Trout fishing in local lakes has been good and should improve with warmer weather in the forecast. On the saltwater side, sounds like the halibut fishing is off to a good start in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
LAKES
Black: Small leeches in olive or black, chironomids and alder flies are working here and in other Olympia-area lakes, said Bjorn Beech at The Fly Fisher. He said fishing is best midday once the water warms.
Munn: Fishing has been very good in recent days. Try using a maroon leech on a clear, intermediate sinking line.
Offut: Anglers are catching plenty of the freshly planted fish close to the surface, said Becky Pogue at Offut Lake Resort. The larger fish are holding in deeper water. PowerBait and worms are working best.
Potholes: Anglers are catching some nice-size rainbow trout from the dock at MarDon Resort, including some fish reaching 6 pounds, said the resort’s Annie Meseberg. Smallmouth bass fishing has been good in Frenchman’s Wasteway.
Stevens: This kokanee hot spot is starting to produce some limits, said Mike Chamberlain of Ted’s Sports Center. The fish are in the top 10 feet of water. Try using a Wedding Ring-type lure tipped with corn or maggots, pulled behind a small dodger.
Summit: The lake is producing some rainbow trout and smallmouth bass. The bass were hitting skirted jigs, according to an online report.
Tanwax: Fishing has been a bit slow, mainly due to the weather, said Don Hulbert at Rainbow Resort. The action was picking up Friday, including one weighing 2.2 pounds. A few perch are being caught.
SALT WATER
Beaches: The season’s last razor clam dig takes place at Twin Harbors today through Monday. No digging will be allowed after noon. The morning low tide times are: today, 6:32 a.m., -1.5 feet; Sunday, 7:19 a.m., -2.1 feet; and Monday, 8:07 a.m., -2.3 feet.
Fly–fishing: Fishing for sea-run cutthroat trout has been fair to good, said Anil Srivastava at Puget Sound Fly Co. There are some salmon smolts, candlefish and sculpin attracting the fish. Sea-run cutthroat must be released.
Strait of Juan de Fuca: Halibut fishing has been good to very good, Chamberlain said, probably the best of all the areas that opened recently.
South Sound: Salmon fishing south of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge has been fair, said Art Tachell at Point Defiance Boathouse. Trollers have been having more success than those mooching. Try fishing off Point Gibson, the sand spit, Green Point and the mouth of Wollochet Bay. Lingcod fishing in the Tacoma area has been good. Spot shrimp fishing opens today. Marine areas 11 (Tacoma), and 10 will be open today and Friday from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Marine Area 13 is open daily beginning today at 7 a.m. The season closes May 31.
RIVERS
Columbia: An estimated 234 of the 2,080 sturgeon guideline (11.3 percent) for the Wauna power lines upstream had been taken through March, according to a state report released this week. None of the 4,160 fish guideline for below Wauna had been taken.
Olympic Coast: Fishing has been fair at best in recent days, said Bob Gooding at Olympic Sporting Goods. People are catching a few spring chinook, while the number of steelhead is dwindling.
Yakima: Flows have slowly dropped but were around 6,600 cubic feet per second (cfs) Friday morning. The river below Ellensburg is still dirty. Not prime conditions, but doable if you have to get out.
Jeffrey P. Mayor, jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com
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