Cowlitz River continues to be coho fishing hotbed

BOB BROWN, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published November 30, 2001

Fishers continue to catch a bonanza of salmon on the Cowlitz River in southwest Washington.

Although some of the returning coho are starting to turn color this late fall, new batches of brights continue to move up the river.

Winter-run steelhead also are starting to move into the river in increasing numbers.

Fisher effort continues to be heavy at both the barrier dam and at the mouth of Blue Creek.

Last Saturday, nearly 200 bank fishers were counted just below the barrier.

The average has been one coho per rod.

So many fish are in the river that anglers can be very selective, said Karen Glazer of Barrier Dam Campground.

Winter-run steelhead are being caught at the mouth of Blue Creek in increasing numbers, Glazer said. The fish are averaging 15 to 18 pounds.

Fishing had been good for anglers casting spinners in back eddies, but recent increases in water flows have hurt the success rate, said Roger Smith of Cowlitz/Columbia Guide Service in Olympia.

A creel check Nov. 19-25 at the barrier dam counted 183 bank anglers with one adult chinook, 108 adult coho, one jack salmon and four steelhead.

Flows below Mayfield Dam have increased from 11,300 to 12,200 cubic feet per second.

The lower portions of Blue and Mill creeks, and both Cowlitz tributaries open to fishing Saturday.

Blue Creek, from the mouth to the posted sign at the rearing pond outlet, will open to fishing for hatchery sea-run cutthroat and hatchery steelhead.

Mill Creek, from the mouth to the hatchery road crossing culvert, will be open to fishing for hatchery steelhead.

In both streams, night closures and non-buoyant restrictions will be in effect. The season runs through December.

For information about Cowlitz hatchery returns and releases of adults and jacks into the lower and upper watersheds, visit the Tacoma Power Web site at www.ci.tacoma.wa.us/tpunenews/fishreport.htm.

Rivers

- LEWIS: Bank anglers averaged one hatchery adult coho kept per every three rods last week, while boaters averaged about one-half fish per rod, said Joe Hymer, biologist with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife's Vancouver office.

Quite a few fish are being released.

A creel check Nov. 19-25 counted 76 bank fishers with 25 adult coho and one jack. Nineteen boaters had 11 adult coho.

- SKOOKUMCHUCK: Fishing was good a few days ago, but has slowed, said Dan Craker of Country Mart in Tenino. The river has been in good shape.

- KALAMA: Still producing some hatchery coho, although quite a few of the fish caught are being released. Pink corkies and yarn are good to lure the fish.

- PUYALLUP: The river is fishable and some chum are being caught at both the upper and lower ends.

- COLUMBIA: Boaters in the John Day Arm averaged 1.5 steelhead per boat last week. Bank fishers above John Day Dam averaged about one-half steelhead per rod last week.

The most sturgeon fishers on the Columbia between Portland and Longview were in the Columbia City area, said Reylene Larsen of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Fishers in the Portland to Longview areas averaged .41 legal white sturgeon per boat, including legal-sized fish released.

Boat anglers had the best success near Kelly Point where they averaged .92 legal white sturgeon per boat, including legals released.

Boaters averaged .80 legal white sturgeon in the Troutdale area last weekend.

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

- COAST: Fishing has been pretty good for steelhead on the Bogachiel River, said Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks.

The Sol Duc River has produced good catches of silver salmon, Gooding said.

Try Blue Fox spinners for salmon and sand shrimp for steelhead.

- CHEHALIS: The river is out of shape, said Ray Dean of Monte Square Food Mart in Montesano.

Saltwater

- TACOMA: Success levels have dropped off, said Art Tachell of Point Defiance Boathouse and Marina.

While most of the blackmouth caught have averaged six to eight pounds, a couple of larger fish have been landed around the clay banks.

Anglers are having to work for the fish, Tachell said. Lots of squid are being caught off the dock.

- HOOD CANAL: Fishing has slowed around the Hoodsport Hatchery, but has picked up south of Potlatch State Park, said Walt Harvey of Verle's Sports in Shelton.

The chum have been hitting lime green and chartreuse corkies.

Most salmon angling closes on Hood Canal today, but remains open in the Hoodsport Hatchery zone.

Lakes

- PIERCE COUNTY: Boaters at Spanaway Lake are catching rainbow trout 12 inches and longer still-fishing at the South Point area. Rainbow PowerBait on a short leader has produced best results.

Bankers are catching brooders seven pounds and up in the old swimming hole using worms and chartreuse PowerBait, said Bud Herlitzka of Spanaway Boathouse.

- THURSTON COUNTY: Fishers are finding success at Offut Lake, said Becky Pogue of Offut Lake Resort.

Although most of the rainbows are eight to 12 inches, some up to 16 are being caught.

Worms and chartreuse PowerBait have been working.

- LEWIS COUNTY: In mid-November, Tacoma Power employees released 2,190 adult coho and 47 coho jacks into the upper Cowlitz River at Lake Scanewa. In the past five weeks, more than 13,000 adult coho have been released into the lake. Most of the lake fish are being caught by boaters.

The fish reportedly are up to 15 pounds.

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

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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