Fishing Report
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Freshwater Rivers British Columbia, CA Saltwater Local Lakes
FISHING REPORT
Submitted by Eli Michael
August 2010
August is one of my favorite months of the year.
Lakes still have a lot to offer, salmon start heading our way
in the salt, and will soon start heading up the rivers, crabbing is
good and the weather is close to predictable.
My next fishing class at the Whatcom Community College will take
place during the Fall quarter.
The dates for this class will be Tuesday September 21 6:30 to
9:00 P.M., Tuesday September 28th. 6:30 to 9:00 P.M., and
Saturday October 2nd. From 8:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.
Scott Christensen should also be offering some classes if fly
fishing is more up your alley.
For details contact Whatcom Community College via internet
http://www.whatcomcommunityed.com
, phone (360) 383-3200, or via catalog.
Please check Regs. before fishing to
avoid a ticket.
Nooksack River
From Lummi Indian reservation
boundary to yellow marker at FFA high school barn in Deming:
Opens first Saturday in June.
There will not be a lot going on in the main river at this time of
year. If you are
interested in fishing the main river at this time of year.
Worms, eggs or spinners might work well to catch any
cutthroat or dolly varden that might be hanging out in the river.
Nooksack River
From yellow marker at FFA high school barn in
Deming to confluence of North and South forks:
Opens October 1st.
North Fork Nooksack River:
From mouth to Maple Creek
Opens first Saturday in June.
There may be a few dolly varden in the North Fork at this time of
year as well as some cutthroat.
Worms, eggs, spinners or spoons might work.
If the river is running muddy then bait would be a better
choice.
North Fork Nooksack River:
From Maple Creek to Nooksack Falls.
Opens first Saturday in June.
Selective gear rules.
I would use the same tactics as described for the lower North Fork.
You may hook into a king along this stretch as well but you
are not allowed to keep any nor are you allowed to fish for them.
North Fork Nooksack River:
Upstream of Nooksack Falls including all tributaries and their
tributaries.
Opens first Saturday in June.
This stretch of river may be your best bet if you are looking to
catch trout in the river.
Being higher up it will be quicker to clear and should have
some resident rainbows and possibly a few cutthroat.
Some of the tributaries may have some brook trout as well.
When fishing small water for trout in rivers and streams
small is usually best.
Worms or eggs fished under a bobber or drifted with enough lead to
keep it near the bottom will work.
Spinners such as small Rooster Tails or Panther Martins in
1/16 to 1/8 oz or Blue Fox or Mepps in size 0-2 can be very
productive. Spoons such
as Daredevils and Kastmaster on 1/16 to 1/6 oz sizes are also
excellent choices.
Fishing has been good up high but there have been a lot more small
fish being caught than big ones.
Middle fork Nooksack River:
From mouth to City of
Bellingham diversion Dam. Opens first Saturday in June.
Selective gear rules.
This stretch of river may be worth a look for some trout as lures
are your only choice I would try some smaller spinners and spoons.
Middle Fork Nooksack River:
From diversion dam upstream including all tributaries.
Selective gear rules.
Catch and release except up to two hatchery steelhead may be
retained.
I have never fished this stretch of river but I would imagine there
might be some potential for good trout fishing.
Small lures would probably be your best bet as bait is
prohibited in this stretch of river.
South Fork Nooksack River:
From mouth to Saxon Rd.
Bridge. Selective gear
rules, catch and release except up to 2 hatchery steelhead may be
retained. Opens first Saturday in June.
This stretch of river can have good rainbow trout fishing again
small spinners and spoons will be your best bet as bait is not
allowed.
South Fork Nooksack River:
From Saxon Rd. Bridge to Skookum Creek. Selective gear rules catch
and release except up to 2 hatchery steelhead may be retained.
Opens first Saturday in June.
Once again without trying to sound too repetitious.
On this stretch of river small spinners and spoons should
produce best results.
Good colors anywhere on the river for trout include brown, black,
chartreuse, pink, red, white, silver and gold.
Skagit River:
From mouth to hwy. 536
Bridge. Open year
round. Feb. 15th
– May 31st selective
gear rules. As of June 1st.
the river is open to all fishing methods.
There may be some sea run cutthroat in the river at this time of
year. Drifting whole
night crawlers or eggs can work well.
Throwing small spoons such as Dick Nites, and Wicked Willies
might work as well as weighted spoons such as Kastmasters and Dare
Devils or Rooster Tails and Panther Martins to name a few.
If there are cutthroat in the river then you will want to look for
them in the slower water and around structure such as rip rap banks,
pilings, and log jams.
There are also a few sturgeon in the river throughout the year.
Look for them in deeper holes.
Fish an area for about 30 minutes and if you don’t get
anything then move to another hole.
Use a couple of sand shrimp and a 5/0 hook.
Use a short leader (12-20 inches) of 80 lb test Dacron.
Attach your sinker to a Slydo and use enough weight to stay
on the bottom.
Skagit River:
From hwy 536 to mouth of Gilligan Creek. Opens June 1st.
This stretch of river may also have cutthroat and sturgeon.
Skagit River: From Gilligan Creek to Dalles Bridge at Concrete
Opens June 1st.
This stretch of river should have a few dolly varden in it.
I would fish for them the same way I would fish for
cutthroat.
Skagit River: From Dalles Bridge at Concrete to Highway 530
Bridge at Rockport
Open June 1st.
There should be some dolly varden in this stretch of river
Skagit River:
From 530 Bridge at Rockport to Cascade River.
Opens June 1st.
There may be some Dolly varden in this stretch of river.
Skagit River:
From Cascade River to Gorge powerhouse
opens June 1st. Selective gear rules.
There may be some rainbow, cutthroat, and dolly varden in this
stretch of river.
Keeping in mind that it is selective gear rules I would try casting
small spinners and spoons.
Skagit River:
Gorge dam upstream to Ross Dam
First Saturday in June to October 31st.
I would imagine that this stretch of river should have trout and
possibly dolly varden.
Eggs, worms, spinners, and spoons should all be good choices.
Cascade River:
From mouth to
Rockport-Cascade Bridge. Opens June 1st.
This small river can be good for dolly varden throughout the year.
In order to check river flows you can Google “Washington river
flows” and the search should show USGS river flows or more
specifically:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/current/?type=flow
In order to check Lummi Nation netting schedules call (360) 384-2252
In order to check Swinomish and Sauk Suiattle netting schedules call
(360) 466-4112
ALL BC RIVERS REQUIRE SINGLE BARBLESS
HOOKS
Fraser River - British Columbia
As of July 30th. there is no size restriction on chinook.
It is not yet known whether or not there will be a Sockeye opener
yet.
There has been a slot limit on the Fraser for chinook in July which has
restricted the retention of fish over 30.3 inches.
This was making it hard for many people to bring anything
home. People have been
already catching a lot of chinook out of the Fraser and fishing
should improve when the slot limit is lifted.
There have also been a lot of sockeye being caught on the Fraser and the
counts have been good so hopefully it will open soon.
The most popular technique involves a 1 ½ oz to 4 oz. lead ball on a
dropper and a 10 to 14 ft leader.
The 15 to 20 lb. test leader consists of a size 1 to 3/0 hook
with a piece of yarn.
For main line 40 to 65 lb braided line in hi-vis yellow is the
preferred choice.
These long leaders will slip into a fish’s mouth and is referred to as
flossing.
Another popular technique is referred to as bar fishing.
This is a heavy duty version of what we would refer to as a
plunking rig.
This rig
consists of a lead heavy enough to maintain contact with the bottom
in heavy current (6-20 oz.).
The weight is set up on a dropper, a leader with a large hook
(3/0 to 7/0) and a huge Spin N Glo (sz 2- 000).
This rig is placed in the travelling lanes of the salmon and
the large size creates flash and vibration that the salmon can
detect in the murky Fraser River.
This setup is used with a sturdy rod and heavy line.
The catch and release Sturgeon fishery
is always open and always worth a try for those seeking big game in
local waters. Sturgeon
should be active with the warm weather warming up temperatures in
the river.
Cutthroat fishing is another option
expects them to be near tributary mouths and in sloughs feeding on
outgoing smolt.
Remember that if you are going sturgeon fishing you will need to
purchase a sturgeon conservation stamp even though sturgeon are not
allowed to be retained in B.C.
Stop by Dave's Sports Shop on your way up, and we'll give you all
the latest news and set you up with the gear needed to be
successful!
Vedder/Chilliwack
River - British Columbia
The Vedder River re-opens July 1st.
It will be open to the retention of chinook salmon.
The run is building from what I have heard.
Expect this run to improve as time passes.
Most of these fish should be heading up to the top of the river and
holding. There may be a
lot of fish near the hatchery.
I would try the standard float and yarn set up for these summer run
chinook. Use enough
weight so that your float is near neutrally buoyant set your lead so
that it is a few inches off the bottom and use a 2-3 ft. leader with
a 1 or 1/0 hook with a small piece of yarn.
Eggs will also work well.
I would use 12 to 15 lb. test leader and main line.
For deep slower holes it may also be worthwhile to throw some size 3, 4,
or 5 Blue Foxes or similar spinners.
Small spoons such as Dick Nites should also work.
Chehalis River
Thompson River -
British Columbia
The Thompson River is
currently closed to steelhead fishing.
