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Sportsman Northwest

Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource

Volume 10 • Issue 11 PUBLISHER James R. Baker

Your Complete Hunting, Boating, Fi hi dR i D i i Si Fishing and Repair Destination Since 1948 1948.

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dick Openshaw EDITOR Andy Walgamott LEAD WRITER Andy Schneider THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Randall Bonner, Mark Bove, Scott Brenneman, Jason Brooks, Brent Chisholm, Dennis Dauble, Jerrod Gibbons, Doug Huddle, Keith Jensen, MD Johnson, Randy King, Buzz Ramsey, Troy Rodakowski, Dan Sullivan, Randy Wells, Terry Wiest, Dave Workman, Mike Wright EDITORIAL FIELD SUPPORT Jason Brooks GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins

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ON THE COVER Jessie Towne landed this beautiful fall Chinook during a great five days at Buoy 10 last August. (DAIWA PHOTO CONTEST)

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Northwest Sportsman 9

CONTENTS

41

VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 11

HEAD FOR THE BUOY!

With more than a million Chinook and coho expected to hit the mouth of the Columbia this year, our ace angler Andy Schneider has the best tides, gear and tips to tackle Buoy 10!

(ANDY SCHNEIDER)

FEATURES 61

77

KINGS OF COOS BAY Increasingly productive in recent years, fall Chinook season begins this month on the sprawling Oregon Coast bay, and our Troy Rodakowski fished with the man who knows how to catch ’em!

HOVER FISHING FOR CHINOOK Good bait isn’t everything when it comes to catching upriver brights off the mouths of the Klickitat and Deschutes – Dennis Dauble took the experts’ course on hover fishing and came away with key insights.

101 OCEANSPRAY LARGEMOUTH The Long Beach Peninsula’s lakes offer many bassin’ options, as area fisherman MD Johnson reveals.

109 FEED ’EM FROGS Enhance your largie fishing with faux lily hoppers – Corvallis basser Randall Bonner has tips and tricks!

113 GET ON BOARD! Planer boards, that is. Columbia Basin fishing guide Keith Jensen details why these simple devices are very productive on walleye.

119 URBAN TROUT ACTION With its plentiful access and tons of redband rainbows and browns, the Spokane River offers great fishing in the heart of Washington’s second largest city. Local fly guy Mark Bove has the wheres and hows!

127 MAKE YOUR MARK ON THE CLARK Coursing through Western Montana and recovering from decades of mining in its headwaters, the Clark Fork River features outlandish numbers of trout in some stretches.

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NORTHWEST SPORTSMAN is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Avenue South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Periodical Postage Paid at Seattle, WA and at additional mail offices. (USPS 025-251) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Northwest Sportsman, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues), 2-year subscription are $39.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Index Publishing Group, or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues may be ordered at Media Index Publishing Group offices at the cost of $5 plus shipping. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2015 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A.

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Northwest Sportsman 11

CONTENTS

53 BUZZ RAMSEY Five experts – including this guy in the hat and holding a very nice Chinook – share their secrets for Buoy 10 success!

(BUZZ RAMSEY)

COLUMNS

87

BASIN BEACON Guest columnist and local sharpie Jerrod Gibbons shares his Chinook and sockeye secrets for that flip-flop fishery known as the Brewster Pool.

89

SOUTH COAST Tuna season’s off to a super start and you don’t want to be left out – Randy interviews two Oregon Coast experts to set you up for success.

135 CHEF IN THE WILD Who says you have to just eat freeze-dried food in the backcountry? Chef Randy whips up a far tastier recipe for your next wilderness fishing or hunting trip!

143 SOUTH SOUND Do you know how to hunt bruins like an actual black bear hunter? Jason puts you on the right track.

67

THE KAYAK GUYS New writer Scott Brenneman shares the thrills and epic salmon fishing to be had just behind the swells at Long Beach.

149 NORTH SOUND North Cascades game management units host Western Washington’s best bear hunting, and Doug points to top basins, as well as previews Samish River Chinook.

73

WESTSIDER Wanna catch Chinook just as big as those at Buoy 10, but without the huge crowds? Terry has how to fish two great nearby options!

161 ON TARGET Meat-saving head shots on grouse and rabbits aren’t impossible – with season openers coming up, Dave has a lesson in this lost art.

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Northwest Sportsman 13

19 THE EDITOR’S NOTE: WHY I ALWAYS WEAR A LIFE JACKET A sad lesson from the San Juans.

(ANDY WALGAMOTT)

DEPARTMENTS 21

CORRESPONDENCE Reader reactions to recent news

22

THE BIG PIC: ROUGH DAY ON THE RED LINE Expectations of fine fishing collide with reality and deadly danger, providing perspectives at Buoy 10

27

READER PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD Stunning leap, first nate, late turkeys, humongous bass and more!

33

PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS Daiwa, Browning monthly prizes

35

THE DISHONOR ROLL Reichert elk case update; Kudos to Oregon fish and wildlife trooper; Jackass of the month

37

DERBY WATCH Recent results and upcoming events

39

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Northwest Sportsman 15

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THEEDITOR’SNOTE

Scenes from Northwest Washington’s Hummel Lake, where in mid-May a canoe carrying an angler overturned and the man drowned. (ANDY WALGAMOTT)

I

shared a canoe with Salvador Gallegos, but I came back.

Hummel Lake was a bit windy when I took the dented aluminum craft out. The breeze swept across the farms and fields of Lopez Island, in Washington’s San Juans, so I headed for the shelter of the leeward lilies.

I’m an experienced canoe angler, having spent countless weekends paddling my dad’s monster around local bass and trout lakes, but I’ll admit to being a bit on the edge of my seat trying to control this one. It was slimmer and shorter than I’m used to, less stable, and the wind tugging at the elevated bow repeatedly spun me towards open water and the choking weeds just below the surface. I eventually just powered straight into the pads and used them as de facto anchors, then cast to the sides and hooked a few stunted largemouth out of a series of small bays.

AS I FISHED, I could hear gabbing back at the launch. It was the plunkers, the guys whom I’d asked if it was OK to just take out any of the half-dozen rowboats and canoes scattered around the parking lot. They’d said sure, go right ahead. Lopez Island is friendly like that, as my family and I found during our fun five-day campout over the Fourth of July: You can’t drive a mile and not return waves to a handful of passing motorists.

The plunkers also strongly recommended I grab a life jacket from the kiosk. I was going to anyway, as I’ve worn one every time I’ve been out on the water for the past ten or more years.

As I’d loaded my windbreaker, fleece, rod and fishing tackle, they informed me that I was taking out the same canoe another angler had earlier in the year, but who had fallen in and drowned. They said it took a week before his body was found in the weeds, as it turns out by a remotely operated underwater vehicle outfitted with sonar.

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CORRESPONDENCE YOUR FEE HIKE CAN TAKE A HIKE! The news we broke that the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife was looking into fishing and hunting license fee hikes was not exactly met with thumbs up on Facebook, if you get our drift. “I can understand charging for [salmon, steelhead, halibut and sturgeon] catch cards because the species cost more to manage, but the total of the catch cards is more than a current license. Lower price of each and dramatically lower the cost of a license,” advised Teddy Schmitt. “2005 25.5-foot Alumaweld Super V Pro for sale,” offered North Sound guide Cal Stocking, while other anglers said it was time to just fish in Canada and elsewhere. WDFW is planning to talk to hunters and anglers this month about the proposal, and recalling the money the agency’s spent on its high-dollar wolf-group facilitator, Chris Dickey had an idea how to market it: “It’s clear WDFW needs to buy an $850,000 negotiator to help Washington sportsmen and -women swallow this bitter pill.”

YOU KNOW WHO ARE BACK AT IT Word that the ever-litigious Wild Fish Conservancy had filed for a restraining order in federal court to block releases of coho and fall Chinook – including tules, which are important to ocean fisheries – at ten Lower Columbia hatcheries was not well received. “Wild, clipped, hatchery or not – I personally don’t really care where they originate. The fact is they come from fish eggs,” Steve Frisby posted on our blog. “Nobody cared when they killed Puget Sound steelhead, nobody will care now, until it’s too late, and the ocean fisheries get shut down, no more charters, no more Buoy 10, no more Cowlitz. It’s going to happen,” worried Nate Treat. However, Gary Johnson was not ready to give up. “One more reason to be united in numbers and organized. Join CCA and have representation with a lobbyist and lawyers,” he rallied. “PSA is another great organization. Complaining without action doesn’t work.”

MOST LIKED READER PIC WE HUNG UP ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE DURING THIS ISSUE’S PRODUCTION CYCLE Viewers loved this picture of Haakon Allison hefting a very nice Multnomah Channel walleye. He was actually fishing for smallmouth bass with his dad, Abe, when the ol’ bugeye bit. It was their first.

(DAIWA PHOTO CONTEST)

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Northwest Sportsman 21

Rough Day On The Red Line Expectations of fine fishing collide with reality and deadly danger, providing perspectives at Buoy 10.

By Brent Chisholm

I

never know what’s going to happen when I fish. The scenery, all the cool boats, the fish and the people continually surprise me. I’ve seen dolphins, whales breaching, huge ships and on one memorable birthday, I watched the sun rise over the mouth of the Columbia with my line already in the water. I’ve been on bars with waves taller than my boat, and from the ocean I’ve seen the coasts of Oregon, Washington and Alaska. I’ve also shared great times with family and friends. All of those experiences happened

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because I jumped in a boat and chased salmon.

For all the great experiences, I’ve had some less-than-stellar times as well. This is a story about one of those times.

A FEW YEARS AGO, I made my annual August pilgrimage home for a little time with family and fishing at Buoy 10. Perhaps because of a desire for something nostalgic, or maybe because we were in a restored wood dory, or possibly because I learned that fishing the Columbia in August was a multigenerational family tradition, I decided to use a knuckle-buster reel for that year’s excursion. I

MIXED BAG

PICTURES I never actually saw it. I’m sure it wasn’t a sea lion because I’ve had that experience, and whatever I caught that day was heavy and slow. We chased it in the boat for 30 minutes slowly gaining line back onto the reel. Finally, the monofilament snapped and I lost the diver, flasher and hooks to the deep. Maybe I’d hooked a loose crab pot or a buoy chain, but it didn’t matter because I lost a line full of gear and we had to re-rig the entire set-up. That meant time on the boat without hooks in the water.

I was angry that I had to rebuild my line during my limited time home and even shorter time on the boat. On the bright side, I handled the reel without incident, used my palm for drag and not once did I get my fingers caught in the handles.

THE NEXT HOOK-UP WAS an aggressive silver. It ran several times,

Dawn breaks over the Buoy 10 fishery. (ANDY SCHNEIDER) found it buried among old fishing equipment in our garage; it was probably built before I was born. I predicted a great throwback experience with the old equipment.

I only remember one day from my time on the water that year.

My dad and I started the morning in Warrenton and departed straight for Buoy 10. It was a beautiful, sunny and warm morning, but the fishing started out very slow. I’m not sure we hooked a single fish or even saw another boat with its net out until lunchtime.

In the afternoon, we finally got some action. One of the first fish I hooked was a sand shark, or at least that’s my best guess.

and it spun the reel furiously every time. I tried to adjust the drag, and I tried to slow the reel by palming it, but I didn’t fare as well. We fought for about 15 minutes before I brought it close enough for the net. I learned how that reel had earned its nickname, and it cost me a cracked and bloody thumbnail and several bloody knuckles.

If losing tackle earlier to whatever I’d hooked was the insult, my bloody fingers were the injury. I became wrathful. I resolved to master the knuckle-buster. That was my goal. I was going to dedicate myself to it. I didn’t need the fancy stuff I was familiar with and every sane person used. There was no way I was going to let another fish put my fingers through the blender.

I soon hooked that next salmon. This time I had a plan, albeit one born of the worst emotions. I focused my frustration into the reel and never let it unwind. I brought the animal to the side of the boat where the rod promptly broke in half as I tried to keep the tip elevated. My dad managed to net the fish, along with pieces of the pole, but I became livid.

I’d lost tackle, bloodied my hands and broken one of my dad’s rods. I had to rerig everything again on a new pole. My dad was a gracious skipper and couldn’t have cared less about the pole, but I didn’t know that at the time. Later he told me, “That was an eightdollar rod I bought from the defect barrel at the sportsman’s show 30 years ago. I’m surprised it made it this long.”

