Wishing You All A Happy New Year

All of us at Ted's Sports Center wish all of you a very Happy New Year! Thanks to all of you for this past year.

Lots of good fishing for 2012!

Mike - Shawn - Stephen - John

Reiter Ponds - Steelheading

The reports that we have received from Reiter Ponds this AM have been very good. The customers we spoke with had no problem in getting their two fish limit and most also lost a fish or two more. There was no lack of either fish or fishermen today. To be quite frank I knew that would be the case today. With the Holiday weekend and lots of folks off and the river coming back into shape after a couple of days of high water it was to be expected. I am sure that the fishing will be good for the next couple of days. It looks like the river will just continue to drop with the cooling weather and very little chance of rain. If you can contend with the number of anglers Reiter Ponds will be the place to hit.

Last Day For Puget Sound Crabbing

If you are wanting your last Dungeness Crab feed for the year, you better get out there tomorrow and get the final day in. Tomorrow is the last day! The reports that we have received this past week have been good from just about everywhere. This winter crab season has been quite good.

Don't forget to get your winter crab catch report cards either sent in or submitted on line after tomorrow. You don't want to be donating $10.00 to the state for an administrative fee for not turning them in.

Steelheading

Overall, steelheading has been a bust the past couple of days here in the Puget Sound region with all the rain and the high water conditions that came with it. The guys that fished the terminal areas of some of the smaller streams such as the Wallace and the Cascade did manage to see a few fish landed today. With the water dropping and the cooler weather these smaller streams should even produce better tomorrow. Reiter Ponds even with the high water did produce quite a few fish today for the good number of guys that managed to brave the high water and dirty water conditions. Again, with the falling water and cooler conditions I would bet that there will be a good bite there tomorrow.

Whidbey Island - Bush Point Steelheading

One of the Bush Point steelhead regulars was in this AM after putting in a morning on the beach and said that there was not a single fish hooked there this AM. He mentioned that there was a considerable number of guys fishing the beach with any being off over the Holidays. Perhaps we will see better fishing a little later in the week.

Reiter Ponds Steelheading - Christmas Day

John (who works for Ted's) spent Christmas Day steelheading at Reiter Ponds and managed to have an outstanding day by hooking 13 fish and landing 8. He mentioned that there was very little pressure, one of the reasons he fishes on Christmas. He said that he saw a couple of the customers that also managed to hook fish. Floats and jigs were the ticket to success!

Limit of Steelhead - First Time Steelheading

Here's a nice limit of steelhead that Trevor caught on his first ever day of steelheading with his uncle Andrew. What a nice way to start your stelhead career! These fish were caught on one of the local rivers drifting in Andrew's drift boat. Andrew and Trevor did manage to land one additional fish later in the day.

Rivers Have Come Up - Conditions Good

With the rains that we have had over the past few days the rivers have seen an increase in water flows, and are at perfect levels for some steelheading this week. With the increase in water flows the fish that have been in the systems should wake up and bite as well bring in some new fish into the systems. With the rain some of the temperamental systems such as the main Stillagumish and the South Fork of the Stillagumish blew out of shape with the rains. We are to get a fair amount of rain this week as well as some blustery weather, but overall there will be a considerable number of fishing opportunities for anglers over this Holiday period.

Chelan Reports - Anton Jones - Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service

What’s hot is trolling the Narrows on Lake Chelan for trophy Lakers. Also hot, is jig fishing for Triploid Rainbow Trout on Rufus Woods Reservoir near the lower net pens.

On Chelan, fish the deep water looking for big Mackinaw that are eating Kokanee. Over the years, our “go to” lure here is a T4 purple glow flatfish. Mack’s Lures Cha Cha Squidders in glow colors are also productive in this area. Fish out to the 380’s bench before turning around. Most fish have been biting from 260 to 340 feet deep. Really watch your speed. Keep it between 1.4 and 1.6 mph for best results. Don’t forget to smear your hard baits with Pautzke’s Krill Juice to cover any repellent scents on your lures. For those that want to focus on numbers, pound away at the lower end of the trench with Ace Hi Flies, Mack’s Cha Cha’s and U20 flatfish.

Jig fishing near the lower pens on Rufus has continued to be productive. We have also gotten a number of fish on Pautzke’s Fire Bait. Since water temps are still way up in the 40’s don’t be afraid to troll those mini Cha Cha’s by Mack’s or Wooly Buggers with a Mack’s Smile Blade in front. Focus on edges as well as areas with big chunk rock.

Your fishing tip of the week is to refine your trolling on Lake Chelan to accommodate the ultra-deep presentations that you need to make this time of the year. Because of the depth tangles are the enemy and need to be avoided. First, stick to round Downrigger Balls. Only a few degrees out of true will cause tangled downrigger cables. That can be a real hassle. Second, shorten your setbacks to prevent your lines from wrapping. Third, make sure your lures are running true for the same reason. Finally, trying to make that deepwater turn is fraught with peril… Just crank them up at either end, check ‘em for debris and drop them back down after making the turn.

Your kid’s tip of the week is to consider a bank angling foray to Rufus. The Army Corp of Engineers has really set things up nicely for picnicking bank anglers. You can bring some hot dogs to cook over a warming fire that you can build in their fireplaces, and use the picnic tables to serve. Palatial outhouses are a bonus. You might even catch the next State Record Rainbow!

Your safety tip of the week is to watch those docks on Chelan for frost and ice. With the dropping lake level, the docks are getting steeper down to the water level. A bit of frost or ice can create an unexpected skid!

Anton Jones of Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service
1-866-360-1523 or http://www.darrellanddads.com/

Pictured: 12-22-11 - Kevin Collier of Spokane with a 16 lb. 2 oz. Deepwater Mack.

Also Pictured: 12-22-11 Kevin Collier again with fishing buddy Mike Garland of Colbert, WA and their catch of the day.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

From all of us here at Ted's Sports Center we wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We hope that you have a "Great" Holiday Season with your families and friends! We thank you for all your support over the past year and hope that we will be able to help you this next year!

Mike - Shawn - Stephen - John

Rain! Rivers Coming Up!

We are finally starting to see a little upward movement in the river heights this AM. With the rain that we are receiving the next few days we should see an improvement in the steelhead fishing on the local Puget Sound rivers. Not only will the increase in river flows peep up the fish that are holding in the river at the present time it will also bring in some fresh fish which have been holding in the estuaries and salt water. Hopefully we should see some very good fishing over this Holiday period.

Cowlitz River - Steelheading

The reports that we received form the Cowlitz River yesterday were less than stellar. The water level was dropped and the fishing literally went to nothing. We spoke to a number of our customers on the river yesterday and virtually every one said the same thing, "Nothing Going On"! Many were going to stay a few days to fish and with the water dropping and the fishing falling off made the decision to call it quits and come home. The fish are there but they are not very responsive. I would wait until the power company decide to increase the flows and then head down there. Fishing overall has been good down on the Cowlitz the past few weeks, making it one of the better choices for productive fishing over the Holidays.

Cascade River

There was a "Good" steelhead bite at the Cascade River yesterday. One of the regular customers mentioned that there was quite a number of fish taken there yesterday. He had his two in short order and said a number of others also had limits! Even with the low water its still pays to fish when you get the chance as you just might hit that day when everything is in your favor. This little piece of water has been surprisingly good this season and with the rain coming in the next few days just might be an outstanding choice.

Skykomish Steelheading

Even with the low clear water that we have been experiencing this month the steelheading in the Reiter Ponds section of the Skykomish has been reasonably good. I would not say that it has been outstanding by any means but those that have been finesse fishing with smaller baits and light 6 pound fluorocarbon leaders have been doing just fine. The fishing is a little bit of a challenge to say the least but that makes it fun! It looks like we are going to finally see a little bit of rain in the next few days and in turn we should see at least a little change in the height of the river and with that change we should see the bite come on. Perhaps Christmas Day will be the day!

New "Super Squid" Candlefish Coho Flies

We have the "New" "Super Squid" Candlefish Coho Flies in stock now. These are an outstanding candlefish imitation which are tied out of durable synthetic materials for life like action and durability. All of the flies have epoxy coated heads for natural translucency and fishing abuse. We have them in a number of colors to meet your color preferences. They are definitely a "Must Have" for you Puget Sound salmon tackle box.

New Squid Jigs

We have some really "Cool" new unweighted squid jigs that you can fish above your bottom weighted jigs. They have been fishing quite well for the few guys that were able to get the first few this past week. We have a number of different colors in these new jigs as well as a couple of different sizes. All of the jigs have a "Glow" bottom which is cast in the triple glow material, which really does out glow the standard glow type materials. Stop by and take a look!

Chelan Area Reports - Anton Jones - Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service

What’s hot is jig fishing for Triploid Rainbow Trout on Rufus Woods Reservoir near the lower net pens. Also hot is trolling the lower basin on Lake Chelan for Mackinaw with the bonus Chinook thrown in for good measure. Fishing at Rufus has gotten more consistent during this reporting period.

Jig fishing near the lower pens has been very productive. We have also gotten a number of fish on Pautzke’s Fire Bait. Remember to be patient when fishing at Rufus. It is typical for your fish to come in bursts. You will work hard to chunk out a fish here and there, then when something changes, the bite turns on. I would recommend reserving bait presentations until near the end of your day to fill out limits. There are some small fish there. If you catch them on bait, you must count that fish towards your two fish limit. If you catch them on artificial lures you can catch and release until you want to keep the fish. There are some nice fish to be caught. A bonus is the profusion of waterfowl and other wildlife that winter on Rufus.

On Chelan, fish the trench for good numbers of lakers. A bonus would be one of Lake Chelans gems, a landlocked Chinook. Working depths of 210 to 225 feet at 1.3 mph was the ticket. Mack’s Lures Cha Cha Squidder was the hottest lure during the reporting period. Worden Lures U20 flatfish in Luminous Chartreuse and Silver Horde’s Ace Hi Flies in glow colors also caught fish.

Your fishing tip of the week is to be patient at Rufus. Normally, I recommend that you have a ticker when it comes to changing something when you are fishing. On Chelan, that’s usually about an hour. My Steelheading buddies never make more than 3 unproductive passes before making a change. However, at Rufus, because the bite can be cyclic, I think you need to really hang in there on a known good location and wait for the bite to turn on. Current changes and fish feeding in the pens can both trigger a “wide open” bite.

Your kid’s tip of the week is to remember school age boys are not designed to sit still quietly. Design those outdoor activities with that in mind. Demanding stealth will make for an unhappy boy. Lots of activity will make it fun.

Your safety tip of the week is to use an old milk crate to stabilize that propane heater on your boat for winter fishing. Having that heater tip over can be a real hazard!

Anton Jones of Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service
http://www.darrellanddads.com/ or 1-866-360-1523

Pictured: 12/20/11 - The old man himself, who really did dig catching a pig on a jig. That's a 10 lb 13 oz Rufus Triploid Rainbow. Jeff was nice enough to hook it and hand it off to me.

Also pictured: 12/19/11 - Al Skulberstad with a lovely Lake Chelan Landlocked Chinook.

Finally pictured: 12/19/11 - A resident River Otter scratching what itches at the lower net pens on Rufus Woods.

Reiter Ponds - Steelheading

We saw just a few inches of charge in water height with the meager rains that we have had over the past couple of days but that is all it took to perk up the fish in this terminal area. The past three days have produced some fairly good results for a good number of our customers. Though the water has been low and clear the fish responded to the very slight increase in water flow. One of our regular customers hooked 10 steelhead over the weekend. We had one of the other regulars in early this afternoon that had just came back from the Reiter area and mentioned that he had seen quite a number of fish caught there today. He managed to catch his two fish limit. It appears that we are going to see some additional rain this week and with it we just might see some of the better fishing of this winters season. We are generally right at the height of our hatchery season at the present time.

Razor Clam Dig - December 22 & 23rd

Final pre-holiday razor clam dig will run Dec. 22-23 at four beaches
OLYMPIA - Clam diggers will get another chance to dig some fresh razor clams for the holidays during an opening Dec. 22-23 at four ocean beaches.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) approved the evening dig at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks beaches after marine toxin tests showed that the clams on those beaches are safe to eat.
Evening low tides during the dig will be at 4:40 p.m. Dec. 22 and at 5:29 p.m. on Dec. 23. No digging will be allowed at any beach before noon.
Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager, recommends that diggers hit the beach one to two hours before evening low tide for best results.
“We had a good turnout for the dig earlier this month, and we’re expecting the same for the upcoming dig,” Ayres said. “The tides won’t be low enough for a New Year’s dig this year, but they’re providing some good digging opportunities this month.”
Kalaloch Beach will remain closed until April, due to a low abundance of razor clams. The National Park Service, which manages that beach in cooperation with WDFW, has announced plans to open Kalaloch for a razor clam dig April 7-9.
Ayres said WDFW will announce tentative openings for early 2012 at the other four beaches in early January.
Under state law, diggers can take 15 razor clams per day, and are required to keep the first 15 they dig. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container.
All diggers age 15 or older must have an applicable 2011-12 fishing license to harvest razor clams on any beach. Licensing options range from a three-day razor clam license to an annual combination fishing license, which can be purchased on WDFW's website (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/) and from license vendors around the state.

Lake Goodwin - Trout Fishing

Winter trout fishing can be quite good for those that are willing to brave the elements and get out! If you are looking for some good fishing at the present time you might give Lake Goodwin a try. We have a number of customers whom have been fishing it on a fairly regular basis and have been doing quite well on rainbows that are going from 13 -17 inches with an odd large fish up to 6 pounds. Those are exceptional, but fish in the 20 inch range are not that uncommon. Many are trolling flies such as Wooley Buggers in black, olive, black & olive or maroon colors have been doing well. Those fishing hardware such as gang trolls with a wedding ring/crawler combination have been doing well also. Needlefish spoons in cop car (black/white) have also been producing.

Snoqualimie Steelhead

Though steelheading has been on the slow side with the extremely low clear water that we are experiencing this drought stricken December, those that have worked at it have been finding a few fish. Here's a nice native that Shane managed to tangle with on the Snoqualimie this past weekend. It appears that we are going to get a little rain this week but overall I don't think it is going to do much to improve the river conditions that we are fishing under.

Lake Chelan - Rufus Woods Lake - Roses Lake - Anton Jones Darrell and Dad' Family Guide Service

What’s hot is bait fishing for Triploid Rainbow Trout on Rufus Woods Reservoir near the lower net pens. The Mackinaw on Lake Chelan have put on the feedbag. The Chelan Falls crew reported that Roses was stocked with 15,000 rainbows, but anglers have reported poor fishing.

While fishing at Rufus has not been consistently great, we are catching fish. Trolling and casting artificial has usually been difficult, while bait fishing and jig fishing near the lower pens has been productive albeit inconsistent. A thing to remember if you are fishing there is to use enough weight to get your bait down. This could be anywhere from three-eighths of an ounce up to 3 or more ounces depending on current. Also, if you don’t get bit within a few minutes, I’d recommend reeling in and casting again. Never let the bait set more than 10 minutes. Wad a pretty good sized chunk of Green Pautzke’s Fire Bait on a #6 single hook with a four foot leader for best success.

On Chelan, fish the South Shore side of the trench for good numbers of eating sized fish. This is getting to be the time of the year to explore around the Yacht Club for kokanee hunting bigger lakers. Up there, T4 Purple Glow flatfish are the ticket. In the lower basin try Mack’s Lures Cha Cha Squidders in green and glow colors. Worden Lures U20 Flatfish in purple glow are also very effective. Silver Horde’s Ace Hi Flies in glow colors with a Mack’s Lures glow Smile Blade or an action disk by wigglefin.com in front have been catching some fish too.

Roses is getting some ice around the sides, but the launch is still open. Anglers have been reporting poor fishing.

Your fishing tip of the week is to add some automotive de-icer to your bag of tricks. Sprayed on rod guides and sparingly on reels can smooth out your winter fishing experience.

Your kid’s tip of the week is to consider a quality piece of fishing gear as a Christmas gift for that kid that is getting enthusiastic about fishing. I remember receiving a Mitchell 308 ultra light reel for my 11th Christmas. It was a prized possession through my teen years and a definite upgrade from the pushbutton reels that I had used as a little kid. It was a “coming of age” gift.

Your safety tip of the week is to add chains and a shovel for those trips to Rufus Woods. That icy ramp can be frustrating to deal with this time of the year without them.

Pictures: 12-5-11 - Bobby Loomis of Mack's Lures and Wenatchee with a nice Rufus Rainbow.

Also Pictured: 12-5-11 - John Kruse of Northwestern Outdoors Radio and Wenatchee with a nice Rufus Rainbow.

Skagit River - Steelheading

With the low clear water steeheading has overall been a tad on the tough side. Here's a couple of steelhead caught by Frank Chang and Judd Wilson on the Skagit the past couple of days fishing with John Koenig. Judd's fish was around 10 pounds and Franks 5. Frank mentioned that they caught a number of Dolly Varden incidental to the steelhead.

If you would like to spend a day on one of the most scenic rivers of North Puget Sound chasing steelhead and Dolly Varden you can contact John Koenig at (360) 853-9801.

Whidbey Island - Steelheading

We have been hearing of some fair steelheading from the western beaches of Whidbey Island recently. We spoke with one of our Island regulars who has managed to hook at least a fish a trip the past few weeks. Though he has not been able to land them all, he is at least catching enough to keep him going back. He mentioned that the fishing is as good as he has seen in a few years. Most of the fish at the present time have been hatchery origin fish. With the low clear water conditions in the rivers this might just be a good alternative to the fresh water.
Stop by if you have any questions as we will be more than happy to fill you in on this unique steelhead fishery.

Skykomish - Steelheading

The water has dropped into extremely low and clear conditions. Most anglers are having a very hard time conecting with steelhead and many have decided to hang up the rod until we a good rain and a rise in the water. Those however that know how to finese fish are still finding a good number fo fish for their efforts. John that works for us managed to land three in a few hours of fishing Tuesday afternoon and his friend Don had two. Secret to success was fishing light 6 pound flourocarbon leaders and small jigs. Not to mention that both of them know exactly where the fish are going to lay in these conditions after years of fishing steelhead. Both John and Don both enjoy the chalange of steelheading under these low water conditions. Though we are seeing a little rain today I am sure that it will not do a thing to the river. If you need a little help on steelheading under these conditions just stop by and talk with John.

Seattle Squidding

The Seattle waterfront squidding has been fairly good recently. If you are looking for something to do one of these winter evenings you might give it a try. Not every night is fantastic squidding, but if you give it a try a night or two you will more than likely hit a night right once in awhile. Some nights the squid come in good numbers and others they don't. Some nights the harbor seals come in and bust of the squid scools and turn the squidding off. It's just the way things are and there is nothing one can do about it. Try and fish the last couple hours of the incoming tide through the high slack. This time tends to be consistantly more productive than others.

Cowlitz River - Steelheading

With all the low water here in the Puget Sound streams many of the customers are heading south to fish the bigger water of the Cowlitz. The fishing overall is considerably better there than it is here. We have had some fair reports coming from the bank guys that have been fishing the trout hatchery boat launch area. Many are glo - balling it at night as not to have to contend with the 40 plus boats that have been free drifting that section during the day. Most of the guys are at least averaging a fish for their efforts. The boys that have been dragging their boats down have also been fairing well with at least a fish or two for their efforts. For the boat guys free drifting an E-Z Egg and yarn combo has been one of the more productive set-ups, some have been fishing them plain, others have been combining them u with cured eggs. Those boat fisherman that have had a hard time dealing with the mess at the trout hatchery ramp area have found good numbers of fish off the clay bank area and as far as Masey's Bar. They have been playing with the water levels on an ongoing basis which has had an effect on the quality of fishing day by day. Overall, this would be my choice if I were really wanting a good chance at some fish at the present time.

Rod Builders - "Hot" Sage Rod Blank Deal

We have a limited number of "SAGE" Steelhead and Salmon Blanks that we are closing out at a ridiculous price of $100.00ea. Yes, they are #1 Blanks, not seconds or rejects. If you want a chance to build up a really premimum rod this would be your chance. This is what we have left:

2ea CT 286
4ea CT386
3ea CT390
5ea CT 490
1ea SA 4100

These are on first come first served. If you snooze you loose!

Lake Chelan Reports - Anton Jones - Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service

What’s hot is trolling the South Shore of Lake Chelan for Mackinaw. This is a great time of the year to fish for triploid Rainbows on Rufus Woods Reservoir. Little Roses Lake has received a plant of 15,000 catchable rainbows. It should provide fast fishing until ice up.

Fish Chelan with Ace Hi Flies in Splatterback glow. Rig them with a Mack’s Lures purple Smile Blade and bait them with a chunk of pikeminnow. Also, Worden Lures U20 Flatfish in Luminous Chartreuse or Purple Glow will catch those lakers. Speeds of 1.2 to 1.5 mph will work best. Working the whole South Shore from Sunnybank to Pat & Mikes has been productive.

This is a great time to fish Rufus Woods for triploid rainbows. The numbers aren’t what they were a couple of months ago, but the average size is better. Troll smile blade flies just under the surface or cast one quarter ounce black roostertails to catch fish around the lower three net pens. If that isn’t happening, move up to the lower pens and fish green or red Pautzke’s fire bait off the bottom with a slip sinker rig. If the current is pushing good, add a Mack’s smile blade in front of the bait to attract those fat boys.

Your fishing tip of the week is about dressing to keep warm. Some of our best fishing in North Central Washington is during the winter months. It’s cold out there… You don’t have to be cold. Remember to dress in layers. Polar fleece material has replaced wool to a large extent. A base layer, a mid layer and a hoodie can take the bite out of winter. Have a bulky coat available to knock down the wind if it comes up. Use the same principle on the bottom. I use heavy wool socks and Sorels on my feet. Add those toe warmers and you’ll do fine. Don’t put those warmers on until you’re outside to prevent excess sweat and cooling. I like a balaclava on my head when it’s cold. I’ll add a stocking cap over it when it’s really cold. The feet are usually the most difficult to keep warm. If your feet sweat a lot, bring an extra pair of socks to change into.

Your kid’s tip of the week is to get out to Roses before ice up to enjoy those ‘bows.

Your safety tip of the week is to let your outboards set in the water a couple of minutes at the dock before starting them. That will allow any ice that has formed around the impeller to melt so you don’t tear that impeller apart making that water pump repair necessary.

Anton Jones of Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service
http://www.darrellanddads.com/ or 1-866-360-1523

Pictured: 12-2-11 - The old man himself with a 8lb 15 oz Rufus triploid

Also Pictured: 12-4-11 - Brian Beauleaurier of Kirkland with an 11 pound Lake Chelan Mackinaw

Razor Clam Dig - Saturday December 10th

Pre-holiday razor clam dig approved for Dec. 10
OLYMPIA - Clam diggers who want to dig some fresh razor clams for the holidays will get their first chance Saturday, Dec. 10 at four ocean beaches.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) approved the evening dig at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks beaches after marine toxin tests showed that the clams on those beaches are safe to eat.
The low evening tide Dec. 10 will be at 6:30 p.m. No digging will be allowed at any of those beaches before noon.
"The upcoming dig will give folks a chance to take home some fresh razor clams in time for entertaining during the holidays," said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager.
Ayres suggests that diggers check out the selection of razor clam recipes on the WDFW website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/razorclams/recipes.html), noting that the smoked razor clam appetizer is his personal favorite. He also recommends that diggers pack a flashlight and put on warm, waterproof clothes before they hit the beach.
WDFW has also tentatively scheduled a two-day dig Dec. 22-23 at the same four beaches, pending the results of future toxin tests. Final approval for that dig will be announced once those tests show the clams are still safe to eat.
All diggers age 15 or older must have an applicable 2011-12 fishing license to harvest razor clams on any beach. Licensing options range from a three-day razor clam license to an annual combination fishing license, which can be purchased on WDFW's website (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov) and from license vendors around the state.
Under state law, diggers can take 15 razor clams per day, and are required to keep the first 15 they dig. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container.

Sage 286 Casting Rods

We have a number of Sage 286 Casting Rods which we were able to procure from Sage at a very "Hot" deal. These are one of the best all around steehead rods. They are 8 1/2 feet in length and are rated from 6 - 15 pound line rating. These rods come with a rod bag and case. The components which Sage used on these rods are first rate. These rods will run $229.99 ea - regularly 495.00 - You could not even purchase the blank alone for this price. We will be selling them on a first come first served bases. This would make a "Fantastic" Christmas present! At this price they will not last long.

Edmonds - Squidding

The squidding was alright last evening off the Edmonds pier. So if you are looking to get a little Calamari for the table it would not be a bad time to do such. The high tides are late in the evening the next couple of nights, but it looks like we are going to have some pleasant weather for the next few days. My son Josh went down for awhile last evening and managed to get enough for a mess of deep fried Calamri for breakfast this morning. Yeah, not my choice for breakfast either!

Reiter Ponds - Steelheading

The reports that we have got so far this morning have been fair. We heard of a fair number of fish caught there this morning, though not as good as it was earlier this week. With the water dropping and clearing the fishing generally does get a tad bit slower. Make sure to refine your tackle to lighter and smaller baits and lures. So far we have seen some good fishing for this early in the winter season.

Cascade River - Steelheading

We have had some very good reports coming from the Cascade River over the past few days. Most of the fish are typical hatchery fish in the 4 - 9 pound range. With the weather the way it is the river will drop down very low and clear in the next couple of days. When it does make sure that you are there at first light and that you fish small refined baits. The fish will get very touchy in the low clear water.

Snoqualmie River Steelhead Report

With the Snoqualmie reverting from selective fishery regulations to bait regulations today, Shawn had to fish this AM before coming to work. He floated from Plum's Landing to Fall City pulling divers and sand shrimp. They had 10 summer runs and 3 hatchery winter runs as well as a handful of Chums. Not a bad 1/2 day of fishing! He mentioned that there was very little fishing pressure today!

New Lamiglas Stealth Si Steelhead Rods

We have just recieved the "New" Lamiglas Stealth Si steelhead rods. These are perhaps the newest and most revolutionary rod to hit the market today. Lamiglas has not skimped on any thing put on this rod utilizing the state of the art components.

Fugi Titanium K Frame Guides
Carbon Fiber Handle Handle with Custom Grip Panels
3M Nano Matrix Resin

Lamiglas has two casting rod models:
Si 90 MC 9 Foot/2 Piece/10-12 Pound Line/Fast Action/Medium Power
Si 94 MC 9 Foot 4 Inch/2 Piece/10-15 Pound Line/Fast Action/ Medium Power

Lamiglas has two spinning rod models:
Si 98 MS 9 Foot 8 Inch/2 Piece/8-12 Pound Line/Fast Action/Medium Power
Si 96 LS 9 Foot 6 Inch/2 Piece/6-8 Pound Line/Moderate Fast Action/Light Power

These Rods are priced at $399.95.

Stop by and take a look at Lamiglas's newest addition to their steelhead series.

Whidbey Island Steelheading

There have been a few steelhead hooked and landed off the western beaches of Whidbey Island over the past couple of days. Robert had a nice 9 1/2 pound hen yesterday and said that there were a few others hooked that day. Would not say that the fishing has been "Hot", but on steelhead it generally never is. The beaches are a very unique fishery and for many is quite addictive in being able to catch a steelhead from the salt. If this is a fishery that appeals to you stop by and we'll be more than happy to fill you in on it.

Reiter Ponds - Skykomish River

There was a "Good" bite at Reiter Ponds this morning. A good number of our customers had limits of dime bright winter run steelhead. Most of the fish were caught on the pond side with the height of the water. Most of the fish were typical sized winter runs in the 7 - 9 pound range though there were a few smallish 4 pound fish caught. There was not a single method that seems more productive than others as fish were caught on floats and jigs as well as conventional drift gear. Shawn mentioned that he saw perhaps 17 or 18 fish landed this morning. We should see some good fishing for the next couple of days.

Chelan Reports - Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service

What’s hot is trolling the lower basin of Lake Chelan for Lake Trout. A landlocked Chinook is a beautiful and tasty bonus. Fishing for Triploid Rainbow Trout on Rufus Woods Reservoir should continue to be great. Roses Lake will get it’s annual ice fishing plant this week.

The Mackinaw on Lake Chelan have put on the feedbag. The fish are scattered throughout the lower basin. Do not be disappointed if you don’t see loads of fish on your depthfinder. They are traveling from outside the sonar to attack lures now. Try Mack’s Lures Cha Cha Squidders in green and glow colors. Worden Lures U20 Flatfish in purple glow are also very effective. Silver Horde’s Ace Hi Flies in glow colors with a Mack’s Lures glow Smile Blade in front have been catching some fish too.

The Chelan Falls hatchery crew delayed the Roses stocking a bit to finish feeding up those rainbows. They should be in there by December 3rd.

This is prime time for catching Triploid Rainbow Trout on Rufus. If trolling around pump station #1 doesn’t get you fish, you can always run to the lower pens and fish bait to get these delicious fish.

Your fishing tip of the week is to study up a bit to improve your repertoire for fishing at Rufus. I have contributed to an article in Northwest Sportsman’s Magazine on Rufus as well as a bait fishing blog that is posted on Pautzke Bait’s website, Washingtonlakes.com and our own website. There should be something new and informative for most everyone between those two articles.

Your kid’s tip of the week is to remember to alter the duration of fishing trips to suit the kid’s temperament. This usually means being alert to end the trip at just the right time. It’s funny, you sometimes have to cut a trip short because the fishing is too slow and sometimes because the fishing is too good. It’s ironic that sometimes when you catch a bunch of fish, the kids attention span is shot almost in the same way that happens when you can’t get the fish to bite. Of course, if the weather is deteriorating, you don’t want the lasting memory of the trip being how cold and wet they got. Squeezing that last hour could lose you a long term fishing companion.

Your safety tip of the week is to add to that emergency trailer repair kit for those inevitable problems. Spare bulbs and fuses are the most important and easiest . Having a tester to locate that elusive ground short can save you from having an aneurism.

Anton Jones of Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service
http://www.darrellanddads.com/ or 1-866-360-1523

11-26-11 - Melanie Frey of Seattle U with her gangs morning catch of Mackinaw and a Chinook. She fished with her dad, Jeff Frey; her brother, Rhyce (13); and his buddy, Bryce Todd (13).

11-26-11 - Bryce Todd with that lovely Chinook that he brought to the net.

Bogachiel Steelhead

For those that took a chance and went over the past few days to fish the Bogachiel River found that they were rewarded for their efforts. The river was in shape to fish and put out a good number of fish for those willing to fish. Here's a photo that was sent to us by Shane showing off todays catch! Yes, it is a three fish limit!

Thanksgiving Fishing

With many of our rivers out of shape on Thanksgiving there was not a lot of fishing opportunities to be had that day. A few of the boys did go and give Reiter Ponds a try in the late afternoon. Though the river was still a bit high and still had a lot of floating debris there were a couple of sumerruns caught. Yesterday the water was in better shape and there was much more angling pressure but all we heard of was a few summerruns taken. We should see some honest winter runs virtually any day now in this section of the river. There have been a few winter fish taken in the middle and lower sections of the Sky this past couple of weeks, but few and far between. The best reports that we have been receiving have been from the Blue Creek section of the Cowlitz, with many of our customers catching their limit of fish the past few days. This would be your best bet. We have also had some good reports coming from the Bogachiel, though the river has been extremely high from the past weather event. When the river drops into shape this will be on fire!

Razor Clam Digs Friday, Nov 25 & Saturday, Nov 26

OLYMPIA – Clam diggers today got a green light to proceed with a two-day razor clam dig starting the day after Thanksgiving Day at several ocean beaches.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) approved the dig after marine toxin tests showed that the clams on those beaches are safe to eat.
Four beaches – Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks – will open to razor clam digging on evening tides on Friday, Nov. 25. Three of those beaches – Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks – will remain open to digging Saturday, Nov. 26.
No digging will be allowed either day before noon.
“Digging razor clams is a popular way to burn off a big Thanksgiving dinner,” said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. “Fortunately, we have some nice low tides for the holiday this year.”
For best results, Ayres recommends that clam diggers hit the beach an hour or two before the evening low tide. On Nov. 25, an evening low tide of -1.9 feet will occur at 6:27 p.m. The evening low tide Nov. 26 will be -1.8 feet at 7:14 p.m.
All diggers age 15 or older must have an applicable 2011-12 fishing license to harvest razor clams on any beach. Licensing options range from a three-day razor clam license to an annual combination fishing license, which can be purchased on WDFW's website (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov) and from license vendors around the state.
Under state law, diggers can take 15 razor clams per day, and are required to keep the first 15 they dig. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container.
Because Copalis Beach will not be open for digging Nov. 26, Ayres cautions diggers to observe the boundary between Mocrocks Beach and Copalis Beach, which are adjacent to one another north of Grays Harbor.
Mocrocks Beach, which will be open to digging both days, lies north of the Copalis River and includes Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Seabrook, Pacific Beach and Moclips. Copalis Beach lies south of the Copalis River and includes Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis.
Tentative digging dates, evening low tides and beaches are as follows:
Dec. 10, Sat. – 6:30 p.m. (-0.5 ft.); Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Dec. 22, Thurs. – 4:40 p.m. (-0.9 ft.); Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Dec. 23, Fri. – 5:29 p.m. (-1.4); Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks

Happy Thanksgiving

All of us here at Ted's wish all of you, your families and friends a "Great" Thanksgiving. Hope that all of you have a "Fantastic" day having a good meal and spending some quality time with everyone!

Rain - Rain - Rain - Rivers Out

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, which for many of us marks the start of the winter steelhead season. Unfortunately it appears that we will not be doing much on the river fishing scene the way the rain has dumped putting the rivers to flood stage or just below. If one has to go steelheading I would have to say the salt water scene on the western beaches of Whidbey Island will be where it is going to be. Some of the smaller streams such as the Wallace or the Cascade will be the first to become fishable once the waters start to subside. Perhaps its going to be one of those weekends to set around and rig gear, do things with the family or just set around eating left overs and watching football!

Lake Chelan Reports - Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service

Though it is very apparent that Old Man Winter has come to Chelan it has not dampened the fishing opportunities that are available to those that are willing to brave the elements.

What’s hot is trolling for Lake Trout on Lake Chelan. Fishing for Triploid Rainbow Trout on Rufus Woods Reservoir should continue to be great as the surface water temperature drops through the 50’s. There continues to be more triploids than steelhead caught on the Columbia River below Chief Joe dam although there is a preponderance of Steelhead once you are as far down as Pateros. Roses Lake will get it’s annual ice fishing plant during this Thanksgiving week.

The Mackinaw on Lake Chelan have mostly spawned now which means they are really putting on the feedbag. Typical early winter locations like the Bar and the Trench will be best now. As always, troll close to the bottom. Speeds of 1.3 to 1.5 mph have been best. Try Silver Horde’s Ace Hi Flies in glow colors with a Mack’s Lures glow Smile Blade in front. Mack’s Lures Cha Cha Squidders are very effective too. Of course, Worden Lures Flatfish are the old reliable fish producer on Lake Chelan.

This is prime time for catching Triploid Rainbow Trout on Rufus. If trolling around pump station #1 dozen’t get you fish, you can always run to the lower pens and fish bait to get these delicious fish.

Your fishing tip of the week is to use the family gathering of Thanksgiving to get in an early winter fishing trip. Over the years we have taken grand kids to Roses Lake, out on Chelan, up to Rufus and even up to Omak for an alternative to shopping and non-stop football watching. It’s almost become a rite of passage for the kids.

Your kid’s tip of the week is to make sure that once you have picked your battle, you do not lose. Although, you can avoid punishment by a variety of means most of the time, there will come that time when a kid will “test the fences” and check to see who is in control. You will have to clear your calendar, keep your cool and follow through. The biggest danger here is having your authority challenged and backing off because you don’t have the time for it. The time for deciding that is before you decide that discipline is appropriate.

Your safety tip of the week is to put together an emergency trailer repair kit for those eventualities. Having emergency warning triangles or flares and a jack that can lift your trailer are the most important items this time of the year.

Anton Jones of Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service
1-866-360-1523 or http://www.darrellanddads.com/

Pictured: 11-19-11 Wes and Andrew Diack with fishing friends Jody Subotin and Nick Cooluris Osoyoos and Kelowna, BC with their days catch of Lake Chelan Mackinaw. Jeff and Brian guided them to this pile of fish.

Big Island Hawaii - Ono

With the cold weather and snow showing the coming of winter this week, Tim Bauer sent me this photo of part of a really nice Ono (Wahoo) that he caught yesterday. Unfortunately the man in the grey suit (shark) did its best to relieve Tim of a vast majority of the fish. It does not matter where you fish, as there is always something that is more than willing to take your catch. Here it's seals and sea lions, there is is sharks and porpoise. Tim figured the fish was around 60 pounds whole and remaining portion weighed 36!

Forks Winter Steelhead and Silvers

Mark Miller went to Forks earlier this week, before the storm and fished with Bob Ball of Piscatorial Pursuits and managed to hook up on a nice bright silver as well as a couple of early returing winter steelhead. With high water the past few days I am sure we should see a good push of winter steelehad into the Forks streams in the next week making for some outstanding steelhead fishing over the Thanksgiving weekend!

Give Bob a call if you would like to book a winter steelhead trip!

Bob Ball

Piscatorial Pursuits

PO Box 919

Forks, WA 98331

(360) 374-2091

Skagit Coho

The Skagit is still putting out some fairly good coho fishing as well as an odd chum and Dolly Varden. Frank Chang and Mark Miller fished with John Koenig (John's Guide Service) this week and in the two days they fished hit between 70- 80 fish. There was a mixture of bright and colored fish in the mix, as there always is by this time of year. However, by being selective one can bring home some fairly decent fish. There should be some winter steelhead showing in the catches virtually any day now!

John's Guide Service

P.O. Box 727

Concrete, WA 98237

(360) 853-9801

Chelan Area Reports - Anton Jones - Darrell's & Dad's Family Guide Service

What’s still hot is bait fishing for Triploid Rainbows on Rufus Woods. On Lake Chelan bigger fish are becoming more available as they transition out of the spawn. There continues to be more triploids than steelhead caught on the Columbia River below Chief Joe dam.

This is getting to be prime time for catching Triploid Rainbow Trout on Rufus. As the water temperature descends through the fifties, the bite should only get better. You can run to the pens and slip sinker Pautzke’s Fire Bait or find places from Brandt’s landing and down where you are seeing plenty of activity on the surface and work those fish. If there is plenty of current when you are fishing bait with a slip sinker try adding a Mack’s Lures Smile Blade in front of your bait as an added attractor. Try casting a quarter ounce Worden Lures Black Roostertail or, if you are fly angler, a Mack’s Lures “Smile Blade Fly” to get those fish on artificials. A slower irregular retrieve worked best.

Lakers continue to bite on Lake Chelan. Work the trench or the Yacht Club for some bigger fish. As usual, your best bet is trolling Worden’s Flatfish or Silver Horde’s Ace-Hi Fly within 10 feet of the bottom for best success.

Your fishing tip of the week is to keep in mind that current flow and weed length should dictate your leader length when you are bait fishing at Rufus. The more current pushing your bait down and the higher the weed growth, the longer you need to make your leader to keep that bait where it will tempt a fish. Five or even six feet long is not out of the ordinary.

Your kid’s tip of the week is to make sure their winter clothes are comfortable for those cold winter outings. Winter wear that they have outgrown will make for an unhappy trip.

Your safety tip of the week is to get your chains, shovel and sand ready for winter boat launching at Rufus.

I want to add my Veteran’s Day rant for this report. I’ve heard a lot of “support the troops” sentiment, which is nice. I’d like to add a specific suggestion on how all of us citizens can do this. Come to grips with the complexity of this War on Terror and choose thoughtfully and well when you vote. Never, has the burden of war been borne by so few. Imagine that you or your child is being put in harm’s way when we choose to fight. However, do not imagine for a moment that the people that brought this war to our shores will be appeased. Ending our way of life and adopting theirs is the only thing that will satisfy them.

Anton Jones of Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service
http://www.darrellanddads.com/ or 1-866-360-1523

Pictured: 11/13/11 - James Cato of Selah with a 9.2lb Rufus Triploid.

Pictured: 11/13/11 - James again with son Mike and guide Jeff Witkowski with their 4 guy limit of Rufus Rainbows. They had brought 38 to the boat by noon. What a great time for father and son to spend some time fishing!

Razor Clam Digs - November 11 & 12

November 4, 2011
Contact: Dan Ayres (WDFW), 360-249-4628 ext. 209
Another round of razor-clam digs OK’d on three ocean beaches Nov. 11-12
OLYMPIA – Clam diggers today got a green light to proceed with a two-day razor clam dig Nov. 11-12 at three ocean beaches.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) approved the dig after marine toxin tests showed that the clams on the three beaches are safe to eat.
Beaches scheduled to open for the two-day dig include Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks. No digging will be allowed either day before noon.
All diggers age 15 or older must have an applicable 2011-12 fishing license to harvest razor clams on any beach. Licensing options range from a three-day razor clam license to an annual combination fishing license, which can be purchased on WDFW's website (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov) and from license vendors around the state.
Under state law, diggers can take 15 razor clams per day, and are required to keep the first 15 they dig. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container.
"It's important that diggers keep the clams they dig to prevent wastage," said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. "It's not unusual to encounter some small clams, especially this early in the season."
For best results, Ayres recommends that clammers start digging an hour or two before the evening low tide. On Nov. 11, an evening low tide of -0.4 feet will occur at 6:48 p.m. The evening low tide Nov. 12 will be -0.4 feet at 7:23 pm.
"This season's tides are not as favorable as those in the past few years," Ayres said. "Low tides will occur later in the day, so diggers will have to be prepared for the dark during evening digs in fall and winter."
Copalis Beach is not included in the two-day dig, said Ayres, who cautions diggers to observe the boundary between Mocrocks Beach and Copalis Beach, which are adjacent to one another north of Grays Harbor.
Mocrocks Beach, which is open for digging Nov. 11-12, lies north of the Copalis River and includes Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Seabrook, Pacific Beach and Moclips. Copalis Beach, which will be closed for the dig, lies south of the Copalis River and includes Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis.
WDFW has tentatively scheduled three other razor-clam digs through the end of the year – all pending final approval until future toxin tests confirm the clams are safe to eat.
Tentative digging dates, evening low tides and beaches are as follows:
Nov. 25, Fri. – 6:27 p.m. (-1.9 ft.); Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Nov. 26, Sat. – 7:14 p.m. (-1.8 ft.); Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Dec. 10, Sat. – 6:30 p.m. (-0.5 ft.); Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Dec. 22, Thurs. – 4:40 p.m. (-0.9 ft.); Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Dec. 23, Fri. – 5:29 p.m. (-1.4); Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks

Chelan Reports - Anton Jones - Darrell's & Dad's Family Guide Service

What’s hot is still fishing for Triploid Rainbows on Rufus Woods. On Lake Chelan the monument continues to be consistently productive for eating sized Lakers. There continues to be more triploids than steelhead caught below Chief Joe dam.

There are plenty of two to four pound triploids to be caught in the lower end of Rufus Woods Reservoir. We did not get a trolling bite to kick in, but once anchored up; we were able to catch fish casting flies and slip sinkering bait. Find places from Brandt’s landing and down where you are seeing plenty of activity on the surface and work those fish. Pautzke’s Fire Bait is a good choice for slip sinkering. Try casting a Mack’s Lures “Smile Blade Fly” to get those fish on artificials. A hand twist retrieve worked best.

Lakers continue to bite on Lake Chelan. For numbers of eating sized fish, the area by the Monument can’t be beat for those that aren’t faint of heart. Try Worden Lure’s F7 Flatfish in there. Try for bigger fish, albeit a slower bite up at the Yacht Club. For this area, troll T4 purple glow Flatfish at 1.5 mph within 10 feet of the bottom. Silver Horde’s Ace Flies in Splatterback glow colors baited with a piece of Northern Pikeminnow will work too.

Your fishing tip of the week is to try Silver Horde’s Sam’s Pro Releases here on Chelan. This entry in the set tension downrigger release market is a winner. It is simple, compact and easy to use. It allows you to get very tight between your rod tip and downrigger ball without false releases.

Your kid’s tip of the week is to apply a different clock in your head when you are fishing with little kids. Normally, I require a minimum of 3 hours on the water for every hour of travel time for me to feel it’s worthwhile. My granddaughter asked to go fishing, for a couple of hours. It’s difficult for an old man to be flexible, but I’d sure like to cultivate her as a fishing partner. So off we went. Forty minutes here, forty minutes there and back on the trailer in two hours. Five little fish and she is as happy as a clam. She didn’t get bored to tears. She wants to go again!

Your safety tip of the week is to really have a “stay awake” plan for that return drive on these fall fishing trips. Nothing brings out the “z” monster like fishing all day in brisk late fall weather and getting in a nice warm truck for the drive home. Make it a priority to keep that driver awake and alert. Make stops and walk around or switch drivers when it starts to happen.

Anton Jones of Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service
1-866-360-1523 or http://www.darrellanddads.com/

Pictured: 11/3/11 - Guide Brian Whitney of Manson with a nice fly caught Rufus Triploid Rainbow.

Also Pictured: 11/3/11 - Guide Jeff Witkowski of Chelan and me holding our 3 guy limit of Rufus Rainbows.

Finally Pictured: 11/5/11 - Granddaughter McKinley Widman with her birthday fish. Mackinaw from Lake Chelan

PS: 11/2/11 Sandra Jones (CFO of Darrell & Dad's) with an Upper Lake Chelan Burbot. (Sorry for the 4th picture, but I thought it was interesting)

More Skagit Coho Reports

Here's some more Skagit Coho pictures that good friends and customers Frank Chang and Greg Bower sent me of some recent coho action with guide John Koenig. Once again there is some outstanding action to be had this time of year with very little pressure. Some of the Coho are showing some color but make for some very nice photos, but if you weed through them you can still end up with some nice bright fish to be taken home.

If you are looking for a "Great" trip contact:

John Koenig

John's Guide Service

PO Box 727

Concrete, WA 98237

(360) 853-9801

Skagit Coho Reports

Nick Petosa emailed the following photo and reports from the Skagit - as you can see there are still plenty of nice Coho to be caught. This is a time of the year that we have some outstanding fishing with very little pressure. Just "Way" to many things to do this time of year!

The Skagit system is by far one of the most under publicized fisheries, although the Skagit is one of the best late producers for large chrome Coho. Today fishing was great we hooked 12 Coho by 8:30 taking home a nice limit of fish for these happy customers of mine. Fishing techniques can widely vary from area to area on the Skagit but, top producers include Vibrax Spinners in size 4 and 5 in colors red,met purple, Pink and Char, aside from spinners you can also throw Brads wigglers in fire tiger and any variation on Met. Pink. Jigs are often used in my boat in some of the steeper area's that feature big drops where we need to get down in a hurry, Teds has a great selection on 3/8 oz Northwest jigs. Good colors to fish are Black, purple or Pink, or a variation of mixing them. I have some spots open for some fantastic Coho action! We will also be doing Coho/ steelhead trips where we will fish silvers in the morning and fish steelhead in the afternoon... Please get in contact with me if interested. Also if you are into Facebook check out my Petosa Guide service page.

Nick Petosa
www.petosafishing.com
360-770-2396

Blackmouth Reports - Marine Area 9

Wish that I could say that we have had nothing but outstanding reports coming out of Marine Area 9 since it's opening on Tuesday, but most all of the reports that we have had are very poor! Most everyone we have spoke with has had zero fish! Perhaps they have worked hard to hook just a single fish just to loose it before getting it to net. There has been a handful of anglers that have managed to land fish, but they have been nothing to really write home about. Weather has been a tad bumpy the first couple of days, so the number of anglers has been minimal as has the areas fished. Hopefully, when the weather settles down we will see exactly what is around fish wise.

Coronet Bay Smelt Fishing

The smelt jigging at Coronet Bay State Park has been quite good recently, with many of our customers catching their 10 pound limit. Most everyone are jigging size 4 or 5 Gamakatsu Smetlt/Herring Jigs with the silver hooks and white fish skin wing. Make sure to get some smelt feed to attract them into your fishing area. By feeding you will keep the schools of smelt in the immediate area rather than have them passing through and you being able to just catch a few as they pass by.

This fishery should continue on through the winter and provide lots of good fishing fun for the family as well as provide some great table fare.

Don't forget to get your "Discover Pass" before you go - we have heard that a lot of tickets were being issued to vehicles that did not have them displayed.

Lake Chelan Reports - Anton Jones - Darrell's & Dad's Family Guide Servive

What’s hot is trolling on Lake Chelan for Mackinaw. The bite has been good on the Bar, over by the Monument and up at the Yacht Club. The area around the Yacht Club has produced the bigger fish, while the Monument has produced the most.

For the Yacht Club area, T4 purple glow Flatfish from Worden’s Lures worked best when trolled at 1.5 mph within 10 feet of the bottom. Around the monument and over the Bar, little F7 Flatfish in Luminous Chartreuse worked best. Silver Horde’s Ace Flies worked too.

Rig those “Aces” with Mack’s Lures Smile Blade in glow colors. Slide the blade up the line then add a couple of 4 mm beads to act as bearing to allow the blade to spin smoothly. You can alter the rate of spin and the wobble by adjusting the bend in the blade. Then slide one of those Ace Hi’s up the line and add a glow Worden’s Corky to space the Ace Hi fly above the hooks. We like to tie a tandem hook setup with 2/0 red Octopus hooks. Space those hooks about 2 inches apart. Bait that lead hook with a small triangle of Northern Pikeminnow to complete your ensemble and to give those fish something to chew on.

Steelheaders are reporting more triploids than Steelhead are pulling bobbers down below Chief Joe dam.

Your fishing tip of the week is to test your knots really well before getting them wet. It can be very disappointing to go to all the trouble to get a nice fish on the line only to have a knot come undone. Remember to wet the line before pulling it tight. Then pull on it hard before fishing it.

Your kid’s tip of the week is to watch what you do as well as what you say. While delivering lectures may feel like you are teaching your kid, it’ their imitation of your behavior that has the lasting effect and shapes how they behave. How do you respond on the water to someone cutting you off? How do you behave when they lose that big fish? What do you do when you see someone having trouble out there. What do you do with your trash? Your behavior helps form their behavior and their outlook on the world.

Your safety tip of the week is to get ready for winter. Looking at the weather report and the calendar, it’s time to freeze protect your gear. Drain the manifolds, or blow out the outboards. If you are going to Rufus, a shovel and some sand for ice on the ramp will be a good idea. Do the “duck waddle” on those frosty Lake Chelan docks. It’s that time of the year.

Anton Jones of Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service

www.darrellanddads.com or 1-866-360-1523

10/27/11 - Ralph and Linda Sorenson of Entiat with their catch of Lake Chelan Mackinaw

10/24/11 - Jerry McKellar of Colville on a beautiful fall morning with his catch of Lakers.

Matzuo 2/0 Siwash Hooks

Just a note to any of you that have been wanting 2/0 Matzuo Siwash hooks that we have just recieved a small shipment of them. They are in the small 8/pk packaging and we only recieved 40 packs. Wish it could have been more, but I suppose it is better than nothing. I don't expect them to last very long.

Bayside Marine Salmon Derby November 5 & 6

Here's a little rundown on Baysides Marines 20th Annual Fishing Derby coming up this weekend. Sorry, we "DO NOT" have tickets.

November 5th and 6th 2011 will be our 20th annual Fishing Derby

and holiday food drive

$2000.00 first place

with many other nice prizes

$30.00 ticket gets you 2 days of fishing ! Bring in 5 cans of food for the local food drive and get

$5.00 off your ticket price.

Sunday Salmon BBQ
and chili cook off
Tickets on sale now

NEW

Bayside Derby

Team Tournament

Winner Takes All!!
$50.00 per Boat

Team Boat 2 Day combined
Total fish weight


No limit on anglers per boat

All Anglers must also have a Bayside Derby Ticket
And follow Bayside Derby rules
Blackmouth and Silver Salmon only

Captains Meeting Friday
Nov 4th 6:00 PM

Baysidemarine.com
425-252-3088

Winter Blackmouth Opens In Many Marine Areas

Winter blackmouth seasons are now open in many areas of Puget Sound and the Straits of Juan De Fuca. Make sure that you read your regulations well as not all areas are open. Here's a little run down on these Fisheries.

Marine Area 5 - Sekiu and Piller Point: Nov. 1 - Nov. 30 Chinook - min. size 22". Other salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 2 (combined) Only 1 Chinook may be retained.

Marine Area 6 - East Juan de Fuca Strait: Closed (Will reopen Feb. 16 - April 10 2012)

Marine Area 7 - San Juan Islands: Closed (Will reopen Dec.1 - April 30 2012)

Marine Area 8-1 - Decption Pass, Hope Island, and Skagit Bay: Nov. 1 - April 30 2012 Chinook - min. size 22". Other salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 2 (combined) Release wild Chinook.

Marine Area 8-2 - Port Susan and Port Gardner: Nov. 1 - April 30 2012 Chinook - min. size 22". Other salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 2 (combined) Release wild Chinook.

Marine Area 9 - Admirality Inlet: Nov.1 - Nov 30 Chinook - min size 22". Other salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 2 (combined) Release wild Chinook.

Marine Area 10 - Seattle/Bremerton: Open through Jan. 31 2012 Chinook min. size 22". Other salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 2 (combined) Release wild Chinook.

Marine Area 11 - Tacoma - Vashon Island: Nov.1 - Dec. 31 Chinook min. size 22". Other salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 2 (combined) - Only 1 Chinook may be retained.

Marine Area 12 - Hood Canal: Open through /Dec. 31 Chinook - min size 22". Other salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 4 (combined). Only one Chinook may be retained.

Marine Area 13 - South Puget Sound: Nov. 1 - Dec. 31 Chinook - min size 22". Other salmon species - no min size. Daily limit 2 (combined) Only 1 Chinook may be retained.

Yes, there are lot's of differences from one area to another - make sure to read the regulations with a fine toothed comb as not to do something incorrect! However, even with lots of regulations there are in fact "Lot's" of angling opprutunites for salmon fishermen this winter!

Lake Washington - Perch Fishing

The perch fishing in Lake Washington has really come on this past week. Not only are they getting good numbers but also good sized with a few pushing the 14 inch mark. Prior to this past week everyone was wondering exactly what was happening, as they were not only finding it hard to get any numbers but the size was also off. Most fish were quite small and most anglers were quite discourages with their results. A few of the folks I spoke with this week not only found all the fish they wanted but also really nice sized average fish in the 10 - 12 inch range. Most of the guys were in the north end (Kenmore) and fishing in the 40 - 45 foot depths and just off the bottom.

Skagit River Reports

Nick Petosa sent me an email with the update on the Skagit fishing. The photo with his clients was taken at 11:30 A.M. today. They hooked 14 silvers to get their 9 fish limit. Though a few are showing a little color there are still many that are dime bright. Nick has been primarily twitching "Northwest Jigs" in pink and black as well as a few other two toned color variations. Nick says the Coho fishing will be "Good" clear into this next month.

Here's a deal for you "Ted's Blog Readers" book a Coho trip with Nick with three anglers and recieve 10% off, book a trip with four anglers and get 20% off. All you have to do is mention "Ted's" and revieve the additional discount. Don't wait too long as this is a "Great" deal.

Nick Petosa

Petosa's Guide Service

(360) 770-2396

Lake Goodwin - Fall Trout Fishing

If you are looking for some outstanding local trout fishing you might just want to give Lake Goodwin a try. The very few anglers that are fishing this year around lake are coming up with some very nice trout, some pushing 3 1/2 pounds. The average fish is in the 16 - 18 inch mark and are in really good shape. Though there is a variety of methods of catching fish in Goodwin a high percentage of folks are trolling flies. One of the most popular patterns is a "Woolly Bugger" in olive, brown or black. The productive depth has been around 20 feet. We should see good fishing throughout the Winter and into this next Spring. You will find little angling pressure at this time of year, with many days you being the only boat fishing the lake. So, If you are looking for some good local trout fishing this Fall and Winter keep Lake Goodwin on your list.

Lake Chelan Report - Anton Jones - Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service

What’s hot is trolling on Lake Chelan up at the Yacht Club for Mackinaw. This is a great time of the year to fish Rufus Woods Reservoir for Triploid Rainbows. The Methow or the mainstem of the Columbia should also be good for Steelhead.

Fish near the Yacht Club with one of three presentations for consistent success. Worden Lures U20 Flatfish in Purple Glow, Silver Horde’s 3.5 inch Kingfisher Lite spoons in Chartreuse Splatterback or Mack’s Lures Cha Cha Squidders in Glow Colors baited with a strip of Northern Pikeminnow. Remember to smear all those lures with Pautzke’s Krill Juice. You can actually get better numbers of fish working the South Shore all the way from Sunnybank past Minneapolis to the Pleasant Point Condos albeit smaller fish. We have also had nice success early in the morning on the Bar. Lately, it seems the Yacht Club area has produced a bit larger fish on average.

Cooler weather is closing in which means that the fishing at Rufus will be heating up. Troll the can line; troll and cast by pump station number one or cruise up to the lower pens to still fish for triploid rainbows with Pautzke’s Fire Bait.

Your fishing tip of the week is to “run and gun” this time of the year to achieve success on Chelan. With the Mackinaw in the spawn, yesterday’s fish might be non-biters, but a shift in location can put you on the fish again when you find an area where they are in a pre or post spawn feeding mood. Don’t go much over an hour without a bite before moving. There are biters out there. This is one of the few times of the year where the “suckers bet” of leaving fish to find fish makes sense.

Your kid’s tip of the week is to lighten up when you are fishing with your pre-school and grade school aged kids. The amount of fun you can have is amazing. I even do it with adults and get them to be younger. I like to find out about their favorite music, their favorite TV show and even their favorite video game. Maybe even their favorite book. What do they like about it? What gets them excited? Discuss that. Relate their interests to what you are doing there in the great out of doors. You just might kindle a life-long interest.

Your safety tip of the week is to take your time or use a spotter when you are backing that boat trailer up in tight confines. Especially watch the side that is not clearly visible in your mirror. Use that spotter or get out and look at it. It will avoid some expensive mistakes.

Anton Jones of Darrell & Dad's Family Guide Service
http://www.darrellanddads.com/ or 1-866-360-1523

Pictured: 10-18-11 - The Corso's with their catch of Lake Chelan Mackinaw

Also Pictured: 10-21-11 Fishing buddies, Evan Holzknecht of Stanwood, Andrew Kerr of Lakeside, MT and Willy W Weyers of Stanwood, Wa with their afternoons catch of Lake Chelan Mackinaw