Cowlitz River fishers find spring steelhead success

BOB BROWN, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Friday, April 12, 2002

Cowlitz River boaters from Mission Bar upstream averaged nearly one steelhead per rod last week.

Fishing has also been good at the barrier dam, said Karen Glazer of Barrier Dam Campground.

Bank fishers have been catching both springers and steelhead. Last Saturday, a 20-pound springer was caught at the barrier and an 18-pound springer was landed by Roy Kruse of Salkum. Both steelhead and springers have been hitting eggs and shrimp.

Fishing has been slow for bank anglers at Blue Creek.

Rivers

- COLUMBIA: Through May 15, anglers can fish for hatchery chinook salmon, hatchery steelhead and shad on the mainstem from the State Route 197 bridge below The Dalles Dam downstream six miles to the Tower Island power lines.

Upstream of the SR 197 bridge to The Dalles Dam remains closed, but bank fishing is permitted up to the downstream navigation lock wall on the Washington shore.

The daily salmon limit is six, no more than two adults and a minimum size of 12 inches. The daily limit for trout, including hatchery steelhead, is two with a minimum of 12 inches. Wild steelhead and cutthroat trout must be released below Bonneville Dam. There is no daily limit for shad.

Fishing pressure remains high on the lower river. Last Saturday, 1,500 salmon boats were counted from Bonneville Dam to Cathlamet. More than 300 were counted from Camas/Washougal downstream to the I-205 Bridge.

Nearly 400 bank anglers were on the Washington shore and another 562 were on the Oregon side. Boaters averaged one chinook kept or released per every four rods. Bank anglers averaged one chinook kept or released per every 16.5 rods. The best catches were just below Bonneville Dam.

The first daily count of more than 1,000 spring chinook was Monday at Bonneville Dam.

- LEWIS: Effort and catches have been light near the mouth of the river.

- WIND: Boat fishers averaged one chinook per every 10.5 rods last week. Fishing was slow from the banks.

- KLICKITAT: Light effort. No reported catch.

- WHITE SALMON: Light effort. No reported catch.

- CHEHALIS: Anglers are catching steelhead, but the fish are spawned out, said Ray Dean of Monte Square Food Mart in Montesano.

- OLYMPIC COAST: Fishing has been decent, said Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks. Some 20- to 25-pound springers are showing up in the Sol Duc and Quillayute. The Hoh has been the best choice for steelhead.

- KALAMA: Rain has raised water levels and visibility is only about two feet, said Dave Orzel of Pritchard's Western Angler store on River Road. Fishing has been fair. A few steelhead are being caught in the canyon.

- WYNOOCHEE: Steelheading is slow, said Walt Harvey of Verle's Sports in Shelton.

Sturgeon

Boaters are catching legal-sized sturgeon on the Columbia from Camas/Washougal downstream to Kalama, said Joe Hymer, a state Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist in Vancouver. The average has been one legal per boat.

About 200 boats were counted from Bonneville Dam downstream last Saturday.

While fishing at Bonneville and John Day pools has been slow, anglers at The Dalles have averaged one legal per every five rods. Bank anglers have caught some legals.

Through March 31, 452 of the 1,520-sturgeon guideline in Bonneville Pool had been taken. In the Dalles Pool, an estimated 181 of the 700 guideline had been taken, while 10 of the 165 guideline for John Day had been caught.

Saltwater

Saltwater fishing is closed in most of Western Washington, except south of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The area remains open for catch and release of salmon for fishers using single, barbless hooks.

Lakes

- THURSTON COUNTY: Fishing has been OK, said Becky Pogue of Offut Lake Resort. No limits, but nice 9- to 11-inch rainbows, with a few up to 4 pounds, taken off the dock. Afternoons have been best. Try orange PowerBait and worms.

At Lake Lawrence, the water level is up and the public boat launch is useable. Bank fishing has been slow. Results have been fair for boaters. Still-fishing has been best.

- PIERCE COUNTY: A drop in water temperature this week chilled fishing at Spanaway Lake, said Bud Herlitzka of Spanaway Boathouse. Boaters did well at the south end of the lake still-fishing. Some 2- to 3-pound rainbows were landed using worm-and-marshmallow combinations. The shallows also produced fish for boaters. Bank fishers caught a few fish.

Fishing pressure has been light at American Lake. Last weekend, two boaters landed some trout up to 2.5 pounds at the south end of the lake. Try green PowerBait and worms, said Ken Anderson of Bill's Boathouse.

- MASON COUNTY: Anglers are reporting good fishing on most lakes open all year.

- GRAYS HARBOR: Arron Bledsoe, 3, of Montesano, landed his first fish, a 5-pound triploid, last week at Lake Sylvia State Park. Mom helped.

- LEWIS COUNTY: Fishing has been slow at Riffe Lake, but a couple of steelhead weighing about 5 pounds were caught last week near the dam.

Catfish are being caught at Swofford Pond, next to Riffe Lake, by anglers using worms. The pond was recently planted with 4,000 rainbows, too.

At Mayfield Lake, rainbows have been biting pretty good at times near the trout hatchery.

Fly-fishing

- SALTWATER: Sea-run cutthroat fishing remains consistent, said Tom Bolender of the Streamside Anglers store in Tumwater. Small baitfish patterns are effective. Some top-water action has been reported. Skating a large, dry fly on the surface will sometimes bring fish up from the bottom, Bolender said.

- RIVERS: The Wynoochee is still producing. Egg-sucking leeches and Glo Bugs work.

- LAKES: Offut, Black and Lake St. Clair are providing some great fishing. The fish are hitting Woolly Buggers.

Fishing notes

- RIVER CLEANUP: Tumwater's Streamside Anglers store will be holding a Deschutes River cleanup May 19. Call 709- 3337.

- FLY-FISHERS: The South Sound Fly Fishers will meet at 6:30 p.m. April 16 in Heritage Hall, Thurston County Fairgrounds, 3054 Carpenter Road S.E. in Lacey.

The program is Fly Fishing Costa Rica and will be presented by Mark Mandell, novelist and outdoor writer from Port Townsend.

Mandell focuses on inshore and offshore fishing in southwestern Costa Rica. He also will discuss tube fly techniques in the Pacific Northwest.

The public can attend. Call Tom Case at 438-1211.

- BASS CLUB: Marc Marcantonio, columnist for Fishing and Hunting News and Insideline Magazine, will speak at the April 17 meeting of the Capital City Bass Club.

The 7 p.m. meeting will be at the Edgelake Mobile Home Park Recreation Hall, 3928 21st Ave. S.E., Lacey.

Call 456-6257.

The club's Silver Lake Open bass tournament is April 20. Call 357-6259 or check www.capital citybassclub.homestead.com on the Web.

Bob Brown is a correspondent for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5432.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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