It should be a good weekend. Anglers are hoping the rain will bring salmon into local rivers, and cool local lakes to spark the trout bite. The first razor clam dig opens today, and crabbing opens today in many areas of Puget Sound, just not in Marine Area 11 (Tacoma).
RIVERS
Chehalis: Salmon fishing has been decent at the Montesano bridge and upstream. People are catching a mix of chinook and coho. Anglers are reportedly using spinners.
Cowlitz: Salmon fishing has been slow in the last week, while some steelhead are being caught at Blue Creek.
Green: Fish are there, but they aren't biting. One angler reported that "the fish laughed at my efforts."
Nisqually: Corkies and yarn in green are producing a few, solitary coho, and there are reports of a few chum also being caught.
Puyallup: The river seems slower than the other local rivers. Flows have been below 1,000 cubic feet per second all week.
Yakima: Trout fishing has improved in the canyon. The trout are keyed in on blue wing olive nymphs during the day and then showing interest in October caddis dry flies in the afternoon.
LAKES
Nahwatzel: Trout fishing has been fair to good. Many anglers are using worms.
Offut: Trout fishing has been good, with worms and marshmallows working best for anglers still-fishing or slowly trolling Kastmasters and Needlefish. Perch fishing has been good, while bass fishing has slowed some.
Potholes: Perch fishing is the best it has been in a number of years. Look for them at 16 feet and deeper in the Lind Coulee and near Goose Island. Smallmouth bass fishing is good on the face of O'Sullivan Dam, and the Crab Creek area is producing some largemouth bass. Walleye action is fair.
Rufus Woods: Most triploid rainbow trout are hitting jigs rather than any trolled gear. The key is finding the fish and putting the jig right in front of their mouths.
Tapps: The smallmouth bass fishing has been slow.
SALT WATER
Beaches: The razor clam dig is today (low tide is at 5:41 p.m.) and Sunday (6:26) at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks; Monday (7:11) at Long Beach and Twin Harbors; and Tuesday (7:57), Wednesday (8:44) and Thursday (9:34) at Twin Harbors.
Crabbing: Recreational crabbing reopens at 8 this morning in marine areas 4 (Neah Bay), 5 (Sekiu), 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 7 (San Juan Islands), 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island, and Skagit Bay), 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner), 9 (Admiralty Inlet), 12 (Hood Canal) and 13 (South Puget Sound). Crabbing will be allowed every day through Dec. 31.
Grays Harbor: Salmon fishing has been good for some chinook and coho. Trolling a blue label cut-plug herring is working best.
South Sound: Action has slowed this week, based on state creel reports. The good news is there are plenty of coho being caught off Sekiu, and some of those fish should be headed this way. Around Harstine and Squaxin islands, people are catching silvers, and chum are starting to come in pretty good.
- - -
Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640 jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
Contributing to this report: Annie Meseberg of MarDon Resort; Anton Jones of Darrell and Dad's Family Guide Service, washingtonlakes.com, gamefishin.com, Mike Chamberlain at Ted's Sports Center, Mark Coleman of All Rivers & Saltwater Charters, Tom Pollack of Sportco, Phil Stephens of Mystical Legends Guide Service, Red's Fly Shop, Becky Pogue at Offut Lake Resort, and Walt Harvey at Verle's Sports Center.
