| Coastal
& SW Washington Report |
February 02, 2010
|

This past week has been a busy one for me. We
had the Puyallup Sportsmans show the rivers were in great
shape and the fish have been biting. Every river on the west
side seems to have a fish in them both wild and hatchery.
It is for sure better than last year and the year before.
These rivers have been putting out fish daily
with one being good one day and fair the next. Some days it's
just been awesome and others we have to work hard to get fish
but at least we are getting them. Some really nice big hatchery
fish have hit the net this last week and a couple really nice
high finners were released to continue their journey up river.
Cowlitz hasn't been that busy and is putting
out a few really nice fish for those who are willing to pound
it out. Freedrifting is by far the most popular way to fish
here and seems to out produce any other method we have done.
Fish are spread out in the Blue Creek area with most fish
coming from the launch area to about a mile down river. I
wouldn't rule out back trolling a Seahawk colored Fatfish
thru a few choice spots in the same area. Some days those
fish won't touch bait but will kill those plugs.
Nooch is always a good place to go this time
of year. Although busy it hasn't been all that bad. I'm sure
this will change as more people get out with this nice weather.There's
always a few fish but it has not been the Nooch that we had
a few years ago. While the river can be a big numbers place
it hasn't been the last couple years. With that said there
are some nice fish here and you could have a big numbers day
any time like we did this past week.
I think the Steelhead season has been pretty
dang good this last two weeks and with the amount of fish
I've seen lately I look for it to hold steady or get better
over the next couple weeks.
Nice seeing familiar faces while I was working
in the St Croix Rods booth at the Puyallup Sportsman show
this year. Thanks to all of you guys and gals for stopping
in and saying hi.
Here are a couple fish we caught this last week.
A fish or two was released and a couple were added to the
fish box headed for the grill. Anyone looking for a Steelhead
trip any time soon give me a shout. I have both weekdays and
weekend days open.



Mention
Salmon or Steelhead University and receive 15 percent off
a trip for two.
Now
booking Winter Steelhead and Spring Chinook
For
more info call Phil Stephens, Mystical
Legends Guide Service Call (206) 940-0052 or E-mail
No report this week
Steelhead U/Salmon U preseason special of $139.99
per seat...saving you $35.00 per seat.
See you @ the upcoming shows or on the river...
Bob
Barthlow
Rivers
NorthWest Guide Service
(509)
952-9694
No report this week
Submitted by Todd Girtz, Steelhead University
No report this week
Bruce
Warren, Fishing
for fun Guide Service
Email
or call me on my cell at (253) 208-7433

Fishing on the Cowlitz is picking up with some
nice fish being caught. Not red hot but if you work at it you
can find a few. Freedrifting eggs or corkies and yarn or pulling
plugs have been the most productive. I'm running specials and
I have a few seats open.



Rob Sweem, R&K
Guide Service
(360) 481-0612 or Email
| Washougal
River |
February 02, 2010
|
No report this week
Tyler Davis, (360)-771-7802
davis0450@comcast.net
| Skagit River |
February 02, 2010
|
Submitted
by Wayne Ackerlund
Ackerlund's
Guide Service
E-Mail
or Call 1 (888) 6 Skagit - [1 (888) 675-2448]
| North
Puget Sound Rivers |
February 02, 2010
|
| Snohomish
River System |
February 02, 2010
|
Well, I've been out poking around some of the
smaller and less popular coastal streams, a bit of a gamble,
less fish but also less people. Mike Kovar was willing to gamble,
and it paid off this dandy native fell to the old "pink worm"
under a float. Fishing pink worms this time of year is a great
way to target them. Native fish are definitely around and with
the early closures this year I will be fishing the Sky and Snoqualmie
until the end. I still have a few days open until the closure,
shoot me an email or give me a call.

This beauty was taken from the Coast
Andy Shanks, Island
Guide Service
(206) 280-7159
Skykomish River
No report this week
Mention Steelhead University for our Special
Rate
Brett Basim
Brett's
Salmon and Steelhead Guide Service
360-403-8477 Email: fishwithbrett@comcast.net
No report this week
Ray Vermillion
Lucky
Strike Guide Service
No report this week
Chris Horton
No report this week
| Olympic
Pennisula Report |
|
February 02, 2010
|

Bogachiel River is in good shape running
at 27.51 ft and with 5 ft of Vis. The best techniques with the
given water flows and color will be to pull plugs or float fish.
For plug pulling stick with Wordens Flatfish or Luhr Jensens
kwiikfish in the smaller sizes. For colors i like to use Silver,
Silver/red dots, Flame Red, Flame red/ red dots, green weenie,
blue streak, michael jackson, flounder and green hornet. For
float fishing we have been using jigs in Pink, Pink/white, pink/peach
and the nightmare. We also have had good success on floats and
bait. Eggs with a weighted cheater on top with a little yarn
has been great. We have been also fishing quite a bit of squid
under a float dyed pink. Pink worms on a jig head have been
great. These techniques will be the best until the water comes
back up. Very few hatchery fish left, it has turned into a all
wild fish show.

The Sol Duc is in great shape running at
5 boards and 6 ft of vis. The river is dropping nicely. There
are some Bogachiel hatchery fish around and a few more snider
broodstock fish showing up each day. So far this season it has
been more native fish then anything. Fish are spread out from
Riverside all the way to the mouth. At this water flow the best
techniques will be plug pulling, floatfishing or sidedrifting.
For plug pulling stick with wordens flatfish or Luhr Jensens
Kwikfish in the small ot meduim sizes. The colors that have
been working for me have been silver, Silver/red dots, flame,
flame/red dots, green hornet, green weenie, blue streak and
flounder. Plug pulling and sidedrifting have been best in the
lower half of the river and plug pulling and float fishing has
been better in the top half of the river. When it comes to side
drifting stick with two # 3 Vision Hooks and a size 12 cheater
in flame, glo orange, glo green, rainbow and green rainbow.
Egs have been good in a orange coastal cure and prawns dyed
in soft pink have also been great. Float fishing in the upper
river has been best with a Mad river worm in Pink, Nail Polish
pink or pink haze with a white or chartruese jig head. Have
also been playing with a new jig that we are working on with
a small light on it and they will be out on the market soon.
Look for them as they are very good. The fishing for hatchery
fish will continue for another week os so for the Bogachiel
fish and will only get better for the next month on the Snider
Fish. The native run will only get way better with each day.
The Calawah is in good shape running at
696 cfs and dropping with umlimited ft of vis. The best techniques
for the Calawah will be Plug pulling or Floatfishing. For the
plug pulling stick with Wordens Flatfish or Luhr Jensens Kwikfish
in the smaller sizes. For the color of the water stick with
silver, Silver/red dots, Flame, Flame/red dots, green weenie,
green hornet or flounder. For float fishing we have using lots
of Beau Mac jigs in Cerise, Pink/white and Cerise/white. Though
my favorite is the Aero Jigs in Pink, Cerise and the Peach.
I also use our own design of Black head pink and chartruese
rabbit. I have had great luck on Mad River worms in pink with
a chartruese head. Very few hatchery fish around, it has turned
into a all wild fish show. This will only get better as we reach
the middle of February.
The Hoh is in good shape running at 1860
cfs with 4' of vis in upper river and 3' in the lower river.
The fish are spread out from the mouth all the way to the park
boundry. The best techniques in this little more colored water
will be to Pull plugs or sidedrift. For plug pulling stick with
the larger plugs like K-13 Kwikfish or a T-4 flatfish. Color's
loke silver, Silver/flame Back, White/red, Claire- a- bell,
grren hornet and flounder. For sidedrifting in the upper river
this prime time to fish 6" long Mad river worms in pink, Methiolate
and flour orange. In the lower river fish 2 @ 2 vision hooks
a #10 cheater in brighter colors like flame, chart/flame dots,
chart/green dots and rainbow. I like to use a little bigger
baits, so cut your eggs a little bigger and add a mad river
egg to the bottom for a little more scent. This will only get
better as the water drops and clears.

