Cowlitz River salmon fishers find lots of coho

BOB BROWN, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published November 2, 2001

Salmon anglers have found red-hot bank fishing this late fall along the Cowlitz River in southwest Washington.

The Cowlitz at the mouth of Blue Creek and at the barrier has been outstanding spots for fishers who are easily catching six-fish limits of coho, said Karen Glazer of Barrier Dam Campground.

The silvers are averaging 10 to 17 pounds and are in outstanding condition, Glazer said.

Sand shrimp and eggs has been the bait of choice, but corkies and yarn, spinners and jigs also have been productive for the fish.

Angler pressure has been heavy at both the barrier and Blue Creek.

While bank fishers have done well, boaters have found only fair success, said Roger Smith of Olympia-based Cowlitz/Columbia Guide Service.

Flows below Mayfield Dam have been 2,580 cubic feet per second and are expected to remain in that range for the rest of the week.

Other rivers

- YAKIMA: Fishing has been excellent on the Eastern Washington river and is expected to remain so near Prosser Dam.

The fish seem to have moved upstream of Horn Rapids, said Lisa Harlan of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife's Vancouver office.

The mid-Yakima was slow last week, with little fishing pressure.

The river from the Highway 240 Bridge in Richland to 400 feet below Prosser Dam is closed to fishing for salmon.

However, the river from the Highway 223 Bridge in Granger to 3,500 feet below Roza Dam remains open to salmon fishing through Nov. 15.

- COAST: River water levels are up and the salmon are in, said Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks.

"We have fish coming out of our ears," Gooding said.

"The rivers are full of kings and silvers."

The Sol Duc was a good producer last week with silvers weighing 21 to 23 pounds. A 48-pound king was among the fish boated.

Quick Fish have been working for bank fishers and spinners have been good for boaters.

- LEWIS: Boat and bank fishers are catching some coho. A sampling Oct. 22-28 tallied 85 bank anglers with one adult chinook, 26 adult coho and 10 adult coho released. Sixteen boaters had 21 adult coho and had released 11 adult coho.

- COLUMBIA: Boaters in the Camas/Washougal area caught some hatchery coho last week. Boaters at the mouth of the Cowlitz also caught some coho.

Sturgeon fishers below Bonneville Dam did fairly well last week, averaging about one legal-sized fish per five anglers.

Bank fishers also had some success in the Camas/Washougal area.

Fishers did well in Church Hole, but crabs continue to be a problem for sturgeon anglers, said Luke Miller of Ed's Bait and Tackle in Ilwaco.

- HANFORD REACH: Bank fishers have been landing some fall chinook and releasing some steelhead.

- GREEN: Bank fishers kept almost one coho per angler last week and released nearly five fish each.

Checks of 53 bank fishers from Oct. 22-28 tallied 41 adult coho kept and 243 coho and 22 adult chinook released.

- CHEHALIS: Fishers are catching lots of chum salmon, but the fish must be released, said Ray Dean of Monte Square Food Mart in Montesano.

- SKOKOMISH: The river is full of chum and fishing has been good, said Walt Harvey of Verle's Sports in Shelton. Green corkies and yarn have been effective.

- KALAMA: Some hatchery coho are being caught and about half of those are being released. The river has been in good shape.

Fly fishing

- SALTWATER: Kennedy Creek has large numbers of chum moving in all the time and the outgoing tide seems to be when the best bite occurs, said Tom Bolender of the Streamside Anglers store in Tumwater.

Chum Candy is a good choice.

Cutthroat fishing continues to be good. Large scud patterns and Woolhead Sculpins are working best, Bolender said.

- RIVERS: The Satsop, Humptulips, Cowlitz, Toutle, Green and Kalama are full of coho.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is trucking fish from the Cowlitz Barrier Dam upstream to spots on the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton, the upper Cowlitz near Packwood and on the Cispus River.

Green Butt Skunks, pink egg-sucking leeches and Woolly Worms are the best choices.

Sea-run cutthroat are in the lower Deschutes and biting well. Good Blue Wing Olive hatches happening daily. No. 12 Parachute Adams are recommended for the best match. October Caddis dries are working well and will be effective for at least two to three more weeks.

Conehead Muddlers, Fox Squirrel nymphs and Conehead Buggers are all good bets at this time of the year.

- LAKES: Most Thurston County lakes are now closed to fishing, but a few opportunities are out there.

Cady Lake in Mason County has been fishing well with very little pressure. Woolly Buggers, Muddler Minnows and Hare's Ear Nymphs also are working well.

Saltwater

- TACOMA: Fishing has been fair, but angler pressure light, said a spokesperson at Point Defiance Boathouse and Marina.

The best fishing has been around the clay banks and in front of the marina. Blackmouth weighing up to 16 pounds are being caught during the tide changes.

- SOUTH SOUND: Fishing continues to be slow.

- HOOD CANAL: Anglers are doing well on chum in front of the Hoodsport Hatchery, said Vicki Setera of Cushman Boats in Hoodsport. Green has been the most attractive color to the fish.

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

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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