RIVERS
Columbia: During the first three days of March the state checked 760 anglers who had caught 17 spring chinook and eight steelhead. All but one of the chinook were caught by boat anglers from Kalama to Vancouver. The steelhead were caught from Vancouver downstream. During Saturday’s effort flight count, there were 280 boats and 355 bank anglers. Sturgeon fishing has been on the slow side below and above Bonneville Dam.
Cowlitz: Based on state creel sampling reports, the effort has been light and the action very slow. Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 37 winter-run steelhead during five days of operations at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator.
Olympic Coast: After being blown out over the weekend, rivers are dropping and the steelhead fishing should improve. The Hoh has seen lots of big fish, while the Sol Duc’s numbers should be increasing.
Washougal: A check of 38 bank anglers showed they had caught and released four wild steelhead, while 13 boat anglers released two hatchery steelhead and one wild fish.
Wynoochee: The river has been producing some good catches of steelhead. People are drifting sand shrimp through the holes with success.
Yakima: The best game plan right now is to nymph in the morning with a stonefly and dropper fly about 4-5 feet under an indicator. In the afternoon, look for trout rising to eat midges. Try working a Griffith’s Gnat through the slow water of an inside corner.
SALT WATER
Beaches: The next razor clam dig opens Thursday, and now includes an extra day of digging at Long Beach. No digging will be allowed at any beach before noon. Here is the list of openings and low tide times: Thursday, 3:06 p.m., 0.3 feet, Twin Harbors; Friday, 4:01 p.m., 0.0 feet, Twin Harbors and Long Beach; Saturday, 4:50 p.m., minus 0.2 feet, Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis and Mocrocks; Sunday, 6:33 p.m., minus 0.2 feet, Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis and Mocrocks; and Monday, 7:12 p.m., 0.0 feet, Twin Harbors. Diggers are reminded that daylight saving time starts Sunday.
Hood Canal: There has been some decent blackmouth fishing in the Brinnon-Seabeck area. State creel sampling Saturday at Pleasant Harbor Marina near Brinnon showed 22 anglers brought in 11 salmon. On Sunday, another 22 people came in empty-handed.
North Sound: Starting today, anglers can keep just one salmon per day in Marine Area 9, the portion of Puget Sound stretching from Seattle to Bremerton. State fishery managers approved the new limit — down from two fish per day — after determining that the number of chinook kept or released has exceeded preseason projections.
South Sound: Salmon fishing remains slow, but a few fish are being caught off Point Dalco and the slag pile. People are trolling flashers with a hoochie or spoon about 10 feet off the bottom in water 120-150 feet deep.
LAKES
American: Trout fishing has slowed despite the recent good weather. The bite has been light as the fish seem tentative to strike hard.
Chelan: The best action for lake trout is trolling over the flats area below Wapato Point. Anglers have been catching mostly smaller fish, with some larger fish coming from working the edges of the lower basin.
Eastside: Fishing at the lakes that opened Friday has been good to very good. Lenice has fished well, as did Quincy and Nunnally. Fly anglers are using chironomids, bloodworms, dark-colored leeches and olive Woolly Buggers.
Rufus Woods: Fishing for rainbow trout continues to be very tough. If you’re fishing slip-sinker rigs with dough baits, change your weight and your leader length to adjust for differences in river current.
Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640 jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure Contributing to this report: state Department of Fish and Wildlife, Anton Jones of Darrell and Dad’s Family Guide Service, Red’s Fly Shop, Curt Reed at Waters West, washingtonlakes.com, washingtonflyfishing.com and Art Tachell at Point Defiance Boathouse.