The clearwater is in great shape running
at Med Low flow with 5ft of vis. The fish are spread out from
the mouth all the way to Copper Mine Bottom. The best techniques
have been Sidedrifting or float fishing. For sidedrifting stick
with 2 # 3 vision hooks and a #12 cheater in flame, glo orange,
glo pink, glo green, rainbow or pink/red dots. The coastal or
pautzke boraxo fire egg cures have the best in orange. You might
also try some prawns. For float fishing Aero Jigs in the marabou
series have the best in Pink, Pink/white, cerise, pink/peach
and nightmare. You might also try a Mad River Worm in Pink,
Nail Polish Pink, Glo Pink 0r pink haze on a White or chart
1/8oz jig head. Fishing will get better as we get closer to
the middle of February.
Submitted
by Bob Kratzer
Anglers
Guide Service
(800) 577-8781
Email: ags@centurytel.net

The rain has stopped and the rivers have cleared
and the fish are here. The rivers are in great shape with 8
feet in the Calawah, 6 feet in the Sol Duc and 3 feet in the
Bogy. With the great water condition all methods have been working
from side-drifting to bobber and jigs. There has been a good
number of Snider fish caught every day too, like these we caught
today.


Submitted by Mike Zavadlov
Mike Z's
Guide Service
(360) 640 8109
Email: mike@mikezsguideservice.com
| Klickitat
River |
February 02, 2010
|

I had Terry Wiest from Steelhead University come
fish with me on the White Salmon and we had an absolute blast.
Weather was gorgeous, scenery was gorgeous and
we nailed the fish. Most fish are darkening up but we did manage
a couple bright fish. We hooked over a dozen fish and we were
laughing the whole time.... good times!



Call
or email Tracy
Z.... phone (509) 369-2366
www.adventurefishing.net

Last Week:
Success was wide spread over the week. The fishing
has been good from Gibbs Eddy to Kooskia. Fishing pressure picked
up slightly due to favorable weather, water and catching conditions.
Most methods are working well. Side-drifting, back trolling
divers-n-bait, plugs and of course bobber-n-jig/bait are all
producing. Fresh roe sacks under a float have been doing very
well and will soon be a staple on the river. If you're planning
on fishing the Clearwater this spring, now is the time!
SF anglers saw sporadic results. Fish are being
caught throughout the system, but most are focusing their efforts
on the lower section.
We didn't received any reports from the NF, so
I am assuming that fishing has still been poor. If you fish
the NF shoot us a report and you'll automatically be entered
into our fishing contest and will have a chance to win a guided
fishing trip and a new rod. For more contest details click here.
Our guides continue to experience great catching
on the main river. Our available days are quickly filling up,
but we still have some availability during the next couple weeks.
Contact us now to arrange your trip! 1-866-842-4240 We'll be
in Great Falls for the Sportsman show this coming weekend, if
you live in the area stop on by and see us!
This doesn't happen too often, but we had a last
minute trip cancelation for February 3 and 4, if you're looking
for a discounted trip this is your chance. First come first
serve, email me for additional details.
This coming week:
Lower River: (Below Orofino)
The flow is currently 3420cfs @ 4 C. The water
temperatures are peaking each day around 6pm depending on the
weather. Fishing will continue to be good from Orofino to Cherry
Lane for another couple weeks. Pink House to Harpers and Harpers
to Lenore are the most popular floats on the lower section.
Bank anglers should still find good success at the Pole yard
and the Magill Hole.
North Fork:
We didn't receive any reports for the NF this
past week. Poor fishing for the past 4 weeks leads one to believe
that it will not change. The F&G's last report for the NF had
32 hours angling per fish.... OUCH!!!
South Fork:
The forecasted rain should bring more fish into
the South Fork. Success on the lower river should be good.
Upper River: (Above Orofino)
The flow is 2120 CFS @ 2.5C. The river levels
this year have been below normal and it appears like they will
remain below normal this spring. Low water tactics are a must.
Micro jigs, small baits and egg patterns work well during this
time of year and water conditions. Fish will likely be holding
in deeper pocket water. The catching on the Upper River has
been good and should remain good in the weeks to come.
Report Snaggers

Submitted by Ryan Pitcher
West
Coast Anglers, Oregon, Washington and Idaho
1 866 846-4240 or Email ryan@wcafish.com

Hey everyone fishing has stayed good on the snake
with lots of fish around to play with. We snuck out on the Clearwater
the other day just for kicks and managed to get a few to play
with. The river was on the drop and clearing up which made things
a bit tough but we did manage to get 5! We had to work hard
for them and cover a lot of water but there are fish to be had.
Good luck out there and watch the river flows.


