Even with the deck stacked against them, organizers of last weekend’s Everett “No-Coho” Blackmouth Derby managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat. Informed relatively late in the year by state salmon managers that there would be no in-Sound coho season, Everett Salmon Association fishing club members were forced to change the event’s focus from coho to blackmouth, and re-name it a no-coho derby.
They had no idea how well this would play with the local salmon fishing community.
“We figured if we got 350 participants it would be a success,” said coordinator Mark Spada. “As it turned out, we got 200 more than that.”
The total number of adult participants was 564, and youth, 51.
“It blew us away,” Spada said.
Not only was the participation level cause for glee, but the fishing turned out better than anticipated as well. Some 146 blackmouth were weighed in, averaging a nice 6.6 pounds. The money list featured all the usual suspects: First, Lance Husby, Marysville, $4,000, 15.62 pounds, caught Sunday; second, charter owner Derek Floyd, Marysville, $2,000, 14.64 pounds, caught on Saturday; third, Dylan Cochran, Auburn, $1,000, 12.7 pounds, caught on Sunday; and fourth, Scott Bumstead, Lake Stevens, $500, 12.33 pounds, caught Saturday.
Youth winners included Kozmo Zajac of Shoreline, $300; Ella Trout, Everett, $200; Tyler Nance, Bothell, $100; and Jackson Strakele of Marysville.
The top coho in last year’s derby weighed 11.3 pounds and was caught on the west side of Possession Bar by Harold Schot of Mount Vernon on an Ace High fly.
Spada said Marine Area 9 put out the most derby fish, including the first-place winner, which he said was caught on whole herring, but not on Possession Bar. Herring, and a Gibbs flasher/Coho Killer spoon were probably the most popular setups, he said.
All Star Charters owner/skipper Gary Krein of Everett fished Possession, but not for the derby. He said there were plenty of blackmouth to about 10 pounds on the bar, including a 12.5-pound fish his boat landed Saturday, which would have been good for fourth place. He said there were a lot of limits taken Saturday and Sunday, particularly of blackmouth in the 5- and 6-pound class.
“Those are probably the shakers we were having so much trouble with last year,” Krein said.
The water was a little lumpy on Saturday, and barely fishable by noon, Krein said, but better on Sunday.
Sturgeon
If you’re interested in taking home a sturgeon for the table or the smoker, time’s running short on probably the best opportunity of the year. That would be the catch and keep white sturgeon fishery on the middle Columbia River, due to end on Nov. 30.
The fishery, underway since July on the Wanapum and Priest Rapids pools, allows a daily harvest of up to three fish between 38 and 72 inches. The sturgeon are up for grabs because state biologists say there is a surplus of hatchery-origin fish in the two pools and taking them is consistent with efforts to enhance depressed populations of wild-stock fish.
Most of the fish are in the 5- to 5.5-foot range, Jackson said, with a few pushing 6 feet.
Biologist Chad Jackson in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Ephrata office, said the season started with a bang and a lot of angler interest. Then buoy 10 and other salmon fisheries opened and participation fell off. “It’s sort of in the doldrums right now,” Jackson said, “although some fishermen are doing well.”
The Wanapum Pool is probably the best bet, he said, from below Rock Island Dam down to about the Yo Yo Rock WDFW access (yeah, it really does look a little like a yo-yo), where there is some bank fishing available. Below Wanapum Dam there’s a good ramp just below the dam, on the east side of the river.
Yo Yo Rock is on the west side of the river, below Wenatchee, off Tarpsican Road and south of Colockum Road. It lies between Rock Island dam and the Crescent Bar RV Resort.
More details are available in the Fishing Rule Change section of the fishing regulation pamphlet.
Fishing bargains
Waters West Guide Service is offering Black Friday trip specials, booked before Nov. 26, to various fishing hot spots now through next year. Included are discounts of 24 percent on winter steelhead on the Humptulips, Wynoochee, Satsop and Chehalis rivers; discounts of 16 percent for spring chinook on the Columbia, Cowlitz, Wind, and Drano Lake; save 16 percent for July and August fishing at Brewster, Lake Pateros, and Wells Dam for kings and sockeye; and save 17 percent for August-September Columbia River king and coho fishing.
You can also reserve the special discounted pricing by paying the $49/person deposit before these specials end on Nov. 26, or buy a $100 gift card to give as a gift which will also be applied to any trip offered at the special rates.
Mailing address for more information is Washington State Fishing Guides, 442 Elma McCleary Road, Elma, WA 98501; email jessica@fishwaterswest.com.
Rod building
Greg’s Custom Fishing Rods offers a rod building class for beginners and advanced rod builders Dec. 6, 7, 13, 14, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at 12405 20th St. N.E., Lake Stevens WA 98258. Fee is $45 plus rod blank and components. Reserve a spot by calling 425-335-1391.
Cast and blast
There is opportunity right now for a combo fishing/hunting trip on Potholes Reservoir. Largemouth bass anglers say they catch the largest fish of the year with fall’s higher and cooler water. Fish in the sand dunes area have been reported to 6.5 pounds. Walleye are taking blade baits, and jigs tipped with a grub and ‘crawler, during early morning and evening hours.
Book a duck hunt on the reservoir with MarDon Resort’s “Duck Taxi,” or a guided goose hunt. Call 509-346-2651, or visit www.ducktaxi.com for more information.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
