anton Jones of Darrell & Dad’s Family Guide Service suggests using T4 Purple Glow Flatfish while trolling at about 1.5 mph to catch fish.
Craig Hill, staff writer craig.hill@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
