For more than a month David Anderson of Bill’s Boathouse has said that kokanee fishing on American Lake has been red-hot. And as the temperatures dip, the fishing isn’t cooling off.
“It is still outstanding,” Anderson said. “And now the perch are biting too. Buckets and buckets of perch.”
He says the kokanee have been easy to catch. And just a section of a worm is all it takes to catch perch, Anderson said.
LAKES
Spanaway: The lake was scheduled to be planted with 2,000 rainbow trout Friday, said Bud Herlitzka of the Spanaway Park Boat House.
Brown trout are spawning at the north end of the lake near the duck pond. Herlitzka recommends spin casting from the bank to catch these fish.
“And I wouldn’t recommend sticking your finger in their mouth,” he added with a chuckle. “They’ve got a lot of teeth.”
Offut: One angler caught a 17-inch trout and just missed a second large fish Wednesday afternoon. He used worms with cheese marshmallows.
The lake was planted with jumbo trout earlier this week, said Becky Pogue of Offut Lake Resort.
“They are really nice fish, and the bite has been on every day,” Pogue said. She recommends fishing late morning or afternoon while using Power Bait and a night crawler.
Beaver: The WDFW will release 2,300 large hatchery rainbow trout in this lake near Issaquah on Nov. 8. The lake is typically fished by small boats although shore anglers do have success, said WDFW biologist Aaron Bosworth in a prepared statement.
Riffe: The staffers at Fish Country Inc. believe the silvers will be biting here once the anglers start showing up.
Washington: Mike Chamberlain of Ted’s Sports Center in Lynnwood says perch fishing has been very good here of late and cutthroat fishing is starting to pick up.
Chelan: Anton Jones of Darrell & Dad’s Family Guide Service suggests trolling with purple glow Flatfish near the yacht club for the best chance of catching mackinaw.
SALT WATER
Coastal clamming: Nov. 11-12 are the dates for evening razor clam digs at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks beaches.
Tacoma: Staff members at the Point Defiance Boathouse Marina report that the fishing in the area is fair. Blackmouths are biting off the clay banks during the outgoing tide and near the mouth of Quartermaster Harbor. Try trolling with flasher and either spoon, hoochie or herring.
South Sound: The cold weather seems to be keeping anglers away, according to the staffers at Zittel’s Johnson Point Marina. There were reports of salmon biting in Boston Harbor earlier in the week.
North Sound: Cornet Bay near Deception Pass is a good place for smelt fishing right now, and much of the area is now open for blackmouths.
RIVERS
Chehalis: The action is starting to slow down, but the coho are still biting.
Cowlitz: Anglers are catching silvers near Barrier Dam on shrimp and eggs. Downriver, try a corky and yarn, a jig and bobber or sand shrimp and spoons. For boat anglers, try divers with eggs and sand shrimp.
Klickitat: Both boat and bank anglers are catching coho, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Humptulips: Lots of opportunities here, with anglers reporting catching cohos, kings and chum salmon.
Quillayute: A few reports of winter-run steelhead making an early appearance.
Craig Hill, staff writer craig.hill@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
