Nooksack River Fishing 2017

[branweeds]

Thought I would start a thread on the Nooksack for the salmon season, as it is somehow one of the only nearby rivers that will have one legal to fish. I am going to the Hovander river access tomorrow to see if any humpies are around, I know there aren't many in the system yet though. I did stop by there yesterday and didn't see any rolling, but the clarity surprisingly wasn't half bad. This will be one of my first seasons for humpies, so I am anticipating my first one of the couple years. Anyone else have the chance to get on the river yet?

[fisherman92]

I would suggest waiting till the 1st good rain of the season. They're going to be out in the sound waiting for rain before they start heading up the river. At least that's what I have experienced with humpies. I wont be trying for humpies till the 1st rain and/or Sept. But you never know...

[branweeds]

Very true, but all of this dry weather is making me impatient. I can't see any rain in the forecast either. I will post back if I catch anything!

[Jakefish]

I would suggest waiting till the 1st good rain of the season. They're going to be out in the sound waiting for rain before they start heading up the river. At least that's what I have experienced with humpies. I wont be trying for humpies till the 1st rain and/or Sept. But you never know...

Two years ago humpy fishing was pretty good in the Nooksack for the couple weeks before they closed the river down due to a lack of rain. This run typically peaks in August, and by September not only do limits decrease, but you need to start working harder to find fresh fish. Don't wait for rain, but we will need cool weather for a few days for visibility to return to decent levels after this week's heat wave.

[fisherman92]

I should have also included that I don't really fish the Nooksack so my experience is more the Stilly & Snohomish systems. So it could vary on river system & year. Thanks for the input Jakefish!

[dj2loud]

ceah this thread started already? I was gonna not even post a thing about it, leave it alone or dare mention it as the skagit is closed..... So the bad news, after hitting the samish yesterday and absolutely nothing even surfacing i went on a mission...... South fork walk was interesting... Got dropped off at the hatchery, water is visible all the way to the bottom.... Walked and floated all the way down to the confluence and saw maybe 3 kings still in the system but boots for sure... Found out that in fact the majority of fish there 500+ are sucker fish all over the place... Pike minnows? Who knows.... There is literally Sh^! on the shore, 40's bottles, St. Ides cans, beer bottles and debris left by campers all over the place... Tubers leaving shoes and firewood on the shore... The river is closed to all fishing, so why are they allowed to flotilla down it? fMet the wife and kids at the north fork/south fork confluence, Floated down on the kayak and fished all the way to hovander road..... NOTHING! Not even a dolly.... THe river is so silty you can't see anything..... and the only way it's gonna clear up is RAIN.... BTW, hwy 9 van zandt has campers, transients, people swimming at the south fork, beer bottles, sh*t and even tampon tubes laying around... Avoid this area... Officers were down there the other day with a stolen vehicle & a person with warrants...... Fished it 5 times since its opening and nothing.........

[branweeds]

Maybe a little early to start the thread, seeing it will probably be a really late season for the river too. The river is in poor shape and it's getting trashed beyond belief. I saw a table floating down when I was there. Nonetheless, I am going to Hovander this afternoon. It feels like a good day to sit in the hot sun and get skunked. Dj I'm sure I'll see you out there somewhere if I haven't already. If you want someone to fish with let me know.

[jonb]

I wouldn't wait for the rain, fish will trickle in regardless and there will be less people out there (because they're waiting for the rain.) You'll miss lots of good opportunity waiting for the right conditions. Get out there and fish in all conditions and you'll be rewarded with skill and opportunity that others readily pass up. (no offense fisherman92, i just respectfully disagree)

[dj2loud]

Jon has a great point! I fish the nook regularly at least 2/3 times a week if not more.... Low water or high water will hold fish just in different places that you and I have to find daily... Not all spots hold fish and not al lures catch em..... Been thinking of pontoon instead of kayak this year, anyone else have info on toons?

[Jakefish]

My dad released a small humpy (probably not even 14") this morning on a size zero pink/white dick nite down by Ferndale, in spite of the abysmal visibility. Keep at it, they are coming!