I don’t remember any other fish that day, but I do remember my anger, the broken rod, bloodied hands and lost equipment.

After a long and frustrating afternoon, we reeled in and made our way back towards Warrenton. I felt like spitting on Buoy 10, but it probably would have just blown back into my face.

AS WE MADE OUR way upriver, the northwest wind increased and tide started going out, so the water lifted into unusually heavy chop. Many of the fishermen saw and felt the waves, and they went home. The number of boats below the Astoria-Megler Bridge shrank from hundreds to tens. It was too rough to fish without getting tossed around the boat. We felt confident in the old dory and we took our time climbing waves and quickly descending through large troughs. The bow lifted into the sky, blocking the

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MIXED BAG horizon and then our boat dove and listed as we surfed down following swells. It made for a fun ride home.

Just as we were about to enter the channel to Warrenton, we heard a Mayday call on the radio. It came from the Columbia River Bar Pilot on behalf of two souls in the water and whose fishing boat was upside down but still floating. For reasons I didn’t then understand, the pilot crew did not immediately hoist the men out of the water, though they hovered near the overturned vessel and swimmers. I again felt anger begin to rise, although this time it was mixed with other emotions. I feared for the men in the river. I worried they didn’t have their life jackets on, that they might get hypothermia or drown.

I felt indignation towards the pilot crew, though I ultimately trusted their professional judgment. I didn’t believe they would let the men drown, but being a graduate of Air Force water and land survival training I’m a fan of quick rescues, so I was puzzled.

My dad and I were about a quarter mile from their position, so we fire-walled the throttle. Our dory wasn’t the fastest vessel in the area, and a guide boat full of paying customers zipped to the rescue and hauled in the two men about a hundred yards ahead of us. We followed the guide boat into Warrenton, since that was our destination anyway, and then parted ways; we found our slip while the fishing guide met the waiting ambulance and sheriff at a different pier.

LATER, I REFLECTED ON events of the day and my attitude. I was no longer angry; I was consumed with simultaneous humiliation and gratitude. I had no reason to be unhappy. I had a cooler full of fish, had spent time with my family, and even though I’d lost a fair amount of tackle, busted a rod and spilled blood, albeit a negligible amount, it all seemed minor. My bad day on the river did not compare to that of the guys who took a swim and lost their boat.

Later that week, we learned more about them. They were friends and coworkers. The steering rod on their boat broke and their outboard motor became stuck hard over. While they were relegated to going in circles as they tried to fix their equipment, a ship went by and lifted the already-high swells even higher. Their boat swamped and did a half barrel roll. It all happened quickly.

When the boat overturned and tossed the guys into the drink, the prop lacerated one guy’s leg and he was in the hospital for a week.

I thought about my bloody knuckles, my own sense of misfortune, and how I reacted to the events of my day on water. I felt ashamed.

As for the pilot boat, its skipper had been coordinating with the fishing guide, whose boat had lower freeboard, to make a safer rescue while it backed away to provide more operating space. The pilot boat then stayed on scene until the Coast Guard arrived.

I didn’t depart the dock that day expecting hardship or a lesson.

I just wanted to fish. I didn’t expect to have my perspective on fishing change either, but that’s exactly what happened, and I’m thankful for it. I finished my August excursion with eight salmon in the cooler, and that’s hardly a thing to complain about. Our boat was also still floating, and I saw several other fishermen require a 24 Northwest Sportsman

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WASHINGTON FEE INCREASE PROPOSED In case you didn’t read editor Andy Walgamott’s blog (nwsportsmanmag.com) in mid-June, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is once again proposing hikes in license fees. Critics suggest they just might price a lot of people out of the game, especially young families with one or two children who want to go afield with dad.

So far, reaction I’ve seen on social media is strictly negative. Many people say that if the agency wants more, it must deliver more, and that doesn’t mean additional special permit hunts. It means genuine opportunity and time afield for all outdoorsmen. They are tired of the “Less is the new more” approach.

Here are some suggestions for consideration: • Restoration of elk and mule deer seasons to two full weeks and three full weekends, and an end to antler restrictions; • Set general bull elk seasons to begin no earlier than Nov. 1; • Allow coyote hunting without a license. This will help reduce predation on game birds and small game, fawns and calves; • Restore the four-bird daily limit on grouse without the speciessplit requirement. Sure, people can still shoot four grouse, but at least one of them must be a different species under current rules. All that did was restore a three-bird daily bag limit by default; • And increase the harvest on mountain lions and black bears.

What to do? Well, plan to attend one of WDFW’s meetings in August. They are set for Aug. 2 in Spokane, Aug. 3 in Selah, Aug. 8 in Vancouver, Aug. 9 in Chelan, Aug. 10 in Mill Creek and Aug. 11 in Montesano. The Fish and Wildlife Commission also meets Aug. 5-6 in Olympia.

As long as we’re talking about being involved, be sure you are registered to vote, and do it in November. To bring real change, control of the Legislature and governor’s office must change parties. Some people even want to split up WDFW, restore the Department of Game and Department of Fisheries, reduce staff in Olympia and be rid of Fish and Wildlife Police and make these folks game wardens once again. Can’t do that without a dramatic shift in power. –DW tow from the Buoy 10 area back to their dock.

I learned another lesson: Despite our modern engines and awesome technology that reaches from the bilge to the tip of the rods, fishing the Lower Columbia still has significant hazards and not everyone returns to the dock in the same state they left it. I think a good day on the water is one where I return to the dock safely with my loved ones, and that a great day is one where I have fish in the cooler to boot.

In the five years since that time, I caught the biggest Chinook of my life near the area where I busted my fingers open. I’ve been married and watched my wife reel in a huge Chinook on her first day out. And I learned that a knuckle-buster reel has its place in a pile of old fishing gear locked away in the garage. I’ll stick with my fancy Abu Garcia. NS

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^

READER PHOTOS

^

Catching nice halibut must run in the family! Last issue it was mom Sharon, and now Jessica Herborn shows off a fat flattie she caught this season off Newport. (DAIWA PHOTO CONTEST)

Not long after Puget Sound rivers (finally) opened for fishing this year, Chris LaPointe tied into his first native steelhead ever.

He was running a shrimp-tipped jig on the Skykomish while fishing with his girlfriend of six years this month, Kelli Skeim. (DAIWA PHOTO CONTEST)

pumped ^Getting up to fish Astoria,

kayak angler Jeff Anderson found this incredible moment on video he took during last season’s fishery.

(DAIWA PHOTO CONTEST)

For your shot at winning great fishing and hunting products from Browning and Daiwa, send your full-resolution, original images with all the pertinent details – who’s in the pic and their hometown; when and where they were; what they caught their fish on/weapon they used to bag the game; and any other details you’d like to reveal (the more, the merrier!) – to awalgamott@media-inc.com or Northwest Sportsman, PO Box 24365, Seattle, WA, 98124-0365. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for use in our print and Internet publications. nwsportsmanmag.com | AUGUST 2016

Northwest Sportsman 27

Most Northwest turkey gunners just hunt April, but Larry Wolf bagged these toms on the very last day of season, May 31, one near Dufur, Ore., and the other across the Columbia in Washington. “Neither bird gobbled, but came to my calling. Not a bad way to end the season,” Wolf says, reporting he harvested four this spring, all on public land. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)

^

^

^

READER PHOTOS

It gave her a bit of a workout, but ultimately this 22-inch Priest Lake Mackinaw yielded to Deborah Sylvester. (DAIWA PHOTO CONTEST)

Mission accomplished! With word that more and more tanner, or bairdi, crabs have been caught in the San Juans, Bob Wilson of Friday Harbor set out to catch one, and finally did so on last month’s opener. “I don’t think they’ll wrestle the Northwest title from Dungies,” says friend Kevin Klein, who sent the pic, “but a cool species to target, for an adventure with potentially delicious results.”

(DAIWA PHOTO CONTEST)

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READER PHOTOS

If this year’s largemouth catches are any indication, the long-standing Washington state record of 11.57 pounds will fall soon! Bass that three anglers caught in June and July were knocking on the door, including Ryan Haverman’s eye-popper, Tim Wall’s behemoth and Loren Monson’s whopper. They unofficially weighed 11.63 pounds, 13 pounds, 9 ounces and 10.75 pounds, and were caught on green pumpkin and black Senkos, and a Keitech Crazy Flapper in green pumpkin. All three were released. (DAIWA PHOTO CONTEST)

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PHOTO CONTEST

WINNERS!

Darrell Tomlinson is our monthly Browning hunting photo contest winner, thanks to this shot of son Connor (right) and his friend Coltyn Smith and their Idaho spring gobblers. It wins him a Browning hat!

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Michael Herborn’s pic of wife Sharon and her Newport halibut is this issue’s monthly Daiwa Photo Contest winner. It wins him a Daiwa hat, T-shirt and scissors for cutting braided line and puts her in the running for the grand prize of a Daiwa rod-and-reel combo, to be awarded soon!

Sportsman Northwest

Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource

For your shot at winning Daiwa and Browning products, send your photos and pertinent (who, what, when, where) details to awalgamott@ media-inc.com or Northwest Sportsman, PO Box 24365, Seattle, WA 98124-0365. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for our print or Internet publications. nwsportsmanmag.com | AUGUST 2016

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MIXED BAG

‘Miscommunication’ In Bullwinkle Killing, Says Shooter’s Attorney

T

he attorney for a Washington hunter charged with shooting a trophy elk in the wrong area said his client was the victim of a miscommunication.

“The one thing I want to make clear is that (the) Game Department was contacted in this case,” Steve Hormel told a reporter following a June court appearance in Kittitas County.

The Yakima Herald reported that Hormel said that “a member of (Tod) Reichert’s hunting party called state wildlife officials to make sure there were no restrictions on hunting the elk, known as Bullwinkle to local residents in whose yards and fields he wandered.”

Hormel claimed that WDFW initially gave that person the go-ahead for the 76-year-old Salkum resident to shoot the huge bull near Ellensburg, but then afterwards reversed that position.

“I believe, to tell you the truth, that this is a case of miscommunication and that Mr. Reichert didn’t do anything wrong,” the Spokane-based attorney told a TV reporter.

JACKASS OF THE MONTH

A

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service employee last month pleaded guilty to trespassing and illegally possessing a trophy elk he shot on private land that was closed to bowhunting at the time.

The incident occurred in Colorado in 2014 when Thad Bingham, 44, and fellow USFWS employee Brian Scheer, 45, along with two other men, hunted the bull on the Roan Plateau. An image that Bingham posted tipped game wardens off to the crime. Here’s a tip if you’re going to work for a fish and wildlife agency, federal or otherwise: Follow the damn regulations.

Game warden case reports obtained

by Northwest Sportsman describe how Reichert left it to his local “guide” to contact wildlife officers, who were helpful in answering very specific questions.

But agonizingly, somehow during the conversations, key details which could have prevented the illegal killing of the allbut-tame neighborhood elk in a pasture weren’t raised.

Reichert, a cedar fence magnate, has pled not guilty to a charge of unlawful hunting of big game in the second degree.

He is alleged to have used his 2015 South Central Washington raffle tag, good in WDFW’s game management units 300 through 500 where branched-antler

T

By Andy Walgamott

bulls are open, in a unit where only cow, calf or spike elk can legally be hunted. At press time, he was scheduled to go to trial Aug. 19. If found guilty, it could result in a maximum sentence of fines and a twoyear hunting license suspension, which also applies to the 30-plus Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact states.

During June’s court hearing, Hormel tried to lift a condition that Reichert not be allowed to hunt until the case is resolved.

But according to Seattle TV station KCPQ, “Kittitas County Lower District Court Judge Jim Hurson said that since the responsibility of knowing when and where a permit is valid rests solely with the hunter, he’d continue the hunting ban for Reichert.”

KUDOS

he Oregon State Police senior trooper who was key to taking down the Tradewinds charter operation (Northwest Sportsman, September 2015, April 2016) in Depoe Bay for felony racketeering was honored as the Fish and Wildlife Division’s 2015 trooper of the year last month.

(OSP) “Senior Trooper Heather Van Meter is to be commended for her dedication and commitment to protecting Oregon’s citizens and natural resources,” said a glowing OSP press release. “She performs at a high standard, has a great work ethic, strong interpersonal skills and is involved in the community outside of work.”

