There is much excitement when it comes to Sockeye Salmon. Their unforgiving fight, acrobatics, and high-quality omega-3 packed fillets make them beloved by the angling community. Sockeye Salmon Basics Sockeye Salmon are also known in parts of their range as Red Salmon and Blueback Salmon. Their primary range is from the Columbia River northwards to …
Chum Salmon – Underdog of the River
Chum Salmon are an abundant salmon species in their northern range, and are a valuable commercial catch in marine areas. As they migrate back to their natal spawning rivers, they tend to concentrate in the tidal areas and lower in the river systems and offer anglers a chance to get in some great fishing. They …
Quick Guide to Rigging and Wrapping Kwikfish and Maglip Plugs
Salmon anglers on rivers large and small love fishing with plugs! I use the back trolling and anchor fishing plug techniques out of my drift boat all season long. My personal favorites are the Luhr Jensen Kwikfish and Yakima Baits Maglip plugs. Although fishing with plugs can be fairly straightforward, I have a few key …
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5 Proven Methods for Chum Salmon Fishing in Rivers
I’ve spent plenty of days on the river chasing Chum Salmon, and the purpose of this post is to share the best techniques on how to catch them. Chum are abundant on many rivers in Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. These fish gain plenty of spawning aggression as soon as they enter the river, …
Talapus Lake – Fishing and Hiking in the Cascades
One late summer day, we made a last minute decision to pack the trout fishing gear in the truck and head into the Cascade Mountains. A moderate hike to an Alpine Lake that hosts trout was on the menu. And after a little research on the Washington Trails Association website, we landed on Talapus Lake. …
The Ultimate Guide to Snoqualmie River Trout Fishing
Nestled in the Central Cascade Mountain Range and its foothills is the Snoqualmie River. It is located about 30 miles east of Seattle, Washington and offers up a huge hinterland of great stream fishing for trout. It’s three forks and many large tributaries give us fishermen and women a great opportunity to explore and fish, …
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Fishing at Phantom Lake – Bellevue, Washington
Legend has it that Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie and Yellow Perch fishing can be pretty good at Phantom Lake. Aside from a few Lake Hills area angling enthusiasts, not many people venture out onto Phantom Lake to fish. The lakeshore looks perfect for targeting warm-water species, as there are numerous docks and thick mats of …
Steelhead Fishing Opens on Columbia River
Eastern Washington Steelhead anglers will get a large section of the Columbia River to fish once again. With over 113,000 Steelhead already over Bonneville Dam, it should be good fishing! Date: November 1, 2020 Purpose: The purpose of this rule is to open hatchery steelhead retention from the Dalles Dam to the Highway 395 Bridge …
The Recreational Crab Fishery in Puget Sound, Washington
Are you looking for a refresher crabbing tutorial? The task of understanding all the regulations, gear and strategy can seem daunting. So, when I stumbled across this great YouTube video I figured I would share! It’s from Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife that may be a big help. It covers all the equipment, regulations, …
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Puget Sound Winter Crabbing Report – Everett!
Puget Sound’s marine areas have been open for a couple weeks already, and we hit Marine Area 8-2 really close to Everett today. The weather and crabbing was great! The morning tidal exchange was pretty light this morning. We dropped 6 crab traps within a couple miles of the Everett Marina. While the traps soaked, …
Chico Creek and Gorst Creek Bank Fishing Closure
WDFW has decided to close bank fishing options in the Chico Creek and Gorst Creek tideland areas as of October 30, 2020 until further notice. This impacts a popular bank fishing area for Chum Salmon fishing on the Kitsap Peninsula. Date: October 30, 2020 Purpose: The purpose of this rule is to close salmon fishing …
Brook Trout – Washington’s High Country Trout
Brook Trout thrive in some of the more remote waters of Washington State. Yet, if you make your way to their home lakes and streams, you can can find some pretty good fishing. Brook Trout Basics Their more formal name is Eastern Brook Trout. Which hints at their natural range, the Eastern United States. Brook …
8 Amazing Techniques to Catch Winter Steelhead
The most popular quarry found in our Pacific Northwest rivers is the Winter Steelhead, we will teach you how to catch them. Although most of our rivers host Steelhead throughout much of the year, it is the winter months that bring in strong numbers of fish and plenty of excitement. I want to share with …
Fishing at Borst Lake – Snoqualmie, Washington
The town of Snoqualmie’s storied past is tied to logging and railroads. Fittingly, Snoqualmie’s Borst Lake is well known as the Mill Pond. At one time, its primary use was as a log holding area for the nearby lumber mill, which has long since closed. Today it is on the sleepy side of the river, …
Fishing at Silver Lake – Everett, Washington
Silver Lake is in a pretty busy part of town. And for many residents who live in the South Everett and Mill Creek areas, this is their neighborhood fishing spot. It is larger than any nearby lakes, at just under 100 acres. Combine its size with the fact that over half of its shoreline is …
Foraging Chanterelle Mushrooms in Washington
I’m going to veer a little off the tracks with this post. Although this is primarily a Pacific Northwest fishing site, I want to key you all into one of my favorite fall pass times, foraging for Chanterelle Mushrooms! During late summer and throughout the fall, Chanterelle Mushrooms really start popping in Washington’s woodlands. If …
Washington Coastal Razor Clam Openers Postponed
WDFW previously announced a very generous number of Razor Clam dates for October and November. Recently, Washington Department of Health has found through monitoring that biotoxin levels are too high to safely allow for harvest. Please visit WDFW Razor Clam Page for updated information. As of the date of this post, November 13 is the …
Guide to Fishing in Washington – Visitors, Newcomers and Beginners
Washington State is a wonderland of fishing opportunities. For a beginner to Washington fishing, our state’s vast diversity of fishing options can seem overwhelming. But, we will help you get through this, and find some great fishing! If you are a visitor, just moved to Washington, or are new to fishing in general, this post …
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Learn How to Mooch for Salmon with Capt. Keith Robbins
Keith Robbins of Spot Tail Salmon Guides with a great YouTube video. Even though I have focused on mooching for salmon for the past four summer seasons, I still watch it in awe, Keith captures all of the integral aspects of mooching in a video that spans several minutes. Learn the basics of mooching. You …
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The Best 15 Lures for Winter Steelhead Fishing
Chilly winter weather brings a lot of excitement for fishermen around the Pacific Northwest. Winter Steelhead fishing is one of the favorite targets for anglers from December through April. Here are a few of my favorite Winter Steelhead lures for tackling your next trophy. A variety of Winter Steelhead fishing techniques utilize these lures, so …