Doug Richert
360-490-2521
www.HellsCanyonSportFishing.com
North Oregon Coast Report
Fishing has been fair to slow on most north
coast streams. A combination of low water and heavy pressure
has created challenging conditions. However, those anglers
putting in the effort and adjusting their tactics have caught
some nice fish.
The smaller streams such as Three rivers,
North Fork Nehalem, Big Creek, and Gnat Creek were extremely
low therefore difficult to fish. All of the mentioned streams
are still seeing decent returns and success rates should
improve with the next rain.
Larger rivers like the Wilson, Trask, and
Nestucca have produced throughout the week although they
are becoming low and clear as well, The Wilson seeing the
most pressure out of the three. Fish are scattered high
and low on all of these rivers. Many Natives have already
been caught, some in the 20-25 pound range!
Fishing low pressure areas, using lighter
gear, and fishing broken water will up the odds for most
anglers. Peach and light pink jigs, nickel or brass spinners,
and small clusters of eggs have been successful so far this
year.

Chris Salter
Big Moby Tackle
www.bigmobytackle.com
503-357-3187
No report this week
Mike Glass
Oregon, Rod, Reel & Tackle
3699 Coburg rd. Eugene Or, 97408
(541) 683-4965
www.oregonrrt.com
Lower Rogue River
The lower Rogue is seeing varied winter steelhead
action as water levels have fluxuated markedly over the
last two weeks. The extremes in the Rogue River levels are
not as great as the Smith/Chetco because it is a dam controlled
resource. Justin Storns at the Rogue Outdoor store said
the best fishing has been near Agness where some of the
guides are reporting good numbers of metal-heads in the
6-8# class side drifting eggs. Mark Van Hook boated a beautiful
fish around 13-14# after a brief encounter with his kicker
motor. John Anderson of Memory Maker guide service reported
a few days near 10 fish anchoring in the lower river below
Lobster creek. Plunking has continued to account for many
of the reported fish and the run should continue strong
for the next few weeks given the chance to fish between
storms.
Chetco River
We have been concentrating on the Chetco
River for the last several weeks with mixed results. We
have been averaging 1-2 fish daily staying above the crowds
in the national forest. As the attached photographs illustrate,
the fish we are catching are very fresh…despite one day
when we landed two downstreamers…. these fish appear to
be shooting directly up from tide water. Both of the downstreamers
were hatchery fish which we are led to believe are unusual
for this part of the river. Both were caught above Nook
bar.
Side drifting small egg clusters cured in
Pautzke's orange fire cure coupled with a #2 cotton candy
puff ball has been the go to bait. We had the opportunity
to fish plugs one day below 3000cfs and hooked one large
steelhead who wanted nothing to do with us and promptly
released himself about 50 yards downstream.
The guides on the Chetco have been averaging
1-2 fish per boat per day fishing the lower river from Ice
Box down to social security bar. Most are doing two runs
per day. There always seems to be one or two guides that
have 3-5 fish even though fishing has been tough for side
drifters when the river is above 4000cfs. We make it a point
to hang out at social security bar each day on our way home
and talk with them to see how things are going.
Plunkers at Social security are catching fish
each day as they move through the system. The best fishing
for Plunkers has been focused around the peak of the tide
at Social Security bar.
Paul LeFebvre
Rogue Outdoor Store, Gold Beach Oregon

Fishing on the Chetco has only been fair,
one to three fish a day. The ocean has been rough, so not
a whole lot of new fish have been showing up. We are expecting
to see a new bunch of fish anytime. There have been quite
a few boats on the river, so we've been doing our two drifts
a day to get ahead of them and them come down behind them
in the afternoon and it has worked out well. Dennis caught
his first ever steelhead yesterday and lost another that
managed to get into a willow. Nice fish.
Come see us at the Eugene boat and outdoor
show this weekend.