More to come please check back or call us.
For updates
in the lower mainland, contact our friends at
Hub Sports in Abbotsford, (604) 859-8316
For scheduled fishery
openings and closings you can Google dfo pacific or more
specifically:
www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pages/default-e.htm-19k
For river flows Google
environment Canada river flows or more specifically:
http://scitech.pyr.ec.gc.ca/waterweb/formnav.asp?lang=0
Saltwater Area 7
Salmon: Opens July 1st.
Halibut: Closed.
Rockfish: Closed.
Lingcod: Closed Cabezon:
Opens May 1st. 20 fathom restriction applies to cabezon.
Salmon:
Opens July 1st.
From August 1st. to September 30th.
Chinook: min. size 22”, other salmon species- no min. size.
Daily limit 2 (combined).
Only one Chinook may be retained. Release wild Coho and Chum.
Please
note closures as listed in the regs.
This time of year is a good time to troll the islands for chinook.
With Fraser bound kings in the mix there is definitely
potential for some big fish.
There has not been a lot of chinook being caught this year but those
who have been putting there time in have been producing.
Trolling is still the most popular method at this time of year.
A few popular methods include fishing herring either cut plug, or in
a helmet. Spoons such as
the Coyote, Coho Killer, and Kingfisher among others in cop car,
chartreuse, or green spatter back are a few of the more popular
colors. Hootchies and
Ace Hi Flies also are excellent choices in the same colors used with
the spoons. All of these
lures are generally accompanied by a flasher or a rotating flasher.
Another method which is catching on is to attach a chain of
rotating flashers to your downrigger ball.
This added flash will definitely draw fish closer to your
presentation and enhance strikes.
When trolling in the summer also remember that the fish are not
necessarily confined to the bottom 15 ft. of the water column.
They may be suspended at any depth.
The trick as with black mouth is still finding the fish.
This can be hard considering how many nice looking spots
there are to fish but not enough fish to be at each spot.
Point Disney on Waldron, Parker Reef and Point Lawrence on
Orcas, Lummi Rocks, and Eagle Point off of Cypress are a few of the
well known spots for chinook fishing in the San Juans.
Another excellent fishery at this time of year is the near shore
fishery for silvers.
This fishery takes place from Sandy Point to Birch Point.
I have been seeing a lot of silvers off of Gooseberry point but this
spot will not open until August 16th.
When this area opens fishing can be good through out Hales
Pass particularly along the south side of Portage Island.
If there is a good return to the Nooksack then this spot is a
good one to look at.
In order to catch these fish you will want to look for jumpers in
water anywhere from 5 to 40 ft. deep.
As a guideline I
do not fish an area unless I see bait breaking the surface or fish
jumping.
There are a number of methods which work well to catch these fish.
You will want to use light gear by saltwater standards.
A heavy trout rod or a light river rod in a 7 to 10 ½ ft.
range would be ideal.
You will want to use light 8 to 12 lb. test line.
The same lures that work in the river also will work well for
beach fishing.
One of my favorite lures is a silver 2” Buzz Bomb.
Any Buzz Bomb with white on it or one of the new holographic
colors will also work.
Similar jigs such as Crippled Herring will also work well in the ½
oz. size. When using
jigs you will want to use a fast and erratic retrieve.
Lift your rod and reel in slack as the lure drops.
The majority of fish will hit on the drop.
One of the nicest things about these jigs is that they are
heavy and compact which makes the easy to cast a long ways.
Distance combined with a fast retrieve allows for a lot of
water to be covered quickly.
Spinners such as Blue Foxes or Mepps in size 3-5 will also work very
well. These lures do not
cast as far and ride high in the water column therefore you do not
need to retrieve them as quickly as jigs.
These lures spend more time in front of the fish giving them
more time to decide if they would like to take a bite.
Silver, Gold, Chartreuse, and Pink are all good colors.
Casting spoons such as Crocodiles or Little Cleos are another option
they can be retrieved slow and steady like a spinner or the can be
twitched to give them an erratic action.
I would stick with the same colors that seem to work with
spinners.
Small plastic swim baits are another option that does not come to
mind when salmon fishing.
These lures actually work quite well.
The most popular swim bait is a 3 inch Berkley Power Minnow.
The top colors are smelt, white, and shiner.
These can either be fished on a 1/0 hook with a split shot
about 2 ft. up the line or on a 1/8 to ¼ oz. jig head.
The best way to fish these is with the lightest gear that you
would comfortably want to fish.
The best action is given with an erratic retrieve consisting
of twitches and pauses.
Last but not least is trolling spoons such as Dick Nites.
Fish these with the same set up you would use on the river (6
ft. leader with a small chunk of lead).
This setup should be retrieved at a moderate speed and can be
very effective.
Fly fishing is also productive in this area.
A full sink or sink tip line would work best here and flies
which imitate small herring or candlefish are what you will want to
use. A clouser minnow in
size 6-2 is a good example.
Natural minnow colors or anything with pink, purple, or
chartreuse can also sometimes work.
This fishery should remain good from July through September.
Another fishery that can have potential is the Samish bay king
fishery which will take place when this area opens August 16th.
This is a unique fishery.
The fish are so near the river that they are not feeding yet
they will bite out of aggression.
You will need a boat for this fishery.
Lara bee State Park provides a launch nearest to the fishery.
This launch is not the best for large boats or on very low
tides.
The main action is near the mouth of the Samish River (note closure
in regs.). It is quite
shallow through here and you will have your best luck if you can
find channels. You will
want to be fishing in 10 to 30 ft. of water.
Jigs are the most popular lures, and white is the most
popular color. Medium
size jigs, 2 1/3 to 4 in., or ¾ to 3 oz, are the most popular.
You can either vertically jig or cast.
Large Blue Foxes are also popular.
Try to look for fish jumping, or fish on your depth finder.
This fishery will be good from August through the end of
September.
Halibut:
Closed
Lingcod:
Closed
Rockfish:
Closed to all harvest of rockfish.
Cabezon:
Opens May 1st
20 fathom restriction.
Cabezon are also mostly caught incidentally while fishing for
lingcod. If you are
trying to target them specifically then you will want to focus on
kelp beds and water between 20 to 80 ft. deep.
I have caught them much deeper but they seem to be abundant
in shallower water. I
have yet to discover the perfect cabezon bait, but I have found that
they will bite all the previously mentioned bait.
They seem to prefer jigs and plastics though.
Clamming:
Always Open, unless listed as closed in the regulations; or call
800-562-5632 to check for health advisories or emergency closures.
Definitely check for red tide before you dig because the beaches
have been closed to red tide for quite a few weeks.
There are still a lot of good low tides throughout the month and
into September.
Crabbing: Area 7
Crabbing is opens in area 7 south and east on July 14th.
Area 7 North opens August 11th.
Crabbing has been very good so far this year.
If you do not have a boat then you are somewhat limited as far as
your choices of where to go are concerned.
The Bellingham Ferry Terminal, Boulevard Park, and Squalicum
Harbor are options.
Later in the season the Blaine Pier is also a good option.
If you have a boat then you have a lot of choices.
Dungeness tend to prefer depths anywhere from 20 to over 100
ft. 50 to 70 ft. seems
like a good starting point.
They also seem to prefer sandy or muddy bottoms in bays and
near river mouths.
If I am crabbing out of
a boat then I like to set my pots at 5 to 10 ft. depth intervals.
Once I have found a depth that is producing well then I move
all my pots to that depth.
As far as bait goes they seem to like it fresh and they seem to like
lots of it. Salmon,
chicken, whitefish, or turkey all seems to work well.
I like to add a can of oil packed tuna, mackerel, or pink
salmon and that seems to add a lot of scent.
The next thing you have to consider is whether you would like to use
pots or rings. Hour for
hour rings will catch more crab because they are easy for the crabs
to access. If you are
not up to checking your gear every 15-30 minutes then you may prefer
pots which you will want to let sit at least an hour or more.
If you are crabbing from shore I would definitely use a ring
because the crab will have easier access to your bait.
Shrimping: Area 7
Spot prawns: Closed
Coonstripe and Pink Shrimp: Open June 1st. There
is a 200’ maximum depth to this fishery and you are allowed to use
pots with ½ inch diameter wire.
I do not know much about this type of shrimping but I would assume
that the sharp drop offs that spot prawns like would also hold these
types of shrimp as long as the water is shallower than 200’.
I would also assume that they would like to eat the same
types of food such as canned salmon, mackerel, and seafood flavored
cat food. Fish carcasses
also work well.
I do not hear much about this fishery but I know that it should be
very productive.
Freshwater – Lakes All
lakes open last Saturday in April (April 24th. this year)
unless otherwise noted in the regulations. Check regs for specific
regulations.
Baker Lake Opened April 24th this year.
Open for sockeye from July 22nd until further
notice.
There are lots of fishing opportunities at Baker
Lake, yet I do not include it in the fishing report.
I am going to mention it this month because something
interesting is happening.
For the first time ever there will be a sockeye opener on
Baker Lake.
When I first heard that they were opening very large
lake for a few thousand sockeye I was convinced that there will be a
lot of very disappointed fishermen.
It turns out that people have actually been catching fish and
some have done quite well.
The best fishing has turned out to be in the North
end of the lake near Noisy Creek.