Other notable cases Van Meter worked include discovering and monitoring a bear-baiting station over several years and busting a suspect last year at the site with bait, weapons and tag for another unit; finding numerous commercial fishing violations; and helping remove two derelict ships from Yaquina Bay. nwsportsmanmag.com | AUGUST 2016

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By Andy Walgamott

Buoy 10 Challenge Coming Up Guide Jim Stahl nets a ’Nook at 2015’s Buoy 10 Challenge. (JENNIFER STAHL)

2016 NORTHWEST SALMON DERBY SERIES After a three-month break between events, the Northwest Salmon Derby Series began its summer run with early July’s Bellingham Salmon Derby, which was won by Jeff Brown and his 22.04-pound hatchery Chinook. He won $7,500 in the derby put on by the local chapter of Puget Sound Anglers.

Here’s the schedule for the coming four months:

Aug. 6: South King County PSA Salmon Derby, Areas 10, 11, 13 Aug. 12: Gig Harbor PSA Salmon Derby, Areas 11, 13 Aug. 20: Columbia River Fall Salmon Derby, Lower Columbia Sept. 3: Willapa Bay Salmon Derby, Willapa Bay Nov. 5-6: Bayside Marine Salmon Derby, Everett

For more info, see northwestsalmonderbyseries.com.

MORE UPCOMING EVENTS Ongoing-Sept. 5: 2016 CCA Oregon Salmon Round-up – info:

ccaoregonderby.com

A

top prize of $1,000 for largest salmon is up for grabs at this year’s Buoy 10 Challenge.

Put on by the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association, it’s one of the pro-angling organization’s major annual fundraisers, and this year’s event should be a dandy, thanks to another monster forecasted run of Chinook.

Last year’s big fish prize went to Kyle Miller, who weighed a 22.25-pounder, while the team of Josh Cooper brought in the heaviest average boat catch of 18.51 pounds per angler.

The 17th Annual Buoy 10 Challenge is set for Friday, Aug. 19. Derby headquarters and weigh-in are at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds, just off Highway 202 south of Astoria.

To register or find out more information about the event, please go to nsiafishing.org/event/post for details.

RECENT RESULTS * 25th Annual East Wenatchee Rotary Pikeminnow Derby, Upper Columbia River, June 17-19: First place: Cory Baird, 93 pounds; First place youth: Avery Baird, 44 pounds * 4th Annual Puget Sound Speed-Crabbing Derby, Areas 8-9, July 9: First place: Team Top Pot, 24.803 points (21.803 pounds) * 5th Annual CCA NCW Salmon Derby, Upper Columbia River, July 15-16: First place, Ryan Weythman, 20.67 pounds, $2,000; Heaviest boat weight: Team Shelton, 85.67 pounds, $1,750 Notable recent daily and weekly Westport Charterboat Association derby winners (charterwestport.com) July 2: Pat Hartmann, 28.75-pound Chinook, Freedom July 6: Mathew Jung, 24.90-pound Chinook, Hula Girl, daily winner prize of $245 July 7: Bill Rades, 26.10-pound Chinook, Hula Girl, daily winner prize of $265 July 8: Danny Maruyama, 24.85-pound Chinook, Tequila Too July 8: Tom O’Rourke, 34.85-pound lingcod, Slammer, weekly winner prize of $300

Aug. 5-7: 11th Annual Brewster Salmon Derby, Brewster Pool –

info: brewstersalmonderby.com Aug. 12-13: Washington Tuna Classic, Westport – info:

washingtontunaclassic.com Aug. 19: 17th Annual Buoy 10 Challenge, mouth of the

Columbia – info: nsiafishing.org/event/buoy-10-challenge Aug. 26-27: Oregon Tuna Classic’s Garibaldi Tournament,

Garibaldi – info: oregontunaclassic.org Sept. 2-4: 13th Annual Slam’n Salmon Derby, ocean off Port of

Brookings Harbor – info: slamnsalmon.net Sept. 9-11: 17th Annual Coos Basin Salmon Derby, Coos Bay

A trip aboard Westport Charters’ Predator yielded a 26½-pound lingcod for Ralph Pond – as well was $500 for the biggest one weighed in that mid-June week for the charterboat association’s derby. The Longview angler adds that the rockfish were also “biting like crazy.” Score!

(DAIWA PHOTO CONTEST)

and environs – info: morgancreekfishhatchery.org nwsportsmanmag.com | AUGUST 2016

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38 Northwest Sportsman

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OUTDOOR

CALENDAR

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AUGUST 1 Opening of salmon fishing at Buoy 10; Bear season begins across Oregon and many Washington units; Steelhead retention opener in lower ½ mile of Idaho’s Clearwater; Opening day of elk hunting for numerous Oregon youth permit holders 2-6 International Federation of Fly Fishers’ 51st Annual International Fly Fishing Fair, Livingston, Mont. – info: fedflyfishers.org 6 CAST for Kids event on Potholes Res. – info: Jaurette Jackson (jjackson@usbr.gov) 6-7 Free Family Fishing event, Charleston Seafood Festival – info: odfwcalendar.com 13 Opening day of numerous Oregon pronghorn controlled hunts; 15 Bear hunting opens in Washington’s Northeast B, Okanogan, South Cascades Units 20 Free clamming and crabbing seminar, Bandon – info: odfwcalendar.com; CAST for Kids event on Black Canyon Res., Idaho – info: Erica Lopez (ealopez@usbr.gov) 27 Opening day of bowhunting season for deer and elk in Oregon; Family Basic Shotgun Shooting Workshop ($, registration), Mid-Valley Shooting Clays & Shooting School, Gervais – info: odfwcalendar.com 27-28 Cabela’s Fall Great Outdoor Days at select Northwest locations – info: cabelas.com 30 Opening day of bowhunting season for deer and elk in numerous Idaho units SEPTEMBER 1 Washington statewide cougar, deer (bow), Northeast A, Blue Mountains, Long Island bear, dove and grouse openers; Grouse opener in Oregon; Numerous Northeast Oregon streams open for hatchery steelhead; Idaho Chinook fishing opens 9 Family Basic Shotgun Shooting Workshop ($, registration), Mid-Valley Shooting Clays & Shooting School, Gervais – info: odfwcalendar.com 10 Washington statewide elk (bow) opener; CAST for Kids event on Lake Washington at Coulon Park – info: Jessica Kelly (jessica@castforkids.org); Youth Pheasant Hunt (free, registration), Fern Ridge Wildlife Area – info: odfwcalendar.com 10-11 Family Pheasant Hunting Workshop ($, registration), Sauvie Island – info: odfwcalendar.com 11 CAST for Kids event on Henry Hagg Lake – info: Jay Yelas (jay@castforkids.org) 15-18 33nd Annual Portland Fall RV & Van Show, Expo Center – info: otshows.com 15-25 High Buck Hunt in several Washington Cascades and Olympics wilderness areas, Lake Chelan NRA; Usual bandtail pigeon hunt opener in Oregon, Washington 17 Family Pheasant Hunting Workshop ($, registration), EE Wilson Wildlife Area – info: odfwcalendar.com 17-18 Washington youth pheasant, quail, partridge hunting weekend 19-23 Washington senior pheasant hunting week

1.

The ONE place not to be is in the path of whales. Don’t position your vessel in the path of oncoming whales within 400 yards of a whale.

2.

Stay at least TWO hundred yards away from any killer whale (200 yards = the distance of two football fields or about 200 meters).

3.

Remember these THREE ways to Be Whale Wise: follow the guidelines for viewing all wildlife, check for local protected areas and restrictions, and always be safe.

(IDFG)

(continued from page 19) Photos set in an ornate metal cross nailed on a lakeside alder recalled the fisherman.

After we I returned home from camping, I got on Google. His(IDFG) name was Salvador Gallegos, an island resident, but that was all I could find about him. We may never know why the canoe overturned the day he took it out, but the San Juan County Sheriff’s report noted, “He wasn’t wearing a life preserver.”

It’s hard to understand why not, what with so many available at the launch. But then, why hadn’t I worn one for so many years? I guess that boats and belief in our own fallible skills provide a false sense of safety. All it takes is a gust of wind, a mistimed lean, cold water, weeds too thick to swim through …

I shared a canoe with Salvador Gallegos, who did not come back. But you can. Wear a PFD. It will save your life. –Andy Walgamott

Visit www.bewhalewise.org to learn more, download the laws, regulations, and guidelines, and to report violations.

Report Violations: Enforcement 1-800-853-1964 or online at www.bewhalewise.org

nwsportsmanmag.com | AUGUST 2016

Northwest Sportsman 39

(FISHING BUREAU OF AMERICA) 30

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Name me: Wal alleye Size: 5lb lbs, 2 25” 5” Wanted for: Friday dinner Last seen: 49.0610° N, 94.8475° W

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Name: e: Largem LLargemout argemouth Bass Size: 8lbs, bs, 22” 22” Wanted for: Brotherly competition Last seen: 42.4 4357° N, 82.6915° W 30

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40 Northwest Sportsman

Bluetooth

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AUGUST 2016 | nwsportsmanmag.com

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FISHING

Buoy Up Best tides, baits, tackle and tips for success at the mouth of the Columbia.

By Andy Schneider

T

he walk down the steep, bouncing gangway to the boat let everyone know that it’s approaching low tide. With heavy bags of ice and only slightly lighter bags of fresh bait, anglers and guides pass each other on the narrow dock with a quick nod and quiet “Hello,” as they hold tight to their precariously balanced loads. As morning comes to the marina, it creeps in slowly with a light fog, the wispy fingers of which caress large and small boats alike, each vessel gently pulling on its mooring lines seemingly in anticipation of the day to come. The enveloping fog brings a light dew that quiets idling motors and clanking thermoses.

As rods are rigged, bait is cut and rain gear is snugged tight, the anglers and their crafts make a slow parade out of the marina, everyone aiming their boats to the promised fishing grounds. Some turn west, some go east, while others run straight across shallow sand flats.

Everyone is confident and has the highest of hopes that today is going to be one to remember.

We’ve experienced many such days over the past few years, thanks to back-to-back record returns of Chinook, and the “good old days” are expected to continue this month at Buoy 10, where another huge run and a record king catch are forecast. How lucky we are to have such an amazing opportunity today! Will these amazing returns of Chinook continue in future years? Only time will tell, so it’s best not to wait too long and miss out on an opportunity that may not return for some time.

In the meanwhile, Aug. 1 marks the official opener of the most popular fishing season in the entire Northwest.

Hatchery and wild Chinook, as well as fin-clipped coho, are fair game in the Columbia River’s estuary. Buoy 10 fishing will take on a life of its own once angling becomes consistent. And why shouldn’t it, what with the generally good weather, good fishing, good camping facilities and plentiful activities that the entire family can enjoy once fishing is done for the day. While plans and reservations are made well in advance of any forecast of returning salmon, fishing doesn’t need to be the priority but the bonus of an August trip to Buoy 10.

TIDE TACTICS “Look for me to be on the water starting Aug. 8 or 9 this

With over a million salmon, mostly Chinook, expected back to Buoy 10 this season, anglers will have plenty of reason to smile. Missy Schneider shows off a particularly nice fall king caught last August. (ANDY SCHNEIDER)

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FISHING

10 TIPS FOR THE BUOY

1) Easy On The Newbs

3) Pace Yourself

When taking new anglers out to experience Buoy 10, you may need to take things a little slower and cautiously.

“Sometimes you need to bring everything in when someone hooks a fish,” guide David Johnson mentors. “Not only does this avoid tangles, it allows you to focus on them and make sure they get their fish. You want to prioritize them catching a fish, having a good time and allow time for them to enjoy their reward with pictures.”

“Some days it’s a two- to three-RockStar day, along with a full thermos of coffee,” says Johnson with a reminiscent sigh. “You have to sustain your effort throughout the day to remain successful. As the bite slows, it’s easy to get lazy about checking bait and gear.

But this is the most important time to do it if you want to catch fish all day long in this fishery.”

2) Put A Good Crew To Work

“When fishing slows, get on the phone and check your network,” says Johnson, who is usually the first to recognize that the bite is off and starts calling looking to see if it has moved. “Sometimes you just have to stick and stay to make it pay and hope that fishing will improve at tide change. But if fishing is still popping somewhere, there is no need to grind it out somewhere slow when that information can be found with a quick call or text.”

