RIVERS

Columbia: The state last week sampled 2,348 anglers who had 82 adult and one jack spring chinook, and five steelhead. Fishing success improved in the Cathlamet area as the week progressed. Remember, the mainstem below Bonneville Dam will be closed to fishing for salmon, steelhead and shad Tuesday and April 2. Sturgeon fishing is slow, but some legal-size fish are being caught in The Dalles and John Day pools. Just a reminder, there have been lots of smelt making their way up the river and into the Cowlitz. But fishing for them, because they are listed on the Endangered Species Act, is closed statewide.

Cowlitz: A check of 37 bank anglers showed they kept one and released three steelhead. Of 49 boat anglers checked, they kept 10 steelhead and released two. Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 261 winter-run steelhead, one spring chinook (the first one this year), and one cutthroat trout during five days of operations at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator.

Kalama: Fishing has been poor.

Olympic Coast: This might be a good time to chase steelhead as the area’s rivers are slowly dropping to normal levels. Midweek rain could bring a fresh run of fish into the systems.

Skookumchuck: The action has slowed, but there still are steelhead in the river. You might have to cover some ground to find them. Corkies and yarn or eggs seem to be most effective right now.

Tilton: Last week, Tacoma Power employees released 72 steelhead into the river at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton.

Yakima: After peaking at almost 4,000 cubic feet per second on Sunday, flows are slowly dropping but are still about twice what they normally are for this time of year. Cast stonefly patterns to fish holding along the banks in this high water.

LAKES

American: Lemon-lime Power Eggs remain the go-to bait for rainbow trout. People are catching rainbows up to 16 inches long.

Black: Trout fishing has been slow over the past week, in large part because of the wind and rain. Trolling a red Wedding Ring, tipped with a worm, has produced a few rainbows.

Chelan: Anglers are starting to catch some large kokanee by trolling the edges. Most of the landlocked sockeye salmon are measuring 15-17 inches. Look for fish holding along the shore in water 50-100 feet deep. Try using a Mack’s Double D dodger trailed by an orange or pink Mini Cha Cha Squidder baited with some Pautzke’s Fire Corn.

Lenice: Trout fishing has been good to very good. Trolling with leeches, or a chironomid under an indicator, is producing fish up to 21 inches long.

Rattlesnake: Trout, while not large, are biting. Fly anglers are using olive and black leech patterns, fished on an intermediate sink line to keep the fly close to the bottom.

SALT WATER

Fly-fishing: The action for sea-run cutthroat trout remains fair to good. Look for the fish to be congregating near the mouths of streams looking for chum fry. The action has been better on the ebb tides. Remember, it is catch and release for sea-run cutthroats.

South Sound: People are catching a few more blackmouth but not a lot of them. The fish are weighing 4-6 pounds. Try trolling with flashers and hoochies or spoons off the slag pile or clay banks on outgoing tides and Point Dalco on incoming tides.

Contributors: Anton Jones at Darrell and Dad’s Family Guide Service, state Department of Fish and Wildlife, gamefishin.com, washingtonlakes.com, Point Defiance Boathouse, Red’s Fly Shop, washingtonflyfishing.com. Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640 jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure