Fishing report
SALT WATER
Ilwaco: Anglers averaged less than a salmon per two rods last week, the lowest catch rate of the season. The catch was split pretty evenly between chinook and coho. Through Sunday, an estimated 27.4 percent of the coho quota and 67.6 percent of the chinook guideline had been taken.
North Coast: The best salmon fishing last week was off La Push, where anglers averaged 1.15 fish per person. Most of the fish were coho. At Neah Bay, the catch rate dropped to 0.85 salmon per person.
North Sound: Coho fishing has been excellent in recent weeks – the best it has been in several years. The stretch from Browns Bay south to the Marine Area 10 line has been a great spot. Farther north, try Naketa Beach and Shipwreck and Picnic points.
South Sound: Salmon fishing has been fairly good. In the past week, about 75 chinook were landed. There also has been a pretty high count of coho being caught; more than 150 were counted in the last week by checkers. Fishing has been good from Browns Point to Three Tree Point. Try spoons like Coho Killers or Kingfishers behind a Break Away flasher.
Westport: Fishing last week slowed, with the catch rate of 0.51 fish per person. As of Sunday, 26.1 percent of the coho quota and 50.3 percent of the chinook guideline had been caught.
LAKES
Harts: People are catching lots and lots of crappies; some of them are 10 inches long. People are using crappie jigs with worms, and also are catching plenty of perch, bluegill and sunfish.
Kapowsin: Largemouth bass fishing has been very good, but anglers are landing mostly smaller fish. Try using a white spinnerbait.
Mason: The lake is producing some good catches of yellow perch. Try using maggots or night crawlers.
Washington: Perch fishing has been picking up. People are using a two-hook rig fished on the bottom. Tip your hooks with a portion of a night crawler.
RIVERS
Columbia: Through Wednesday, 130,323 adult fall chinook had been counted at Bonneville Dam. The cumulative and daily chinook counts to date are below average for this time of year. Action in the Buoy 10 fishery has been very good.
Cowlitz: Steelhead and chinook are being caught. The best steelhead action has been around Blue Creek, where people are free-drifting eggs. Water levels are down, so go with lighter gear.
Green: Fishing has been slow.
Nisqually: Eggs drifted under floats has been the most effective method for catching chinook.
Puyallup: The coho action seems to have slowed down, in part because the water level is low. Anglers are having success with corkies and yarn in orange and red.
Yakima: Terrestrial and stonefly dry flies are working well, although some October caddis are coming off. River flows were about 2,000 cubic feet per second Friday morning, making for good wading conditions.
Contributing to this report: Mike Chamberlain at Ted’s Sports Center, state Department of Fish and Wildlife, Tom Pollack at Sportco, Gamefishin.com, Washingtonlakes.com, Red’s Fly Shop, Phil Stephens of Mystical Legends Guide Service, Carol Parson at Harts Lake Resort, and Walt Harvey at Verle’s Sports Center. jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com 253-597-8640 blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