“Now on the flip side of that,” Johnson continues, “if you have a dialed-in crew that has caught lots of fish, then it’s every man, or woman, for themselves! Sometimes keeping rods in the water can create some pretty exciting fishing, as doubles and triples are not uncommon when the fishing is good.”

4) Social Networking

Nancy Zimmer and Brenda Skinner hit the daily double right above the Astoria-Megler Bridge. Paying attention to the little things will put you into more fish, safely at Buoy 10. (ANDY SCHNEIDER) 42 Northwest Sportsman

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FISHING

5) The Grass May Be Greener “Don’t be afraid to switch sides of the river to find better fishing,” Johnson also recommends. “It may cost a couple dollars of gas to make a long run to find fish, but if you are not catching fish, then what do you have to lose?”

6) Keep A Weather Eye Out Don’t let too-good fishing cloud your better judgement. Though the fishery is far more spread out than focused just on Buoy 10 itself, like it once was, this is still big, open, windswept water.

“Don’t be afraid to pull into the nearest marina and hire a taxi to return you to your truck,” says Johnson. “This fishery can turn dangerous when certain conditions arise. There is no need to put yourself or passengers in danger over a day of fishing.”

7) Roll With It Johnson has a tactic for getting back to port safely as conditions start to deteriorate.

“When fishing from the bridge to the church (St. Mary’s, on the Washington side of the river), conditions can get bad in the afternoon on an outgoing tide. Instead of running with the wind and current, which can be very rough, a lot of times it’s easier to troll with the wind to your back. Once you are even with Hammond, pick up and run across Desdemona Sands,” Johnson says.

8) Beware Big Boats The sport fleet that will gather at the mouth of the Columbia River will outnumber cargo ships a hundredfold, but remember that those big boats have the absolute right of way.

They’re restricted to the shipping channel and don’t have anywhere near the maneuverability of our sleds, but they move surprisingly fast, so keep an eye out and give them a wide berth.

9) Be Selective The name of the fishery, Buoy 10, is a bit of a misnomer, as fishing stretches from between the jetties at the mouth of the Columbia upstream past Ilwaco, Chinook and the rest area on the Washington side and Buoy 21, Warrenton, Hammond and Astoria on the Oregon side. (ANDY SCHNEIDER)

year. This will be the first small-tide series of the season; definitely my most favorite tides to fish,” says David Johnson of David Johnson’s Guide Service (503-201-4292). “But if we start the season like we did last year, you just might see me down there a little earlier.”

The 2015 opener was the best in nearly a decade and 44 Northwest Sportsman

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“Only keep upriver or midriver bright Chinook,” Johnson urges.

“There is no need to keep a tule; release every one. Not only will the season close early if too many tules are caught, but they are very poor quality fish and not great for consumption.”

Tules, which return to the Lewis and are federally listed, have a bronzy tinge, larger, more developed teeth, a “sharper” back, and a pinkish hue to the dorsal fin. Brights are brighter, more silvery with rounded backs and less developed teeth.

10) Ice ’Em Down “Bring at least 20 pounds of ice for cooling down your fish,” Johnson recommends. “It’s real important to put your fish on ice in this warm water. Why spend all that money to go down here only to go home with poor quality fish?” –AS

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FISHING a half, thanks to high coho and decent Chinook catches.

“Plan your day around the tides,” advises Johnson. “I think that the tide is more important than a first-light bite. Hands down, my most favorite tides are the smaller tides. Small exchanges can make for some excellent fishing, especially on the outgoing tide on these smaller tides. But the last couple of years, the large incoming tide might be switching over to be my favorite.

Holding against the tide with divers has been very productive for me.

“The most challenging tides for me have been the negative tides, especially the ones with the low from 8 to 11 a.m. I remedy fishing these morning negative tides by late starts, which makes for some great conditions at the boat ramp,” says Johnson.

Many times when making camping, mooring or hotel reservations, we don’t have the luxury of picking and choosing the best tides to correspond with vacations. The last few years we have been spoiled with such good fishing that success could be found throughout the tide series. But not paying attention to the tides can be a mistake that not only can cost fish, but also the safety of your crew. Positioning yourself at the right place at the right part of the tide is the quickest and surest way to success when fishing Buoy 10.

Here are Johnson’s top choices for where to be at different stages

An angler fights a Chinook off author Andy Schneider’s boat last season.

Most anglers troll anchovies or herring, or spinners. (ANDY SCHNEIDER)

A SUPER SUBSTITUTE TO BAIT In 2014, I didn’t bring my guide boat to Buoy 10, but I did have our ocean-running tuna boat. With hopes of calm seas and albacore on the bite, we headed west, but the weather turned and so did we. As we approached the mouth of the Columbia, there was a wall of boats. I backed off the throttle and weighed options. We had three salmon rods, all rigged with Pro46 Northwest Sportsman

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Troll flashers and Super Baits, and a jar of canned, home-brewed tuna I’d brought for lunch.

To avoid the crowd and strong currents at Buoy 10, we hit the end of Desdemona Sands. With a strange-looking offshore boat running terminal gear foreign to most here, I felt like the new kid on the block, almost embarrassed I wasn’t doing

what everyone else was, so we stayed a bit deeper and outside most boats.

My confidence was restored when we hooked our fifth and final Chinook near the bridge.

The next three days yielded the same results. Granted, guys were catching fish around us, but we never had to check our bait. If the rod was pulsing, we were

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of the tide: Small tide exchange and incoming tide: CR Buoy to Buoy 2 (if ocean conditions allow), the Green Buoy Line from Hammond to the Astoria Bridge and from the Sawdust Pile to Hammond.

Small tide exchange and outgoing tide: Along the sides of Desdemona

Sands in 20 to 45 feet of water, from the Astoria Bridge down to the day marker on the Washington side, or above the Astoria-Megler Bridge on either side.

Big tide exchanges and incoming tide: Holding against the red line (Buoy 10 to Buoy 22), wing jetties from Ilwaco to Chinook (Washington

fishing. I ended up fishing the Buoy 10 area 16 days that year and never bought or brined a single pack of bait.

Nor did I have to worry about changing troll speed, like when running herring; if there’s a stitch of current, that Super Bait is spinning.

Last August found me headed to the coast again. Through the gift of gab, I’d done my part to spread the word about my success in the lower river. Around midmonth and following a number of very good outings, I got a call from a guide I’d only heard about. The conversation was short and focused on Super Baits and how to fish them. I ended up taking three calls that day, all on the same subject.

Running this flasher-bait set-up is similar to downhill trolling for springers.

I rarely look at my speed, watching my rod tips instead. I tell everyone to give the

rods a heartbeat. If the rods’ hearts are beating a little fast, slow down; too slow, speed up.

My preferred rod is a 10-foot-6 St. Croix rated 12-25-pound and my reels are all linecounters. For single hook setups I use a 3/0 or 4/0 Gamakatsu 510, a happy medium between octopus and circle hooks that is relatively wide gapped for better grabbing ability, as well as very strong. For a double hook set-up, I’ll generally slide a bead and then my lure down a herring leader. All my leaders are tied on Maxima Ultragreen, with the 20inch leader to my flasher being 50-pound test and the leader from there to Super Bait 30-pound test. –Dan Sullivan Editor’s note: The author is a Tri-Cities-based guide who operates Rivers West Sport Fishing and can be reached at (509) 521- 9431.

Clients of guide Dan Sullivan of Rivers West Sport Fishing pose in the mooring basin with their Buoy 10 catch. (RIVERS WEST SPORT FISHING) 48 Northwest Sportsman

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Northwest Sportsman 49

side) or the deep water in front of Hammond to the Skipanon River.

Big tide exchange and outgoing tide: Stay home! Or start late and fish low slack along the Green Buoy Line.

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“Plug-cut herring is my first choice of bait for Buoy 10,” proclaims Johnson.

“I prefer frozen green-label herring, but if I do have to buy fresh, I rock salt them heavily in brine.”

His recipe is simple: a pound of rock salt to half a gallon of water. He puts whole herring into the brine and cuts them as he goes.

“I don’t want to put a cutbait into the brine, since it will shrivel the edges. I want a nice clean cut so it spins properly,” he tips.

“I’m more concerned with a herring with a good flash than anything else,” explains Johnson. “If I do add any scents, it will be a little anise, more out of tradition than need for an attractant in this fishery.”

While Johnson prefers frozen herring, fresh anchovies and herring are also available at pretty much every ramp marina/store in the vicinity.

Fresh anchovies are an excellent choice for Buoy 10, since they are the most plentiful baitfish in the Columbia estuary. While anchovies can be fragile, with a little rock salt and kept on ice, they can effectively fish for hours. Adding a bait helmet like a Trinidad Tackle, Rhys Davis or bait hood will keep the anchovy from a “blow out” and give it a consistent fish-catching spin.

No matter what bait you’re using, having a dedicated cooler loaded with lots of ice will ensure that your bait stays fresh and firm all day.

If you’d rather not mess with bait, there are options.

“Spinners are a great option when you have strong current,” Johnson recommends. “That way you don’t have to worry about your bait blowing out. I used them quite a bit last year on the bigger tides. While I usually don’t like commercial-made (continued on page 166)

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COLUMN

5 On 10 – Experts’ Tactics For Buoy 10 Y

ou can tell when you’ve hooked a whopping-big Chinook: The rod tip goes down and stays there while line peels from your reel. That’s why our son Blake was having such a hard time removing his rod from its holder.

By the time we’d cleared the other BUZZ RAMSEY lines, Blake was warning us about a lack of line left on his reel. I quickly turned the boat and began quartering towards the fish while instructing friend Randy Woolsey to get the landing net pointed up so nearby boats would know we were fighting a salmon.

For Blake, as with any angler, fighting a Chinook that weighs 30 pounds or more and rips 100 yards of line from your reel is a much different experience than playing a coho. Not that coho are particularly wimpy; it’s just that they aren’t nearly as big and strong as an adult Chinook.

We were fishing in the North Channel near the Astoria-Megler Bridge in the 15-mile-long regulation zone known as Buoy 10.

With over a million salmon expected to enter the mouth of the Columbia River during the coming weeks – 960,000 Chinook and 322,600 coho, to be exact – I’ll be focusing my efforts on kings during my August visit to Buoy 10, and you should too.

fluctuations of the tide,” says Jack Glass of Team Hook-up Guide Service (503-260-2315).

One of his routines for fishing the middle bay is to be at the west tip of Desdemona Sands as the tide bottoms out. He will troll west during this time, all the way out to Buoy 20, and if catching fish, he will keep heading west out to Buoy 14.

State fishery managers expect a record catch of fall Chinook, some 48,500, at Buoy 10, where Blake and Buzz Ramsey caught this one during 2014’s fishery. (BUZZ RAMSEY)

TO CONFIRM MY thinking as to the best location for Chinook, I polled several fishing guides. Without exception, all said that even though a few are caught near the western deadline of the management zone – at the famed red Buoy 10 itself – on most years that area produces mostly coho. They suggest that although the North Channel has historically been the go-to-spot for Chinook, the South Channel can be equally as good, as can the middle bay off and below Hammond.

The proven method for fishing the channels, which are separated by the big sand island called Desdemona Sands, is to troll upstream along the sands during the latter half of the flood tide, but then switch to a downstream troll as the tide begins to ebb.

“To consistently catch fish at Buoy 10 you need to have a basic understanding of where the fish are in relation to the daily

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COLUMN If the bite slows, Glass will pick up and move over to Baker Bay, on the Washington side of the river, where he again trolls west, over 60 to 70 feet of water with his gear out 16 to 22 feet on his linecounter reels. He’ll troll these areas for the first three hours of the incoming tide, and then either (depending on how

Guide Bill Monroe Jr. and Trey Carskadon take a moment to admire a double they’d just brought aboard early in last year’s season at Buoy 10. (BUZZ RAMSEY)

the buoys from Oregon’s Social Security Beach (located south of Buoy 20) to Hammond. On a flooding tide, he trolls east starting in 40 feet of water that shallows to 20 over the length of the troll. He likes to dredge bottom with 16-ounce cannonball sinkers on his front rods, 12-ouncers on the rear one.

On the ebb, Monroe moves over to the line of red buoys and trolls from Crab Harbor just west of Hammond to Buoy 14, hugging the Oregon shore in 25 to 30 feet of water.

He’ll run his bow lines 15 to 20 feet out with 16 ounces of weight, middle rods 25 to 30 feet out with 12 ounces and rear rods bouncing bottom with 12 ounces, which takes 60 to 70 feet of let-out to reach.

