Fishing Reports for September 6
Washington
Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco)
no report this week
Marine Area 2 (Westport)
Marine Area 3 (LaPush and Forks)
no report this week
Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay)
no report this week
Marine Area 5
no report this week
Marine Area 6
no report this week
Marine Area 7
Ken Christensen landed a dandy while fishing out of Snug Harbor Resort on San Juan Island.
Fishing for Chinook salmon has been fair to good depending on when and where you are in the San Juan Islands. It might be a hot bite in the morning and then nothing the rest of the day, or just a bite that turns on like a light switch around the tide change. I’ve hear of success as shallow as 50 ft. down on the downrigger counter in the morning to as deep as 220 ft. at mid day. You have to be ready to adapt. We’ve had our best luck on glow hootchies 36″ behind a green flasher. The Silver Horde Kingfisher Lite Two Faced spoons in 3.5 to 4″ have been working too. I like 46-48″ of leader between flasher and spoon. I use 30 lb test this time of year. You never know when Mr. Forty Pounder will come knockin’. And, these fish aren’t line shy.
Pinks are around, but not in the huge numbers as in odd years past. Coho must be released. Atlantic salmon are still in the San Juans but have grown more wary and have spread out. We’ve seen reports from as far South as Tacoma, West to Neah Bay and All around Vancouver Island. If you catch one, keep it. It’s up to you if you’re going to eat it our not, but it’s good to at least get them out of the water. My guess is that this whole incident won’t cause much harm to the ecosystem. It’s happened before without much publicity or negative results. However, I don’t think it’s a good thing that these fish are in waters that they aren’t native to, and I don’t think we should push our luck now, or in the future. I hope we’ll now see change for the better.
Submitted by Kevin Klein, Team Parker Boats NW.
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
The Moser boys do it again … the “catching” was very good once again in Area 10 this Holiday weekend.
Many reports coming in from Kingston and also the South Edmonds Area. Stay out in the rips and troll fast and those clipped Coho will be filling up your cooler in no time. Ace High Flies on short heavy (30-40) leaders have been working well.
Report submitted by Nelson “Spud” Goodsell – Salmon for Soldiers, IGFA Life Member, FISHTALE2.
Marine Area 11
Marine Area 12
no report this week
Freshwater – Lake Chelan
no report this week
Freshwater – Potholes Reservoir
This three-day weekend was epic for me and my family here at Potholes with the falling of the water levels. I do know how to access the dunes area at the extreme level of the water. In three days we caught and released countless numbers of bass as with the water dropping the fish are moving out of the dunes area. We fished about a mile up in the dunes fishing not only structure but the edges of the dunes with a sharp drop. Often we were catching our fish in a foot of water or less. Just outside of the dunes is where most boats were fishing. With some of the launches out of the water use either the launch at Mardons or at the state park. There is a sand bar just outside of the state park so avoid it after launching turn right about 200 yards before heading out.
I fished last week along the dam face and located some bluegill and on light gear what a fight. With the dove hunting opening some reported no luck where they hunted last year and others could not load fast enough. Honey crisp apples are about two weeks out.
Submitted by Tom Pollack (retired). The cover image of this week’s reports was also submitted by Tom Pollakc.
British Columbia
Vancouver
no report this week
Alberni Inlet, Barkley Sound, and Ucluelet
Ken from Kentucky with beautiful salmon he landed in August fishing wit Slivers Charters.
The Alberni Valley and all of Barkley Sound has been experiencing very warm and dry weather conditions during the summer months. The Chinook and Coho will need fresh water before entering some of the smaller streams and creeks. There has been some migration of Chinook and Coho into the Somass system. Water on occasion has been released to help the migration for this year spawning fish. Fresh Chinook and Coho are moving into Barkley Sound daily. These salmon that have recently reached the waters of the Sound will migrate up into the Alberni Inlet or they will hold outside various streams and creeks. The fresh Chinook and Coho will continue to be eager to bite the variety of lures put out by many anglers in the sound. There are currently plenty of Chinook and Coho Salmon in the system.
The best salmon fishing currently is in Barkley Sound. The Alberni Inlet has also had some very good days of fishing. There has been some commercial fishing at the beginning of this current week which has slowed the sport fishing opportunity. However The Inlet will fill with fresh salmon in the coming days. Weather conditions are forecast to continue to be warm and very dry. warmer air is in the immediate forecast which will continue to slow the salmon migration. This will also be very true of the salmon down in Barkley Sound locations. The ample Chinook and Coho at Swale Rock, Harbor Entrance, Pill Point, and the Bamfield Wall should continue as new salmon come in from the ocean. The Bamfield Wall has been consistent for the last week. Pill Point, Swale Rock, Meares, Cree and Austin Island and Harbor Entrance have all had very consistent sport fishing over the past two or three weeks. The salmon in the sound have been feeding very hard around tide changes. The Chinook and Coho have also been active between tides. The same scenario has been true for those anglers sport fishing in the inlet. The salmon are in fairly shallow water in Barkley Sound and also the Alberni Inlet. Fishing between thirty and fifty feet has not been uncommon. The best lures in the Alberni Inlet are the O-2, 0-15, 0-16, spatterback and AORL 12 hootchies. Anchovy in the Inlet is also working. In Barkley Sound anchovy in a variety of Teaser Heads seem ideal and for many is working the best. Cop Car, green haze, purple haze, army truck glow and bloody nose have all been working. Leader lengths from five and a half to six feet behind gold, green, or burgundy flashers with a gold or mirror face are working very well. The AORL 12 hootchie and the spatter back and Halloween hootchies with 38 to 42 inches of leader behind a burgundy and gold flasher or a kinetic flasher is ideal for Coho in Barkley Sound and the Alberni Inlet.
For more information and/or reservations, call Doug Lindores at Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing (250) 723-2435; (250)724-2502; cell (250)731-7389 or 1-877-214-7206 www.catchsalmon.ca or www.catchsalmon-ca.com; dlindy@shaw.ca.
Bamfield
no report this week
Becher Bay
Salmon fishing was FAIR this past week for mostly smaller stuff. The springs are spread out from the Bedfords to the Trap Shack. The best depths to fish for the springs have been from 40 to 70 feet. The pink salmon have been running from 7 to 9 lbs on the average and best fishing for them has been far out on the tide lines. Anchovies are the most popular bait. Good teaser heads have been the Bloody Nose, Mint Pearl and Chartreuse. The best color combinations for spoons have been Nickel/Blue, Outfitters and No Bananas. For flashers, the GIBBS Highliner Guide Series Outfitters and Lemon Lime, Gold Fever Hot Spot and Big Shooter Gold Betsey have been working well. Anglers casting off the rocks are also getting into some nice fish. Cheanuh Marina now has rental boats available.
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 SLOW in Oak Bay this past week. There were a few salmon coming in from the Flats and the Gap but not very many. Anglers jigging have been catching more and larger salmon than those trolling. Good jigging lures have been 2¼ oz and 3 oz Point Wilson Darts, Deep Stingers and the Delta Mac Fish. The salmon are feeding on needlefish and have been at depths from 40 to 135 feet, depending on where the feed is located. Most of the anglers have been either bottom bouncing or jigging close to the bottom.
Halibut fishing was GOOD this past weekend. Most anglers that were fishing for halibut are using extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus for bait. Also working well was the 8” Powerbait Grubs and Delta Hali Hawgs.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com
Pedder Bay
Pedder Bay Marina reports FAIR salmon fishing. All areas from Church Rock to William Head produced some Chinook salmon, but there was no real hotspot. There were more fin clipped coho come in and they, as well as the pinks, were mostly caught in 500+ feet of water. With the coho and the pinks, you were either in them or not. You just had to search for the schools and then try to stay with them. For chinooks, trollers are doing best trolling close to the shore and the kelp, from 30 – 70 feet on the downrigger and with anchovies for bait. Good teaser heads to fish have been the Bloody Nose, Chartreuse and Mint Pearl. Spoons are also producing well, especially the smaller ones around 3.5”. The most popular spoons have been Skinny G’s, Left Coast Hammers, AP Tackleworks herring and Coho Killers. Hootchies and squirts with a green and glow, or UV white have been popular color choices this week. Flashers that are popular include the Hot Spot Gold Fever, GIBBS Guide Series Outfitters and Lemon Lime and Big Shooter Gold Betsey. Jiggers were also doing well fishing near the kelp beds and by Bentick Island in the Race.
Halibut fishing was EXCELLENT this past week. Most anglers that were fishing for halibut are using extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus for bait. Also working well are the 8” Powerbait Grubs and Delta Hali Hawgs.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com
Sidney
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com
Sooke
Richard Reid sent in this picture of a nice Sooke chinook
The salmon fishing was SLOW TO FAIR over most of last week. Springs are spread sparsely throughout the area. Most anglers fishing for springs are using bait, with anchovies being the most popular choice. Fishing shallow and close to shore has been the key to catching the larger fish. The pink salmon fishing was best in the 400+ foot depths, and the pinks have been as large as 9 lbs. Good choices for teaser head colors are red, chartreuse and Bloody Nose. For flashers, the Delta Guide Series Outfitters, Gold Fever Hot Spot and Betsey have been working well. Hootchies in White, Glow/Green and Purple Haze have been caught some fish. Use small pink hootchies or spoons if targeting the pink salmon. Spoons have also been catching salmon. Coho Killers and Skinny G’s have been good in No Bananas and Outfitters colors.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com
Victoria
Fishing for salmon was SLOW off the waterfront this past week. The most productive area was from Esquimalt to Clover Point. Most of the salmon caught were chinooks running from 8 to 15 lbs in size. However, a run of 4 to 7 lb hatchery coho came through on Saturday. Some pink salmon are also being caught and they have been from 4 to 9 lbs in size. The best fishing for pinks was way off shore. Anchovies have been the best bet with 12 & 14 pack anchovies the best sizes to fish. The best teaser heads have been the Bloody Nose, UV green or red or Army Truck. Spoons have been somewhat successful in getting hook ups with 4” AP Tackleworks Moonglow Herring spoons, Irish Cream Skinny G’s and Green/Glow Coyote spoons good choices.
Halibut fishing was EXCELLENT this past week. The halibut have been very deep with depths of over 300 feet the most productive. Many anglers that were fishing for halibut are using extra large herring, salmon heads and/or octopus for bait. Also working well was the 8” Powerbait Grubs and Delta Hali Hawgs.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com
Lakes and Rivers
Fishing was FAIR in most lakes for trout and GOOD for bass. No changes from previous reports.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com
Oregon
Lake Michigan
no report this week
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