Play video
Video Reports
Fishing Blog
Chester Allen -
River fishing might not be spectacular, but it’s not bad
River fishing wasn’t exactly spectacular on the west side of the state last week, but it wasn’t too bad. On several rivers, action was pretty good and catching was about the same.
The Cowlitz has been producing good catches of coho and chinook and so have the Skykomish, Kalama and Lewis rivers. Action also has been good at the mouth of the Klickitat.
On the Olympic Peninsula, the Bogachiel and Sol Duc rivers have been producing fair catches of coho and chinook and coho catches have been good in the lower Columbia.
Fishing has been slow in the Green (King County), Puyallup and Nisqually rivers and high water has made fishing in the Satsop, Wynoochee and Skokomish nearly impossible.
Saltwater fishing has fallen off and effort has been light in Marine Area 6 (East Juan de Fuca Strait).
Fishing also has been about the same in central and southern Puget Sound and sluggish throughout Hood Canal.
In the Tacoma area, a few bright coho and odd blackmouth were caught in the clay banks area last week and fishing has been about the same this week, said Jake DePoe of Point Defiance Boathouse and Marina.
Sturgeon fishing has been good in the Columbia Gorge and fishing has been better than fair in area lakes.
Anglers are reminded that under statewide fresh water rules Oct. 31 is the last day to fish for game fish in most rivers, streams and beaver ponds.
Also anglers are advised chinook retention limits on the Humptulips River were incorrectly listed in the 2009-10 Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet. Only one adult chinook may be retained while fishing during the salmon season now under way on the river through Jan. 31. Up to two adults may be retained of which only one may be a chinook.
Fishermen and pleasure boaters planning to be on the Columbia or lower Lewis rivers should be aware a safety zone will be established prior to blasting operations scheduled to occur each day beginning Nov. 1. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is improving the navigation channel to accommodate deep-draft transports.
For information, see http://crci-project.info/indexhtmI
RIVERS
Nisqually: Fishing continues to be grim throughout the river. The expected coho run has never really arrived although a few stray coho have been caught. Overall, fishing has been very slow. Water levels are good, but sporting some color.
Skookumchuck: Opened to fishing for salmon Oct. 16 to Feb. 28. The daily limit is six. Up to four adults may be retained. Release chinook, wild coho and chum.
Puyallup: A fairly good push of coho entered the lower river on the weekend and fishing wasn’t too bad, but fishing has slowed, said Todd Rock of Auburn Sports and Marine. The water is muddy, but river levels are good.
Olympic Peninsula: Rivers were blown out last weekend, but are now fishable, said Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks. The Sol Duc and Bogachiel are the rivers to fish. Both are producing good catches of coho and the odd chinook. Overall, fishing has been fair to good.
Cowlitz: Last week, 9,890 coho, 701 jacks, 1,268 chinook, 215 jacks, 39 summer steelhead, four early winter-run steelhead, 159 sea-run cutthroat, one chum and one sockeye returned to the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery. Action has been good at barrier dam and about the same at Blue Creek.
Good catches of coho and the occasional chinook are being taken (bronze-colored chinook are being kept, dark ones released), said Karen Glaser of Barrier Dam Campground. Sea-run cutthroat catches have been good throughout the river. In the lower river, boat anglers have been catching coho from Castle Rock bridge to the mouth of the Tousle, said Jarrod Light of 4 Corners Store in Castle Rock.
Kalama: Fishing has improved for coho. Also some steelhead are being caught. Beginners Hole and red barn areas have been where most action is. Kalama “B” spinners are producing good results. Fly fishers need to use sink tips, short leaders, fished on the bottom because of leaf debris in the river, said Wayne Ouzel of Pritchard’s Western Angler.
Green: Water levels are a little on the high side and the river has some color. Coho catches have not been that great, because the fish have not been holding.
Tilton: Last week, 297 coho, 10 jacks, 258 chinook and 41 jacks were released into the river.
Satsop: The river is blown out.
Wynoochee: Water levels are high with light angler pressure, said Walt Harvey of Verles Sports in Shelton.
Kennedy Creek: Some chum are making an appearance. Anglers are reminded barbless hooks are required. Also night closure and anti-snagging rules apply.
Skokomish: High and muddy.
Chehalis: The river is worth fishing, said Jim McDaniel of Tumwater Sports. Vibrax spinners in red and chartreuse with silver blades would be a good choice of hardware.
