LAKES

American: Look for rainbow trout holding among the weeds in shallow water. Try using yellow PowerBait on a 4-foot leader. Some of the fish are longer than 20 inches.

Munn: The lake is still yielding trout. Go with white leeches fished on an intermediate- or fast-sink line.

Offut: Fishing for trout has improved, with most people catching their limits of rainbows – some limiting in about an hour. Dock anglers are using worms and PowerBait fished off the bottom on a 1- or 2-foot leader.

Pass: Try fishing a leech pattern on a sinking line and keep your fly close to the bottom of this Skagit County lake. As long as the mild weather holds, fishing for rainbow trout should remain good to very good. Try using smaller Woolly Buggers, beadhead mohair leeches and micro leeches in normal black, olive, brown or maroon.

Potholes: Some yellow perch are being caught off Potholes State Park. Trout and perch also are hitting off Medicare Beach, from shore or boat. A few walleye are being caught in Crab Creek, but the action is still fairly slow for this time of year.

Spencer: Fishing has been going very well for trout. Anglers are using worms and PowerBait fished off the bottom, casting and trolling Mepps or Roostertail spinners. Island Lake also has been productive.

RIVERS

Lewis: Steelhead action has been very slow.

Minter: Chum action has been very good, but there are fewer and fewer bright fish being caught. There also are plenty of anglers vying for those fish.

Nisqually: Fishing has been slowed by high, dirty water. A few people are catching some chum, but the action is far from good.

Olympic Coast: Fishing has been fair for winter-run steelhead. Anglers are catching some hatchery fish, but the runs are just getting started. The rivers are flowing a bit high but could be unfishable if the rain in the forecast does materialize.

Snoqualmie: There have been some reports of fair fishing for winter-run steelhead in the “Big Eddy” section of the river. The fish have been on the smaller side, typically 4- to 7-pound hatchery fish. Selective fishery regulations are no longer in effect, which should attract more people starting today.

Yakima: Trout fishing has been fair to good thanks to consistent flows. Try nymphing with smaller flies such as a silver Lightning Bug, Copper Johns or WD-40s.

SALT WATER

Fly-fishing: Sea-run cutthroat trout action remains good to very good. The Purdy Spit has been a good option, especially on an outgoing tide. Baitfish patterns and Woolly Buggers, all in olive, have been working best. Remember, sea-runs must be released.

Hood Canal: Chum fishing has slowed down in the last four or five days, especially at the Hoodsport Hatchery.

South Sound: The wind this week has kept many people off the water, but a few blackmouth are being caught. People fishing along the slag pile and down to Point Defiance had some shelter from the wind and found some fish. The squid fishing has been very good from local docks.

Contributors: Mike Meseberg at MarDon Resort, Mike Chamberlain at Ted’s Sports Center, Red’s Fly Shop, gamefishin.com, washingtonlakes.com, Tom Pollack at Sportco, Bob Pogue at Offut Lake Resort, Anil Srivastava at Puget Sound Fly Co., Ron Adams at Verle’s Sports Center and Bob Gooding at Olympic Sporting Goods.

Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640 jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure