RecommendThe reopening, announced by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, allows anglers to keep hatchery steelhead. The decision was made because of the rain, snow and floods that conspired against efforts to capture hatchery steelhead returning to Voights Creek Hatchery.
Fishing had been closed since Dec. 15 because no hatchery steelhead had returned to the facility. In addition to trapping fish, staffers were going to collect hatchery fish by hook and line, said biologist Hal Michael. Those efforts were halted by the snowstorms in December.
The crushing blow was the Jan. 7 flood during which more than 3 feet of water filled the hatchery.
“The flood took us out of the fish-raising business at Voights Creek for a while,” Michael said. “We’ve moved fish out of there. But they’ve got no place for (steelhead) to come back to, we’ve got no place to trap them.”He said the decision to reopen fishing was made in hopes that anglers will be able to keep some steelhead from mixing with spawning wild fish.
Rivers
Carbon: The river is in good shape, said Keith Semprimoznik at Orting Sports, Work & Outdoors. Anglers are catching a few steelhead, but there hasn’t been many people on the river. Most anglers are using corkies and yarn or sand shrimp. Semprimoznik said the flooding has changed the river quite a bit.
Columbia: Sturgeon fishing has been slow. A state check sampled six bank anglers fishing just below Bonneville Dam and six others near Longview with no catch reported. More than 25 seals were observed near County Line Park in Longview. Sea lions were eating sturgeon near the dam.
Cowlitz: Pressure has been light. The river is high and visibility is zero, said Karen Glaser at Barrier Dam Campground. Bank anglers are catching a few steelhead.
Green: A few folks are plunking but not having a whole lot of success, in part because the water is so high.
Olympic Coast: The rivers are still pretty high, said Dave Steinbaugh at Waters West. As a result, the action has been slower than usual, with people averaging a fish per boat. A few 30-pound fish are being caught. If levels keep dropping, the action should be very good, Steinbaugh said.
Puyallup: The river is still high and dirty, but anglers are catching a few steelhead, Mullen said.
Smelt: People dipping at Carnival Market dipped a few bright, large males on Saturday. Elsewhere on the Cowlitz, effort and catch was low to nil, according to a state report.
Yakima: The fishing is heating up as the river drops. The action should be better by week’s end, said a report from Red’s Fly Shop.
Lakes
American: A lack of anglers means there is no report, said David Anderson at Bill’s Boathouse.
Chelan: Trolling for lake trout along the beaches heading up through the Narrows is producing some large fish. Trolling a Rushin’ Salmon Wobbler in green mackerel at 11/2 mph within 5 feet of the bottom was still the most productive, said Anton Jones of Darrell and Dad’s Family Guide Service.
Roses: Ice anglers should fish early and late in the day for the best results. Jones recommends using rainbow Power Bait 30 inches off the bottom with either a slip sinker or slip bobber rig. Anglers are reporting that the thickest ice is closest to shore.
Washington: The fishing has been slow in recent days, said Chet Mullen at Auburn Sports and Marine. Perch and trout anglers are finding the fish unwilling to bite because of cold water temperatures. Bass anglers are picking up an occasional fish. Look for them in water 40 to 50 feet deep.
Salt water
North Sound: The Southworth and Allyn Bank areas have been producing some blackmouth, said Art Tachell at Point Defiance Boathouse. Overall, the fishing has been fair.
South Sound: Beaches along the Tacoma Narrows remain a good place for fly anglers chasing resident coho salmon.
Jeffrey P. Mayor: 
253-597-8640
No comments:
Post a Comment