Region's rivers remain hot for salmon fishers

BOB BROWN, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published November 23, 2001

River fishing for salmon in southwest Washington continues to be good despite recent heavy rains.

While saltwater fishing is slow in Puget Sound, anglers after chum salmon are doing well on Hood Canal around the Hoodsport Hatchery.

Rivers

- LEWIS: While the river continues to produce hatchery coho, some winter-run steelhead are beginning to show in catches, said Joe Hymer, a biologist with the Department of Fish and Wildlife's Vancouver office.

An angler brought in a 24.34- pound, bright hatchery coho caught on the North Fork of the Lewis last Saturday.

Jacob Blake of Woodland used a Quick Fish to catch the 36-inch fish.

A creel check Nov. 12-16 tallied 152 bank fishers with 34 adult coho, one jack and three steelhead. One steelhead was released. Of 29 boaters checked, 17 adult coho and one jack salmon were counted.

- KALAMA: Fishers did well on hatchery coho last weekend, according to Dave Orzel of Prichard's Western Angler store on Kalama River Road in Kalama. Red salmon were caught at both the deadline and Beginners' Hole, Orzel said.

The river remains fishable despite recent rains.

- CHEHALIS: Some nice silvers weighing 15 to 18 pounds are being landed, but anglers need to know how to fish colored water, said Ray Dean of Monte Square Food Mart in Montesano.

- COWLITZ: It has been standing-room-only fishing at the barrier and Blue Creek, said Karen Glazer of Barrier Dam Camp Ground.

Fishing continues to be terrific with anglers limiting on silver salmon weighing from 8 to 24 pounds.

Some nice winter-run steelhead are being caught at Blue Creek, Glazer said.

Shrimp and eggs have been the choice for bait and Blue Fox Pixies have been producing good results, too.

Meanwhile, boat fishing was only fair last week, said Roger Smith of Olympia-based Cowlitz/Columbia Guide Service.

Flows below Mayfield Dam are approximately 7,200 cubic feet per second and are expected to remain near that rate for the rest of the week.

- Cowlitz note: Hatchery coho are being released into Mayfield Lake at the Ike Kinswa State Park boat ramp, Fish and Wildlife's Hymer said.

About 1,000 coho per day are being put into the upper Cowlitz watershed.

Hatchery returns are so strong that the goal is to get 2,000 coho a day into the upper watershed, Hymer said.

About 1,000 adult summer-run steelhead are to be released into Riffe Lake at Mossyrock Park this week.

In addition, some adult summer-run steelhead may be put into the South Lewis County Pond near Toledo.

- COAST: Recent rains have hurt fishing conditions on Olympic Peninsula rivers, said Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks.

Lots of fish are available, but there also is lots of water, Gooding said.

- COLUMBIA: Fishing for hatchery steelhead was good to excellent last week around Ringold, with boat anglers averaging a fish per every 10 pole hours and shore anglers one per every 12 hours.

Salmon effort continues to decline as anglers move their focus toward sturgeon fishing.

Boat anglers fishing above John Day Dam averaged 0.37 steelhead caught per boat and boat anglers fishing the John Day Arm averaged about one-half steelhead per boat.

Bank anglers fishing above John Day Dam also averaged about one-half steelhead per rod.

Sturegon are attracting lots of fishers on the lower river, from Portland to Longview.

Boat fishers averaged 0.35 legal white sturgeon per boat, including legals released.

Boaters had the most success near Sauvies Island, where they averaged 0.57 legal white sturgeon per boat. Boaters averaged 0.71 legal white sturgeon in the Troutdale area.

Fishers reported good success in the gorge, where boaters averaged 0.79 legal white sturgeon and bank fishers averaged 0.12 legal white sturgeon per rod.

In the lower Columbia, fishers are having the most success using frozen smelt, sand shrimp and roll mop.

Saltwater

- TACOMA: Saltwater fishing has been fair and angler pressure has been light.

The best fishing has been during tide changes, said Tom Tolmie of Point Defiance Boathouse and Marina.

The clay banks area has been the best choice, Tolmie said. Odds for success are about even between mooching and trolling.

- SOUTH SOUND: Fishing continues to be slow, according to angler reports.

Meanwhile, chum salmon fishing remains good in front of the Hoodsport Hatchey, said Walt Harvey of Verle's Sports in Shelton.

Fishing has slowed at Kennedy Creek, Harvey said.

Lakes

- PIERCE COUNTY: Fishers are finding success at Spanaway Lake, said Bud Herlitzka of Spanaway Boathouse.

Trout weighing up to two pounds are being caught by anglers still-fishing with PowerBait in four feet or less of water at the northwest side of the island.

The south point has also been productive.

Bank fishers are catching brood trout weighing up to six pounds at the old swimming hole, Herlitzka said, but most of the fish are being released.

Early mornings and late evenings have been the best bite periods.

- THURSTON COUNTY: Fishers are pulling in rainbow trout from 7-16 inches, said Becky Pogue of Offut Lake Resort.

A few perch also are being caught by anglers using nightcrawlers. Pink PowerBait has been good for rainbows.

Most anglers are limiting, Pogue said.

- COWLITZ COUNTY: Coldwater Lake in the Mount St. Helens area is fishing well, said Gary Brault of the Toutle River Fly Shop.

Rainbows up to 16 inches long are being caught.

- MASON COUNTY: Lakes are starting to fish well, but angler pressure remains light.

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

The Olympian Copyright 2001

back to main Outdoors: Fishing index