LAKES
American: The lake is producing some large rainbow trout. The morning bite has been the most productive. Anglers are floating yellow dough bait 3-4 feet off the bottom.
Potholes: Anglers are catching limits of yellow perch from the Medicare Beach area. They are fishing from a boat in water 20-40 feet deep. Bass fishing has been good in Crab Creek in the afternoon Walleye fishing is slow but should pick up as temperatures drop.
Rufus Woods: The action is in full swing for catching large triploid rainbow trout. People are using marabou jigs at and around the net pens, or trolling a Woolly Bugger fly in black, orange or green.
Washington: Schools of yellow perch can be found in water 60-65 feet deep. They are feeding on sticklebacks, a small bait fish. Try using half of a night crawler to get your first perch. Then fillet that fish and cut into small strips. Use a marker buoy to mark where the school of fish is holding.
RIVERS
Cowlitz: The river is producing some good catches of coho as well as a few winter-run steelhead. The area around Blue Creek is best for steelhead, and try below Barrier Dam for coho. Backtrolling with plugs such as a Maglip 3.5 in chartreuse or pink and a small sardine wrap is a preferred method. Bank anglers should a float with a jig or eggs.
Green: Chum salmon are hitting jigs, just not in great numbers. Anglers also are catching trout. The best action seems to be from Metzler Park to Flaming Geyser State Park.
Humptulips: The river is producing a mix of chinook, coho and chum. When the water is high, fish higher on the river with a K15 Kwikfish with a chartreuse or cerise tail. Once the water drops and clears, then switch to eggs under a bobber.
Methow: Steelhead fishing has been good in recent days. Fly-anglers are catching fish with dark-colored streamers or egg patterns in pink or red.
Minter: More chum are starting to show up, but the run hasn’t reached its peak. Try a quarter-ounce jib with chartreuse marabou.
Olympic Coast: Chinook are moving into the various systems. Try fishing eggs under a bobber. River flows are dropping back to normal levels for this time of year.
SALT WATER
Beaches: Digging for razor clams will be allowed on four ocean beaches at various times next week, starting Tuesday. Here are the openings at the times for low tide: Tuesday, 5:54 p.m., minus-1.6 feet, Twin Harbor; Wednesday, 6:41 p.m., minus-1.9 feet, Twin Harbors; Thursday, 7:29 p.m., minus-1.9 feet, Long Beach and Twin Harbors; Friday, 8:18 p.m., minus-1.6 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks; and Nov. 17, 9:09 p.m., minus-1.1 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks.
North Sound: People are consistently catching blackmouth off Possession Bar, Double Bluff and Hat Island. An effective setup has been Coho Killers, trailing behind a green or red flasher.
South Sound: Fishing for blackmouth is fair to good with a average reported by state checkers of about a fish per boat. Use small spoons such as the Coho Killer or the 3-inch Kingfisher spoons, fishing them off the bottom. Squid fishing on local piers has been very good.
Contributors: Mike Meseberg at MarDon Resort, state Department of Fish and Wildlife, washingtonlakes.com, salmonuniversity.com, Tom Pollack at Sportco, Anton Jones at Darrell and Dad’s Family Guide Service, Phil Stephens of Mystical Legends Guide Service, Mark Coleman of All Rivers & Saltwater Charters and Mike Zavadlov of Mike Z’s Guide Service. Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640 jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
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