Buoy 10 fishery reopens for chinook salmon

BOB BROWN, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published September 14, 2001

OLYMPIA -- The Buoy 10 salmon fishery at the mouth of the Columbia River will reopen to chinook fishing Saturday, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced.

Buoy 10 anglers may keep chinook salmon as part of their daily limit. Through Sept. 30 the daily limit will be four salmon and no more than one can be a chinook.

The minimum size is 16 inches for coho and 24 inches for chinook.

Buoy 10 fishing reportedly has been red hot. Some boaters are limiting within a matter of hours. Last week, boaters averaged three coho per rod and released one chinook per boat. Angler pressure has also been heavy with 127 boats counted above the Megler/Astoria Bridge last Saturday.

From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, the salmon daily limit will be six fish. No more than four can be adults and no more than one can be an adult chinook. Wild coho, chum and sockeye must be released. Barbed hooks are allowed.

Buoy 10 regulations apply to the North Jetty.

- COHO RECORD: A record appears to be near for returning coho in the Columbia River above Bonneville Dam, according to Joe Hymer of Fish and Wildlife's Vancouver office. Last Monday, more than 19,000 coho were counted at Bonneville Dam, bringing the season total to more than 106,000. The season record, set in 1986, was 108,000 fish.

Rivers

- COLUMBIA: Early in the week, boaters averaged an adult chinook kept per every five rods. There are increasing numbers of hatchery coho appearing in catches, primarily at the mouth of the Cowlitz.

Angler pressure has been heavy both at the mouth of the river and in the Camas/Washougal area.

In addition, the mouth of the Lewis River has been popular.

Overall, fishing has been fair at the mouth of the Cowlitz, said Roger Smith of Cowlitz/Columbia Guide Service. Flatfish have produced results during the outgoing tide and spinners have been productive on the incoming tide.

- LEWIS: At the mouth of the river, boaters have been catching fall chinook, coho and steelhead. Coho and steelhead are being reported in the North Fork.

Fish checkers reported bank anglers fishing near the hatchery averaged one-half coho per rod last week, while boat anglers averaged one coho per rod. Flows below Merwin Dam were expected to be 3,500 cfs this week.

- CHEHALIS: Fishing has been very good at the lower end of the river, according to Ray Dean of Monte Square Food Mart in Montesano. Dean said some of the fish caught were beautiful while others have been dark colored. The river is in good shape, but rain is needed to cool the water temperature.

- COWLITZ: Fishing has been decent, said Karen Glazer of Barrier Dam Campground. Lots of kings and steelhead are present at both Blue Creek and the barrier. Eggs have been a good bait choice.

- SKOKOMISH: Anglers are landing lots of kings and coho, said John Vinzant of Verle's Sports in Shelton. Corkies and yarn have been effective, Vinzant said.

- NISQUALLY: Fishing remains slow, but a few kings and jacks have been caught at the lower end of the river, according to angler reports. The water has a little color, but is fishable.

- COAST: There are lots of fish in the Sol Duc River, but catching them has been tough because of low water, said Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks. The Hoh River has plenty of fish, and is in slightly better shape, but catching fish has been difficult.

- KALAMA: Anglers are catching fall chinook, coho and steelhead. Coho and steelhead are present throughout the lower river.

- WHITE SALMON: Boat anglers averaged more than one-half hatchery coho per rod last week. Fall chinook and a few steelhead have been caught, too.

- KLICKITAT: Bank anglers averaged more than one-half coho per rod last week. A few fall chinook and steelhead also are have been landed.

Saltwater

- WESTPORT: Salmon fishing continues to be excellent, said Larry Giese of Deep Sea Charters.

Boats are limiting daily with some nice-sized silvers being caught. Last week's derby winner was a 16-pound, 14-ounce silver.

Tuna fishing has slowed, but bottom fishing remains strong. Ocean conditions are excellent, Giese said.

- ILWACO: Boats are limiting daily. Last Tuesday, a 37-pound king was taken.

- TACOMA: Fishing has been fair in front of the boathouse and around Redondo Beach, said Art Tachell of Point Defiance Boathouse & Marina. The mouth of the Puyallup River has been fairly productive. Herring behind dodgers and flashers appear to be working best, Tachell said.

- SOUTH SOUND: A spokesperson at Tom's Outboard in Olympia said fishing has been spotty. Good numbers of silvers are reported to be jumping at Tolmie State Park.

- HOOD CANAL: Lots of kings are being reported around the Hoodsport Hatchery. Some silvers are there, too. SST's and Coho Killers are working on the kings, while cut-plug herring is best for silvers. It is recommended anglers use one to two ounces of lead, trolled up to three miles per hour at 10 to 20 feet deep for best results.

Lakes

- PIERCE COUNTY: Anglers at the north end of the island on American Lake have been catching trout using three maggots attached to a Wedding Band lure. The best results are 25 to 30 feet deep for both trollers and still-fishers. The south end of the lake is producing perch. Nightcrawlers are working best for perch.

- THURSTON COUNTY: Fishing has been fair, said Becky Pogue of Offut Lake Resort. Anglers are catching a few trout and a few perch. PowerBait-and-worm combinations are working, as are worms alone. Mid-mornings have been the best time, Pogue said.

- LEWIS COUNTY: Fishing for both boaters and bank anglers has been excellent at Mayfield Lake around Harmony Bridge. Near the hatchery, bank anglers are catching rainbows from 8 to 12 inches.

At Riffe Lake, fishing has been slow, but some silvers have been caught at the east end.

Anglers at Swofford Pond, adjacent to Riffe Lake, are catching lots of perch and a few bass.

- MASON COUNTY: Some lakes are producing, but fishing generally has been slow.

Bob Brown is a correspondent for The Olympian. He can be reached at 754-5432.

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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