Fishing report for Feb. 5

LAKES

Munn: The lake is producing some large rainbow trout, some weighing more than 3 pounds. A size-10 Carey Special has been effective for fly anglers.

Potholes: Anglers are catching some limits of walleye as the ice melts from the reservoir. Look for walleye holding close to structure in water about 55 feet deep. They are starting to feed before moving into streams to spawn.

Washington: The fishing for cutthroat trout has been fair. Look for fish holding 25-45 feet deep. Orange or pink hoochies, trolled behind a pink or watermelon-patterned dodger, have been effective.

Lost: This lake and Spencer have been fishing well. The trout are holding tight to the bottom. Try trolling with downriggers to keep your lure at the bottom. Some anglers are using small Wedding Rings tipped with a worm, or just a red bead trailed by a worm. Others are using night crawlers or Power Bait fished right off the bottom.

RIVERS

Columbia: The first confirmed catch of a spring chinook took place Monday. The angler was fishing with herring below Prescott.

Cowlitz-Smelt: The lone day of smelt dipping will take place Saturday from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Each netter can keep 10 pounds of smelt. Reports from Wednesday said smelt were seen swimming close to the bank in the Kelso area. No fish were seen near Castle Rock.

Icicle/Wenatchee: The state opened Icicle River and another section of the Wenatchee for steelhead fishing Thursday. The Icicle is open from the mouth to 500 feet downstream of the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery barrier dam. The just-opened Wenatchee stretch is from the Icicle Road bridge to 400 feet below Tumwater Dam.

Olympic Coast: The river conditions this weekend will depend on how much rain fell Friday. Forecasts were calling for almost 1.5 inches of rain, just as rivers were returning to near normal levels. The Sol Duc has been the best option.

Wynoochee: River conditions should be good this weekend for steelhead fishing. Flows have dropped and the water clarity is improving. Most people will fish a jig under a bobber, while some will pull plugs.

Yakima: River levels have slowly dropped this week, and the water clarity has improved. Look for trout holding in slow water, and drift stonefly nymphs or swing streamers.

SALT WATER

Clams: The state has proposed a razor clam dig for Copalis on Feb. 19-20, if tests show clams are safe to eat. The low tides will be at 4:33 p.m. on Feb. 19 and at 5:17 p.m. on Feb. 20. Meanwhile, a dig at Long Beach continues through March 10. No digging is allowed before noon. Weekend low tides are at 5:11 p.m. Saturday, minus 0.3 feet, and at 5:52 p.m. Sunday, minus 0.7 feet.

North Sound: The blackmouth fishing has been best in the waters north and south of the San Juan Islands. Try using small spoons such as a 3-inch Kingfisher or a Coho Killer. In Marine Area 9, some salmon are being caught at places such as Point No Point, Double Bluff and Mid-Channel Bank.

South Sound: The salmon fishing has been slow, in part because few people have been willing to brave the weather. There were only seven people checked by the state last weekend. Some fish are being caught off Point Gibson, Eagle Island and Devil’s Head, as well as the clay banks.

This story was originally published February 5, 2016 at 3:08 AM with the headline "Fishing report for Feb. 5."