Northwest Fishing Reports

Finally got off my butt this year and I am going after the fall Coho. Have been out about a half dozen times and have only seen two fish caught and had one one myself for a short brief period. Mostly fishing the Snohomish, but both caught fish were out on Whidbey Island.

Bottom line I keep reading that we need rain to get the fish in the rivers and it looks like we finally have the rain. Saturday is suppose to continue to rain and Sunday looks like it will clear up some. I can go out either Saturday or Sunday. Don't mind the rain. Which day should I go out and where should I go? What should I expect? I just really want to catch one darn fish (Coho not sunfish) this season and I am starting to get worried. I am open to any river or other fishing spot within about two hours or so of Seattle.

Thanks in advance.

The way the Puget Sound rivers have been...either drive to a Columbia tributary, or out west to a coastal river.

If the river is high, fish high. If its low, fish low. Maybe head to the sky and throw some spinners as springer jerry suggests. Sunday will probably be better, the river is high and muddy and may need a couple days to settle down.

Keep a journal. After every trip, write down the conditions, river flow, visibility, etc.
After a while, you'll be able to reference your journal at times like this and know what areas fish well at high flows.

fish vacuum wrote:Keep a journal. After every trip, write down the conditions, river flow, visibility, etc.
After a while, you'll be able to reference your journal at times like this and know what areas fish well at high flows.

I make a "report" when I catch fish in the river, location, part of the hole that produced, lure and/or bait used and of course the river gage height.

strider43 wrote:

fish vacuum wrote:Keep a journal. After every trip, write down the conditions, river flow, visibility, etc.
After a while, you'll be able to reference your journal at times like this and know what areas fish well at high flows.

I make a "report" when I catch fish in the river, location, part of the hole that produced, lure and/or bait used and of course the river gage height.

Question - how do you figure out the river height in the area you are at? Is that something you guesstimate? Do you take a tape measure and walk out a bit and just eyeball it that way? Do you go online and use the sensor reports of levels? I've been trying to take notes every time I hit up a spot but a few values I'm scratching my head on how to figure out at the locations I'm going to and record in my notes.

jrodell27 wrote:

strider43 wrote:

fish vacuum wrote:Keep a journal. After every trip, write down the conditions, river flow, visibility, etc.
After a while, you'll be able to reference your journal at times like this and know what areas fish well at high flows.

I make a "report" when I catch fish in the river, location, part of the hole that produced, lure and/or bait used and of course the river gage height.

Question - how do you figure out the river height in the area you are at? Is that something you guesstimate? Do you take a tape measure and walk out a bit and just eyeball it that way? Do you go online and use the sensor reports of levels? I've been trying to take notes every time I hit up a spot but a few values I'm scratching my head on how to figure out at the locations I'm going to and record in my notes.

Familiarize yourself with the river flows (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/current?type=flow" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) of your target river and go out and check it out during the various stages. Once you have an idea of what flow relates to water level then you can check the water levels from your phone or computer.

In high and fast water conditions, fish are practically at your feet. They hug the bank and take the path of least resistance. Look how close I was casting here. Probably not even 10 yards out.

BentRod wrote:Familiarize yourself with the river flows (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/current?type=flow" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) of your target river and go out and check it out during the various stages. Once you have an idea of what flow relates to water level then you can check the water levels from your phone or computer.

Gotcha - thanks for the tips! Was basically figuring that was the only real way to do it.