Rainbow Runner & Mahi - Big Island Hawaii

Here's a couple of photos from Tim Bauer of a nice Rainbow Runner and Mahi which he caught yesterday from his kayak. This might be the last of the photos from Tim for awhile depending upon what happens this afternoon with the Tsunami that is expected to hit this afternoon from last nights earthquake in Chile. Hopefully it will not be as large as what they are expecting. I e-mailed him this AM, but haven't heard back - I am sure he is packing up and heading for high ground.

Columbia River Smelt

Well, without a doubt this has been a "Bust" fishery for the recreational smelt dipper. Saturday is the last day in the Cowlitz. I made a few calls today and from what I was told there is virtually no sign in the lower Cowlitz indicating that there are smelt around. No Birds! No Seals! No Sea Lions!

Sounds as if its done for this year! Perhaps the WDFW and ODFW needs to reassess the population and close this fishery until it recovers - that is if it ever does!

Just have to find something else to do this weekend. Perhaps go dig razor clams!

LaConner Smelt Derby - Saturday 27 Th February

Saturday, February 27 Th is the date of the 45 Th LaConner Rotary Clubs Annual Smelt Derby. This is a "Fun" event to take the kids to, as there is lots for them to do besides the smelt fishing.
Here's a little run down on the Derby:

La Conner Rotary will host the 45Th annual Smelt Derby on Saturday, February 27, 2010. A day of fun events for the whole family! A Pancake Breakfast to benefit the La Conner High School Senior Class begins at 8:00 am in Maple Hall, cost $5.00.

The 5K - 10K Smelt Run/Walk sponsored by the Skagit Symphony begins at the La Conner Middle School, registration 8:00 am, race starts at 10:00am.

Fishing for Smelt for all ages begins on the Public docks at 8:00 am and continues to 2 pm. Prizes are awarded in age categories from 1 - 99 years old for the longest, smallest, weirdest and many other categories of fish. Judging by the LaConner Sea Scouts. $2.00 per fishing ticket.

There will be a raffle with many fabulous prizes and a $500.00 cash prize. $2.00 per raffle ticket. Kids activities include fish printing and other events at Maple Hall. Tours of the Sea Scout boat, Rejoice. Hot dog lunch available in the Bank of America Parking lot.

Fun for the whole family

Pass Lake - Fly Fishing Reports

We have had a few "Good" reports coming out of Pass Lake recently. The lake has lots of bloom in the water and there has been a lot of pollen from the trees junking up the surface of the water (Due to the mild winter), bu the fishing has been fairly good. There have been a few browns being caught, but it is the 15 - 17 inch rainbows that have been accounting for the majority of the catches. Most everyone has been fishing blood worms, black chirnomids, red snow cones. Some of the larger "Bomber" black chirnomids were accounting for some of the catches.

We should see this fishery get better with the warmer weather and with it warmer water conditions.

Blackmouth Fishing -Areas 8-1,8-2 & 9

Blackmouth fishing lately has been nothing to really write home about. Most of the really good blackmouth fishermen that frequent the shop have all been complaining that the fishing has been tough with them averaging a fish to a fish and a half per boat per trip. Not Great! The one redeaming factor is that the fish have been nicer in the 7 - 13 pound range and even an occasinal fish up into the high teens.
Can't say that I have heard of any place being exceptionally more productive than an other. Just get out there and try and find the bait. Where there is a fair amout of bait it is there that you will find your fish. As far as gear goes there is nothing that is hotter than anything else. The only single item that we have been getting a fair amout of play on has been the Silver Horde 4L Kingfisher Spoons and Coho Killer Spoons in Cookies N Cream and Irish Cream.

I don't think we shall be seeing any great improvemnt to the fishing anytime soon, based on what we have been seeing. Perhaps we will see an odd "Springer" just before the season closes.

Hot Spot Agitators Have Arrived

We have recieved our first shipment of the "New" Hot Spot Agitators this week. "Just in time for the Columbia River". These are the "Finest" In-Line Flashers that I have seen come onto the market. The have welded "Sampo" ball bearing swivels top and bottom with brass gromlets and welded rings. They come in two sizes and ten colors.

