Fishing Reports for January 7

By on January 6, 2016

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Washington

Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco)

no report this week

Marine Area 2 (Westport)

no report this week

Marine Area 3 (LaPush and Forks)

no report this week

Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay)

no report this week

Marine Area 5 (Sekiu)

no report this week

Marine Area 6

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) predicts “Fair” prospects for Chinook and “Poor” prospect for Coho during January in Marine Area 6.

Marine Area 7

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Fishing has been great in area 7. We went 5/5 Tuesday averaging 12 lbs. a few wild. Cold and windy but worth it!

Report submitted by Team Rod Dog Arches

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The weather has been fishable in the San Juans, and there have been some fish around. Not big numbers of fish, but a few larger ones. Hopefully it will pick up.

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

Marine Area 8.1

no report this week

Marine Area 8.2

no report this week

Marine Area 9 (Admirality Inlet)

no report this week

Marine Area 10

no report this week

Marine Area 11

The salmon fishing is currently closed in area 11 but area 13 from the Tacoma Narrows bridge south is open for salmon fishing. The few reports that I have been getting indicates slow fishing recently, try trolling Pt. Gibson, Green Pt. and the mouth of Wollochet Bay also mooching Pt. Gibson can be productive.

Crabbing is now closed.

Squid fishing has slowed but there are still some squid being caught.

Report submitted by Point Defiance Marina. For more information contact: Art Tachell, Boathouse Marina Technician, 253.591.5325 art@tacomaparks.comwww.pointdefiancemarina.com.

Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal)

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) predicts “Fair” prospects for Cutthroat during January in Marine Area 12.

Marine Area 13

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) predicts “Fair” prospects for Coho, and “Poor” prospects for Cutthroat during January in Marine Area 13.

Freshwater – Grays Harbor Rivers

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Winter Steelheading is full speed now that the rivers have finally dropped into fishable conditions!!!   We’re catching 95% hatchery steelhead but have seen a few wilds and even a few late coho in the mix.
This winters return of hatchery steelhead is the strongest so far that I’ve seen in a few years and we’re very excited!!!
We have a few more weeks of prime fishing for keeper steelhead before the All Rivers & Saltwater team switches over to CPR fishing (catch, pic, release) for those majestic wild steelhead!
Drifting cured eggs or small steelhead jigs under a float are the way to go right now!

Report submitted by Mark Coleman, All River and Saltwater Charters; 425-736-8920. The cover image of this week’s fishing reports was also submitted by Mark.

Freshwater – Lake Washington

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The cold snap the past couple of days has had some effect on the fishing – not to mention trying to dig a few worms in my frozen yard to tip my lures.  I must have been the idiot on the water the other day.  It was rainy, cold and the fog rolled in.  Three hours of fishing produced one 17.5″ cutthroat trout that took a small, worm tipped Needlefish spoon.  The fish were there. I was marking them up top on my fish finder.  There was bait and there were perch down low.  I even saw one fish break the surface near a dock in shore and come straight out of the water chasing bait.  I’ve talked to other kayak fishermen and their results seem to be the same.  It may be time for a trip to Lake  Sammamish to try for the cutthroat there that seem to be easier to catch this time of year.  Just don’t forget to clip your barbs on this lake (single barbless hooks only) January 1st through April 30th.

Submitted by Brad Hole, Kayak Fishing Washington, 206-313-5567kayakfishingwashington.com. The cover image of this week’s fishing reports was also submitted by Brad. 

Freshwater – Potholes Reservoir

Since last week nothing has changed. We have midnight temperatures at zero and just today up to the 20s. The edges of Potholes are freezing but too thin to walk on. Moses has thicker ice and at times several fishermen are ice fishing with primarily perch being caught. They are in their spawning mod, loaded with and not getting much of a fillet. I did hear of a fisherman that went through the ice on Moses. Be careful!  Most fishermen are using Swedish Pimples in the small sizes and baited with a maggot. Limit on perch is 25.
Field hunting for geese has been successful if you have done your home work. With both activities dress warm as these low temperatures do penetrate.
Report submitted by Tom Pollack.

British Columbia

Vancouver

no report this week

Vancouver Island (Saltwater)

no report this week

Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound

no report this week

Bamfield

no report this week

Becher Bay

Salmon fishing was GOOD for anglers in East Sooke. Anglers were out but some springs did get caught. Anglers were reporting good success in the bay and close to the marina. Many of the springs were on the small side, 2 to 7 lbs, but there are some larger than that being caught. Anchovies in glow teaser heads have been very effective in luring the winter springs. Spoons, such as the G-Force and Skinny G, in the Bon Chovy or Irish Cream colours were effective. For flashers, the Lemon Lime and the Purple Onion have been good.

Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com

Oak Bay
Salmon fishing was FAIR this past week. Most salmon were caught when fishing with lures right on the bottom (60-110 ft) on the Flats and by the Gap. The fish were hitting needlefish spoon and squirts. G-force and Skinny G spoons in No Bananas and Outfitter colours worked just fine. Coho Killers in Gold Nugget and Green Splatterback have been pretty productive too. The best flasher has been the Gibbs Lemon Lime and the Bon Chovy.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com

Pedder Bay

Salmon fishing was GOOD this past weekend but not many anglers were out fishing. Those who did go out caught fish that were mostly in the 5-7 lb range. Most of the fish were caught close to the bottom in 120-150 feet of water inside the bay by the Navy Buoy. The trolling pattern has been to do figure eights between the Deep Hole and the Can buoy. The anglers are fishing close to the bottom are often bouncing the downrigger balls on the bottom. Small spoons, such as the G-Force, Coyote and Gypsy, in the glow and/or any bright colours were very effective. Hootchies and squirts also produced well. Flashers that remain popular include Glow green, Lemon-Lime and Purple Onion. And you can’t go wrong fishing anchovies in a Bloody Nose teaser.

Halibut fishing was GOOD over the last few days of the season. Halibut fishing is closed during January.

Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com

Sidney

Salmon fishing was FAIR near Sidney, but very few anglers have been out. We did hear of a 9 lb spring caught near Coal island and an 8.5 lb spring near Fairfax. Most of the winter springs have been short of the minimum size for retention in previous weeks and there are quite a few of them around. Most anglers are fishing using anchovies in Bloody Nose and UV Green teaser heads. Coho Killer spoons have also been working well, especially in double glow and Gold Nugget. Prawning has been quite slow in Saanich Inlet as well.

Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com

Sooke

The salmon fishing was GOOD recently but very few anglers were out fishing. There are lots of undersize springs off Sooke right now but also larger keepers. The 3”-4” Coyote, Gypsy and G-Force spoons, as well as hoochies, are the top choices for Sooke anglers. G-Force spoons in Outfitters, Irish Cream and No Bananas have been very popular. Hoochies in White Glow, Army Truck and Tiger Prawn have been catching their fair number of fish. The most popular flashers recently have been the Purple Onion, the Gibbs Outfitter and the Lemon Lime.

Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com

Ucuelet

no report this week

Victoria

Fishing for salmon was GOOD off Victoria. The salmon are all along the waterfront from Esquimalt to Trial Island and out at Constance Bank. We did hear of fish as large as 12 lbs near being caught, but most were in the 5 -7 lb size range. Constance Bank has been good when it wasn’t blowing too hard. Unfortunately, seals are once a problem. Anchovies, spoons and squirts were successful in getting hook ups. Bloody Nose and Purple Haze have been the most popular colors for teaser heads. Good choices in plastic baits are the Electric Chair, Purple Haze and White Glow. Coho Killers, AP Needlefish, G Force and Coyote spoons in Green Splatterback, Moon Glow and glow white & green colours have also been good. The Purple Onion and Bon Chovy flashers have been popular recently.

Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com

Cowichan River
Water levels have been dropping fairly steadily and clearing since it blew out on December 13th.  Today the water level is 1.25 meters near the lake and 1.17 meters near Duncan. Winter steelheading is now the focus on the river. We’ve heard of increasing numbers of steelhead being caught and released in the river recently, mostly in the Riverbottom area. The Riverbottom and Bible Camp area has been the best area to fish. For steelhead, good lures to fish are Spin ‘n Glo’s, Beads and yarn, Gooey Bobs and the always reliable Pink Worm. Fly fishing for trout at the top end of the river has been good.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com

Lakes

Fishing is FAIR in most lakes. Wild rainbows and cutthroats over 50 cm must be released in Cowichan Lake, but the fishing has been good for these large trout. Bass fishing is VERY SLOW. Fishing drop shot style is your best bet now. Soft plastics rigged “Carolina Style “are also a good choice when fishing the bottom, drop offs and reefs, and have been most productive in 4” Smoke or Pumpkinseed Yum baits. Langford Lake, Shawnigan Lake, Prospect Lake and Elk and Beaver Lakes are the best local bass lakes. St. Mary’s Lake on Salt Spring Island is also a great lake for bass fishing.

Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com

Stamp River

no report this week

Oregon

Tillamook Bay

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reports that catch-and-release for sturgeon may be good and recommends fishing the channel edges on the outgoing tides.

Great Lakes

Lake Michigan

no report this week

Salmon University Staff
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