RIVERS
Columbia: In The Dalles and John Day pools, bank anglers are catching some steelhead. Sturgeon fishing below Bonneville Dam has been fair to good. A check of two boats at Kalama showed they released 11 sublegal-size fish and kept three legal size fish.
Cowlitz: The action has been poor to fair. Orange jigs under a float have produced some steelhead near Blue Creek. Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 129 winter-run steelhead, 30 coho adults and seven jacks during four days of operations at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator. River flows are scheduled to rise from 6,880 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 8,700 cfs this week.
Nisqually: Remember, fishing from the mouth to the military tank-crossing bridge located one mile upstream of the mouth of Muck Creek closed Sunday.
Olympic Coast: Steelhead fishing has been fair to good, with the rivers in pretty good condition. While anglers aren’t catching a lot of fish, the ones they are landing are pretty big.
Skookumchuck: Fishing has been fair. A few people are catching an occasional steelhead on eggs, while others are reporting catching some dark coho on eggs.
Stillaguamish: Steelhead fishing has been fair to good. People are having success using pink or purple jigs or red beads drifted under a float. If river levels come back up, there might be another push of fish. Another option is the Reiter Ponds section of the Skykomish.
Wynoochee: Anglers are catching steelhead, just not in great numbers. Some people are casting with Blue Fox spinners while others are having success with red corkies and yarn. Be warned, there are lots of people fishing the river.
Yakima: Trout fishing has been fair to good, despite cold temperatures. People are stripping streamers such as Woolhead Sculpins, Sculpzillas or Seal Buggers in sizes 4-8. Look for slow water dropping into a deeper pool. People who are nymphing are using a size 6-10 stonefly nymph trailed by a smaller caddis, mayfly or attractor nymph in sizes 14-18.
LAKES
American: There have been some reports of limits of rainbow trout being caught. Power Eggs fished on a fairly long leader, up to 6 feet long, has been the most effective bait.
Washington: Cutthroat trout action has been fair to good. Most people are trolling needlefish spoons or whole or cut-plug herring.
SALT WATER
Beaches: A razor clam dig continues this week. Digging is not allowed on any beach before noon. The schedule and evening low tides are: today, 4:38 p.m., minus-0.9 feet, Twin Harbors; Thursday, 5:27 p.m., minus-1.3 feet, Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis; Friday: 6:14 p.m., minus-1.6 feet, Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks; Saturday, 6:58 p.m., minus-1.5 feet, Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks; Sunday, 7:41 p.m., minus-1.2 feet, Twin Harbors; and Monday, 8:22 p.m., minus-0.6 feet, Twin Harbors.
North Sound: Salmon fishing has been good in the San Juans Islands, and fair around Whidbey Island. The weather patterns have made getting on the water difficult. People are catching some smelt at Oak Harbor and Cornet Bay.
South Sound: Fishing in Marine Area 13 has been slow for blackmouth. Look for fish in water 100-150 feet deep. Jigging for squid off local docks remains good. The action should continue through the end of the month, then the squid will go spawn and die.
Contributors: State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Art Tachell at Point Defiance Boathouse, washingtonlakes.com, The Evening Hatch, Mike Chamberlain at Ted’s Sports Center, gamefishin.com, Jim Kerr at Rain Coast Guides. Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640 jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
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