[dj2loud]

fished this morning from 430 to about 1130....... No one out of the 20 + anglers caught anything between the river road access ( was there from 4-830am ) Not a single fish caught at the nolte road access, saw 2 fish roll but not sure if humpy's, not a single fish caught or saw between deming to the north fork as well.. There was a couple of giant kings at the confluence jumping out the water a good 2 to 3 feet in the air... River is horrible.....

Although I was looking at the weather and rain in forecast next monday and tuesday... ( week after next )

[Jakefish]

Lost one on my first cast with a 50/50 dick nite this morning at Hovander. Saw 3 landed, heard of three others landed a little further upstream. They are definitely in there. I fished from 8:30 to 12.

[branweeds]

Yesterday morning fished all the way down just upriver from the Marine Rd bridge, and ended up seeing quite a few netted. Natives were flying past us not minding our lines in the water, but they bonked some good sized humpies. Tried plunking some dick nites and throwing a blue fox but no bites for us, the visibility was terrible. So today decided to take the fly rod up to do a little brook trout fishing, and had much better luck. Probably hitting the river Tuesday afternoon again looking for my first hookup.

[dj2loud]

So they are netting now 7 days a week huh?. Thought the nets were out sat 4 pm to 4pm sunday...?



this is the AGREED to TREATY FISHING.........

8/1-9/2 Open weekly 4 PM Sunday to 4 PM Saturday,
August 1 to 4 PM September 2. Fishing pattern:
4,6,6,6,6. The river is divided into five zones during
this period. These zones open in subsequent
weeks, proceeding upriver, to protect migrating
spring Chinook. The area in Zone 4 upriver of the
Nooksack Tribal Works building will remain closed
from August 20 through September 2 to protect
holding Spring Chinook
Zone 1 is from Marine Drive Bridge to Slater Bridge.
Zone 2 is from Slater Bridge to Hannegan Bridge In
Lynden.
Zone 3 is from Hannegan Bridge to Nugents Corner
Bridge.
Zone 4 is from Nugents Corner Bridge to the
confluence of the north and south forks.
Zone 5 is upriver of the confluence of the north and
south forks.
Coho 9/3 -10/21 Open weekly 4 PM Sunday through 4 PM Saturday.
Fishing Pattern: 6,6,6,6,6,6,6. The area up-river of
the Nooksack Tribal Works Building will remain
closed until September 23 to protect holding Spring
Chinook.
Chum 11/2-3 or
11/9-10
Subsistence harvest only. The Lummi Nation and
Nooksack Tribe will determine in-season which two
days to hold this subsistence fishery.
10/22 –
12/13
Commercial. Open weekly 4 PM Sunday through 4
PM Wednesday. Fishing Pattern: 3,3,3,3,3,3,3

Documentation to WDFW is recommended even though no one can do anything about it... The more proof and documented actions will eventually catch up to the tribes, let them hang themselves ...........

[Jakefish]

So they are netting now 7 days a week huh?. Thought the nets were out sat 4 pm to 4pm sunday...?

Looks to me like the previous quote is referring to Saturday morning netting - when it was open. He wrote the post on Sunday, and it said he was there "yesterday."

On a lighter note, there were plenty of fish rising at Hovander this evening, just nothing biting. Visibility is pretty bad.

[branweeds]

I was at Hovander from about 7-dark. Saw quite a few rises as well, and one guy hook up with a good sized bright pink that got air a couple times.

[branweeds]

I will be at the Stink Plant tonight at 6:30-dark.

[countryboy87]

Hows the visibility on the river?? might make the drive up to ferndale from down south this weekend

[branweeds]

By afternoon yesterday it was down to a solid inch or two of visibility. Just about as bad as it can get for this time of year. Early in the morning wasn't half bad though, that is the only time I've seen a couple fish caught.

[Jakefish]

Hows the visibility on the river?? might make the drive up to ferndale from down south this weekend

Come as late as you can this weekend - with the weather cooling down the river will be clearing up, but it will probably be Sunday afternoon at the soonest before we have decent visibility. If you make the trip to Ferndale and find visibility is terrible, try running up to Everson or Nugent's Corner - it takes a while for water to travel that distance, so it may have cleared upriver already.