The best fishing seems to require a drive these days, at least for folks hoping to tangle with a steelhead. The Skykomish and the Forks-area rivers are the best bet right now. River levels have dropped and visibility is very good, requiring anglers to go with smaller gear.
RIVERS
Nisqually: Fishing remains slow. An angler online reported that sea lions are moving up the river. A large number have been congregating at the mouth.
Olympic Coast: People are catching hatchery and wild fish on the Hoh, side-drifting from the Oxbow downstream and using pink worms and plugs downstream from the park boundary, said Mike Zavadlov of Mike Z’s Guide Service. Plugs and jigs and bobbers have been working on the Bogachiel and Sol Duc.
Puyallup: Because the wild steelhead run is well below forecast, the system closes to fishing at the end of the day Sunday. The emergency rule closure covers the White River from the mouth to the R Street Bridge in Auburn, the Carbon River from the mouth to the state Route 162 Bridge, and the upper Puyallup from the mouth of the Carbon upstream.
Satsop: People are catching an occasional steelhead, but the action has been slow. One person reported catching and releasing a 20-pound wild fish.
Skookumchuck: A few coho and chinook are being caught, but they are dark, according to online reports.
Skykomish: Some of the most consistent steelhead action has been taking place at Reiter Ponds. With river levels dropping, said Mike Chamberlain at Ted’s Sports Center, switch to smaller gear and lighter leaders.
Tokul: There have been several online reports, all reporting the action as slow.
Yakima: Ice has made the river unfishable, according to a staffer at Red’s Fly Shop.
LAKES
Chelan: Lake trout action has been fair to good, although a little slow for large fish, said Anton Jones at Darrell and Dad’s Family Guide Service. He has been using a Mack’s Cha Cha Squidder or the Ace Hi Fly.
Fort Borst Park: This is a juvenile-only lake, but might worth a day trip to Centralia for someone looking to take the kids out. It was planted last week with 3,050 rainbow trout.
Offut: The trout action has been steady if not fast, said Bob Pogue at Offut Lake Resort. Dough bait and worms fished off the bottom on a 3- to 4-foot leader is working best.
Spanaway: Boat anglers are catching some rainbow trout on dough baits on the east side and south end, while browns are hitting worms and flies. Some of the browns are approaching 4 pounds, said Bud Herlitzka at Spanaway Park Boathouse.
SALT WATER
North Sound: Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) reopens for salmon fishing Monday. One of the most popular fisheries in Puget Sound, according to Chamberlain, the area includes Possession Bar, Satchet Head, Point No Point, Double Bluff and Port Townsend’s Middle Bank. The tides for the opener are very good for the Possession Bar area with a high tide at 9:45 a.m., allowing people to fish the incoming tide and high slack first thing in the morning. Chamberlain recommends fishing the edges of the drop-offs in water 90-150 feet deep, keeping your offerings within 10 feet of the bottom.
South Sound: Salmon fishing south of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge has been slow. If you want to give it a try, troll off the sand spit, Green Point, Point Gibson and Wollochet Bay, said Art Tachell at Point Defiance Boathouse. People have been catching some small flounder off the Les Davis Pier, as well as some squid.
Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640 jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