For Monroe’s boat, the largest Chinook to date is a 46-pounder taken near the Shipwreck, located on the Washington side just above the bridge, in deep water on a green-label herring trolled in combination with a BMK-pattern Fish Flash. This herring/flasher combination is pretty much all that this fish killer uses.

GUIDE MIKE KELLY (360-269-7628), who is famous for

the fish are biting) turn east and troll toward the bridge with the flooding water or pick up and run up to the bridge or above and troll upriver until high tide. Once the tide begins to ebb, he turns and trolls downriver.

The largest Chinook to enter Glass’s boat at Buoy 10 was caught by client Dick Frahler of Tigard and bounced the digital scale at 42 pounds. It was taken near Hammond on a red-and-white Toman spinner trolled in combination with a red-colored Fish Flash.

Guide Bill Monroe Jr. (503-702-4028) fishes all over the Buoy 10 area, but one of his favorite Chinook trolls is the Green Line, 54 Northwest Sportsman

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catching big Chinook, plans to spend his season in the North Channel, from the Port of Chinook to well above the bridge, though he likes the area around the bridge best. He staggers his lines, with at least two running near bottom and others at mid-depth, and lets the fish tell him where they’re hiding, but says most of his big fish come deep.

The largest salmon to enter Kelly’s boat from the Buoy 10 area was a 53-pounder taken on a cut-plug herring trolled in combination with a Big Al’s Fish Flash.

Terry Mulkey (503-803-1896) says that in addition to trolling a combination of spinners and bait for Chinook, he changes where he fishes and the depth he runs his gear depending on the tide. For example, when you get “bathtub” tides, where the difference between high and low is 4 feet or less, Mulkey does best running his gear within a few feet of the bottom during the outgoing. Note that he does that in 50 feet of water or less. When fishing over deep water during soft tides, the guide does best running his gear at middepth with 35 to 45 feet of line off the linecounters.

According to Mulkey, during times when there is a large exchange of water, the salmon tend to suspend more. What this means is he will fish his gear on bottom or above when trolling over 25 feet of water, and run his lines 25 to 30 feet out when fishing over deeper water.

The largest Chinook to enter his boat was a 51-pounder taken from the North Channel on a cut-plug herring trolled in combination with a Fish Flash.

SAFETY’S YOUR FIRST concern at Buoy 10. While the weather and water can be calm and predictable, be aware that fog, rough water, wind and fast-moving ship traffic can raise the odds of a mishap. For example, sea-going freighters move faster than you might think and they have the absolute right-of-way, so keep

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COLUMN your eyes peeled and move out of the shipping channel well in advance of approaching cargo carriers.

If you don’t have a GPS mapping system built into your fish finder, consider a hand-held unit. You can get a decent one for near $100 that will work just fine – it’s what I used before purchasing my Humminbird that includes GPS mapping. In

addition, carry a compass as a backup. At the very least you will be able to clear the shipping channel should you hear a ship coming during foggy conditions.

And lastly, given the comfort and quality of the inflatable life jackets available these days, there is just no reason not to wear one while fishing Buoy 10. I have everyone on my boat start the day wearing one. NS Clients of guide Terry Mulkey show off their August 2015 catch. (BUZZ RAMSEY)

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FISHING

The Kings Of Coos Increasingly productive in recent years, salmon fishing on the Oregon coastal bay gets going in August and kills it in September.

By Troy Rodakowski

A

dmittedly, it can sometimes be tough waking up at 2 a.m. However, I have never had any issues when we are talking fish, fowl or big game. Just give me a little hot black coffee, some anticipation and I’m game for what nature has to offer.

I had never fished Coos Bay for fall kings despite living less than two hours away in the southern Willamette Valley. I’ve always heard how great the salmon fishing was and wanted to give it a try – and last season I finally did.

THE FISHERY OFFERS a window of opportunity as big as the

a return similar to 2015’s and slightly above average when compared to the last decade to 15 years.

That’s music to my ears since last year seemed to be pretty good. However, Gray points out there were very few – as in, almost none – jacks in the run, harvest or returns to fish-rearing facilities. That doesn’t bode well for the 3-yearold component of this year’s run, but on a positive note, last year’s 3-year-olds were strong, which could portend well for this year’s 4-year-old portion of the run, if ocean survival was good. “The Blob” of warm water in the North Pacific that affected some stocks’ returns in 2015 and this year has dissolved and given way to cooler, more favorable waters for salmon and steelhead survival. Hopefully, this will help with future returns to the bay and elsewhere.

bay itself. It begins in August, goes through September and continues well into October as fish move higher in tidewater with fall’s rains. In 2014, the last year catch OREGON’S LARGEST COASTAL estuary, Coos Bay often stats are available for Coos Bay and the Coos River (and produces as many kings as the Umpqua system 20 miles the best single season since at least 1978), 1,264 fall Chinook were harvested in August, 6,881 in September, 1,435 in October and 115 in November.

Last year also saw good fishing, and according to Mike Gray, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife fisheries biologist for the Coos-CoquilleTenmile District (541-888A fall Chinook leaps out of Coos Bay during the 2013 season. Recent years have seen very strong catches in the 5515), this fall’s forecast is for Oregon Coast estuary and river system, with fishing beginning in August and really getting going in September.

(DAIWA PHOTO CONTEST)

Boaters troll the expansive bay. Good angling can be found near the jetties, and off the airport by North Bend and boardwalk in Coos Bay earlier in the season, while later the fish move towards the upper bay and Marshfield Channel and Isthmus and Catching Sloughs where they wait until rains lift the rivers, easing their passage to the spawning grounds in the Coos and Millicoma Rivers. (TROY RODAKOWSKI) nwsportsmanmag.com | AUGUST 2016

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FISHING north on Highway 101. Most fishing occurs between the jetties near Barview and Charleston to the upper bay near North Bend and the city of Coos Bay. Besides the bay proper, there are fisheries located in Isthmus Slough parallel to Highway 101 and the Coos River. In addition, the Millicoma River has a small fishery as well.

The boardwalk in Coos Bay is well known as a good place to cast hardware or run eggs or shrimp under a bobber from the bank. While the bay has also supported a wild coho fishery in the past, this year’s return may not be very large; stay tuned to dfw.or.state.us for updates. If open, they will bite herring, as well as spinners like you might troll at Buoy 10 or those you cast.

On our trip, we would be hitting the bay in the middle of the week during the tail end of a nice Pacific storm in hopes that the rains might have pushed in a few fresh fish. Me and two friends would be escorted by professional guide Guy Springman Guided by Guy Springman (center), author Troy Rodakowski and two friends put six nice, ocean-fresh fall kings still sporting sea lice in the cooler on their trip to Coos Bay last of Valley Boy Guide Service (541-870-9946). The season. (TROY RODAKOWSKI) fishing had been pretty decent in the days leading range in size from 12 to 40-plus pounds and we were up to our arrival and we anticipated some bright fresh fish would eat our plug-cut herring. Many anglers hoping to put a few in the box before the day was over. run green-label sized baits behind a Fish Flash. Kings here Our crew would be slowly trolling various lanes in

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FISHING the estuary to catch our fish at depths from 20 to 35-plus feet. Most anglers find this to be the best method to entice these salmon, many of which are only a day or two out of the ocean and still covered with sea lice. There’s plenty of space in the 10,000-acre estuary for them to linger prior to heading for their spawning grounds.

As we made our first pass and managed to boat a nice chrome 18-pounder I had a really good feeling that the bite was on. I looked at Springman and he nodded with a big smile to confirm my vibe. Over the next few hours we managed to put six very healthy fish on ice, more than filling my 35-quart Pelican Cooler for the drive home.

All of the fish were quite nice sized and had just recently come from the Pacific Ocean.

Springman put on a salmon fishing clinic that day, showing us how good Coos Bay’s run can be. Most anglers were trolling herring or plugs with flashers, and our guide’s phone was ringing as fellow fishermen called for his daily dose of advice.

He also told us that he had recently unexpectedly lost his wife to cardiac complications. We both shared a few tears as it was a very tough story to hear. Springman put into perspective how precious life is, explaining his passion for family, fishing and friendships. In many ways I believe that fishing is more than just therapeutic, but a

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Mission accomplished! (TROY RODAKOWSKI)

way to heal and become a stronger person.

With our cooler full of fresh salmon we made the drive home in record time while reliving the day’s adventures and planning meals for the next few nights. Barbecued Coos Bay salmon bellies, smoked spines, broiled steaks and maybe even some fresh homemade sushi were all on the menu. I even managed to snag a gallon ziplock bag full of fresh roe that I would cure for winter and summer steelhead. Thanks to Springman and his guide service, I’m looking forward to returning this year with my newfound passion for king salmon fishing on this section of the Oregon Coast. NS

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COLUMN

Chinook Behind The Swells

As they near the mouth of their natal stream, Chinook prowl the waters just off of the Long Beach Peninsula. A cutplug, flasher and some weight are all it takes to draw a strike from a Columbia River fall king. (BRIAN STEVES)

“

T

hat’s a big one!” I say as we look out to the surf in the distance. Washington’s Marine Area 1 Chinook limit has increased to two a day and the chance to double our bounty has brought us to the Byy Scott Brenneman Seaview Beach access on the Long Beach THE KAYAK GUYS Peninsula, the double black diamond of beach launches.

The forecast calls for a 4-foot swell at seven seconds with a 2to 3-foot cross swell and winds 10 to 20 knots in the afternoon, creating challenging conditions for launching.

I arrive about 7 a.m., my fishing partner for the day, Jeff, shortly afterwards. We take some time to observe the sets coming in.

What makes Long Beach so difficult to launch kayaks from is a series of well-defined sand bars that form just north of Peacock Spit and extend northward, running parallel to the shore until finally tapering off around Oysterville. As a result, the surf zone is extended and the waves are amplified much further out than most breaks, with no easy path to sneak through. When the main swell and cross

swell combine, very large sets break over the outer sandbars.

OUR ATTACK PLAN is to paddle out in a southwesterly direction, diagonally through the sets, hold in the troughs between sandbars, as needed, then push through the breakers when possible.

Easy peasy.

All our electronics go in ziplock bags and are stored below deck in a dry bag in anticipation of the wet ride out. The rest of my gear is secured to the deck. I am ready to go.

Jeff takes the initial lead and I flank him on the right. I get to watch as a wave takes him out. The same wave pushes me back and rolls me over. I flip the kayak over and take a short swim to retrieve one of my shoes that’s floating away, and then hop back on for round two.

I make it through a few sets and progress to the next trough.

A breaker on the next sand bar dumps on top of me and I am separated from my kayak one more time. I right my plastic vessel, climb aboard and notice my shoe is missing, never to be found again. Patience and persistence set in as I wait for my opening.

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COLUMN After 20 minutes of holding my position there is a pause. I maneuver my kayak to the right and paddle hard to avoid the dumping surf clearing the third sandbar. Pivoting, I paddle diagonally, to the left, avoiding the largest breakers, finally clearing the surf zone.

I paddle over to Jeff, who is patiently waiting for me. I ask how deep we are.

“Twenty-eight feet,” he replies.

I HOLD OFF on setting up the fish finder, instead quickly setting up my fishing rod with a plug-cut anchovy on a Sure Spin herring helmet, 42 inches aft of my flasher. I clip 16 ounces of weight to my dropper and let out 30 feet of line. We begin trolling south towards the North Head Lighthouse and the large pod of boats gathered in the distance.

Holding the rod between my legs as I paddle, I don’t feel the correct tension on my rod. It’s time to turn north into the southerly current. The pressure on my legs from the bend in my rod lets me know that my bait has the correct action 25 feet below.

My bait is briefly hit. “Take it!” I shout. After a short pause my rod doubles over, submerging the tip. Soon I corral a 12-pound Chinook in the net after a feisty and energetic fight. Fifteen minutes later, a fully committed fish slams my bait. This Chinook is a little bigger than the first. The dropper weight becomes tangled in the net and I have to hand-line the fish in. I feel fortunate to have landed it.

After a scenic paddle towards the North Head Lighthouse I decide to call it a day. I change course, paralleling the surf while looking for an opening. At the first opportunity, I steer the kayak diagonally towards shore.