Skykomish: Coho catches have been good and so have catches of pinks which are still in the river in good numbers, said Craig Holman of Sky Valley Traders. Fishing has been good throughout the river.
Lower portions of Abernathy, Coal, Mill (Cowlitz County), Germany creeks and Coweeman River: Reopen to fishing for hatchery steelhead and other game fish beginning Nov. 1.
Lewis: Bright, late stock coho have appeared in the catch at the salmon hatchery. Some steelhead and chinook (which have to be released) also are being caught. About 800 hatchery late stock were counted in the trap last week.
Wind: Generally light effort although boat anglers have caught some coho which have to be released. Oct. 31 is the last scheduled day of the salmon season.
Klickitat: Bank angling effort and coho catches have increased on the lower river. Bank anglers have been averaging a coho kept per rod. Some chinook also are being caught. Beginning Nov. 1, all chinook must be released from 400 feet above the No. 5 fishway upstream. Fisher Hill Bridge downstream will remain open for chinook retention.
Yakima: Angler effort this week was similar to last week. WDFW personnel sampled 220 anglers with 189 chinook, 22 jacks and 72 coho. Total harvest is currently estimated at 403 chinook, 58 jacks, 82 coho and four jacks.
The salmon fishery is scheduled to remain open through today.
Lower Columbia: Most effort and coho catch has been found in the Camas/Washougal area. Saturday, 50 boats were counted at Lady Island. Some coho and steelhead have been caught in the lower river, but effort has been light. Beginning Nov. 1, fishing for salmon is prohibited from Beacon Rock to Bonneville Dam.
There were 109,400 angler trips to the lower Columbia between Aug. 1 and Oct. 11, the highest total since 2003 and the third highest on record dating back to 1980. Sport catch during the period was 14,500 chinook and 3,600 coho kept (1,700 coho were released). Also, through last week, 596,897 steelhead were counted at Bonneville Dam, which is the second highest count on record.
Bonneville Pool: At the mouth of the Klickitat, boat anglers averaged nearly a coho kept per rod last week. Just over 60 boats were counted there Sunday, said Joe Hymer, supervisory fish biologist, Pacific States Marine Fishery commission. Some coho also are being caught at the mouth of the White Salmon River, although most were unmarked fish and released.
Passage of coho at Bonneville Dam through Oct. 18 was 196,300 adults compared to the preseason expectation of 160,100. Passage is typically 92 percent completed by Oct. 18.
STURGEON
About one in 10 bank anglers just below Bonneville Dam on the Washington side of the river had kept a legal sturgeon when sampled last Thursday. Saturday, 265 Washington and 294 Oregon bank anglers were counted in the Gorge. Effort has been light in the lower river.
LAKES
Scanewa: Last week, Tacoma Power employees released 1,565 coho and 133 jacks into the lake.
Drano: Boat anglers are catching some fish, but effort has been light.
Mayfield: The lake was planted with 813 chinook, 154 jacks, 72 coho and two jacks last week. No fishing report was available.
Spanaway: Some limits are being taken by boat anglers at the south end of the lake still fishing using Power Bait. Dock fishing has been slow for trout and about the same for perch, said Bud Herlitzka of Spanaway Park boathouse. Overall, fishing has been fair.
Offut: Limits of trout in the 15- to 20-inch range are being caught by dock and boat anglers, said Becky Pogue of Offut Lake Resort. The trout have been hitting a variety of baits and colored Power Bait. The bite has been good throughout the day.
Isabella and Spencer: Both lakes are producing fair numbers of trout. Power Bait and nightcrawlers fished near the bottom have been producing best results.
American: Fishing has been slow for dock anglers. It has been a little better for boat anglers trolling hardware and baits, said David Anderson of Bill’s Boathouse. Some of the trout being caught have been in the 15-inch range.
Outdoors correspondent Bob Brown can be reached at robertb1285@fairpoint.net
-
Christmas in August will be blue until pinks arrive
I’ve been thinking about Christmas a lot lately.
-
Tom Bolender's fly fishing report for June 4
Most rivers in the state are opening on Saturday, and it’s free fishing weekend to boot.
TOP JOBS
-
Family Practicing Physician or Advanced Reg. Nurse Prac.
Skokomish Indian Tribe -
Registered Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwife, Phys Assist
Planned Parenthood of Western WA. -
Medical Assistant or Licensed Practical Nurse
Yelm Family Medicine -
Certified Nursing Assistants
Puget Sound Health Care -
Spanish Faculty
Olympic College
