Trout fishing is fair and the salmon fishing slow in area waters

LAKES

American: Last week, the state stocked this lake with nearly 2,000 rainbow trout. Anglers also are catching perch.

Black: The recently planted 1-pound rainbow trout have made for some good fishing. One angler reported success trolling a silver spoon near the surface.

Nahwatzel: Anglers are catching plenty of rainbows measuring 14-16 inches long. Some people are fishing with Power Bait, while others have been having luck trolling a lake troll flash followed by a Wedding Ring tipped with a worm.

Offutt: Recently stocked with nearly 1,000 rainbow trout.

Spanaway: Anglers are having an easy time off the dock. Casting worms is producing bites from trout, some 16-17 inches. Boat traffic has been slow.

Tanwax: Although the water is cold, people are catching some rainbow trout. Still fishing with Power Eggs about 3 feet off the bottom has been more successful than trolling. The lake was stocked last week.

RIVERS

Puyallup: The fishing is slow overall, but a few chum salmon are being caught. Many of them are fairly dark. Spinners and jigs tipped with shrimp have produced strikes.

Sol Duc: The state is allowing anglers to catch and keep hatchery coho through Dec. 15. Staffers at the Sol Duc Hatchery have collected the fish needed for the broodstock program, allowing the fishery to remain open downstream from the hatchery. Anglers must release all wild steelhead, wild coho and chinook.

Yakima: If you feel you have to go over the pass to chase trout, be sure to pack some black or brown Pat’s stonefly nymphs in sizes 6-10, or size 8 streamers. With snow in the weather forecast for Snoqualmie Pass this weekend, maybe it would be a good time to tie some flies instead.

SALT WATER

Fly fishing: The fishing for sea-run cutthroat trout has been fair around the South Sound. Effective flies include euphausid and flatwing minnow patterns.

Razor clams: The state should announce early next week if the next razor clam dig planned to start Dec. 10 will take place. If approved, digging will be allowed on the evening tides Dec. 10-18 at Long Beach and Twin Harbors and Dec. 10-11 at Copalis and Mocrocks. The low tide times will be 3:28 p.m. Dec. 10 and reach 9:51 p.m. on Dec. 18.

South Sound: The salmon fishing in Marine Area 13 has been fair at best. Look for fish in water 120-150 feet deep. Trolling with hoochies or spoons behind a flasher, and 10 feet off the bottom, has been the most effective method of hooking a fish. Jigging for squid remains good.

North Sound: Squid fishing has been good, and eight marine areas are open for crab fishing.

Contributors: State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Art Tachell of Point Defiance Boathouse, salmonuniversity.com, northwestfishingreports.com, Creekside Angling Co., Bud Herlitzka of Spanaway Lake Boathouse.

This story was originally published December 2, 2016 at 1:43 PM with the headline "Trout fishing is fair and the salmon fishing slow in area waters."