Avoiding the outside breakers, I see an inside wave from the corner of my eye rising behind me. I can choose to turn into the Washington’s Marine Area 1 is the only ocean fishery open for coho retention this year. The salmon will likely be feeding ravenously in these shallow waters and, assuming the quota hasn’t been filled, available for harvest too. (JEFF ANDERSON)

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wave or try to surf it in. Turning into the wave and backing in is the easy way. I choose the fun way.

I don’t get my kayak turned in time and am rewarded Though challenging to launch through, the shallows just beyond the breakers are accessible with a spirited to experienced ocean kayak fishing enthusiasts. pummeling as the Here’s the author’s brace caught in less time than wave pushes me to it took him to clear the waves. (SCOTT BRENNEMAN) the beach. Today it’s taken less time to catch my limit of Chinook than it did to paddle though the surf, which is why this area is so alluring.

AS THEY NEAR the mouth of the Columbia River, Chinook and coho are plentiful close to the shores of the Long Beach Peninsula, so concentrate your efforts from just beyond the surf out to 40 feet of water. Troll between the North Head Lighthouse up to Long Beach. Pack light; some weight, bait and a selection of spoons are all that is needed. Use as little as 2 ounces of weight for trolling close to shore, up to 16 ounces in deeper water. The pound of lead really helps your bait maintain a steady spin without bobbing up and down in swells or chop.

A 3-foot-or-less swell with little to no secondary swell is ideal.

Start early to avoid the afternoon winds.

Precautions include being prepared with proper immersion gear and safety equipment. Take a pass if you are not comfortable surf launching, being separated from your kayak or fit enough to swim in the surf to self-rescue.

For the experienced kayak fishing enthusiast, the ocean provides a nice alternative from the stronger currents and alwayscrowded nature of the nearby Buoy 10 fishery. NS

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COLUMN

2 Buoy 10 Alternatives W

e’ve had limited opportunities in Western Washington this year for salmon, especially coho, but August brings us fresh chances to put a slab on the barbecue, maybe even a silver or two.

To top it off, anglers with smaller boats can WIESTSIDER get in on these fisheries too.

I’m talking about Chinook and coho in

By Terry Wiest Marine Area 2’s inside waters, Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor. Now, there are caveats. Significant portions of both estuaries are closed – the North River area in the former and the lower end and eastern half of the bay in the latter – so it will behoove you to check the fishing pamphlet for those and where you can keep clipped or unclipped salmon and put two rods out.

That said, Willapa and Grays are known for some big fish – really big fish. Chinook to 30 or more pounds are hooked each year. And what makes it a super-exciting fishery is that both are shallow-water fisheries, so when you hook a pig, it’s game on!

WILLAPA BAY, the southern of the two coastal fisheries, is officially known as Area 2-1 and although open concurrent with the rest of Area 2, August 1 is when you’ll want to start targeting “bay” fish. The daily limit is four adult salmon, and though wild Chinook must be released, this is one of the areas it’s legal to fish with a second pole when you purchase the endorsement.

Up-to-date navigational charts are a must for this fishery as Willapa Bay constantly changes. The entrance is marked with the traditional buoys to help navigate the waters safely. Most people concentrate their efforts between Buoy 2 and 10, which run along the northern end of the bay generally east from Tokeland. (See the “North River Closure” area description in the pamphlet for waters not open in August and September.) The water here is typically 15 to 25 feet deep in the trough and acts as a highway for fish on the incoming tide. As the water gets smaller you’ll find a higher concentration of fishermen, as the belief here is that the fish bunch up before going upriver on the outgoing tide. Between Buoys 8 and 10 is where the bottleneck occurs.

Although some Chinook are caught in early August, I prefer to wait until at least midmonth, and more often than not the end of August if not the beginning of September. That period also provides an opportunity for some really nice coho as well, a species most of us will not have a chance to fish for this year.

TO THE NORTH is Grays Harbor. Like Willapa, you’ll want a chart to not only navigate its channels and large flats, but to help figure out what part of the bay is open when.

For the third year, August and most of September’s salmon opportunity is limited to the Humptulips North Bay Fishery to protect wild coho heading back to the Hump. With impacts on

A Fish Flash and cutplug herring put this Willapa Bay Chinook in the boat for Nikki Misley a few seasons back. Both this fishery and Grays Harbor to the north offer salmon opportunities this season, though it will behoove you to check the regs for dates, limits and open waters. (DAIWA PHOTO CONTEST)

that stock limited to 5 percent, state biologists estimate there’s a 45 percent chance that wild silvers caught by Westport, the Johns River and other waters in the southwest portion of Grays Harbor are heading to the Humptulips, so that area has been closed through the entire season.

The North Bay fishery has been “fairly productive,” with local anglers doing well on Chinook, according to a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist. It’s open for wild and hatchery kings, and this year’s forecast calls for nearly 11,300 to return.

Starting Oct. 1, the eastern portion of Grays Harbor, from the mouth of the Johns River north to Brackenbridge Bluff, opens for one salmon a day, release wild Chinook. A decent return of fouryear-old hatchery fish is expected, the WDFW biologist hints. The mouth of the Johns is where you start your troll northeasterly.

Use a quality chart and your fish finder to find the magical trough

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COLUMN between 15 and 30 feet deep – that’s where the fish are.

CHINOOK OR COHO, the technique is the same. Bait is the ticket.

Blue-label herring is as small as you’ll want to fish, but purple is preferred. If you can get a whole herring to spin tight and fast, go for it. A drill-bit spin is what you’re looking for. Most anglers opt for cut-plug herring. The correct cut angle along with the correct hook placement will achieve what the fish are looking for. If it isn’t a perfect spin, either recut, redistribute the hooks or both.

I use Pautzke’s Herring Brine with all my herring to make sure it’s tough and will stay on the hooks even with the high amount of weeds in the fisheries. The last thing you want is for the herring to flare out or tear off when the bite is on. Another trick to keep your bait from flaring out is to cut a half-moon incision in the anal vent. This will help the water coming into the cavity flow out the incision rather than filling up the cavity and overflowing. This does have a tendency to slow the spin down, but it’s better to have a slow spin than a flared-out piece of meat – just make sure that slow or fast, it’s a tight spin.

Even with fresh herring I scent up. I like to inject herring, anchovy or anise oil into the meat of the fish to leave a good trail.

On a cutplug, I also like to soak my herring in red Pautzke Nectar.

It gives it a nice fresh scent, looks like blood and will dissipate out the vent. I also like to add scent to the leader and the flasher – just don’t goop up the swivels.

Best fishing is on the incoming tide, but salmon are caught throughout the day. Concentrate on the two hours on each side of tide change. If the ocean is flat outside of this four-hour period, better fishing is usually in order out in the open. If the fleet is south of Westport, it’s not too bad of a jaunt to join them until a few hours before the next tidal swing, then try inshore again Inside, salmon hug bottom, so that’s where you want to fish with a dropper and a no-drag flasher. I’m partial to the X2 Flashers with counter-rotating blades. Rigging up is very simple.

Slip a golf tee (yep, it resembles the head of a golf tee and is designed to distribute weeds away from your gear) through your mainline of 25- to 30-pound mono followed by a sliding weight holder, then a couple beads for bumpers. Tie your mainline to a high-quality ball-bearing swivel (I prefer Sampo).

The swivel is very important – don’t go cheap. From the swivel use 4 to 6 feet of leader, add another golf tee and tie to a ballbearing swivel. From the swivel attach a pretied, no-drag flasher with a 36-inch leader with a double herring hook set-up. You’ll then want to have some premade droppers tied up: 18 inches with 4 to 8 ounces of lead.

As you troll, you’ll want enough speed to give the herring a quick spin. Let your presentation out slowly so it doesn’t foul on the descent. Once you hit bottom you should be good as the current and trolling speed will bring your presentation slightly off the deck.

If line angle becomes too great and the bait isn’t staying close to bottom, add more weight. You also don’t want to dredge bottom; if this is the case, switch to less weight. The idea is to troll as close to bottom without dragging or picking up grass.

When you’re bit, you’ll know. I recommend placing the rod in a holder, as you don’t want to set the hook too quickly.

When to set the hook is easy: when the rod is doubled over and taking line. You’ll want the drag set so the fish can take line without snapping it. I recommend mono, as with braid and shallow depths it’s easy to rip the hooks out of the fish’s mouth or, worse, snap your rod.

Most Chinook tend to hold the bait before turning and feeling the pressure.

Once the pressure is there, the rod will double. Coho are more kamikaze and will rip line from the start.

Fighting a fish here can be exhilarating.

They don’t have down as an option – it’s either away from or towards you. Oh, what fun it is! This is estuary fishing. NS Editor’s note: Terry J. Wiest is the author of Steelhead University: Your Guide to Salmon & Steelhead Success and Float-Fishing for Salmon & Steelhead, and is the owner of Steelhead University, SteelheadU.com.

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76 Northwest Sportsman

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FISHING

GOOD BAIT IS NOT EVERYTHING Hover fishing for fall kings requires good gear and intense concentration too.

By Dennis Dauble Deschutes Rivers according to method of choice. The mix included deep-water trolling with flashers and Super Baits, shallow-water trolling with Mag Warts, jigging Crippled Herring and hover fishing.

Having fished the Columbia’s Hanford Reach for most of my life, I was familiar with all but the fourth method. But with 5,000 salmon a day streaming past The Dalles Dam, fish were stacked up like cordwood.

There was no better time to learn a new way to catch salmon.

Two days later, after floating several pounds worth of eggs past lockjawed Chinook off the mouth

of the Deschutes, I’d like to say I learned something about the art t’s visual,” Steve said on our and craft of hover fishing. However, early morning drive to the lacking a résumé of successful Rowena launch. “Watch for hooksets, there was no selling of my your rod tip to pull down. That’s story despite reminding my fishing when they mouth your bait. If you buddy Dave of Cool Hand Luke’s wait until you feel the bite, they’ve famous line: “Sometimes nothing’s a already spit it out.” real cool hand.”

“In other words, you set the hook Was our lack of success due to before the bite?” I replied. lousy bait or method of presentation?

“Something like that.”

Or did the sonar tell lies? Going with I thought I knew what subtle the advice of those familiar with bites felt like after having hooked suspended bait techniques, I kept steelhead that slowed the drift of my my offering within two cranks of the bait with their nose and walleye that bottom, resolute for the slightest tap, imparted nothing more than a lowernudge or change in line tension – case “tick” on my slow-moving jig.

Admittedly, it’s easy to miss a bite if you’re not paying attention.

I’ve been accused of that more than once. Being slow on the trigger, however, is not always a bad thing. There’s more than one river guide who professes the best approach to hooking a salmon on bait is to “let them take it.”

It was midSeptember on the Columbia River and another strong run of upriver bright fall Chinook was on the move. Boats were segregated off the mouthes of the Klickitat and A lucky angler fights a salmon during a morning bite on the Columbia off Oregon’s Deschutes River. Hover fishing for fall Chinook

“I

is popular here and off the mouth of Washington’s Klickitat downstream. (DENNIS DAUBLE)

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FISHING

Yes, good eggs are important and there are a host of effective cures and recipes to prepare them, “but there’s more to it than bait,” says Herb Good, a former guide and early user of hover fishing.

“First, there’s having the right equipment. I favor a short rod with a sensitive tip.” (DENNIS DAUBLE)

anything that suggested a salmon’s nose had touched my thumb-sized ball of red-stained roe. Meanwhile, Dave was vigilant at the tiller, maintaining a slow, steady drift with his bow mount to keep our lines vertical. Despite jerking at the slightest indication, all I had to show for my effort was a bare hook that trailed white skein.

Admittedly, not all missed bites were from complacent salmon. Bait stealers that roam these waters include hungry peamouth chub, northern pikeminnnow, smallmouth bass, walleye, largescale suckers, prickly sculpin and white sturgeon. In other words, the odds are good that some soft takes are not from a salmon.

caught fish most days, although I admit to running out of bait without a salmon on my card that morning. No sooner did I dismantle my rod, though, than a pod of fresh fish moved in to trigger a bite-fest. Not able to ignore the action, I rerigged, picked up a ball of discarded roe left soaking in tepid water at my feet and mashed it onto my hook. It wasn’t 30 seconds before a hatchery springer sucked it down to its third gill raker. Go figure.

Another morning, I watched a fellow angler insert

THE SCIENCE OF BAIT It must be the bait, I figured. Either our roe was the wrong color, clusters were too small or too large, they did not milk attractive scent or the texture was not pleasing to the lips of complacent salmon.

