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<< 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, October 8, 2009 Columbia Basin brimming with steelhead By Wayne Kruse Special for The Herald If you're a steelhead fisherman and you don't grab your rod, toss your waders in the rig and head across the Cascades for at least one fishing trip this month, you will be doomed to forever curse your lack of foresight. This “Summer of the Salmon” is segueing rapidly into the “Fall of the Steelie” as the Columbia Basin beckons with one of the best runs of steelhead and one of the most liberal season and limit packages in recent history. First, there were tons of pink salmon and acres of coho — in the Strait, in the Sound, in the Snohomish and the Stilly and the Skagit. It's entirely possible that we have never seen — and may never see again — an angling summer like this one. The good old days of 2009. And now, five summer steelhead per day in the bag? Nah, never happen. Not in my lifetime. Except that it just did. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has increased the daily limit on fin-clipped hatchery steelhead to five fish on the Snake River and a portion of the Grande Ronde, and to four fish on the upper Columbia and most of its tributaries. This is an opportunity to participate in what could be the best summer-run steelhead fishing you will ever see. You may argue with the philosophy behind getting rid of all those (look down your nose, here) nasty ol' hatchery steelhead, but you can't deny this is a major chance to chase fish. “This is huge,” said Jeff Korth, fish program manager for the state's Region 2 in Ephrata. “In the 10 years I've been here, the Wenatchee has only been open to steelheaders one time, and the Entiat has never been open.” The reason for all this catch-and-keep opportunity in the Columbia Basin is two-fold. First, an exceptionally strong run of summer steelhead has wound its way up the Columbia and is now entering various tributaries. Through Sept. 22, more than 33,000 fish had been counted at Priest Rapids Dam, compared to the 10-year average of 14,500 at this point in the season. That was up to about 36,000 fish early this week, with 200 to 300 steelies still passing Priest Rapids daily. Second, Korth said, the department wants the hatchery component of this run harvested so that wild-stock fish — following federal dictates — will have less competition on the spawning beds. That's why the four-fish limit on the upper Columbia tribs (but not the Snake/Grande Ronde) is mandatory, not elective. You will be required to retain any legal hatchery steelhead until the limit of four is reached. Then you must stop fishing. Since the upper tributaries opened on Sept. 29, the harvest has been excellent, Korth said, and anglers have been responsible in following the regulations requiring the retention of hatchery fish. Even though for some, bonking a steelhead is culture shock. “We might have concentrated a little too hard on the catch-and-release ethic,” Korth said, only partially in jest. He emphasized that it's important for fishermen to follow the rules — no bait, selective gear, keep wild fish in the water for release, and all the others — if they don't want seasons closed early. Most of these fisheries are scheduled to remain open through March 31, although they will close if incidental impact on wild fish becomes excessive. Here's a quick rundown of some of the rivers involved in this rare opportunity: Methow: Korth said this will offer probably the best fishing in the upper Basin, with about 15,000 fish due back. Opened Sept. 29. Popular particularly with fly fishermen. Open from the mouth to Winthrop, except closed from the second powerline crossing above Pateros to the first Highway 153 bridge. Night closure and selective gear; release all salmon. Motorized vessels allowed. Mainstem Columbia: Opened Sept. 29 from Rock Island to Chief Joseph dams. Night closure and selective gear, but bait and motorized vessels allowed. Good fishing at a number of spots — off the mouth of the Wenatchee, Entiat, Methow and Okanogan, and below Wells and Chief Joseph dams, among others. Talk to the folks at Hooked On Toys in Wenatchee for advice (509-663-0740). Entiat: Opened Sept. 29, mouth to 800 feet below the Entiat National Fish Hatchery outfall. Selective gear, night closure, release all salmon, motorized vessels allowed. Small stream offers an opportunity to wade and explore the 5 or 6 miles of river open to fishing. About 3,000 hatchery steelhead due back. Wenatchee: Opened Sept. 29, mouth to the Tumwater Dam. Night closure; selective gear, release all salmon. Lots of water, but Korth said it's likely to be the first river to close early. Icicle: Open Sept. 29, through Nov. 15, for both hatchery steelhead and three coho, mouth to the fish hatchery barrier dam. Not much water yet, and limited access, but after the first good rain skating a fly or tossing a spinner could take both steelhead and coho. Okanogan: Opened Sept. 29, mouth to the first Highway 97 bridge below Oroville. Night closure, selective gear, but motorized vessels allowed. Korth said this fishery is becoming more popular, and that he expects about 4,500 hatchery steelhead back this fall. Bank access is somewhat limited — it's better at the lower end — and boat drifting is the best way to fish the river. Worth learning this water. Similkameen: Short season expected, limited access, mostly fished by local residents. Snake: Five-fish limit, mouth to the Oregon border, including boundary shared with Idaho. Grande Ronde: Mouth to county road bridge 2.5 miles upstream, release all steelhead. Five fish daily from county road bridge to Oregon line. The five fish limit on the Snake and Grande Ronde is not mandatory. Read the Fishing Rules pamphlet for gear restrictions within southeast Washington waters open to steelhead fishing. RIVER COHO There is a mix of darkening and chrome-bright silvers scattered the length of the Skykomish, according to guide and Arlington resident Sam Ingram, and he said the bonus this year is that the fish seem to be biters. Lockjaw has been the coho rule the past several seasons, in both saltwater and fresh, but for whatever reason the fish have provided an outstanding fishery (and catchery) so far this year. Try the reformatory hole with spoons or spinners; drift bait; cast or drift Dick Nite spoons; or pull plugs such as the Fatfish in firetiger or black with red herringbone. Ingram never puts a plug in the water without rubbing a little scent on the bill, usually Dick Nite Salmon Gel in the UV variety. Good coho action in the Skagit now, according to Anthon Steen at Holiday Sports in Burlington, particularly in the Burlington/Sedro-Woolley stretch. Use small spoons such as the Dick Nite or Wicked Willy, or spinners such as the Blue Fox Vibrax. Steen said a few anglers already are trying the Cascade, and reporting a few coho and even the occasional steelhead. Needs more water up there, though, and finesse fishing is the rule. Good numbers of coho in the main Stillaguamish. Best fishing is below Silvana. The lower Cowlitz is putting out silvers for boaters, while about 50 percent of the coho being taken on the Kalama and Lewis are hatchery fish. SALTWATER COHO Fair fishing in the local salt, with state checks at the Port of Everett ramp on Sunday showing 241 fishermen with 42 silvers. Biz Point put out coho on the Marine Area 7-South opener on Oct. 1. Four beach fishermen at Point No Point on Sunday had one coho. And there are still good populations of silvers coming down the Strait. Checks at Olson's Resort in Sekiu on Sunday tallied 88 anglers with 106 fish. HANFORD REACH Approaching the peak of the season for fall kings on the Hanford Reach, where fishermen last week averaged 1.2 chinook per boat. Angler effort is up about 7 percent from last season, according to state data, but harvest is up 20 percent. The Vernita Bridge area again provided the best fishing. WOLF MEETINGS Washington's first breeding wolf pack in at least 70 years was confirmed in western Okanogan County in July 2008, and a second was confirmed in Pend Oreille County in July of this year. With resident populations apparently a reality, the state is working up a wolf conservation and management plan, and will include a dozen public meetings in the process. The closest meeting to this area will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Nov. 4 at the Cottontree Inn Convention Center in Mount Vernon, on the west side of Riverside Drive, just before crossing the Skagit bridge northbound. The draft plan can be viewed here. 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. 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