Puget Sound Area Fishing Report

[THE REEL HEY_YALL]

Since I figure we Washingtonian fishermen are the minority on the board, I felt I would post the fishing report for the past week as found in the Tacoma newspaper.

Dave Dondoneau; The News Tribune

It appears to be a banner year for coho fishing at Sekiu and in North Puget Sound.

According to Donalyn Olson of Olson's Resort in Sekiu, it's been a "super'' month of salmon fishing at Sekiu with 8- and 9-pounders being caught and one 20-pounder brought in earlier this week.

"We'll have a day or two that doesn't do well but this is the best fishing we've seen in a long time,'' Olson said. "It's been a super month.''

Olson said the coho are being caught with herring and several flies and hoochies. Most coho are being caught in 30- to 70-feet of water, with some fishermen going a little deeper.

SALTWATER

North Puget Sound - Mike Chamberlain of Ted's Sports Center near Lynnwood reports the area is churning out the biggest coho in years.

"We're seeing some 20 pounders,'' Chamberlain said, adding that most of the success has come with downriggers, flashers, squid combinations with glow-in-the-dark combos. "Not a lot is going on in the rivers around here,'' Chamberlain said. "But the salmon fishing in area No. 82 is great.''

Tacoma - The Point Defiance Boat House reports that fishing in the area has been fair, with coho salmon 4- to 10-pounds being caught and one 151/2-pounder brought in Monday. Blackmouth are being found at lower depths in the clay banks area, with coho being caught north of the Gig Harbor shoreline, the Girl Scouts camp, Point Richmond, Dash Point, Point Defiance and the mouth of the Puyallup River.

Coho also are being near Chambers Creek, Point Fosdick and the Nisqually area, according to Julie Rogers of the Narrows Marina, with Chambers being the hottest.

South Sound - Cohos are starting to bite, though there has been no true "hot spot," according to Jason Zittel of Zittel's Johnson Point Marina. Fish are being caught in 20-to-40 feet of water near beaches. Coho are being caught at McCallister Creek, Johnson Point, Hartstene Island and Squaxon Island. Trolling is working.

RIVERS

Green River - Fishing is slow, said Jeff Boggs of Auburn Sports and Marine. A few steelhead have been caught.

Puyallup - The river is muddy but silvers are being caught in the 3-to-8-pound range. Plunking with eggs and drifting with corkies and yarn are both working.

Cowlitz - Most of pressure is near the mouths of the Cowlitz and Toutle rivers for silvers. There are still summer-run steelhead in the Blue Creek area. At the Barrier dam, there are lots of chinook to catch-and-release.

Kalama - Plenty of salmon in the river, both chinook and coho spread throughout the river system, according to Pritchard's Western Anglers. Guides are primarily using eggs and sandshrimp, and blue fox lures. Fly fishermen are also doing well, with fish spread throughout the canyon.

Olympic Coast - Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks said there's plenty of salmon to be had, but the water is low. "We need rainfall bad,'' Gooding said.

LAKES

Offut - Fishing has been off and on, with a couple of 16-inch rainbow trout and a 5 1/2-pound bass reported at Offut Lake Resort. There have also been 10-12 inch rainbow trout caught. Worms and power bait are best; trollers are using mayflies.

American - Fishing has been real slow. A week ago, a 6 1/2-pound rainbow trout was caught. Trout Lodge released approximately 500 trout between 1 and 11 pounds in the lake recently. Worms are working best.

Tanwax - Not many fishermen, but Rainbow Resort reports good fall fishing. Trolling is working for perch, crappie and bluegill. Worms are working.


© The News Tribune


09/20/2000

I hope this helps out a couple of "y'all". Any word on if the silvers are starting to move up towards the Barrier Dam on the Cowlitz yet? Ya see the bad thing about these fishing reports is they tell how the fishing was the "previous" week...so do note that.

ARE ALL FISHERMEN LIARS, OR DO ONLY LIARS FISH?
Roll Tide.

Thanks much 'yall. Appreciate it! Same scenario in Oregon. Lots of fish but we need rain &/or colder nights for the water temp to get into the 50's to spike a good river bite. BTW, plenty of Oregonians are interested in Washington reports because we fish up there too once in a while. As do Wash. guys coming down to fish in Ore. places such as Tillamook. Personally, I don't see the imaginary state's border line, which is for necessary political agenda and taxation etc, as being a border to fishers (although some do). In reality it's all just the great N.W. and there for all to enjoy. - I don't get into the "Land of the Os" WA vs OR thing like some do, although nothing wrong with a little fun jabbing. I can be drawn into that a little if this area takes a few hits. All in fun though . Good fishing 'yall. - RT