Sports

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, September 10, 2009 Coho arrive just in time for Edmonds derby By Wayne Kruse Special to The Herald Yeah, I know it’s difficult to stop thinking pink, with all those humpies still out there begging to be invited home for dinner. But many local salmon fishermen probably are ready for a change of pace, and coming up just at the right time is the Edmonds Coho Derby on Saturday, with the vanguard of what’s predicted to be a strong run of silvers already in the area and on the bite (see the Pick of the Week). Local fishing guru Mike Chamberlain at Ted’s Sport Center in Lynnwood said it “looks like the Edmonds folks hit their timing on the nose for this one. I think they’ll weigh a ton of fish.” They weighed 200 silvers last year, and first-place winner Bill Ward took home a $5,000 check for a coho that weighed 14 pounds, 7 ounces. But it may take a heavier fish than that to capture first place this year, according to Chamberlain, who said there are a lot of fish in the 7- to 13-pound range being hooked, and he has heard of larger silvers, up to 17 pounds. In front of Edmonds, out in the shipping lanes, has been one of the most productive spots, Chamberlain said, along with the area from Mukilteo to Possession Bar. Of interest to those intending to fish the rivers for the Everett Coho Derby on Sept. 19-20, Chamberlain said a bunch of silvers charged into the Snohomish on Sunday morning and by Tuesday some of them were seen as far upriver as Monroe, on the Skykomish. Edmonds derby coordinator Steve Sande agreed that the area in front of Edmonds has been productive for participants since the derby’s inception in 2002, and that probably the most popular rig Saturday will be a green squid behind a green Hot Spot flasher. The Silver Horde “apple core” squid with 24 inches of leader behind a green glow flasher is a fish-catcher, he said. Sande also likes the Ace Hi fly — the relatively new UV variety in green — on about 30 inches of 40-pound mono leader, trolled at a brisk 3 mph, 20 to 60 feet down. He ties it with a couple of glow beads and a short length of UV tubing to get the single siwash hook back to the end of the lure. It can also be tied, he said, with two barbless octopus-style hooks in 4/0. This rig works fine even without a herring teaser, he said. On the other hand, the 2007 winner was caught on a plug-cut herring and 4 ounces of weight, off Columbia Beach. Pink Salmon Humpy action apparently has slacked off in saltwater, according to Mike Chamberlain, but there should still be at least 10 days of decent fishing, and maybe even more considering the catch numbers over the weekend from Sekiu, where state creel checkers tallied 360 pinks and 85 coho on Sunday at Olson’s Resort for 241 fishermen. Good humpy fishing will last in the rivers for a fair stretch yet, although the percentage of bright, fresh fish will start to decline. Guide and Arlington resident Sam Ingram reached his limit by 9 a.m. Wednesday on the lower Skykomish, and said the fish were still in excellent shape. The Skagit and Snohomish are still full of pinks, and the main Stillaguamish is only a step behind. Ingram said he had 3 to 4 feet of visibility on the Sky Wednesday morning, and that the color was enough to turn the bite off his old standby 50-50 Dick Nite, which has been so productive in clear water. After considerable experimentation, he said the fish started eating a brass/chartreuse color pattern. The moral, he said, is to have several different color combinations available. State checks at the Port of Everett ramp on Saturday and Sunday found a total of 253 anglers with 189 pinks and 39 coho. Beach fishermen at Deception Pass State Park scored well over the weekend, most by casting pink Buzz Bombs. State checks showed 144 anglers on Saturday with 141 pinks and three coho. Chamberlain said beach fishermen targeting coho on the west side of Whidbey Island — Bush Point, Lagoon Point, Fort Casey — also have fared well. A float and herring rig is popular, he said, along with five-eighths to 1-ounce Krocodile spoons in pearl/white or nickel/green, and similarly colored Buzz Bombs. Bird hunting Dove and grouse opened statewide last week, and the dove opener east of the Cascades was a productive one. Brock Hoenes, the state’s assistant district wildlife biologist in Ephrata, said there are still plenty of birds in the basin for this weekend, mostly using harvested wheat fields. He suggested the Gloyd Seeps and the Desert Unit/Potholes Reservoir as a couple of the better areas. Cutthroat The flying ants are out, so it must be sea-run cutthroat time. With the big humpy run occupying the time of most river fishermen in the area, few are trying for cutts, but the fish are there. The Snohomish sloughs, the mainstem Stilly, and the lower Skykomish and Snoqualmie should all be holding fish now, if you can get through all the pinks. Buoy 10 This is the peak of the coho fishery at buoy 10 on the lower end of the Columbia River, with catch averages on some days running two fish per rod. The adjacent Marine Area 1 also reopened, after a short closure for stock assessment, seven days a week through the end of the month. Fishing has been very good at Westport, where charter customers are mostly limiting, primarily on nice-sized coho. About one fish in 10 there has been a chinook over the past couple of weeks. Crab Closure Most of Puget Sound closed to recreational crabbing Monday, and crabbers now have until Sept. 21 to report their summer catch, or lack of same. Miss the deadline, said state crab manager Steve Burton, and face a $10 fine added to your purchase of a fishing license next year. Licensed sport crabbers must submit summer catch reports to the state whether or not they crabbed or were successful. File online at WDFW’s licensing Web site or mail to WDFW CRC Unit, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia 98501. The only water left to sport crabbers includes Marine Areas 7S, 7E, 7N (Bellingham Bay/San Juan Islands) through Sept. 30, Wednesdays through Saturdays only; Marine Area 12, Hood Canal; and Marine Areas 4 and 5 (Strait of Juan de Fuca), and Marine Area 13, in south Puget Sound. Hanford Reach Off to a slow start for fall chinook so far, but perhaps starting to pick up. Pressure increased to 48 bank fishermen and 37 boats last week. They were contacted by state personnel at Vernita, Wahluke, and Ringold, and averaged about a half-salmon per boat. No fish were reported by bank fishermen at Ringold. Samish Kings There has been enough rain recently to keep fresh chinook coming into the Samish River, and fishing has been good for those who know where to go and get there early. Access is still limited, so expect a crowd on the lower end, according to Anthon Steen at Holiday Sports in Burlington. Wild Mushrooms Wild edible mushrooms make a great adjunct to almost any outdoor activity, but since the wrong mushrooms can be seriously bad business, you have to know the basics. One of the best ways to do this is to get hooked up with the Snohomish County Mycological Society. Mark your calendar for the society’s annual fall show, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 11, at Forest Park, Everett, and its fall class, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to noon at Lions Hall, Forest Park. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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