Stop by and take a look!

Columbia River Spring Chinook Season Set

The Columbia River Spring Chinook Seasons were set today and are as follows:

Bouy 10 upstream to the I-5 Bridge: Seven days per week from March 1 through April 18, except closed on the following Tuesdays: March 9, 16, 23 and 30.

I-5 upstream to I-205 Bridge: Seven days a week from March 1 - 14, except closed on Tuesday March 9. Beginning March 18 through April 3, fishing will be limited to three days a week, Thursday through Saturday.

I-205 Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam: Bank angling only, seven days a week from March 1 - 14, except closed on Tuesday March 9. Beginning March 18 through April 3, fishing will be limited to three days a week, Thursday through Saturday.

Bonneville Dam to McNary Dam: Seven days per week from March 16 through May 31. Bank fishing only from Bonniville Dam upstream to the Tower Island power lines, six miles downstream from the Dalles Dam.

Anglers fishing below Bonneville Dam will be allowed to retain one adult spring chinook salmon per day, while those fishing above the dam can retain two per day. As in previous years, only hatchery-reared fish marked with a clipped adipose fin and a healed scar may be retained. All wild spring chinook, identifiable by an intack adipose fin, must be released unharmed.

Once an update to the run forcast is completed, there may be additional angling opprutunites established.

Now that the seasons are set, you had better hurry to get any hotel, motel, moorage, campground and vacation times established before everything is booked up.

Razor Clam Season Set - February 26th through March 1st

The WDFW has set another razor clam dig as follows:

Friday, Feb. 26th, (4.49 p.m., -0.7) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Saturday, Feb 27, (5:34 p.m., -0.9) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Sunday, Feb. 28, (6:16p.m., -0.8) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Monday, Mar. 1, (6:57 p.m., -0.1) Long Beach and Twin Harbors only

Have a "Great" time down at the beaches, hopefully this nice weather will last into the end of next week.

Lone Lake - Whidbey Island

Lone Lake on Whidbey Island has slowed a considerable amount this month from what was happening last month. Why this slowing occurs I really don't think anyone knows but it's the way it is generally every year. Perhaps the fish are transitioning from one food item to another and no one has figured it out. The customers that have fished it regularly have been getting 6 -8 fish a day for the time they have put in. Small leech patterns in black, burgundies and browns as well as blood worms have accounted for the fish that have been caught.

Smelting - Oak Harbor

The smelting at Oak harbor continues to hold up quite well recently. We have had a number of customers in that have done very well jigging off the Marina docks. Many have had no problems in catching limits of these tasty fish. Fishing with a Gamakatsu Smelt/Herring Jig in a size 4 or 5 in the white fish skin finish. Feeding with Mill Run (Chum) will help hold the smelt in your fishing area.

Pass Lake - Deception Pass

The reports that we have been getting from this popular fly fishing only lake has been far from stellar. From those that we have spoke with recently have all said the lake is very murky and in bloom. Needless to say that the fishing has not been anything to write hope about. One of the regular Pass Lake fisherman had been targeting the browns in the late afternoon and early evening by casting streamer/ bait fish patterns into the shoreline and stripping them quickly back to the boat imitating fleeing panic stricken bait fish trying to elude a pursuing predator. Though fishing has not been hot, by using this method has accounted for a couple of browns per outing up to around 18 inches.

With the warmer weather we should start to see some better fishing.

Steelhead Closures - Five River Systems in Puget Sound

While we have known that such early closures on the remainder of our Puget Sound streams would in fact take place it would have nice if the WDFW would have done such with a little better notice.

Here's the run down on what the WDFW has done.

Rivers closing to steelhead fishing February 18th (Next Thursday).

