Westport salmon fishing peaks

BOB BROWN, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published July 6, 2001

WESTPORT -- With cooperative weather and fish everywhere, coastal salmon angling has been as good as it gets.

Many charter boats have been limiting early and returning to port by noon.

Fishing hasn't been this good for 20 years, said Larry Giese of Deep Sea Charters.

Dennis Moss, skipper of the Silver Duchess charter boat, said silvers from 5-7 pounds, along with a good number of kings from 12-15 pounds, are being taken.

- ILWACO: Same story as Westport. Boats are limiting on salmon and sturgeon, said Sarah Gudell of Pacific Salmon Charters. Salmon fishers on private boats are doing well, too, said Bill Derby of Bob's Mercantile in Longview. Some boats are limiting in 30 minutes.

- OLYMPIC PENINSULA: Salmon fishing has been red-hot around Point West, said Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks. The silvers are 6-9 pounds. Herring has been the bait of choice.

- TACOMA: Fishing has turned around after a few days of being relatively quiet. The clay banks continue to be the focal point, said Art Tachell of Point Defiance Boathouse & Marina. On a recent outing, John Bass of Tacoma brought in kings weighing 22 and 15.7 pounds. He caught both trolling plugs. Anglers jigging around Point Evans are picking up fish.

Rivers

- COLUMBIA: Above the Longview bridge, sturgeon fisher effort has been light, said Lisa Harland of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife in Vancouver. Effort was high, however, out of Ilwaco and Chinook. Private boat fishers from Ilwaco averaged one legal-sized sturgeon kept for every six anglers. Boaters from Chinook did a little better with one legal every four anglers. Charter boats averaged one legal per ever 1.3 anglers.

In other fisheries, the number of shad anglers has dropped off.

- COWLITZ: Fishing has been steady, said Karen Glazer of Barrier Dam Campground. Steelhead are being caught at Blue Creek and down river, but a few are being taken at the barrier. The fish average about 12 pounds. Flows below Mayfield Dam have been 2,600 cubic feet per second.

- CHEHALIS: The steelhead are in and fishing has been outstanding, said Ray Dean of Monte Square Food Mart in Montesano. The catch has included some nice springers up to 12 pounds. Sturgeon are being caught, too. The river is in good condition, but the water level has been dropping.

- KLICKITAT: Effort is low although some steelhead are being caught.

- NISQUALLY: River remains good for cutthroat. Gold spoons have been effective, as have nightcrawlers.

- KALAMA: Fishing has been slow. Morning and late evenings have been best.

- SKATE CREEK, TILTON RIVER: Both have been restocked with trout. Skate Creek received 3,044 rainbows and the Tilton 3,350 rainbows.

Lakes

- LEWIS COUNTY: Bank anglers at Riffe Lake on the Cowlitz River averaged a steelhead and coho for every 2.5 anglers. Boat anglers averaged nearly three fish each. The catch consisted of steelhead, cutthroat trout and coho.

At Mayfield Lake on the Cowlitz, boaters and bank anglers averaged almost two rainbow trout each last week.

- PIERCE COUNTY: Some excellent strings of perch and crappie are being caught, said Carol Abbott of Hart's Lake Resort. Nightcrawlers have worked. A few channel catfish and bass have been caught, too.

At American Lake, boaters are doing well trolling from the north end of the island to the north end of the lake. The fish are at depths of 25-30 feet. Wedding Bands and maggots have been effective. Limits also are being caught at Bill's Boathouse fishing dock. Quite a few perch are being landed, along with the trout.

- THURSTON COUNTY: Fishing at Offut Lake has been outstanding in the early mornings and late evenings. Yellow PowerBait and Power eggs have been good.

Boaters have found good success with yellow Wedding Rings and rooster tails.

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

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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