Fall is here, and it’s starting to feel like it with chilly mornings around South Sound. But there are still plenty of good places to go to catch fish.
RIVERS
Columbia: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife reports that salmonid effort is down, especially below Warrior Rock. Chinook must be released in this area. Anglers are landing fall chinook, coho, steelhead and sturgeon in The Dalles Pool. Try the Bonneville Pool for walleye.
Cowlitz: Anglers are landing fall chinook and coho, according to the WDFW. Fish Country Inc. says bank anglers at Barrier Dam are doing well when they throw “big gobs of eggs with sand shrimp. We have our corky guys wading out to the point and picking up fish too.”
Green: Decent fishing, according to Fish Country Inc. staff.
Kalama: Bank anglers are landing fall chinook but most are being released.
Klickitat: Bank anglers are catching fall chinook.
Lewis: The north fork has been a good place for fall chinook and coho jacks, the WDFW reports.
Toutle: Not many steelhead being caught on the south fork.
Washougal: Some fall chinook are being caught.
White Salmon: Effort and catches are light.
Wind: Effort and catches are light on this Columbia River tributary.
LAKES
Drano: Boat anglers are catching fall chinook, according to the WDFW.
Mayfield: Fish Country Inc. says those having the best luck are boaters trolling with pop gear and Wedding Rings.
Mineral: This lake closes for the season on Sunday.
Riffe: Not much success being reported.
Spanaway: Bud Herlitzka of the Spanaway Park Boat House says trolling is the way to go but that fly-fishermen are also catching browns. Troll worms for browns and worm and bobber for perch or rock bass. Largemouth bass seem to be a little more active as water temperature drops. Bank fishing is slow.
SALT WATER
South Sound: Fishing for silvers and blackmouths is fair, according to the staff at the Point Defiance Boathouse Marina. Trolling flasher and spoon or herring are serving most well. Silvers are at about 40-90 feet and blackmouths are as deep as 180 feet.
Sekiu: Olson’s Resort reports fishing is “hot, hot, hot. … It takes longer to get on the water than it does to catch your limit.”
Washington coast: The Westport Charterboat Association reports that fishing is still good even though salmon season is over. Most charters are offering rockfish and lingcod trips through the middle of October.
Crabbing: Summer catch reports are due to the WDFW by Oct. 1.
craig.hill@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure @AdventureGuys
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