Puyallup River System:
Puyallup River mainstem from the 11th St. Bridge in Tacoma to Electron Power Plant Outlet
Carbon River from the mouth to Hwy. 162 Bridge
White (Stuck) River from the mouth to R Street Bridge in Auburn

Nooksack River System:
Nooksack River from the mouth to the confluence of the North and Sout Forks
North Fork Nooksack from the mouth to Nooksack Falls
South Fork Nooksack from mouth to Skookem Creek
Middle Fork Nooksack from mouth to headwaters

Samish River System:
Samish River from mouth to the Hickson Bridge

Stillagumish River System:
Stillagumish River from sloughs south of Marine Drive to forks
North Fork of the Stillagumish from the mouth to Swede Heaven Bridge
South Fork of the Stillagumish from the mouth to the Mt. Loop Hwy. Bridge (above Granite
Falls
Canyon Creek from the mouth at the South Fork of the Stillagumish to the forks

Snohomish River System:
Snohomish River from the mouth (Burlington-Northern railroad bridge) to the confluence of
the Skykomish and Snoqualimie rivers including all channels, sloughs, and interconnecting
waterways
Snoqualimie River from the mouth to the boat launch at Plum Landing (1/4 mile below Total
Creek)
Skykomish River from the mouth to the forks
North Fork of the Skykomish from the mouth to Deer Falls (about 1/4 mile upstream of
Goblin Creek)
South Fork of the Skykomish from the mouth to Sunset Falls Fishway
Plichuck River from the mouth to the Snohomish city diversion dam
Sultan River from the mouth to the diversion damat river mile 9.7
Tolt River from mouth to confluence of the North and South fork
Raging River from the mouth to the Hwy 18 Bridge

The Wallace River, Tokul Creek and Snoqualimie River above the boat ramp at Plum Landing will close Feb 28th.

Reopening dates for all of these waters will be noted in the 2010-2011 Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet.

All of these closure are due to poor returns upon our wild steelhead as they all are expected to have under escapement this season. All Puget Sound streams have seen continuing declines in wild steelhead populations for a number of years. The way things have been going over the past years it would not amaze me to see all of these streams as well as those already closed to see these early closures the norm in future years.

So if you are wanting to get in a little steelheading locally I would do such in the next five days and don't forget that the Sauk and Skagit will close on Monday 15th.

Squidding - Around Puget Sound

Generally by now we have seen a radical decline in the squidding here in Puget Sound as the squid are into their spawn and once spawning they die! However, for some reason the spawn seems to be quite late this season and we are still getting reports of at least some fair squid fishing around the sound.

Edmonds- Though not exactly "Red" hot we are hearing of at least some squid being caught. Some nights are defiantly better than others.

Seattle Waterfront - Still turning out "Fair" numbers of squid, limits however are not generally the rule and just like Edmonds some evenings are better than others.

Bremerton, Brownsville, Watermans etc. - This side of the Sound is definitely the better producing area. We have had "Great" reports coming from these areas and have been the best producer in this winters squid fishery.

Who knows how long the fisheries will continue, but at least for the time being we are still seeing squid being caught.

Smelting - Coronet Bay & Oak Harbor

We are still getting in "Good" smelt reports coming in from both of these popular North Sound spots and shows no sign of slowing down. Lots of fun jigging these tasty little fish.

We have lots of Gamkatsu smelt / herring jigs on hand.

Salmon Opens - Marine Area 5 & 6

Marine Areas 5 & 6 (Sekiu and Piller Point & East Juan de Fuca Strait) opens this Saturday 13Th February and will run through April 10Th. This will be a 1 salmon limit with a minimum of 22" on Chinook and no size limit on other species. Chinook can be either "Wild" or "Hatchery".

These areas take in the popular areas of Port Angeles, Freshwater Bay, Sekiu, Piller Point as well as many of the popular banks in the Eastern Straits.

Traditionally these area put out some of the best winter blackmouth fisheries that we see. The one factor that can really put a dent into this fishery is the weather. Both of these area can really take a beating during the winter fisheries and many times a well planned trip will only result in a lot of beach time waiting for the weather to settle down (that is if it does).

"New" Shrimp Pot

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We received our first shipment of shrimp pots that are of a "Heavy Duty" commercial styled design. These pots first off weigh 28 pounds, which will stay put in all but the heaviest of conditions. A conical styled pot with a 35 inch bottom and 22 inch top and a height of 17 inches. With four tunnels evenly placed every 90 degrees it will always have a tunnel strategically placed properly into the tide. The mesh is 7/8 inch knot to knot (legal for the Spot Prawn fisheries). As these pots purse at the bottom they will stack into themselves taking less room in your boat but will also allow you to empty your pots both easily and efficiently. Built of plastic coated rebar, you should get many, many years of use out of these pots.

Price $116.99ea

Stop by and take a look, I am sure that you will be impressed.

We are getting in more of our shrimp gear virtually every week now. We have a "Great" selection of pots, lines, buoys, baits, oils, bait containers etc. !

As always, we are more than happy to help you rig your gear and get you out the door "Ready To Fish"!

Blackmouth - Hat Island & Columbia Beach

One of the customers stopped by this afternoon to purchase some tackle and showed me a couple of photos of some nice blackmouth which he caught this past Friday and Saturday fishing off Hat Island and Columbia Beach. He and his partner had four nice blackmouth in the 7 - 15 pound range in the two days. No limits, but a couple of nicer fish each day. They fished the edges of the drops in 90 - 150 foot depth ranges and right off the bottom. All the fish came to 5" Siver Horde Salmon Plugs in the Mother of Pearl Lime Stripe finishes.

What was John buying? Exactly! More plugs!

Overall, the fishing has been just fair for most anglers, but every once in awhile one of our customers manages to connect.

Cowlitz River Smelt Season

Looks as if there may be a few smelt entering into the lower Cowlitz river. We have heard from some of our sources that the commercial boys took a bunch in the lower river as well as the seals, sea lions and seagulls have been working them over. Hopefully, we will have some still around when it opens next Saturday. The sports season is as follows for the Cowlitz:

February 6, 13, 20 and 27 th - 7:00am to 3:00pm

Limit 10 pounds daily and in possession.

We have both dip nets and replacement net bags.

What's Open - Winter Blackmouth - February 2010

Here's a run down on the salmon fishing opportunities here in Puget Sound and the Straits in February.

Marine Area 4 - Neah Bay
Closed

Marine Area 5 - Sekiu and Pillar Point
Feb. 13 - April 10 - Chinook min. size 22". Other Salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 1

Marine Area 6 - East Juan de Fuca Strait
Feb. 13 - April 10 - Chinook min. size 22". Other Salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 1

Marine Area 7 - San Juan Islands
Open through April 30 - Chinnok min. size 22". Other Salmon species - no min. size. Daily
limit 2 (combined). Release "Wild" Chinook.

Marine Area 8-1 - Deception Pass, Hope Island & Skagit Bay
Open through April 30 - Chinook min. size 22". Other Salmon species - no min. size. Daily
limit 2 (combined). Release "Wild" Chinook.

Marine Area 8-2 - Port Susan & Port Gardner
Open through April 30 - Chinook min. size 22". Other Salmon species - no min. size. Daily
limit 2 (combined). Release "Wild" Chinook.

Marine Area 9 - Admirality Inlet
Open through April 30 - Chinook min. size 22". Other Salmon species - no min. size. Daily
limit 2 (combined). Release "Wild" Chinook.

Marine Area 10 - Seattle / Bremerton
Closed

Marine Area 11 - Tacoma - Vashon Island
Feb. 1 through April 30 - Chinook min. size 22". Other Salmon species - no min. size. Daily
limit 2. Release "Wild" Chinook.

Marine Area 12 - Hood Canal
Feb. 1 through April 30 - Chinook min size 22". Other Salmon species - no min. size. Daily
limit 2. Release "Wild" Chinook.

Marine Area 13 - South Puget Sound
Closed

Make sure to consult your WDFW regulation pamplet as this is a general rundown on the regulations and there are subtile additional regulations in some of the areas.