Tuna trips turn up nice results

BOB BROWN, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published August 10, 2001

WESTPORT -- The early tuna fishing season has been producing some outstanding catches off Washington's coast, said Larry Giese of Deep Sea Charters.

Fishing 90 miles off shore, anglers averaged about 10 tuna per rod last week. The fish ranged from 15 to 25 pounds.

Ocean salmon fishing also remains hot with fishers finding easy limits each day.

The catch ratio has been 3 silvers to 1 king. Silvers are averaging 7-12 pounds and kings are running 18-30.

- ILWACO: Boats continue to limit daily and usually are back in port by noon or sooner. Second daily trips are being scheduled during the week and always on Sunday, said Sarah Gudell of Pacific Salmon Charters.

Most of the catch has been silvers from 8-12 pounds, but some kings up to 40 pounds have been taken.

Puget Sound

- TACOMA: Fishing success has taken a nose dive. Last week fishing wasn't too bad, but the fish have scattered this week, said Art Tachell of Point Defiance Boathouse & Marina. Fishing at the mouth of the Puyallup River also has been slow. A 32-pound king was landed early this week along the shoreline in Gig Harbor.

- SOUTH SOUND: Fishing in the lower sound remains tough, but a couple of kings reportedly were caught near the mouth of the Nisqually River. Silvers have been seen around Harstine Island.

- HOOD CANAL: Pink salmon fishing remains good around Hoodport Hatchery. Pink buzz bombs have been the lures of choice. The fish are averaging 2-4 pounds.

- BUOY 10: Fishing success has dropped off a bit, but anglers are still averaging about one fish per rod. During the morning outgoing tides mooching with delta divers and 5 to 8 ounces of weight has produced good results, said Luke Miller of Ed's Bait and Tackle in Ilwaco.

Rivers

- COLUMBIA: Effort for steelhead has been high and catches have been good, said Joe Hymer of Fish and Wildlife's Vancouver office. The best catch has been for boaters in the Woodland and Ridgefield areas, where the average has been one steelhead for every three anglers.

Hymer said a new daily record for A-run steelhead was set Aug. 3 when 14,432 were counted at Bonneville Dam. So far, more than 300,000 steelhead have been counted.

- NISQUALLY: The water level is low and because of that the kings are schooling at the mouth of the river. Few are moving upstream, said Tom Verrico of the Fishermen's Den store in Yelm.

- SKOKOMISH: Fishing has been hot and there has been a crowd of anglers since the recent arrival of king salmon. The fish are averaging 20-30 pounds. The best fishing has been at the lower end, said Walt Harvey of Verle's Sports in Shelton. Pink or red corkies and yarn have been effective. Eggs have produced, too.

- COWLITZ: Fishing continues to be good at Blue Creek and quite a few more steelhead have been caught at the barrier, said Karen Glazer of Barrier Dam Campground. The steelhead are averaging 7-10 pounds. Glazer also said some 16- to 17-inch cutthroat trout are being caught at the boat launch near Blue Creek.

Lakes

- LEWIS COUNTY: At Riffe Lake, Mossyrock Park boat launch is usable, but Taidnapaum Park launch is not. Boat and bank fishers are landing landlocked steelhead and coho.

At Mayfield Lake, boat fishers continue to catch good strings of rainbow trout. Bank fishers are doing well near the hatchery and just below Mayfield Dam. On July 28, a 28-pound tiger muskie was caught and released.

- PIERCE COUNTY: The south end of Spanaway Lake is producing fish for boaters still-fishing. Rainbow PowerBait on a 3-foot leader has been best. Fish are 13-16 inches.

Fishing remains good at Alder Lake with most of the catch being kokanee, said Chuck Parks of Alder Store. Maggot or worm/Wedding Ring combinations trolled near the surface have been good. The hottest area has been from the boat launch to the dam.

At Harts Lake, nice strings of crappie are being caught, along with a few channel catfish, said Carrel Abbott of Harts Lake Resort. Worms are best for trout, jig-and-worm combinations for crappie.

- THURSTON COUNTY: Anglers at Summit Lake are catching 12- to 13-inch kokanee early in the mornings, said resident Floyd Japhet. Wedding Rings tipped with corn or maggots and trolled at 35-40 feet have produced best. Still-fishing has been unproductive.

At Offut Lake, small rainbows 5 to 6 inches long are making things difficult for anglers after bigger fish, said Becky Pogue of Offut Lake Resort. Some nice rainbows, 12-16 inches, are being caught. PowerBait and worms have been working. Perch and bass are biting, too.

Fly fishing

- SALTWATER: Fishing remains good in South Sound, said Greg Edwards of Streamside Anglers in Tumwater. Fly fishers have been reporting mixed catches of coho, sea-run cutthroat and a few chinook. The Brisco Point and Johnson Point areas are being recommended.

Chinook salmon, along with a few silvers, have joined the pink salmon at Hoodsport Hatchery. Try Clouser minnows. Woolhead sculpins have been good for cutthroat and pink Charlies for pink salmon.

- RIVERS: Recent rains have brought some fresh summer-run steelhead, sea-run cutthroat and even a few salmon into Olympic Peninsula rivers.

Good choices are the Hoh, Sol Duc and Queets on the Olympic Peninsula.

In southwest Washington, the Kalama, Cowlitz and North Fork Lewis continue to produce good numbers of steelhead. Recommended flies are Woolly Buggers and Muddlers.

The Deschutes, Newaukum, Skookumchuck and Tilton remain low, but clear and are producing fun fishing for small cutthroat and rainbows.

Elk-hair Caddis, Stimulators and Parachute Adams are recommended dry flies, while bead head hare's ears, Muddler minnows and green rock worms are working under the surface.

- LAKES: Waters in Thurston, Mason and Pierce counties are fishing well for bass and panfish, but are slow for trout. Small leech patterns and damsel nymphs are working well for trout. Bass are hitting top-water poppers.

High mountain lakes in the Olympic and Cascade mountains are fishing well.

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

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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