JEFFREY P. MAYOR; jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com Published: February 20th, 2008 01:00 AMBlackmouth fishing got off to a slow start locally, despite plenty of anglers hitting the water. One fisherman said he thought there were 100 boats on the water off Point Defiance. Unfortunately, most of the blackmouth still seem to be in the North Sound. Officials at this weekend's Discovery Bay Salmon Derby kept raising the weight threshold before an angler could enter a fish because fishing was good.
Saltwater
Saltwater
Hood Canal: The action was pretty slow for opening weekend, but there was light pressure. The north end of the canal, in the Seabeck, Ayock Point and Dabob Bay would be the best places to try right now, said Gary Florek at G&M Hardware.
North Sound: Fishing was good for the 32nd Discovery Bay Salmon Derby over the holiday weekend. A total of 113 salmon were submitted by 110 anglers. The first prize of $3,000 went to John Goldingay of Driftwood Key, with a fish of 19.4 pounds. Second prize of $1,500 went to James Hicks of Port Townsend, with a fish of 18.6 pounds. Third prize of $750 was won by Jay Campbell of Port Townsend, with a fish of 14.9 pounds.
Sekiu: The opening weekend was good, except for when the weather Sunday kept most anglers ashore. The fish were weighing 7 to 11 pounds. Most anglers were fishing in the Eagle Bay area west of Sekiu, said Donnalynn Olson at Olson's Resort.
Tacoma: There were plenty of boats this weekend as Marine Area 11 reopened, but the fishing wasn't as good as hoped. Only about 25 fish were checked in at the Point Defiance Boathouse over the three-day weekend, said Mark Wickes, a boathouse staffer. The biggest fish was just over 9 pounds. Fishing at the start of the incoming tide at Point Dalco and trolling at the mouth of Quartermaster harbor seems to be working best.
Rivers
Cowlitz: More winter-run steelhead are showing up, but the fishing has been fair at best, said Frank Abbruzzese at Fish Country. Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 429 coho salmon adults and 25 winter-run steelhead at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator. During the week, employees released 103 coho adults and 18 winter-run steelhead into Lake Scanewa at the day-use site, and another 34 coho adults and four winter-run steelhead were released into the Tilton River at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton.
Green: The fishing has been fair for steelhead, said Art Ramos at Sportco. Anglers are catching some fish, but are having to work at it. There are reports of large fish being caught, including one around 22 pounds and another that measured 38 inches.
Olympic Coast: Fishing was pretty good over the weekend. Anglers will have to contend with water that dropped and cleared up, said Bob Gooding at Olympic Sporting Goods.
Puyallup/Carbon: Fishing was slow over the weekend.
Smelt: There were reports of anglers dipping some smelt at Gearhart Park, located just upstream from the Highway 432 bridge in Longview.
Yakima: Anglers were catching few fish over the weekend, but those they were catching were large, said a staffer at Red's Fly Shop. There is still some ice along the river below the shop.
Lakes
American: The fishing was slow over the weekend.
Offut: The action still is slow because the water temperature hasn't warmed, said Becky Pogue at Offut Lake Resort. Most anglers are floating a nightcrawler scented with shrimp oil off the bottom.
Spanaway: Boat anglers fishing the south end with green Power Bait on leaders about 1-foot long were having the most success, said Bud Herlitzka at Spanaway Lake Boathouse. Dock fishing has been slow. Bring your net. Herlitzka said a number of fish were lost because there wasn't a net.
Washington: The lake has been producing some smallmouth bass, kokanee and cutthroat trout, but not a lot.
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