Northwest Fishing Reports

Just read on the WDFW site that the Skagit and Cascade open for Coho 9/28. 4 fish limit on the Skagit but only 2 can be native, and a 4 fish limit on the Cascade.

https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efis ... sp?id=1873" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You have to love the NO BAIT RULE... I QUOTE BAIT PROHIBITED.......

Snohomish now opens tomorrow as well. Dont know why they dont open up areas 8-2 and 8-1

Sweet!

Pretty limited opening for the Snohomish

Action: Opens the Snohomish River to fishing for coho salmon Sept. 29 through Oct. 2, and Oct. 6 through Oct. 9.

dj2loud wrote:You have to love the NO BAIT RULE... I QUOTE BAIT PROHIBITED.......

Honestly as well the overwhelming majority of Skagit Coho are natives, In the past 10 years of so I have not seen a hatchery fish, though I know a few trickle into Marblemount. So the effective limit is 2

friends hit the river today and WOW! Fish are everywhere and they are BIG! 10-15lbs..........

I have never fished the rivers...
Can you clue me in on the where, what, and how?
I would like to try this Sat.

Thanks!

JoshH wrote:

dj2loud wrote:You have to love the NO BAIT RULE... I QUOTE BAIT PROHIBITED.......

Honestly as well the overwhelming majority of Skagit Coho are natives, In the past 10 years of so I have not seen a hatchery fish, though I know a few trickle into Marblemount. So the effective limit is 2

Thats cause your fishing low in the system. Hatchery cascade fish shoot upriver fast. There are tons of them holding in the upper river, the big wild fish hold more in the lower especially in oct and nov. Cascade has met their quota and theres tons more hatchery coming. Both wild and hatch are in extreme abundance this year

Never thought about that river chrome....
Good to know.

Thanks!!

RiverChromeGS wrote:

JoshH wrote:

dj2loud wrote:You have to love the NO BAIT RULE... I QUOTE BAIT PROHIBITED.......

Honestly as well the overwhelming majority of Skagit Coho are natives, In the past 10 years of so I have not seen a hatchery fish, though I know a few trickle into Marblemount. So the effective limit is 2

Thats cause your fishing low in the system. Hatchery cascade fish shoot upriver fast. There are tons of them holding in the upper river, the big wild fish hold more in the lower especially in oct and nov. Cascade has met their quota and theres tons more hatchery coming. Both wild and hatch are in extreme abundance this year

I do admit the VAST majority of my time ever spent on the Skagit has been between Blake's resort and the Spud House, trying to stay below the nets.

That would be why ;). Rockport has lots of hatchery

Anyone know if the Nets will be in all weekend?
I am betting they will net every Fri.-Mon. through 12/1 just to piss off the recreational fishers.

RiverChromeGS wrote:That would be why ;). Rockport has lots of hatchery

Did you take out Jon B, LunkersTV, and Peric?

Salmon King wrote:I have never fished the rivers...
Can you clue me in on the where, what, and how?
I would like to try this Sat.

Thanks!

Depends on how you are fishing, from the bank or a boat. Almost all my experience on the Skagit has been between Fir Island and where the north and south forks converge. The lower river the fish don't really hold, there is so much water and it's moving pretty fast, so you are fishing for schools moving through. There is a lot of bank access on the south fork, but not as many start up the south fork. Access in Milltown (Tom Moore Slough - real snaggy and extremely tidal), at the launch right in Conway before you cross the river bridge. After you cross the bridge if you take the immediate right, there is access to a large bank just as the road makes it's first sharp corner left. If you keep going out Fir Island, just before the north fork bride take that right and it take you to a launch with beach access. The other spot is the spudhouse, continue over the bridge then you take a right just before the turn to LaConner (I have to google map the rest of the way there, it has a WDFW access site) Then there are the popular bars in Mt Vernon and Burlington. I haven't really fished farther up. Because of the mass amount of water and how fast it moves, most plunk, this year with the no bait rule, it would be a spoon like a Dick Nite. The other option I prefer is to cast and retrieve a spoon, spinner, or plug. From a boat I've anchored up and plunked spoons, or bottom drift bounced spoons. Slow trolling I know works well, I've just never done it.

Farther up river I've got basically no experience.

Since I have changed out to kayak fishing, the Skagit kind of left my wheelhouse. Not sure I want to try and pedal against that current. Pissed they won't open up the salt.

Thank you sir....

I will be working the lower River tomorrow and Sunday I plan on moving up river further...maybe even up to the Cascade.

I will have to stop at Holiday to pick up the proper tackle then it's time to fish!