Fishing Report
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Freshwater Rivers British Columbia, CA Saltwater Local Lakes
FISHING REPORT
Submitted by Eli Michael
September 2010
September is an excellent fishing month.
Crabbing will last until the end of the month.
Silvers will start to show in the saltwater, kings are still
around. The lakes will
get better for trout with the cooling weather.
Bass and other warm water species will begin to approach fall
feed mode. My favorite
part of September is the river fisheries that open up this month for
coho and chinook.
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.
I apologize if the report has not been fully revised this month.
Things have been very busy.
I figured it would be better to send a less than full report
out late than a thorough report later.
I don’t think it would help much to get the September report
by October.
Thank you for your patience with the late report this month.
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
September 1st. for salmon.
This year we are allowed an addition 2 hatchery coho.
Check regulations for details.
There should be salmon in the river as soon as it opens.
The biggest issue at this time of year will be water clarity.
The Nooksack tends to run on the muddy side and can be pretty
murky when warm weather creates snow melt.
If the river is on the muddy side then plunking eggs with a
spin-and-glo or drifting eggs will be your best choice.
When the river is off color fish will run the sides of the
river in shallow water so look for fish to be right up against the
shoreline in the deeper stretches of the river.
When the river is running clear then hardware is probably your best
choice. Dick Nites and
other similar spoons as well as Blue Foxes or other similar spinners
are the most popular lures.
These lures will work best if there is 2 ft. visibility or
better.
Look for active fish.
If you see fish jumping then you know they are there.
Just because they are there does not mean they will be easy
to catch however.
The best way to stack the odds in your favor is to be persistent and
keep trying new colors and sizes of lures and try to fish early and
late in the day or on over cast days.
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.
This stretch of river will not open for salmon until October
1st.
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 will not open for salmon until October
1st.
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.
This stretch of river will not open for salmon until October
1st.
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.
This stretch of river will open September 1st. for
salmon fishing. This
year we are allowed 3 silvers (12 inch minimum).
Release chinook and chum.
This stretch of river will have silvers as soon as the river opens.
In recent years the Skagit has seemed to run a little extra
on the murky side early on.
If it is murky plunk eggs or fish somewhere else.
If it has at least 2 ft. of visibility then you will want to
throw hardware for them.
The Skagit can be an excellent river for coho and has a lot of
access so it is quite user friendly.
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.
Opens for salmon from September 1st to December 31st.
I would fish this stretch of river the same as the lower river as it
has similar flows and structure.
This stretch of river may also have cutthroat and sturgeon.
Skagit River:
From Gilligan Creek to Dalles Bridge at Concrete
Opens June 1st.
Opens for salmon September 16th.
This stretch of river is higher gradient than the lower river.
It is more suited to drift boats and sleds unlike the lower
river which is slow and deep enough to be suitable for propeller
driven boats.
This stretch of river should have more defined holes and holding
water than the lower river.
Tossing spinners or spoons should work well in this stretch
of river as will drift fishing eggs or fishing them under a float.
If you find slow deep holes then it is definitely worth while
to cast and retrieve jigs with a slow jigging motion.
This technique is known as twitching a jig.
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.
Opens for salmon from September 16th to December
31st
This stretch of river should be similar to the last stretch of river
so I would fish it the same way.
There should be some dolly varden in this stretch of river
Skagit River:
From 530 Bridge at Rockport to Cascade River.
Opens June 1st.
Opens for silvers from September 1st. to December
31st.
I would fish this stretch for silvers the same way I would fish the
last stretch of river.
I would bet that early in the season there should be a lot of fish
holding in the lower river.
That is not to say that there will not be fish up higher.
One factor that will drive fish up higher is rain.
If we get a lot of rain then fish should start to push
upriver.
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.
Opens for salmon September 16th. to November 30th.
Min. size 12” daily limit 4 coho only
There should be a few coho in the system when this river opens but
expect it to build into October.
Again rains will definitely jumpstart this fishery.
This river is small and is only open for a small stretch this makes
it easy to find the fish which is nice.
The problem is that every one else can easily find them also.
That being said it can get a bit crowded.
Often times all of the fish will be confined to a few holes.
Fishing eggs under a float is the most popular approach and is a
good way to cover a lot of water.
If you do not have eggs then a float and yarn can work well
too. Light colors like
peach or cotton candy can work well.
It seems to work well to throw in a little white for
contrast.
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
ALL BC RIVERS REQUIRE SINGLE BARBLESS HOOKS
Fraser River - British Columbia
As of July 30th. there is no size restriction on chinook.
The Fraser opened for sockeye in August and is still opened this
month until further notice.
This year has been fantastic for sockeye.
It is estimated that this run is the biggest since 1913.
I think it caught fishermen off guard considering the poor
returns of the past few years.
Chinook have been more hit or miss.
This may have a lot to do with the volume of sockeye.
It is hard to catch chinook when you are spending all your
time dealing with sockeye.
For chinook you can either catch them by flossing or bar fishing.
With the low clarity of the Fraser flossing so far has been
the only tried and true method for the sockeye.
The most popular technique (flossing) involves a 1 ½ oz to 4 oz.
lead ball on a dropper and a 10 to 14 ft leader.
The 15 to 25 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 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.
This month should mark the beginning of the fall run fishery
on the Vedder. The fall
salmon run on the Vedder consists of chinook, coho , and chum.
This fishery can be nothing short of remarkable when
conditions are right and fish are in the system.
What we need this month is a good rain.
If this happens then we should see the first of the coho and
chinook pushing into the system.
I would focus on the lower river and canal section as this is
where the fish will begin to show as they hold out for the river
flows to increase.
One interesting thing about the Vedder is the way it is fished.
Almost everybody in every hole is using a float and yarn
(known as wool in B.C.) setup.
The main r3eason is because it works so well and every year
there seems to be more people south of the border picking up on this
technique.
The setup is as follows:
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 4 to 2 hook for coho, and a 1 or 1/0
hook for chinook, either size is coupled with a small piece of yarn.
Eggs will also work well.
I would use 8 to 10 lb. test leader for coho or 12 to 15 lb.
for chinook. If you use
heavier gear it is not impossible to hook chinook just less likely.
Popular colors are peach, cotton candy, and white.
Chartreuse and white can also work at times.
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.
There have been a few fish caught near the Indian Village and in
Samish Bay. These areas
can be good at this time of year for Samish bound kings.
Vertical jigging is a particularly good technique in these
areas with 2 to 4 ounce jigs with white being a good color.
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.
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.
Fishing should improve this month with cooler weather conditions.
Fish should still be found deep but may also start to move
into shallower water.
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.
Expect fishing to improve as the shorter cooler days prompt the fish
to put on some weight before the cool weather sets in.
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.
Expect fishing to heat up this month with the onset of cooler
weather and shorter days.
Fish should still be deep but may begin moving shallower with
the cooler weather.
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.
The kokanee are starting to fall into their summer pattern of being
caught in water 30 to 40 ft. deep.
As fall approaches kokanee will probably start stacking up
around creek mouths in preparation for there fall spawning run.
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 a small herring and
flasher 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. They
should remain at this depth throughout the month.
They will probably not start going deeper until October.
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.
As with all the other lakes we can expect fishing to improve as fish
will begin to feed heavily in preparation for fall.
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.
I went camping at Silver Lake a couple weeks ago thinking of all the
better places I could be fishing.
I also was thinking about how uncooperative the fish must be
with the warm weather we have been having.
One thing about life is that it is best to enjoy what you get
when you can get it.
Fishing was quite good actually for medium size cutthroat.
The fish seemed to be near the bottom in 25 ft. of water.
Slow trolling flies like wooly buggers and carey specials
were producing the best results.
Another excellent technique was anchoring and fishing
nightcrawlers suspended about a foot off the bottom.
Fishing seemed to be notably better towards the north end of
the lake.
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.
Fishing should improve this month as shorter cooler days let the
fish know it is time to put on some pounds for the long winter.
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.
Don’t be surprised if the y begin to move shallower with
cooling water conditions.
Expect fishing to improve this month with cooling water
temperatures.
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.
Kokanee 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 was splanted 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.
Fall feed time. Look
for kokanee to begin congregating around creek mouths possible
towards the end of the month as fall nears.
Small mouth fishing can be at it’s best this time of year.
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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