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With rivers' high waters, anglers should turn elsewhere

By Bob Brown | For The Olympian • Published January 07, 2009

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Anglers often wish for a little rain to urge salmon upriver.

But this is ridiculous.

High water and turbid conditions have turned the idea of river fishing in many Western Washington rivers into a questionable venture. Since it will take rivers a while to get back into shape, anglers might want to ponder saltwater or lake fishing.

The area on both sides of the Narrows Bridge has been reported good for resident coho and sea–run cutthroat and Marine areas 8–1 and 8–2 have been producing fair catches of chinook.

Although fishing hasn't been too spiffy in South Sound, fishing for chum salmon near the mouth of the Nisqually River might prove to be worthwhile.

Sturgeon fishing in the lower Columbia River continues to be very slow. Joe Hymer of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's Vancouver office said from the Wauna power lines to Bonneville Dam. An estimated 900 anglers kept zero legal sturgeon during the month of December.

Sturgeon anglers are reminded that since Jan. 1, a new method of measuring sturgeon for retention took effect statewide. Under permanent rules, the lower Columbia from the Interstate 5 Bridge upstream is now closed to salmon fishing. Also, water temperature Tuesday morning near Cathlamet was just under the 42 degrees that smelt prefer.

Rivers

KALAMA: The river had been fishable earlier this week, but there has not been much in the way of angler activity.

Some steelhead were caught in the canyon last weekend and a few were caught by boat anglers in the hour glass area and around the Modrow Bridge, said Barbara Orzell of Pritchard's Western Angler. Eggs and Nightmare jigs with a black body, white head and red tail have been the preferred baits.

Steelhead returns to the Kalama Falls Hatchery continue to be low. Chris Wagemann of the Department of Fish and Wildlife's Kalama Research Team reported only 97 hatchery winter steelhead had returned to the hatchery through December.

SKOOKUMCHUCK: Had been producing a few steelhead recently, said Jim McDaniels of Tumwater Sports.