A week of cold, wet weather hasn’t done much to get anglers out on the water.
There are some reports of good fishing in places like the rivers around Forks and an indication that action might be heating up on Mayfield Lake, but for the most part fishing is slow around Western Washington.
RIVERS
Columbia: Anglers are catching steelhead at The Dalles Pool, but most are wild and must be released. Boat anglers are catching more sturgeon than bank anglers are. Mike Chamberlain of Ted’s Sports Center in Lynnwood said he was emailed pictures Friday morning of good-size fish caught this week. “Things might be picking up there,” he said.
Cowlitz: The B-run steelhead seem to be showing up in greater numbers. Earlier this week, people were getting lots of hookups. Bank anglers need to be aware that a slide has reduced some of the access in the Blue Creek area.
Olympic Peninsula: Rivers such as the Bogachiel have been good of late, said Bob Gooding, owner of Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks.
Washougal: Thursday was the last day of steelhead fishing until April 16.
Wind: Opened Friday for steelhead fishing from the mouth upstream to 400 feet below Shipherd Falls.
Eastern Washington: The Wenatchee, Icicle and Methow rivers opened Friday for hatchery-reared steelhead fishing, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Thursday. The fisheries are tentatively scheduled to run through March 31 but could end sooner if fishing impacts reach annual federal limits for steelhead, said Jeff Korth of WDFW.
Steelhead fishing: Thursday was also the last day for steelhead fishing on Abernathy, Cedar, Germany, Mill, Rock and Salmon creeks and the Coweeman, Elochoman and Grays rivers.
LAKES
Spanaway: Bud Herlitzka of the Spanaway Park Boat House says the trout are biting. Use worms. Wind has kept some boat anglers off the lake this week.
Riffe: The staff at Fish County Inc. recommends using shrimp and worms, but fishing for silvers has slowed.
Mayfield: While there haven’t been many reports lately, one angler posted Thursday on FishHound.com that trout fishing has heated up.
Drano: Opened Friday for chinook and hatchery steelhead fishing, but fishing is expected to be slow.
Long Lake: Fly-fishermen are doing well on this Whidbey Island Lake, Chamberlain said.
Sammamish: Trout fishing has been poor of late, Chamberlain said.
Washington: Not much for anglers to catch as fish head up the creeks to spawn.
Eastern Washington: Potholes Lake and Upper Good Lake are good places to try for walleye, said Mike Meseberg at MarDon Resort. Fishing has been hot in Lake Chelan’s lower basin, said Anton Jones of Darrell & Dad’s Family Guide Service. And as ice melts on Roses Lake, bank anglers are catching rainbow trout and perch, but the lake isn’t quite ready for boat anglers, Jones said.
SALT WATER
Tacoma: Thanks to cold, wet weather, there hasn’t been much pressure on this area of Puget Sound. There are occasional fish to catch, says the staff at the Point Defiance Boathouse Marina. Those willing to try are trolling with flasher and spoon in front of the boathouse.
South Sound: Zittel’s Johnson Point Marina reports not many anglers are heading out because of the rain.
North Sound: The wind has kept anglers off the water the past couple of days. The Everett Blackmouth Derby is today. For more information, visit EverettSteelhead AndSalmonClub.com.
Shrimp fishery: Sport fishing for spot shrimp on Puget Sound starts May 5, the WDFW announced this week. For more information, visit wdfw.wa.gov.
Craig Hill: 253-597-8497 craig.hill@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
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