I recalled a day, two months earlier, spent casting for springers on the bank of the Umatilla River.

“Are those your eggs?” a fellow angler had asked me, bemoaning the fact he hadn’t hooked a salmon in six trips. “I think good eggs make a difference.”

My home-cured eggs were the color of strawberry jam. They had been generously dusted in Borax and cherry Kool-Aid until they achieved the consistency of sticky oatmeal. The recipe 78 Northwest Sportsman

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A kayak angler concentrates on his rod tip while fishing vertically where the Klickitat enters the Columbia. The key with hover fishing is intense focus and keeping your bait about two cranks off bottom and rod tip within a foot of the river’s surface. (DENNIS DAUBLE)

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Outbuildings include a detached double car garage, 768 square foot shop attached to 2400 square foot machine shed and a 1920 square foot Quonset building. Remaining acreage is rangeland. This property can be easily set up for livestock. Nearby recreation includes both snow and water sports, and is located just a few miles from Walla Walla Wine Country. An abundance of wildlife graze in the grassland and add to the tranquility of this rare opportunity.

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himself into a line of drift fishers and pull out two salmon in successive casts. When I asked what his secret recipe for roe was, he replied, “I use a special krill brine that you can only get in Alaska.”

Now, I’ve heard that Copenhagen from Canada gives you a different kick than what you buy in the good ol’ USA, but krill are krill, right?

Look around and you will find no lack of bait connoisseurs. I know a steelhead angler who makes a 300mile drive to Westport to buy coon shrimp “off the boat” and packs them individually to ensure their antennas are not crushed. I’ve heard tales of anglers who have caught salmon on smoked oysters. Others swear by tuna balls or a strip of herring. In other words, take your pick.

One group of hover fishermen rolled into the camp at Peach Beach RV Park in Maryhill with a dozen salmon in the box. Their attire smelled of black licorice and there was no evidence of ouzo. Another boat let out that their secret was “tipping our roe with shrimp.” Not the grocery-store cocktail shrimp you use for sockeye, but live sand shrimp. Thanks to the magic of cell phones, every bait-and-tackle shop from Bonneville to Biggs was soon out of sand shrimp. Was an aniseflavored shrimp-and-roe sandwich the secret combination?

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It took exactly one day around camp watching pro-staffers from Pautzke’s and Pro-Cure to learn they don’t think ham-and-cheese omelet when you say “eggs.” They think salmon roe. Their eyes light up like a Roman candle when they talk about the perfect skein. They don’t sprinkle dry cure on a fresh batch of roe; they make love to it. They go to sleep dreaming of secret cure and they wake up with an idea for a new recipe.

My morning off the Klickitat began by helping load a 30-gallon cooler filled with a dozen quart jars of roe on the boat. Colors ranged

Go with Experience….Go with Mark Grant & Blaine Bickelhaupt

from 580 to 740 nm wavelength on the spectrum scale (translation: all possible variations on the theme from bright orange to red). What’s more, each version glowed luminescent to attract attention like grandma’s homemade candy. I wanted to eat some on a cracker and I wasn’t even hungry, nor a Chinook.

The stated strategy was to hang four different baits off the side of the boat.

“Sometimes they like sugar, sometimes salt,” Steve said. “When one guys gets two fish, we switch.”

My instincts were elevated.

Armed with fresh bait the size of a golf ball, I hooked and landed the first salmon of the morning, a mintbright 18-pound buck that bit like it meant business. Moving to the main channel where a flotilla of boats had gathered, I quickly hooked and lost a second fish that also imparted a sharp grab on my bait. Two strong bites of a nature not felt in two days and I had become a convert to good bait and hover fishing. Meanwhile, my fishing partners concentrated on their rod tips.

After my early action, we all competed for the same jar of elixirinjected roe until we boated one salmon apiece. Upon careful review, however, all of my bites were of the no-brainer variety. I could not profess to successfully hooking a single salmon that casually nosed my bait. Not that luck is a bad thing.

Like my Uncle Chuck used to say, “Even a blind hog gets an acorn now and then.”

509-382-2020 | www.bluemountainrealtors.com

STARBUCK RANCH This Columbia County property consists of dryland and fenced pasture land.

Most of the pasture land is cross fenced and fenced off from the farmland. There are 2 wells for stock watering.

One is located on top the property and is 1175 feet deep and the other is on the lower land pasture. The property has approximately 20 miles of underground piping for the watering system.

PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS: Price: $4,800,000 Acres: 7708.09 County: Columbia Closest City: Starbuck

LEARNING FROM THE MASTER Still without a clue how to close the deal on a phantom bite, I put in a phone call to Herb Good, considered by many to be the pioneer of fishing “suspended bait.” Sometimes you have to admit ignorance and ask others for advice.

Good said he first tried hover fishing on the North Fork of the Lewis River with Gary and Bobby Loomis, and later applied the technique in

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FISHING the mid-Columbia.

“Things got interesting,” he said. “I put my underwater camera down and watched this big Chinook salmon nose my bait and swim away without swallowing it. That’s when I realized you had to set the hook at the moment you first feel the fish.”

“Seems like that’s easier said than done,” I replied.

“It’s not that difficult. Keep your rod tip within a foot of the water’s surface and be ready to set the hook before they spit it out.”

“How important is good bait?”

WHY DO SALMON TAKE BAIT? It’s a well-known fact that adult Chinook don’t eat once they enter freshwater, that they live off stored protein and fat until spawning time. So why do they chomp roe in a range of takes that can range from tentative nibble to strikes that bury

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When it all comes together, hover fishing is an effective way to load a cooler with fall Chinook like this one caught by Brenda Skinner.

(ANDY SCHNEIDER)

your rod? I prefer to think it’s a remnant feeding behavior that triggers an urge to bite. The deliberate approach to hover fish provides an opportunity for the sense of smell to be more of a factor than sight, particularly for salmon that reside on the bottom in 40 feet of water.

There are other opinions, however.

One explanation published in a popular

sporting magazine suggested, “It’s because of the fish’s natural instinct to kill the eggs.”

My favorite, though, is from an oldtimer who provided an entirely different perspective: “They pick up eggs in the mouth so that they can take them back to the nest.”

It’s theories like these that make salmon fishing interesting. –DD

Go with Experience….Go with Mark Grant & Blaine Bickelhaupt

I asked, reflecting on my recent experience.

“Having good bait is important,” Herb said, “but there’s more to it than bait. First, there’s having the right equipment. I favor a short rod with a sensitive tip. For my terminal tackle, I use a 30- to 32-inchlong, 25-pound-test fluorocarbon leader, such as Izorline, and a 1 or 1/0 hook. You also need to use the lightest weight possible to get your bait down, typically no more than 2 ounces. Drop your bait to the bottom and reel up two cranks. Don’t drag the bottom or sturgeon will eat it.”

“I did that for two days and got skunked.”

Good laughed.

“Paying attention helps. Take note of the guy who hooks all the fish and you’ll see he rarely says a word,” he tipped.

So much for idle chitchat to pass the time, I thought. No wonder I’d missed a pull-down when I turned around to yap at fellow anglers locked in silent prayer, unable to put muscle to a latent jerk because my rod tip was up.

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TUCANNON RIVER RETREAT

This property includes a home that was custom built in 2008 that is more than 4,000 square feet.

There is an outdoor kitchen next to the swimming pool, waterfall and pond.

Outbuildings include a shop and machine shed.

The Tucannon River flows through the property and there is nearly a mile of river frontage.

This property is a hunter’s paradise where you might see wild turkey and white-tailed deer. It’s the perfect place to get your fishing pole out and catch brown trout or steelhead. There are also five campsites, all complete with RV hookups for your family and friends.

PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS: Price: $2,995,000 Acres: 958.34 County: Columbia Closest City: Starbuck Property Type: Ranch

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER Bait is like everything else in your tackle box. You need a variety to be successful. Maintain several colors and cures of roe in your arsenal if for no other reason than bait that is killer one day may not attract fish the next.

Maybe salmon get used to seeing it.

Maybe they are smarter than we think and figure out the reason why missing cohorts don’t come back.

But it turns out the secret to catching salmon is more than about having good bait. It’s about doing the little things to keep your offering in the strike zone that are crucial to success.

When it comes to hover fishing, either you sense a bite or you don’t. CS Editor’s note: Dennis Dauble is author of three books: Fishes of the Columbia Basin, The Barbless Hook and the upcoming One More Last Cast. Contact him through DennisDauble.com.

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Guide Talks Brewster Salmon

COLUMN

T

he Brewster Pool is a special place for many people here on the east side of the Cascades. It’s a great opportunity for people who don’t like rough waters and bad currents, and provides a chance to relax, fish in short sleeves and wear flip-flops while BASIN BEACON enjoying some of the best inland salmon

By Jerrod Gibbons fishing Washington has to offer. We have GUEST COLUMNIST highly sought after sockeye, the limits for which have been really gracious the past few years, and we have meaty summer Chinook.

I have talked to many people who would not fish our area just because the salmon have to travel so far. We hear the term “boots” a lot, but what people don’t realize is these fish are conditioned to swim this far. When they are here, the outside might be a little dark but inside the meat is amazing!

Why is the fishing in Brewster so good? The fish stack off the mouth of the Okanogan when we have a consistent thermal barrier of 70-plus degrees for four days, staying there until rain or a cooling trend drops the temperature of the Columbia River tributary. When the water warms back up, which takes a day, the next group of fish stack and we are back to catching them.

Brewster is also home to an annual salmon derby the first weekend in August (5th through the 7th this year). The three-day event is going on its 11th year and is on many anglers’ calendars.

With many prizes from sponsors, cash prizes for largest fish ($2,000) and daily sidepots, it’s definitely an event I never miss! Find out more and buy tickets online at brewstersalmonderby.com.

AREAS I LIKE TO FISH From the Brewster ramp, head to the mouth of the Okanogan, where there’s a deep drop-off. I put my gear out and head up the drowned river. Surface activity and whether there are fish on my Lowrance determine how long I stay here or head for the cooler water in the Columbia. I run my gear 25 feet behind the downrigger ball at depths of 10 to 25 feet and troll .9 to 1.2 mph for sockeye, 1.2 to 1.6 mph for kings. Always start shallow in the morning and head deeper as it warms up. Current is hardly ever a problem. You should be able to cover ground trolling upstream. For the occasional days with current, start high above the boats and troll downstream to cover water and find the fish. Once they are found, don’t be hesitant to pull your gear and go back through them.

For sockeye, most boats use downriggers; I have four Cannon Digi Trolls with 10-pound balls. Off a 9-foot-6 sockeye rod from Velocity I run 25-pound-test mainline to a wired Scent Bomb.

Give it a 12-inch bumper leader to a small Leo flasher in silver or pink and silver and/or double OO Luhr Jensen dodger that is

Stout summer Chinook were joined in the Brewster Pool this year by a surprisingly strong run of sockeye. Fishing continues into August in the Upper Columbia impoundment. (OKANOGANVALLEYGUIDESERVICE.COM) silver as well. Attached to the Leo via a 16-inch leader we have a Sockanator; off a dodger instead, I would give it a 14-inch leader.

Then put a piece of pink dyed coon shrimp on the front hook. Last step before it goes in the water is to scent your shrimp. Use Super Dipping Sauce in Kokanee/Sockeye.

For summer Chinook I am currently using the Tica 10-foot-6 salmon and 10-foot-6 Shimano Convergence rods, but upsizing to 30-pound mainline to a wired Scent Bomb. I’ll use a 12-inch bumper leader to a large Leo flasher in silver snakeskin and/or green silver. Behind that will be a 48- to 52-inch leader to a Spin Series Super Bait in Seahawk, hot tamale or Mountain Dew. The lures are filled with tuna and then scented in Super Dipping Sauce. Popular flavors are salmon, garlic, and krill/anise.

The products listed here can be found at moneymakerfishing .com and in Brewster at the Triangle Exxon, where more lastminute gear can be had as well.

I do encourage people who want to learn the water in Brewster to hire a guide first. Me and my other guide friends are very helpful in teaching the ins and outs of how to catch salmon here. There are plenty of fish to go around. NS Editor’s note: Jerrod Gibbons operates Okanogan Valley Guide Service (okanoganvalleyguideservice.com) and chases deer, salmon and other species in North-central Washington.

