September 30th marks the end of the 2015 ocean salmon season. Fishing has slowed with this weekend’s catch being down quite a bit from weeks past. However. there are still some good fish out there. As we reach this point in the season we always look back on how it was and wish we had made a few more trips, but many times life just gets in the way.

This  past weekend was the annual Salmon Tales festival and a great time was had by all. Thanks to Mike Coverdale for his leadership in making this event a success. If you missed it, put it on your calendar for 2016. It is always the last weekend in September.

There is still quite a bit of fishing to be done here in Westport before we all pack up the boats and break out the steelhead rods and the hunting supplies. The Johns River fishery is really picking up with a number of nice Coho being brought in and stories of some really big Chinook being released. You can not retain Kings in this fishery… that’s a rant for another day. Use a three-way swivel and a dropper weight in front of an inline flasher herring combo for this. It seems like the color red works best in this fishery. Some people will use divers instead of of a lead weight, this works just as well.

Fishing is really starting to pick up in the Marina too. I saw an eight-pound Nickel bright coho a couple of days ago. Fishing in the Boat Basin is best on an incoming tide. Use Spinners or Fresh Anchovies under a bobber is working as well.Tuna fishing is still ongoing but with this Super moon it has pushed the bite later in the day. We are finding the fish at 40 to 45 miles and it is pretty much a bait show at this point. Look for signs on the surface like birds working. Once you get the fish to the surface it is Game on!!With just a few more days left and the weather looking good this week I would certainly try to get one more day in before the end.  Have Fun, be Safe, and we will see you in Westport.

Report by Kevin Lanier, owner of KC Sportfishing Charters 425-328-8558, President PSA Ocean Anglers, VP PSA State Board. Photos by Cyndi Lanier, Owner of Dockside Art,Gifts,and Tackle Westport Wa. 425-328-8559.

Marine Area 3 (LaPush and Forks)

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has estimated “Fair” prospects for Chinook and “Excellent” prospects for Coho in Marine Area 3 during the month of September.

Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay)

Marine Area 5 (Sekiu)

Marine Area 7

Team Kaylee took top prize in the derby with a Chinook of almost 14lbs. Pretty boat, and pretty darn good fishing platform.

Salmon fishing has cooled off somewhat in the San Juans. October 1^st goes to clipped only Chinook retention, but we will be able to keep unclipped Coho. Winter Crab opens October 1^st as well.

This past weekend, Ranger Tugs and Cutwater boats asked me to do a guest speaking appearance on summer salmon fishing in the San Juans at their Roche Harbor Rendezvous. This is the largest boat manufacturer rendezvous on the West Coast, and Roche Harbor’s biggest rendezvous event as well. It was great to meet a lot of Cutwater and Ranger Tug owners, and help them get into the sport of salmon fishing. Anytime people can learn something that will make them more successful recreational fishers, it will help them get more involved in recreational fishing, and hopefully, recreational fishing issues. We had an informal fishing derby after the seminar, and even though catching had slowed down quite a bit, a good time was had by all. Thanks to Silver Horde, King’s Marine, and Roche Harbor Market for the awesome derby prizes. Good times, great boats, and good people!

Submitted by Kevin Klein, Fidalgo-SanJuan Islands Chapter PSA, CCA Northsound.

Marine Area 8.1

Lack of rain is keeping the Coho milling about in front of the rivers. A slow troll with a finned Pro-Troll Flasher is providing good catches of 5-8 lb Coho. A good rain should attract the bigger coho in from the Straits.

Marine Area 8.2

When weather permits (wind) most anglers are doing well. The Coho are not as big as they are normally at this time of year. But, many more are yet to come in and the size should go up dramatically.

Marine Area 9 (Admirality Inlet)

“The Silver Sliders are SMALL!”  I am not sure why, but the average Coho this year is averaging only 4 pounds.  Yes, a few larger ones are being reported but most are in the 3 to 5 pound range.  Hopefully the big fat teeners will be arriving for an Octoberfest in the Sound.

The good news is that the “catching” has been steady with many fish reports coming from Double Bluff to the West side of Possession.  Find the rips…find the fish.

See you on the water !

Report submitted by Nelson “Spud” Goodsell – Salmon for Soldiers, IGFA Life Member, FISHTALE2

Marine Area 10

Marine Area 11

Andrew Maul with 2 nice coho caught on the Gig Harbor Shore line trolling herring

The salmon fishing has been fair; mostly Coho in the 3lb. to 6lb. range with a couple to 9lb. The best areas have been from Dash Pt. to the mouth of the Puyallup River in real close to the beach with light gear trolling a herring plug cut or strip.  This fishery is also a great opportunity for fly fishermen.

Another area is the Gig Harbor shoreline from Pt. Richmond all the way south to Pt. Fosdick. I have had reports of Coho being caught all along the shore. A lot of the Coho have been caught in 20-feet of water or less!

Squid have been caught in small numbers but this is a great sign for the fall/winter squidding.

Point Defiance Marina Spring Swap Meet
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2015
Time: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Location: Point Defiance Marina
5412 No. Waterfront Drive
Tacoma, WA 98407
Cost -$15 for a 10X10 booth space/table rental $5.00 (3) Covered Space will be limited…A great way to clear up your lockers or garages with tackle and gear others may really need. No firearms, bullets, tobacco, or alcohol products

Great prices and good variety of items for the entire family

Basic Fishing for Youth Ages 8+ and a parent/guardian
Saturday, October 17 from 10 am to 12 noon
Point Defiance Marina
Learn about basic freshwater and saltwater angling.
Great way for a parent to learn along with their child about regulations, knots, tackle, bait, and techniques of fishing to better enjoy our lakes, rivers, and Puget Sound
For more info genea@tacomaparks.com or 25-59-5325

Report submitted by Point Defiance Marina. For more information contact: Art Tachell, Boathouse Marina Technician, 253.591.5325 art@tacomaparks.com www.pointdefiancemarina.com. The cover image of this week’s fishing reports was also submitted by the Point Defiance Marina and features Gene Anderson with a 3 and 8 pound coho caught trolling herring.

Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal)

no report this week

Marine Area 13

no report this week

Freshwater – Columbia River

At Buoy 10 and above, hatchery Coho catches have slowed, perhaps a good rain would help. Hanford Reach, meanwhile, has seen excellent salmon fishing. 5,993 fall Chinook were caught last week. So far this season 13, 778 adult Chinook and 715 Jacks have been caught.

Freshwater – Potholes Reservoir

No winds and pleasant weather blessed us this past week at Potholes. It is the time of year without crowded boat ramps. Three ramps are still useable with this low water, typical for this time of year: at the state park, Mardons, and the ramp at the east end of the dam being the Glen Williams ramp. Walleye are still being caught in good numbers with many fishermen now going to blade baits. Without easy access to the area back in the dunes, due to low water, a good place to fish is at the whale bones, just about centered in front of the dunes. Be careful as there are shallow spots where you can be grounded as I was Labor day weekend. Also, the dam face and up into Linn Coulee have been good any time of the day. I checked out the ramp at Soda lake last night and found the north ramp in now useable. Access from the north into Long Lake is still closed because of fire danger.

Report submitted by Tom Pollack.

British Columbia

Vancouver

Luke with a beauty

We have had some excellent fishing this week in local Vancouver waters.   Solid numbers of big  chinook  in the 15 to 35 pound range have been making their way into the Fraser River.  As a result there has been some good periods of activity off the North Arm, T 10 and Sandheads!  Looks like we are going into a stable weather pattern for the next 7  days with quite a bit of sunshine and calm waters forecasted.

Nice limit of Fraser River Mouth Kings

The last few days have been very active off the Fraser River Mouth.   Most of the action has been in Crab Pot Bay and Sandheads, but there has also been some good flurries of activity off the North Arm, Iona and T 10.   We have been landing primarily larger chinook in the 15 to 30 pound range, but we have also seen some wild and hatchery coho, the odd chum salmon, and even a few late pink salmon.  These migratory fish as per usual have been coming in waves, so persistence is often required to put fish in the boat.  There has also been chinook salmon off the Capilano River Mouth and we have been having  success there as well.

These later run fish are most effectively targeted by running anchovies in teaser heads behind flashers.  We have been having our best success on green/chartreuse/glow Rhys Davis Teaser Heads and Gibbs Delta Guide Series Flashers like the STS, Madi, Bon Chovy, and Lemon Lime.   Productive depths off the Fraser River Mouth have been from 30 to 90 feet and 80 to 100 feet off the Mouth of the Capilano.  Our tackle shop on Granville Island is open daily and we have lots of bait in stock and all the right tackle for fishing in Vancouver.  Please stop in for the right gear for local waters and up to date reports!

G and the girls with a 30 pounder!

Right now an 8 hour trip down to the South Arm of the Fraser River is a really good bet!   On our half-day trips we will primarily look at fishing the flood tide off the Capilano River.  Definitely some good options for the last few weeks of our migratory salmon fishery.  Things will likely slow right down for salmon in Vancouver waters around October 15th.  After that we will have to wait for the first winter chinook salmon of the year later in November and December!  Sturgeon fishing in the Fraser River will continue to be productive in October and November.

For more info call Jeff or Jason at Bon Chovy Fishing Charters (604) 763-5460 bonchovy.com email: info@bonchovy.com.

Vancouver Island (Saltwater)

no report this week

Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound

no report this week

Bamfield

Becher Bay

Oak Bay

Pedder Bay

Sidney

Sooke

Ucuelet

Victoria

Cowichan River

Lakes

Stamp River

Oregon

Tillamook Bay

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) reports that fall Chinook are available in tidewater in increasing numbers and that some hatchery coho are making their way through tidewater and into the lower river. Occasional summer steelhead are still being caught. Fishing for cutthroat trout is fair to good. The hatchery hole area is closed to all fishing through Oct. 15. In addition, the Dam Hole (near MP 7 on Trask River Road) is closed through November.

Great Lakes

Lake Michigan