LAKES
Rufus Woods: People are catching some hefty rainbow trout near the lower net pens. Using jigs has produced fish topping 5 pounds.
Seep Lakes: Bank fishers are catching some trout in the small patches of open water from Coral, Teal, Canal and Upper Goose lakes.
Washington: Cutthroat trout action has been slow in recent days. Fish are holding in water 15-35 feet deep but have been hard to hook. Most people have been trolling, using worms or Wedding Rings.
SALT WATER
North Sound: Fishing off the San Juans has slowed a bit, just before this weekend’s Roche Harbor Salmon Derby. Baby Island and Lagoon Point have been producing some blackmouth.
South Sound: The action has been slow, mainly because so few people are out. Typical spots to find fish are Quartermaster Harbor and off the boathouse on high tides and off Les Davis Pier at low tide. Most people are trolling with flashers and hoochies or a spoon like a Coho Killer.
RIVERS
Cowlitz: Steelhead fishing is showing signs of improvement. Conditions are right for back trolling plugs or side drifting eggs or shrimp.
Kalama: Starting Friday, anglers must release all spring-chinook salmon from the boundary markers at the mouth upstream to the Kalama Falls Hatchery. Spring-chinook returns are expected to be lower than average, and the returning fish are needed for the hatchery escapement goal. The river remains open to fishing for hatchery steelhead.
Lewis: Starting Friday, anglers must release all spring chinook from the mouth upstream to the mouth of the East Fork and on the North Fork from the mouth of the East Fork upstream to the overhead powerlines below Merwin Dam. Also, the North Fork will close to all fishing upstream from Johnson Creek. With spring-chinook returns predicted to be below average, those fish that do return are needed to provide for the hatchery escapement goals.
Olympic Coast: Steelhead fishing has been fair to good, with a good number of large fish being hooked. Eggs and shrimp have been effective baits. The Sol Duc and Bogachiel are good choices, as is the Hoh when it is in shape.
Rocky Ford: Anglers are reporting the water is quite low for this time of year, but some large rainbow trout are still being caught. Try small scuds or a white Woolly Bugger.
Wenatchee: The river opened Friday to steelhead fishing. The Wenatchee is open from the mouth to 400 feet below Tumwater Dam, including the Icicle River from the mouth to 500 feet downstream of the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Barrier Dam. The Wenatchee also is open to catching whitefish from the mouth to the state Route 2 bridge at Leavenworth.
Wynoochee: Fishing has been pretty good in the last few days. As river conditions have improved, more fish have moved upstream.
Yakima: For this time of year, trout fishing is average. Fish have been hitting tandem rigs of a Pat’s stonefly nymph trailed by a San Juan worm pattern. Look for the fish holding in the slower water of an inside corner or in runs 3-5 feet deep moving slower than a walking pace.
Razor clam dig dates
While there is a dig running through Tuesday, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife has set tentative dates for razor clam digs through the end of March. The schedule includes the first dig on morning low tides.
The dates, low-tide times and location open for the current and upcoming digs:
Sunday: 6:37 p.m., minus-0.9 feet, Twin Harbors, Long Beach
Monday: 7:17 p.m., minus-0.5 feet, Twin Harbors
Tuesday: 7:54 p.m., 0 feet, Twin Harbors
Feb. 23: 5:12 p.m., plus-0.3 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors
Feb. 24: 5:47 p.m., plus-0.1 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors
March 7: 3:06 p.m., plus-0.3 feet, Twin Harbors
March 8: 4:01 p.m., 0.0 feet, Twin Harbors
March 9: 4:50 p.m., minus-0.2 feet, Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks
Daylight savings time begins
March 10: 6:33 p.m., minus-0.2 feet, Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks
March 11: 7:12 p.m., 0 feet, Twin Harbors
Switch to morning tides
March 28: 7:57 a.m., minus-0.3 feet, Twin Harbors
March 29: 8:40 a.m., minus-0.6 feet, Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks
March 30: 9:26 a.m., minus-0.7 feet, Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks
March 31: Sunday, 10:16 a.m., -0.6 feet, Twin Harbors
Kalaloch remains closed but might open for a dig in April.
Contributors: Mike Meseberg at MarDon Resort, washingtonlakes.com, state Department of Fish and Wildlife, Red’s Fly Shop, Rob Sweem of R&K Guide Service, Art Tachell at Point Defiance Boathouse, steelheaduniveristy.com and salmonuniversity.com. Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640 jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
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