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COLUMN

Advice For (And From) Oregon Albie Addicts

A

fter spending the last 10 summers in Seward, the only thing I miss about Oregon this time of year is the warm days on the flat Pacific out of Brookings. When I started my Alaskan charter business, tuna fishing off the Oregon Coast was just beginning to become well known. Each July, as my friends back home start slaying tuna, a part of

SOUTH COAST

By Randy Wells

Fair warning – you’ll become really addicted to tuna fishing once you hook up, as this pair of successful Winchester Bay anglers will tell you.

(REELLYADDICTEDSPORTFISHING.COM)

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Northwest Sportsman 89

Live bait’s the hot ticket these days, but before you can free-line some ’chovies into a school of tuna, you gotta find them first. Cedar plugs, feathers, clones and larger diving plugs that run true at speed all do the trick. If live bait isn’t an option on your boat, iron jigs with assist hooks and a dab of scent will do you good.

(PRO-CURE.COM)

me begins to miss the Beaver State. Tuna fishing has long been on my bucket list, but since I fish in Alaska from March to September, I miss the albacore completely. But after researching these crazy, hard-fighting fish, I bought a plane ticket back to Oregon this month just to hook up with one of these bad boys!

TO GET READY, I contacted two top Oregon tuna anglers: Phil Pirone, president and founder of Pro-Cure bait scents; and Capt. Jerry 90 Northwest Sportsman

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COLUMN Pifer of Reelly Addicted Sport Fishing (reellyaddictedsportfishing. com), who runs a 32-foot Albemarle out of Winchester Bay. Both men tell me that the best time to catch tuna is off the Oregon coast in July and August, although anglers start catching them around Father’s Day weekend – June 9 was this year’s earliest reported landings out of Charleston – all the way through September, as long as warm waters remain accessible. Pifer says that his most successful techniques are trolling feathers, clones and cedar plugs or fishing bait. When trolling, he recommends using 50-pound mono instead of braid because these fish hit incredibly hard and you need your line to stretch. Moreover, when fishing bait he uses braid with a 40-pound fluorocarbon “top shot.”

When trolling, Pifer will steam along at 6.8 knots and run in both directions along a current line until he finds which direction the tuna are most aggressively feeding. When he finds fish, he then switches to live bait and keeps his boat on top of the school.

I asked the skipper what the biggest mistake most anglers make when tuna fishing and he says it’s “running past fish.” Anglers have it set in their mind that they have to fish 60-degree water or they won’t catch tuna, so they pass up the 58- to 59-degree water. But many times those ever so slightly cooler seas have just as many fish as the 60-degree water, Pifer says, so always check your sonar and don’t leave fish to find fish.

Being an angler addicted to learning, I asked Pifer how he

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finds this perfect mix of water and amazing fishing.

“That’s simple; go to terrafin.com,” he says.

The website offers computer-enhanced sea-surface temperature and chlorophyll charts for anglers and divers. You can place your cursor anywhere on the chart and see its latitude, longitude, temperature and chlorophyll level (water clarity).

While membership rates are $99 a year, the information there is substantial, and after visiting it, I realized how it would be great for not only finding tuna off Oregon but even help salmon anglers all the way up to Alaska.

When it comes to our top tuna harbors, Newport, Charleston, Depoe Bay and Garibaldi annually post the best catches, and while Winchester Bay does see some effort, I asked Pifer why it wasn’t talked about more by albie anglers. He tells me that for years the local Coast Guard commander was known to be overly cautious, closing the bar regularly. However, in the last two years that commander was replaced and the current one keeps the bar open more often, while still operating with a “safety first” mindset.

Pifer notes that the average distance from Winchester Bay to those warm, tuna-holding waters is 35 miles, though he has seen fish as close as 18 miles, but also as far as 100 miles out from the harbor.

As you can imagine, that sort of variability means that catches fluctuate from year to year and from port to port. Eric Schindler, the project leader for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Ocean Sampling Project, says that weather plays a huge

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COLUMN part in why anglers out of some ports bring in more tuna, and that each year is different.

PHIL PIRONE ALSO loves chasing tuna off the Oregon Coast. When I asked him how he does it, he turned the tables on me.

“Let’s focus on what to do when you’re not catching tuna, because when tuna are on the bite it’s very difficult to make a mistake,” he says.

He says to always start out trolling, and once you find fish, that’s when you want to switch to a butterfly jig. If you’re having trouble getting fish to bite on the troll, put a swimbait out 80 yards behind your boat and put that rod in the top rocket launcher. When that bait gets hit, slowly fight the tuna back to the boat, but keep the fish down deep, under the boat where you cannot see it. Doing so will cause other tuna to come see what the commotion is about and eventually you will notice tuna darting between 80 and 20 feet directly under the boat or tuna will begin to show up on your sounder. When that happens, bust out the butterfly jigs, cover them with bloody tuna or sardine gel, and hold on! When fishing the jigs, look at your sonar, note the depth of the fish, send your jig 20 feet past where they’re holding and begin reeling in fast while twitching the rod aggressively.

“Pretend you are caught up in kelp and you are trying to cut through it with your braided line,” Pirone tips.

He calls this technique “fishing on the slide” and says this

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strategy can turn a slow day into one of the greatest tuna trips you’ve ever had. He told me countless stories of one-fish, two-fish trip starts ending up with 50 or 60 to the boat, which got me that much more excited about my trip this month.

In addition, Pirone notes that when fishing is slow or you aren’t marking tuna, look for birds; even a small group of two or three could be a beacon of hope. Move towards those fish, troll around them or bust out the jigs.

WHEN HEADED OUT after these bad-ass fish, make sure your boat is in the best condition with up-to-date electronics, and that you’re geared up correctly. Lamiglas has the perfect tuna rods for each of the aforementioned techniques; check out the Triflex or the new Insane Salt series. In addition, get a two-speed leverdrag reel like the Tica STL. These rod and reels are top quality and will not break the bank.

For more on Oregon tuna, check out ODFW’s page on the species, dfw.state.or.us/MRP/sportalbacore.

To watch a Lunker Junkies TV episode with Capt. Pifer, visit youtu.be/lmJKN6JZ9zU. Best of luck, enjoy these crazy-fun fish, and I’ll see you out there this month! NS Editor’s note: Randy Wells is a full-time fishing guide in Oregon and Alaska. His websites are oregonfishingadventure.com and fishsewardalaska.com. He can also be reached at (541) 500-7885.

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Northwest Sportsman 99

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FISHING

Slip Into Long Beach’s Bass Lakes The many waters between Ilwaco and Oysterville hold largemouth, other spinyray species.

Long Beach is surrounded by waters prowled by salmon, rockfish, halibut and other saltwater species, but the peninsula’s lakes also play host to freshwater fish, including bass, some of which reach nice size, like this Loomis Lake largie held by Marlin LeFever. (MARLIN LEFEVER, FISHINGADDICTSNORTHWEST.COM)

By M.D. Johnson

L

et’s face it. People travel to the Long Beach Peninsula in Southwest Washington for the saltwater fishing. The salmon and the sea bass. The sturgeon – well, at one time the sturgeon – and the halibut.

The albacore tuna and the redtail surf perch. Then there’s digging for razor clams. Hell, they even drive to the LBP for the planter trout fishing.

They go for the go-karts and the ice cream. The annual rod run and the beachcombing. Me, I go for Marsh’s

Free Museum and my one-on-one with Jake the Alligator Man. Few, however, come here for the largemouth fishing. Why is this, especially when you consider there’s some excellent bass fishing to be had on the peninsula? For one, and with the exception of perhaps Loomis Lake – which we’ll discuss here in a bit – LBP lakes aren’t conducive to shiny, glittery go-fast bass rigs propelled by gargantuan outboards. If you can get such a boat on plane, you’re shutting her down almost immediately for the simple reason you’ve run out of

water. And then there’s the Eurasian milfoil and Brazilian elodea, two very invasive water weeds that make running a prop motor a challenge, and a pump impossible. And two – and let’s be honest here, people – where there’s salmon and halibut and rockfish and redtails and razor clams, the majority of anglers aren’t thinking largemouth.

But I like me a freshwater green fish every now and again. I enjoy being on the water in a small selfpropelled boat all by my lonesome. I like the way a largemouth fights, and

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Northwest Sportsman 101

FISHING I dearly love watching an aggressive fish powder keg a topwater bait. On the table? Give me a rockfish or a lingcod any day. But for a break from the elbow-to-elbow combat fisheries, i.e. Buoy 10 or the North Jetty, I’ll take an evening on the LBP with a baitcaster, a kayak and a box of rubber creepy crawlies, please.

A LOOK AT THE LAKES Look at the LBP on Google Earth, and you’ll see literally dozens upon dozens – upon dozens – of freshwater lakes of various sizes.

From Black Lake on the south end east of Seaview to Loomis Lake south of Ocean Park and on to a host of others running up to Oysterville and beyond, a diehard small-pond basser could easily have a cardiac infarction just trying to decide where to begin.

GEARING UP For Long Beach Peninsula largemouth, I’m not running anything elaborate in terms of rods, reels and line. I pack a pair of 6-foot6 medium-action Shakespeare Ugly Stik Elites hung with Cabela’s Tournament ZX

A selection of buzzbaits, topwater frogs and poppers, and spinnerbaits will do you well on these lakes, which will be thick with milfoil and elodea, so run them as weedless as possible.

(JULIA JOHNSON)

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So, where to begin? Perhaps the best known body of freshwater in the interior of the peninsula, and probably the largest at 150 acres, give or take, is Loomis Lake. Like most of the LBP lakes, Loomis is long, narrow, dark, shallow and weed-infested. The length is given as 2½ miles; however, and having frequented Loomis often since 1993, I find that distance a bit of a stretch. Regardless, it’s a wonderful body of water, and incidentally, the only freshwater lake on the LBP that allows the use of internal combustion motors. Try it, if you must; you’ll discover within seconds that an outboard is much more trouble than it’s worth on Loomis.

There is a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife ramp located on the western shore.

Along with a healthy population

of largemouth, Loomis supports bluegill and yellow perch, as well as a WDFW-stocked supply of rainbow trout. As mentioned earlier, this is a shallow lake, averaging 3 to 4 feet over much of her length, with depths in the low – very low – double digits in the far north end.

To the south and east of Loomis lies Island Lake, and to the north of it is Lost Lake. Island is almost a carbon copy of Loomis in that she’s long, narrow, stained, shallow and weed-choked. Water depths are in the 3- to 5-foot range on average, with, I’m told, an 8-foot max. Same species here, too; good numbers of largemouth, with bluegills and yellow perch making up the menu.

Short of extremely high water conditions, an overland portage is necessary to access Lost from the northernmost tip of Island; however,

spinning reels. Line of choice is Cabela’s Ripcord braid in green 20-pound test.

The braid is nearly invisible in the stained water, and provides breakage insurance when trying to yard a weed-wrapped 3-pound largemouth from underneath a fallen spruce tree. Baitcasting outfits will certainly work; I, however, am partial to the spinners, and the Elites in particular.

Sensitive and strong, yet short enough so as not to be awkward in the tight confines of my Kilroy kayak.

Baits are next. I like my spinning outfits, and I like my topwater baits. As for many of the LBP waters, the key word, regardless of bait choice, is weedless. Or shallow running.

Or weedless and shallow running. My working box contains the following: Rage Tail Shad (Strike King). Lightly skin-hooked with a 5/0 wide-gap heavywire hook, the RT Shad is fished as a topwater. Add a weighted hook for longer casts. The green pumpkin chartreuse is a dead ringer for the small leopard frogs that populate these peninsula ponds and lakes. Rigging the hook correctly is the key to positive hooksets.

Sexy Frog (Strike King). Silly name.

Great bait. Leopard frog and black stand at the top of my hit parade.

Torpedo, Tiny Torpedo, Zara Spook, and Zara Puppy (Heddon). Legendary

topwater stick-style hard baits that work as well now as they did decades ago. Top patterns for the LBP include a traditional frog, silver/blue and a herringbone black.

The downside to the topwater stickbaits are – surprise – the weeds.

Pop’n Frog (Strike King). Given the choice between the Sexy Frog and this curve-legged little beauty, I’ll take this one despite it not being as weedless as its larger and apparently sexier box-mate.

The Pop’n fishes the LBP well; I like the concave face, which seems to help put a longing into lethargic fish.

Bleeding Bait Elite Buzzbait (Strike King). