Bad weather temporarily takes bite out of ocean fishing

BOB BROWN, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published August 24, 2001

Weather slammed the door on coastal fishing this week, but that is expected to change by the weekend.

Forecasters are promising better conditions and once that happens fishing will again slip into high gear.

"Fishing was terrific until Tuesday when the storms arrived and blew us off the water," said Larry Giese of Deep Sea Charters in Westport.

Most of the catch has been silver salmon, but a fair number of kings has been taken. Those fish are running from 30 to 40 pounds.

- ILWACO: Storms aside, the fishing continues to be the best in years. Some of the boats are making two daily trips and limiting each time.

The catches have been a mixture of silvers and kings.

- TACOMA: Fishing was fair last week with most the action at the mouth of the Puyallup River and in front of the boathouse, said Art Tachell of Point Defiance Boathouse & Marina.

Tide changes have been the most productive periods. Fishers have been catching silvers weighing 5-6 pounds and kings 10-18.

- SOUTH SOUND: Low, slack tides have been best for kings on the Nisqually Delta. Catches have been fair to good.

- HOOD CANAL: Some kings and a few silvers are being landed near the Hoodsport Hatchery, said Walt Harvey of Verle's Sports in Shelton. Pink salmon fishing has slowed.

Rivers and streams

- COLUMBIA: The windy weather cut down the number of fishers, but those who did go did well, said Luke Miller of Ed's Bait and Tackle Shop in Ilwaco. Divers with a flasher have produced best results.

Jetty fishing has been good, Miller said. Bobber systems with anchovies and herring have worked well.

Bank fishers continue to catch steelhead with the best success reported in the Longview area, said Lisa Harlin of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's Vancouver office. The average has been one steelhead, including fish released, for every 7-8 anglers.

Boaters did well in the Longview area, averaging one fish for every 2-3 anglers. Chinook make up much of the catch.

- COWLITZ: Some nice steelhead are being landed at Blue Creek and at the barrier, said Karen Glazer of barrier Dam Campground.

The fish have averaged 13 pounds. Some nice, fat jacks also are being caught at the barrier, Glazer said.

Eggs and shrimp have been the choice of most anglers, but herring with lots of scent has worked, too. Flows are about 2,600 cubic feet per second.

- LEWIS: Bank anglers averaged one steelhead for every 7-8 rods last week. Chinook are starting to show up in the catches of both boat and bank fishers. Boaters averaged one fish for every 2-3 anglers. The catch was mostly of steelhead with some chinook adults and jacks.

- WHITE SALMON: Bank anglers have averaged one steelhead for every 2-3 rods, boaters 1.5 fish per angler.

- DRANO LAKE: Bank and boat fishers continue to do well on steelhead. Bank anglers averaged close to a steelhead per person. About one in four boaters caught a fish.

- SKOKOMISH: Anglers have hooked into big kings from the Highway 101 Bridge down river. Corkies and yarn and eggs have been effective. Best colors are pink or red.

- PUYALLUP: The river has been muddy. The upper river has been the most productive.

- SOL DUC: There are lots of silvers and the river is in good shape, but more water is needed, said Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks. Spinners have been productive.

- KALAMA: Fishing has been extremely slow.

- SKATE CREEK: No fishing report available, but the creek recently was planted with 1,932 catchable-sized rainbows.

- TILTON: Recently planted with 1,764 rainbows.

Lakes

- THURSTON COUNTY: Fishers have been catching perch and a few trout, said Becky Pogue of Offut Lake Resort. Boaters have been doing better than bank fishers. Pink and yellow Power eggs are producing.

Summit Lake resident Floyd Japhet reports some nice kokanee from 12-14 inches are being caught early in the mornings on corn and maggot/Wedding Ring combinations. Fishing 30-40 feet deep is recommended.

- PIERCE COUNTY: Angler pressure at American Lake was light last week, but fishers did well at the south, said Ken Anderson of Bill's Boathouse. A couple of six-pound rainbow trout were landed on maggots. Most of the fish have averaged 9-12 inches.

At Spanaway Lake, things have been slow for both boaters and bankers. Worms are the best bait.

Channel catfish from 6-7 pounds are being caught on worms, said Carrol Abbott of Harts Lake Resort. Lots of perch 11 inches and up are being taken on jigs and worms. Bass have not been biting.

- LEWIS COUNTY: Fishing has been slow at Riffe Lake, but some silvers have been caught at the 108 Bridge. The lake recently was planted with 588 chinook mini-jacks. The lake on the Cowlitz River is 736 feet below full pool.

Fly fishing

- SALTWATER: Fly fishers are catching a variety of salmon species in north Puget Sound, said Tom Bolender of the Streamside Anglers store in Tumwater.

The fish have ranged from 5-15 pounds. Top-water action for coho has been good. A few chinook have been reported at the Green Can heading into the Nisqually River.

- RIVERS: This week's rain and cooler temperatures should help the Deschutes River and make the fish more active. Parachute Hoppers, Stimulators and Elk Hair Caddis in yellow and orange are good choices for dry flies, while Caddis Pupa and Beadhead Hare's Ear Nymphs are good for subsurface.

The Nisqually River is a little discolored for fly fishing, but fishers can try big, bright salmon/steelhead flies.

- LAKES: Most lakes are receiving little angler attention, but for fishers thinking about it, leech and hopper patterns are recommended. Flying termite imitations also are recommended.

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

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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