JEFFREY P. MAYOR; jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com Published: March 22nd, 2008 01:00 AM
The opening of the spring chinook fishing on the Columbia River has coincided with a good run of fish.
"We're getting a strong early showing, the best in several years," said Joe Hymer, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife fish biologist. "The best news is this run's just getting started, and we're expecting to see a lot of fish move upriver before it's all over."
"We're getting a strong early showing, the best in several years," said Joe Hymer, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife fish biologist. "The best news is this run's just getting started, and we're expecting to see a lot of fish move upriver before it's all over."
Preseason forecasts call for 269,300 spring chinook to return to the Columbia River and its tributaries above Bonneville Dam, the third-largest run since 1977. That compares to 86,230 fish last year.
Rivers
Columbia: Boat anglers averaged a fish for every 5.5 rods between the Hayden Island west power lines and Bonneville Dam last weekend. This fishery shifts to a Wednesday-Monday schedule after Sunday. Most bank anglers were fishing downstream from the dam, though the fishing there was slow. The recreational sturgeon fishery between John Day Dam and McNary Dam will close Wednesday. Washington and Oregon fish managers estimate that the harvest guideline of 165 fish will be caught by Tuesday.
Cowlitz: While some chinook have begun to show, late-run hatchery steelhead have been providing most of the action. The most productive stretch has been from the Barrier Dam downstream to Olequa.
Kalama: Despite improving river conditions, anglers are having to cover a lot of water to catch a few steelhead.
Olympic Coast: The Soleduck has provided the most consistent returns lately. Recent state creel checks showed that 80 anglers caught 69 wild steelhead (59 released) and two hatchery fish on the river. On the upper Hoh, 58 anglers caught 42 wild fish (all released). Elsewhere, however, fishing on the Calawah, Bogachiel and lower Hoh has been slow. With rain in the forecast, rivers could be in poor shape this weekend.
Wynoochee: The action has been slow, but some occasional good wild and hatchery steelhead are being caught. Reports indicate the lower river has been better. The Satsop also has been slow.
Yakima: The dry-fly fishing has picked up this week, with the trout starting to feed on blue wing olives on cloudy days. River flows have settled around 1,600 cubic feet per second.
Saltwater
Fly fishing: Anglers fishing during tide changes are catching some sea-run cutthroat and some resident coho salmon. Try using Chum Baby streamers, Knudsen Spiders, scuds and olive wooly buggers.
Hood Canal: The action has been slow. Last weekend, 13 anglers surveyed near Seabeck caught just two chinook.
North Sound: The waters around Camano and Whidbey islands offer the best opportunities for blackmouth, said Steve Thiesfeld, a state fish biologist. The best spots have been the Racetrack, Elger Bay and Langley. Admiralty Inlet, however, continues to be surprisingly slow, he said.
Tacoma: Point Dalco, Gig Harbor and Point Defiance are the best spots right now, said Bill Devers of Puget Sound Salmon Charters. He recommends using spoons in glow behind flashers, herring about 4 feet behind a dodger and a purple or army truck hoochie behind a glow flasher. A state creel check of 45 anglers at Point Defiance showed just eight chinook had been caught.
Lakes
American: Thanks to the release of 6,500 trout, the fishing has been good. Anglers are catching some fish off the dock while using a worm under a bobber. Boaters are trolling worms behind flasher rigs.
Chelan: The lake trout action has been inconsistent. The lower basin is producing some fish weighing 2 to 7 pounds. The bigger fish being caught have been above the yacht club.
Offut: The action for cutthroat trout has been improving, especially on sunny days, said Becky Pogue of Offut Lake Resort. The best setup has been a nightcrawler cast out without a bobber or weights and allowed to slowly sink toward the bottom.
Spanaway: Both corners at the south end are producing trout to anglers still-fishing with green Power Bait. Trolling in the top 15 feet is producing some smaller fish, said Bud Herlitzka at Spanaway Lake Boathouse.
Washington: The cutthroat trout action has been fair to good, with fish topping 20 inches being caught. The fish seem to be going for spoons as of late.
Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640
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