Mike Chamberlain says an illness is spreading among Western Washington fishermen this month.
“Everybody has salmonitis,” said Chamberlain, who works for Ted’s Sports Center in Lynnwood.
While these anglers fish the rivers for pinks, he says, they are missing out on some good fishing in local lakes, particularly Lake Washington.
“There is great perch jerking in Lake Washington, and hardly anybody is going,” Chamberlain said. “And the trout fishing is getting pretty good too.”
LAKES
American: David Anderson of Bill’s Boathouse says kokanee fishing is outstanding.
Spanaway: Bud Herlitzka of the Spanaway Park Boat House says anglers are still catching fish with worms and marshmallows. Trolling isn’t working well, but Herlitzka says the fish are still big and solid.
Harts: Try chicken liver or worms to catch catfish.
Mineral Lake: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife planted the lake with 1,680 rainbows Sept. 6. The lake is open for fishing through Sept. 30.
Chelan: Try trolling for trout near the yacht club or planter rainbows in the lower basin, said Anton Jones of Darrell and Dad’s Family Guide Service. Dry flies are working well on the upper Stehekin Valley.
Rufus Woods: Fishing for triploid rainbows by the nets pens is heating up, Jones said. Troll flies behind Mack’s Lure Smile Blade or an action disk, he said.
RIVERS
Puyallup: Keith Semprimoznik of Big J’s Outdoor Store says anglers are still catching pinks and an occasional king. The silvers are biting on the lower river.
Carbon: Semprimoznik describes the action as “medium” on the Carbon, with pinks still biting on the lower river.
Nisqually: The action has been pretty good.
Columbia: Coho fishing is starting to slow near Buoy 10, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The area opened for chinook retention Friday.
Last week on the main stem below Bonneville Dam, the WDFW sampled 2,386 salmonid anglers. The anglers, including 790 boats, caught 745 adults and 59 jacks, 20 adult coho and 48 steelhead. Anglers can keep salmon through Sunday below the Lewis River to Rocky and Tongue points.
Snohomish: Silver fishing has been good here of late, Chamberlain said.
Cowlitz: Bank anglers are catching chinook at the barrier dam, and boat anglers are getting chinook and coho at the mouth of the river.
Lewis: Boat anglers are catching and releasing coho at the mouth of the river.
Washougal: Fall chinook are starting to bite.
White Salmon: The river will be closed from the state Route 14 Bridge to the Condit Dam powerhouse from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. today to allow a cleanup crew to work.
SALTWATER
Tacoma: The staff at the Point Defiance Boathouse Marina says fishing in the area has been quiet. Coho are biting occasionally near the mouth of the Puyallup River and along the Gig Harbor shoreline.
South Sound: Head to the mouth of the Nisqually River to try for silvers. The staff at Zittel’s Johnson Point Marina says coho are starting to bite too.
North Sound: There are some silvers still biting, but the action has slowed dramatically since last week, Chamberlain said.
Craig Hill, staff writer blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
