Despite the storms this week, fishing has been good to very good at locations around the area. Salmon fishing remains good out of Ilwaco and Westport. Lake fishing for trout and bass seems to have improved in the past week. North Sound rivers such as the Skykomish have been hot spots for chinook and steelhead.
SALT WATER
Ocean: Anglers out of Ilwaco averaged .98 fish per person last week, the best of the season. Coho made up 62 percent of the catch. At Westport, anglers averaged .82 fish per person, with almost 75 percent of the fish caught being chinook, according to a state report. The weather, including high winds, made fishing tough. People have been catching albacore tuna about 40 miles out between Westport and Ilwaco.
North Sound: Fishing off Port Townsend has been fair to good. Look for salmon feeding just off the bottom in water 75-120 feet deep. Coho Killers were effective, as the salmon are feeding on candlefish. Try Mid Channel Bank, Point No Point or Possession Bar.
Tacoma: Fishing has been off and on, but some chinook weighing up to 25 pounds are being caught, said Tom Pollack at Sportco. Some people are pulling plugs, and other are using Point Wilson Darts. Crabbing has been slow to fair, with anglers having to weed out a lot of females to get keeper males.
LAKES
Baker: Sockeye fishing has been OK, but no one is catching limits, said Mike Chamberlain at Ted’s Sports Center. He said people are finding the fish mid-lake this season. Most people are catching one to four fish per boat.
Mineral: Fishing has been very good, with plenty of limits being caught, said Doreen Douglas at Mineral Lake Resort. People are catching brown trout weighing 1-21/2 pounds using Power Eggs, marshmallows and/or worms. The dock fishing has been a little slower.
Potholes: The dropping lake level and rising water temperature is sparking the largemouth bass fishing, said Nick Barr at MarDon Resort. Trout anglers are trolling with Rapala Shad Raps, Luhr-Jensen Needlefish or night crawler spinners, and they are landing fish up to 7 pounds.
Silver: Anglers are starting to catch some brown trout, said Bill Kenny at Henley’s Silver Lake Resort. Try casting Rapalas along the weed beds for trout or largemouth bass. Quite a few catfish and rainbow trout are being caught by anglers still fishing in the middle of the lake. With a wakeboard event this weekend, plan to fish early or late in the day.
St. Clair: The lake is producing good catches of largemouth bass, just not any large fish. Try fishing along the bottom with plastic baits, like Stik-O plastic worms.
RIVERS
Cowlitz: Fishing has been good in recent days, with people catching steelhead, mostly around Blue Creek. Bank anglers should try shrimp or a jig and bobber. Boat anglers are having luck with shrimp, said Phil Stephens of Mystical Legends Guide Service.
Skykomish: Fishing is as good as it has been in recent years, with people catching plenty of chinook and steelhead. Side-drifting eggs seems to be the best method. Be sure to get your bait into the soft edges and seams, said Todd Daniels of Tall Tails Guide Service.
Yakima: The river has been fishing well, when mudslides have not affected the river or road access, said a report from The Evening Hatch. Summer stoneflies are a good bet right now, especially early in the morning. There are some caddis and yellow mayflies hatching in the late evening.
jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
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