Steelheaders find success on Cowlitz

BOB BROWN, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published December 7, 2001

Winter-run steelhead have moved into the Cowlitz River in greater numbers and limits are being caught at the mouth of Blue Creek.

Meanwhile, returning coho salmon continue to inundate the river, too.

Last week, Tacoma Power and Light's Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery recovered 8,187 coho adults, 145 coho jacks, 34 adult steelhead, three steelhead jacks and one cutthroat trout.

Fishing continues to be outstanding both at the barrier dam and at Blue Creek.

Bright-colored coho averaging 10 to 13 pounds are being caught at the barrier and limits of winter-run steelhead up to 25 pounds are at being taken at Blue Creek, said Karen Glazer of Barrier Dam Campground.

High water flows hurt boat fishing last week, but with lower flows, fishing should improve, said Roger Smith of Olympia-based Cowlitz/Columbia Guide Service.

The flow rate below Mayfield Dam currently is 12,900 cubic feet per second with water-depth visibility of four feet.

Other rivers

- COAST: Olympic Peninsula rivers have been in good shape, with lots of fish and plenty of water, said Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods in Fork.

Fishing for early winter-run steelhead has been decent on the Bogachiel River, Gooding said.

- CHEHALIS: Thanks to recent rains, the river is high and muddy, said Ray Dean of Monte Square Food Mart in Montesano.

Few fishers have been out and those who have been on the river reportedly have spent much of their time dodging logs and fighting debris.

- SKOOKUMCHUCK: Too much water for good fishing, said Dan Craker of the Country Mart store in Tenino. Fishing has been extremely slow.

- LOWER COLUMBIA TRIBUTARIES: Rivers in the region have a pretty good early showing of hatchery winter steelhead, said Joe Hymer, a biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's Vancouver office.

However, the reason more fish than usual may be returning to the hatcheries may be because the rivers have been high and out of shape much of the time, he said.

- COLUMBIA: Boat fishers at John Day Pool did well last week, according to an Oregon Department of Wildlife creel check. The weekly check showed 36 adipose fin-clipped steelhead kept and 23 steelhead released from the 47 boats fishing in the area.

The weekly check also counted 11 adipose fin-clipped steelhead kept, plus three steelhead released among 36 bank fishers above John Day Dam.

Many sturgeon fishers centered their efforts in the Columbia City area last week.

Boat fishers from Portland to Longview averaged .23 legal-sized sturgeon per boat. Bank anglers averaged .20 legals per rod.

Boat anglers did well last weekend in the gorge. They averaged nearly one legal per boat. It was slow for bank anglers, who averaged only .10 legal fish per rod.

Frozen smelt, sand shrimp and roll mop continue to be the baits of choice.

Saltwater

- TACOMA: Stormy weather has kept many anglers on shore, said Art Tachell of Point Defiance Boathouse and Marina.

Angler pressure has been very light and so has the catch.

The blackmouth that have been caught are averaging 5 to 10 pounds.

- HOODSPORT: Salmon fishing also has slowed in front of the Hoodsport Hatchery, said Vicki Setera of Cushman Boats.

Lakes

- MASON COUNTY: Some nice trout from 12 to 15 inches long are being caught in Nahwatzel and Spencer lakes, said Walt Harvey of Verle's Sports in Shelton.

Trout bait and nightcrawlers with puffballs to keep the bait off the bottom have been producing good results.

- LEWIS COUNTY: Some anglers are landing chinook salmon in the Tilton Arm of Mayfield Lake.

The Mossyrock boat launch at Riffe Lake is useable, but the Taidnapaum boat launch is not. Riffe Lake is at 733 feet and full pool in the reservoir is 778.5 feet.

- PIERCE COUNTY: Fishing has been spotty at Alder Lake. The reservoir is full and normally fishing is decent when that is the case, said Chuck Parks of Alder Parks Store. Angler pressure has not been heavy.

Anglers still fishing at the south end of Spanaway Lake are catching rainbow trout of 1 pound and more. Rainbow PowerBait has been the most effective.

Bank fishers using rainbow PowerBait are catching brood trout at the old swimming hole.

The early morning hours have been the best bite period, said Bud Herlitzka of Spanaway Boathouse.

- THURSTON COUNTY: Fishing has been OK in the area lakes that remain open. No limits, but just about all anglers are catching some fish.

A couple of boaters trolling Wedding Rings and PowerBait/worm combinations limited last week at Offut Lake near Tenino, said Becky Pogue of Offut Lake Resort.

Fly fishing

- SALTWATER: A few chum are being caught in South Sound waters, said Tom Bolender of the Streamside Anglers store in Tumwater.

McLane and Perry creeks are the last holdouts.

Minter Creek in Pierce County has so many chum the creek has now been opened to fishing. Chum Candy is a good choice to lure the fish.

Bolender also said cutthroat trout fishing is holding steady with good reports of fish being caught on Scuds and small Minnow patterns.

- RIVERS: Coastal rivers reportedly are full of steelhead.

Try Green Butt Skunks or Glo Bugs for good results.

The high water makes it hard to pick a river in shape, but checking the USGS stream flows on the Internet is an easy way to make sure you don't make a long drive for nothing.

- LAKES: Most Thurston County lakes are closed, but a few opportunities still exist.

Lake St. Clair, Offut and Black lakes are open, but hardly anyone is fishing.

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

Fishing tip

- HOOSIER CORK FLOAT: A simple and easy to make fishing bobber is the Hoosier Cork Float.

The float is fashioned from a piece of dried corn cob.

The first step in making one is to smooth the cob using a piece of extra-coarse sandpaper. (Smoothening up the cob on a belt sander will result in appearance very similar to that of commercially made corn-cob pipes).

After the corn cob is smoothened, saw the cob into appropriate lengths, then drill a one-fourth-inch hole through the cob's center. Slot one end of a piece of dowel or smooth stick and insert this through the hole.

To prevent the corks from becoming waterlogged and useless, dip them in exterior paint or varnish and hang them up to dry.

If corn cobs are not available, try three-fourth-inch dowels or suitable-sized sticks. They will be slightly less buoyant than the corn cobs, however.

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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