Despite lumpy water conditions, the reopening of Marine Area 8-2 to winter blackmouth over the weekend produced decent fishing. And many of the fish caught were larger than usual for this point in the season.
For example, The Hot Plugs Derby on Saturday weighed in 10 fish that topped 11 pounds, and the top two blackmouth tipped the scales at 16-plus and 14-plus pounds.
Anglers spent much of their time trying to avoid the worst of the slop, while still staying over fish, according to All Star Charters owner/skipper Gary Krein of Everett (425-252-4188).
“The racetrack (the bar between Hat Island and Camano Head) was fishable and fairly productive in the mornings,” Krein said, “but as the wind picked up, we had to start playing around Hat Island to stay out of the worst of it.”
Krein took five blackmouth for customers over the weekend, and three of the five topped 10 pounds. He said the combination of a flasher and “green hornet” squid (dark green) was his best setup, definitely out-fishing his Coyote spoons. On Saturday, he found chinook suspended at 60 feet in 80 to 90 feet of water, but after the first few hours had to drop to the bottom in 100 to 120 feet.
“Historically, the Hat Island-Camano Head area doesn’t stay that good for very long this time of year,” he said, “but it should remain productive for a couple of weeks, at least.”
Elsewhere, a real hog – 26 pounds, 12 ounces – won the Roche Harbor Derby (Feb. 7-8) and a check for $10,000 for Chris Johnson of Mount Vernon. While the top four fish were all 20 pounds plus, the total catch wasn’t all that great, with just 36 fish weighed for 324 entrants. The best areas in the San Juans have generally been on the open-water banks – Coyote, Hein and Middle.
Midchannel Bank remains slow, while the triangle of Possession Bar/Double Bluff/Point No Point is still producing at least fair fishing.
Smelt: Recreational smelt dippers are hoping the two or three days of top action in the lower Cowlitz River a week ago were the “pilot run,” and that more of the tasty little fish are on the way. But the past few days have been slow, according to Don Enfield at Carnival Market in Kelso (360-425-6622).
“We really expect a lot more fish,” Enfield said, “because the commercial netters in the Columbia, below us, have been doing very well from time to time.”
Smelt jigging at the Oak Harbor Marina, slow to nonexistent for much of the winter season, finally broke loose. Bob Ferber at Holiday Market Sports Center in Burlington (360-757-4361) said recreational smelting there has been good for the past week or more. Cornet Bay also is a possibility, although this has been a very spotty season for the popular public pier just south of the Deception Pass Bridge. Ferber said the jigging there has been fair on some days, poor on others.
Steelhead: Predicted low numbers of returning wild steelhead – perhaps better than last year, but still too low to meet most spawning requirements – have forced state Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists to close fishing on most local rivers at the end of this month. That will again eliminate late-season catch-and-release fisheries on the Snohomish, Stillaguamish and Skagit systems. The possible exception, a catch-and-release season on the Sauk, remains under consideration.
“Unfortunately, this has become the usual state of affairs,” said biologist Chad Jackson at the Mill Creek office. “I think 2000 was the last year we had late season catch-and-release fisheries locally.”
The prediction for Stillaguamish wild-stock winter steelhead this year is just 35 percent of the spawning goal, and the same goes for the Snohomish system. The brightest spot is on the Skagit system, where an expected return of 6,162 fish slightly exceeds an escapement goal of 6,000.
But until the season closes, there is still fishing to be had. Ferber at Holiday Market said there has been little pressure on the Skagit, but that a few nice fish are being taken, particularly in the Hamilton area. One regular customer reported releasing a buck of 23-plus pounds Friday above Sedro-Woolley.
Guide and Arlington resident Sam Ingram (360-435-9311) said that when fishable, the Skykomish has been producing surprisingly good action on a mix of late hatchery and native steelhead.
The Forks-area rivers continue to put out good late-winter steelheading, albeit under heavy fishing pressure, on the Sol Duc and Calawah.
Trout: Nice cutthroat are starting to show in Lake Washington as spring approaches. Try trolling small spoons on the northeast corner of the lake, from Juanita Bay north to Edwards Point. Launch at the public access on the lower Sammamish River in Kenmore.
Pass Lake put out a few big browns for “spring fever” anglers using chironomids the past couple of weeks, but recent cold temperatures put a temporary stop to the action.
Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist Jeff Korth, in the agency’s Ephrata office, said this is the time of year to start fishing Rocky Ford Creek, northwest of Moses Lake.
“This flies-only water carries rainbow in the 2- to 5-pound class,” he said, “plus a few real monsters. It’s all shoreline fishing, no wading or tubes allowed, and catch-and-release only. Generally, small flies – size 16 and up – are the way to go.”
Columbia Basin: Word about last summer’s excellent chinook fishery on the mid-Columbia has gotten around and guide Rod Hammons in Brewster (509-689-2849; starr@nwi.net) said bookings for this summer have already started.
“Anybody who wants one of the prime, early-season dates should call soon,” he said.
Hammons also offers trophy walleye fishing, beginning March 1, and summer/fall “cast and blast” trips for salmon, steelhead and pheasant. He has also instituted birding trips to a portion of the Columbia above Chief Joseph Dam, where no roads approach the river and birds and other wildlife are relatively undisturbed.
Legislation: Sam Ingram testified recently in Olympia on House Bill 2920, introduced by Kirk Pearson of the 39th District, and said it deserves the support of sport fishermen as it goes to the state Senate after a resounding win (95-0) in the House. The bill would create a legislative oversight committee and require the state to consider the economic impacts of sport fishing on local communities when setting fishing seasons.
“The department considers all the other user groups when they set seasons,” Ingram said, “and sport fishermen are then left with the dregs. This bill would require the department to look at how much income local communities receive from recreational fishing seasons.”
Also, the North of Falcon salmon season setting process is getting under way. Ingram said the most important local meeting takes place from 7 -9 p.m. on March 11 at the Mill Creek office of the Department of Fish and Wildlife (425-775-1311) to solicit public input on local fisheries. Anyone interested in keeping a Stillaguamish coho season, expanding the area and limits for the Skykomish chinook season, or opening up an even-year pink season on the Skykomish, should be there.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
