Fishing Report: Recreational salmon fishing to open this weekend, Hood Canal reopening for day of shrimp fishing in July

Get ready for some salmon.

On Saturday, marine areas 1 (Ilwaco), 3 (La Push) and 4 (Neah Bay) will open daily for salmon fishing. Marine area 2 (Westport) will open on July 1.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife managers are expecting to see higher numbers of chinook and coho salmon in the ocean than the previous year.

This year anglers fishing in marine areas 1 and 2 will have a quota of two salmon a day. In areas 3 and 4, the quota will be the same. In all areas anglers must release wild coho.

Also, Hood Canal (area 12) will be reopening for spot shrimp fishing on July 19, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. All shrimp will be available. The daily limit for shrimp in Hood Canal is 80.

LAKES

Spanaway:​​ Fishing has been great here the last couple weeks. A lot of boaters are coming in after two hours with their limits. Choice of flasher is up to you, wedding rings and worms are also popular. Rainbow trout are ranging anywhere from 10-15 inches.

Harts:​​ Fish in the heat of the day aren't biting so well. Mornings and late evenings are best times. Trout and bullhead are being caught with nightcrawlers and marshmallows. Still plenty of crappie to be caught.

Mineral:​ Fishing has been really good. Using 3 ½ to 4 liters. Anglers have been trolling wedding rings and dicknites. A lot of success for still fishers on the north end of the dock. They are using worms with power eggs.

RIVERS

Green River: According to Auburn​ ​sports​ ​and​ ​marine, the Green is good for steelhead. Sand shrimp has the fish biting the best right now.

Wynoochie:​​ ​Plenty of steelhead are in the river and they are using small jigs under a float. Side drifting and bottom bouncing with small cluster of eggs has worked well too.

Yakima: Catch and release with single barbless hooks. Anglers are nymphing with some streamer fishing. Rainbow trout are mostly caught, but there have been few brown trout and cutthroat recently.

Skykomish:​​ Has been fairly decent, but has slowed up. Steelhead are being caught with floats and jigs, spoons and corkies with yarn. Good king salmon fishing in the Wallace river downstream. Most the fish in the area average weight ranges from 8 to 9 pounds. Some have been in the mid-teens.

Skagit:​ Sockeye has picked up. Anglers are plunking, whether fishing out of a boat or off the bank. Fish are biting on the sand shrimp.

SALTWATER

Tacoma: Salmon fishing in the area has been slow, but there are a little bit of activity in the morning. Crabbing open Thursday through Monday. Not a lot of dungeness, but there are plenty of rock crab.

South Sound: Blackmouth fishing continues to be good.

North Sound: Tulalip bubble fishery has been doing fairly well for king salmon. Fish weighing anywhere from 8 to 9 pounds. Open from Friday to Sunday at noon. Edmonds Pier has been getting some king salmon. Varies from day-to-day.

Gig Harbor / Vashon: Cutthroat fishing has been good in this area. Fish are going for larger baitfish patterns like chum fry, herring, anchovies. Its warming up, which means anglers are fishing top water now. Poppers and gurglers are recommended.

tholmes@thenewstribune.com

This story was originally published June 23, 2017 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Fishing Report: Recreational salmon fishing to open this weekend, Hood Canal reopening for day of shrimp fishing in July."