The nearest boat launch is at Shannon Creek it is gravel but
is not to hard to launch off of.
There are two standard set ups.
People are using size 00, 0, or 1 dodgers (0 being the
preferred size.). To
this they are attaching bare red 2/0 hooks, tied with 12 to 16
inches on 30 lb leader.
These hooks are fished either plain, or with a mini pink hootchie
trimmed down with half of the legs removed.
If you do not have a dodger then a flasher will also work,
with a flasher you will want to use a longer leader between 20 to 24
inches.
The best fishing so far has come between 50 and 70
ft. Deep. I would focus
my attention on any depths that are showing lots of fish on your
finder. This is easiest
done with downriggers.
If you do not have down riggers you will want to uses between 4 to 8
ounces of lead fished between 30 to 60 pulls behind the boat.
A pull is the distance between your reel and you first guide
on your rod. This
usually measures out to about 2 ft.
The next thing to make note of is your speed.
You will want to troll between .8 and 1.2 miles per hour.
Slow is the key.
I would get out there as soon as possible.
I headed out August 1st. and it sounded like
things are already starting to slow down a little.
Cain Lake
Opens April 24th. this year.
On opening day a survey showed that 28 anglers kept
75 fish and released 32 which averaged 3.7 fish per angler.
Last year Cain Lake was planted with 6000 fish.
Cain Lake is 72 acres.
This equates to 83 fish per acre.
This year Cain Lake will be planted with 5,450 fish.
Cain Lake is 72 acres.
This equates to 75 fish per acre.
Cain Lake is a little further off the beaten path and
a rough boat launch located in a shallow bay is the only public
point of access. This
makes it a less popular lake and keeps more fish in the lake after
the first few weeks of the opening day frenzy.
Note: If
you are launching a boat over 14ft. proceed with caution.
Trolling is a good tactic on this lake.
During summer months you will definitely want to troll a
little deeper.
I have had the best results still fishing in the
North and East end of the lake.
In addition to trout there is also a healthy perch
population and a few bullhead catfish, and some very big largemouth
bass.
Fazon: Open year round.
Fazon is a 32 acre lake.
Fazon was planted with 12,885 bull trout fry last
year.
This year Fazon will be planted with 3,000 bull trout
fry.
Fishing should be very good this month with the
warming weather and longer months.
Bass fishing will improve with bass becoming more
active due to warming water temperatures.
Fish the sides of the lake with plastics or spinner baits.
As we progress into summer top waters may also become an
option. At this point
most of the bass are probably done spawning.
They tend to get a little sluggish at this time but will soon
be back to their normal habits.
The brown trout which were planted in the lake may be
on the bite. Trolling or
still fishing may be productive if a sufficient number of these fish
have grown to a catchable size.
As water temperatures warm the lakes other warm water
species will be worth targeting.
Channel and bullhead catfish are available and our best
caught with bait such as night crawlers, chicken liver or a variety
of baits which produce a lot of scent.
Adding scent, such as shrimp or anise, to your bait will also
help to up your rate of success.
Bluegill are the most abundant species in the lake
and are a good option for people who are more interested I numbers
than size. The key to
catching lots of them is using small hooks (size 10-14), and small
baits. If you want to
target bigger specimens then use bigger hooks (size 6-8) and larger
baits. This will keep
the small fish from getting hooked.
A bobber and worm fished around the edges of the lake is the
top presentation. Small
plastics 2 inches or less, or small spinners can successfully catch
the bigger bluegills. If
you give it a try without any luck it might still be a little cold
for the fish to be active yet.
Perch are also available and will be commonly found
closer to the bottom and in a little deeper water.
The same methods which work for bluegill should also work for
perch.
Padden: Opens April 24th.
Surveys show that 46 anglers kept 156 and released 15
trout averaging 3.7 fish per angler.
46 of the fish caught were triploids.
Last year Lake Padden was stocked with 17,000 rainbow
trout. Lake Padden is
152 acres. This equates
to 111 fish per acre.
Additionally Lake Padden was stocked with 8,000 cutthroat fry and
15,000 kokanee fry last year
This year Lake Padden will be planted with 11,376
rainbow trout, 3,980 triploid rainbows, and 15,000 cutthroat fry.
Lake Padden is 152 acres.
This equates to 75 rainbow trout per acre and 26 triploid
rainbow trout per acre.
Which equals 101 fish per acre altogether.
Additionally Lake Padden will be stocked with 15,000
cutthroat fry.
Triploid Rainbow trout are large, 1.5 + lb. sterile
rainbow trout.
Additionally Lake Padden was also stocked with 8,000
cutthroat fry and 15,000 kokanee fry.
Padden is probably the most popular lake for the
opener. It provides lots
of room is amply stocked and is near Bellingham.
If shore bound still fishing bait will be your best
bet. Power bait is by
far the most popular bait on the market.
That does not mean that a variety of other baits will not
also work quite well.
Eagle Claw and a few other companies make floating paste and
rubberized scented baits as well as scented marshmallows all work
well.
Your bait can be improved upon with the addition of
scent. Shrimp, Anise,
Garlic, or just about any scent added to your bait will potentially
draw fish in from a greater distance.
If you use scented marshmallows or two Power Eggs they will
have enough buoyancy to float an egg or one half of a night crawler.
This is another way of stacking the odds in your favor.
The still fishing set up is luckily very basic.
Slide a ¼ to ½ oz. egg sinker onto your line.
Use a ½ oz. sinker if you need to make a long distance cast.
Next you will want to slide on a small bead to protect your knot
from the sinker. Now tie
on a small swivel (size. 7-12).
To the other side of your swivel tie on your leader.
The length of your leader and the size of your hook are
important considerations.
Gamakatsu sells pre-tied leaders that are around 2 ft. in
length. I prefer to tie
my own leaders because I like to use a leader that is a little bit
longer (2 ½ to a little over 3 ft.).
I believe this makes the bait more visible to the trout and
guarantees that the bait is above the weeds.
As the season precedes this becomes more important because
the weeds will grow increasingly taller.
I use 4 to 6 lb. test and size 6-10 single egg hooks.
If you have a boat then trolling will definitely be
an option. This time of
year the warm weather will push the trout a little deeper.
This is not to say that they are not to be found shallower
early and late in the day.
A number of lures will work this time of year.
The bigger challenge will be finding the fish. The most
important things to consider are to go slow (.7-1.5 M.P.H.) and
troll with ¼ to ½ oz. of lead, or couple of split shot or 1 to 4
colors of leaded line.
Lure choice is the next consideration.
Many people have favorite lures and are convinced that there
favorite is the best thing going.
I would consider myself to be an example of one of those
people. My favorite lure
is a wedding ring or size 10-12 Spin-N-Glo tied on a size six double
hook setup and half a night crawler.
I really like the double hook setup because it drastically
increases my hookup ratio by up to sixty percent.
Plugs like Flatfish, Kwikfish, and Hotshots in frog, perch,
or black sparkle are popular choices in the smaller sizes.
Trolling spoons like Dick Nites, Needlefish, Miracle Lures,
and Wicked Willies in silver, gold, 50/50, green and pink among
other colors will all work quite well.
Spinners such as Rooster Tails, Mepps, and Blue Fox in small
sizes will also work quite well.
Flies such as wooly buggers, carey specials and pistol petes
are excellent choices.
Black, olive, and brown flies all work well.
In addition to trout Padden also has kokanee and
perch. Use the same
methods you would in Lake Samish but vary your depth as Padden is a
shallower lake. If you
want to fish for perch focus your efforts near the bottom with a
half of a night crawler.
Kokanee fishing should improve as the season progresses.
Perch fishing might be good from the opener on but with all
those hungry trout that have been planted they might deserve the
most attention.
I have talked to a few fishermen that are currently
catching fair numbers of kokanee on Lake Padden.
Samish Open year round.
Lake Samish is 814 acres.
Samish was planted with 315,000 kokanee fry, 50,000
cutthroat fry, and 14,000 rainbow fry last year.
This year Samish will be planted with 673,504 kokanee
fry and 92,300 rainbow fry.
Samish is one of a few lakes in the county which is
open year-round.
With the warm weather we have had it will be well
worth it to put some effort into kokanee fishing.
Fishermen have been doing excellent right now catching and
releasing well over there limit and keeping the fish they want.
The fish have not been big (6-10 in.), but they have been
plentiful. Now that it
has gotten going it should last into the summer into early fall.
The kokanee are starting to fall into their simmer
pattern of being caught in water 30 to 40 ft. deep.
I would
try trolling small dodgers with mini hootchies in pink, or size 4-6
pink streamer type flies.
Tip your lure with a kernel of corn a Berkley Gulp maggot.
Wedding rings are another good choice when tipped with bait.
I have been surprised at how much more productive hootchies
and flies have been than Wedding Rings which have previously been my
top choice for kokanee.
Dick Nites, Needlefish, or other small spoons can also work well.
Please note that if you are using these lures you will not
want to tip them with bait.
It is definitely worth a try to experiment with other colors
also. Troll slowly
(.7-1.5 mph.) and cover a broad spectrum of depths.
There are also cutthroat and a few rainbow in the
lake. Trolling is a good
tactic and fish may found throughout the water column at this time
of year. Dick Nites,
Wedding Rings with night crawlers, and flatfish, coupled with a gang
troll or dodger are all good choices.
If you are interested in chasing some of the bigger
trout in the lake it might be interesting to troll deep with
something bigger like an orange label cut plug herring or a small
Coyote Spoon. There is
definitely some large cutthroat in the lake.
When Lake Whatcom was open for cutthroat small herring and
flashers worked well.
This might be a good tactic especially if you have the license to
fish a second rod as it is always interesting to experiment.
Perch fishing should be good in the south end of the
lake in 30 to 70 feet of water.
As soon as the weather starts to warm up look to shallower
water from 10 to 40 ft. deep.
Fish right on bottom with ½ to 3 ounces of lead with a size 6
hook and half of a night crawler, this set up will also catch trout.
You can fish this set up by drifting with the wind.
If you are drifting too fast to keep good contact with the
bottom then you can throw a bucket or two over the side of the boat
to slow your drift down.
If you are using two buckets tie one to the bow and one to the
stern.
Silver Opens April 24th.
On opening day this year 192 anglers kept 316 trout
and released 113. This
averages out to 2.2 fish per angler.
Last year Silver Lake was planted with 17,000 trout.
Silver lake is 172 acres.
This equates to 98 fish per acre.
Last year Silver Lake was also planted with 8,000 cutthroat
fry.
This year Silver Lake will be planted with 15,824
rainbow trout. Silver
Lake is 172 acres this equates to 92 fish per acre.
This year Silver Lake will also be planted with 38,000
cutthroat trout.
Fish Silver Lake the same way you would Lake Padden.
In addition to rainbow trout Silver Lake also has cutthroat
trout. Cutthroat are
often caught nearer to the bottom than rainbows.
They also seem to have a soft spot for night crawlers.
Largemouth bass are present in the lake and can be
caught as the weather warms.
The South end of the lake is the shallowest and will warm the
quickest. I have not
fished this lake for bass.
It is quite a clear lake so I believe using light line (6-8
lb. test) and small presentations would provide the best results.
In addition to providing excellent fishing Silver
Lake also has a public park which offers camping, cabins, and boat
rentals. For details
contact Silver Lake Park at (360) 599-2776.
Squalicum Lake Open year around.
Sqaulicum Lake is 33 acres.
Last year Squalicum was planted with 165 triploid rainbow in
April.
This year Squalicum will be planted with 162 triploid
rainbow and 2,750 tiger trout fry.
Tiger trout are a brown trout and brook trout hybrid in May.
I have heard
very good reports of people catching trout on this year around fly
fishing only lake.
Terrell
Open year
round.
Terrell Lake covers 438 acres.
Lake Terrell was planted with 820 triploid rainbow
trout last April and May.
This year Terrell will be planted with 820 triploid
rainbow and 52,000 cutthroat fry in April and May.
Bass fishing has been productive recently with the
warm temperatures getting the bass active.
Spinner baits are excellent for seeking out
aggressive fish. They
can be retrieved quickly which allows you to thoroughly cover a lot
of water. Black,
chartreuse, and white are the most popular colors.
Plastics are another excellent choice.
Patience is the key with plastics because you will be slowly
and deliberately fishing them.
Keeping this in mind and based on the fact that you will be
covering a smaller amount of water you will want to fish them in the
likeliest places to hold fish.
Senkos, 7” Berkley Plastics and a variety of other soft
plastics will work well.
Natural colors such as black, brown, and motor oil are among the
most productive.
Weedless lead head jigs are another good choice for
bass. Adding a pork rind
or soft plastic trailer will add action and bulk to your jig.
This gives bass a bigger bite, adds action and slows the
descent of the jig. Fish
these along the bottom lifting your rod to hop it off the bottom and
then letting it fall back to the bottom.
Black and brown are the most popular colors.
This time of year top waters will also be an option.
Buzzbaits, poppers and shallow diving plugs such as Rapala
Minnows are only a few of many top waters which will work.
Top waters will work best when fished early and late in the
day or on overcast days when bas are most aggressive.
As we approach the warm summer months night fishing
also becomes an option.
This fishing is exhilarating when you use top waters because they
will often explosively attack your lure.
This is a great technique for all bass lakes during the
summer as bass tend toward nocturnal feeding during times of extreme
heat and days with lots of traffic on the lakes.
Toad Opened
April 24th.
On opening day this year 43 anglers surveyed kept 110
trout and released 101.
This averages 4.9 fish per angler.
Anglers caught significantly more fish on the opener
than any other lake in Whatcom County.
Last year Toad Lake was planted with 5500 trout.
Toad Lake is 30 acres.
This equates to 183 fish per acre.
Last year Toad Lake was also planted with 10,000
kokanee fry.
This year Toad Lake will also be planted with 4004
rainbow trout and 1,320 triploid rainbow trout.
Toad Lake is 30 acres this equates to 133 rainbow trout per
acre and 44 triploid rainbow per acre.
Altogether that is 177 fish per acre.
This makes Toad Lake the most densely populated lake by far
this year.
Toad Lake is an excellent producer.
It had the highest catch rate per angler on opening day last
year.
The biggest downfall of Toad Lake is its poor bank
access and shoddy boat launch.
This is an asset to the fishery because it keeps pressure low
on the lake.
Limited bank access is available on the southwest end
of the lake. This access
includes a boat launch and a fishing dock.
This time of year the trout will be located in deeper
water than the spring.
Toad Lake is fairly deep for its size which is a
bonus for bank fishermen because long casts are not necessary to
reach the fish. If you
are shore bound then fishing a bobber and worm or floating bait off
the bottom on a slip rig will produce results.
If you are fishing from a boat then trolling works
very well. If you are
still fishing I have found that the fish tend to concentrate on the
narrower East and West ends of the lake.
Konkani are also present in the lake.
I do not know much about how to catch them but I would
suspect that slowly trolling a dodger and mini hootchie with corn or
a small pink fly with corn or a Berkley Gulp Maggot should also
work. I would suspect
that the deepest parts of the lake would prove most productive.
Anchoring and still fishing a natural or artificial maggot
and a single egg might also work.
Whatcom Opens April 24th.
Last year Lake Whatcom Whatcom planted with 4,510,400
kokanee fry.
This year Whatcom will be planted with 4,519,800
kokanee.
Lake Whatcom is the largest lake in the County
covering 5,003 acres.
Lake Whatcom has a wide variety of fish available
including kokanee, cutthroat trout (which you cannot fish for),
smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, perch, bluegill and more.
Kokanee, smallmouth, and perch are the most sought after fish
in the lake.
Kokanee:
As the lake opens the North end of the lake will be the most
productive for kokanee.
This end is the shallowest and will warm the quickest.
Strawberry Point is always a known producer.
As the season progresses the kokanee fishing will improve
further south in the lake.
This time of year kokanee should be spread throughout
the lake. There are
still quite a few on the surface but I would definitely start
looking for them to be deeper as the season progresses.
As far as techniques I would refer to the tips
provided for fishing Lake Samish.
Lake Whatcom is an excellent smallmouth lake and has
been referred to as one of the best smallmouth lakes in the state.
There are so many bass fishing techniques that it
would be easy to write a couple of books about it.
I will try to cover the basics.
The fishing will be best in the northern part of the
lake early in the season.
As the season progresses smallmouth fishing will improve
throughout the lake. The
North end will be the most productive throughout the season.
Smallmouth will be found near structure such as weed
lines, docks, pilings, and rock piles.
This time of year the bass will be leaving deep water and
preparing to spawn. The
best places to find these fish before and during the spawn are near
gravel beds. Gravel beds
near structure will hold the most fish.
Areas near drop offs are also good as the fish will
be transitioning from deep to shallower water.
Fishing four inch tubes, or three to five inch grubs
on a 1/8 to ¼ oz jig head is a good option and covers a lot of
water.
Four inch Senkos, straight or curly tailed worms also
work well Texas rigged and hopped along the bottom.
Perch are abundant in Lake Whatcom and quite easy to
catch. The North end is
the place to start with fishing getting better throughout the lake
as the season progresses.
Perch are structurally oriented fish much like bass.
Weed lines, drop-offs, docks, and pilings are all good places
to find them.
A bobber and worm is a great way to catch trout.
As a bonus you will often catch smallmouth bass, and
cutthroat trout (you must release all cutthroat trout).
Use a size 6 hook and half a night crawler with a split shot
or two about 18 inches up the hook.
Set your bait so that it is about a foot off the bottom.
Productive bait is a thin strip of perch meat with the skin
attached. This works
well and will not fall off the hook as easily.
If you are fishing deeper water then fishing a worm
off of a dropper will work best.
To tie a dropper rig slide a size 6 hook about 18-24” up your
line tie it to your line with an overhand knot.
At the end of your line tie on a sinker heavy enough to stay
on the bottom. Now you
can either wind drift or anchor up.
If you anchor and are not sure where the fish are then it
might be good to drift until you find fish and then anchor up.
Wiser Open year round.
Wiser lake covers 103 acres.
Bass fishing should get very good this month.
This is a good time of year to be out bass fishing
because the warm weather will be getting the bass active and the
weeds are not too thick in the lake yet.
As the weather warms the bullhead catfish will become
active and are quite easy to catch fishing a night crawler off the
bottom.
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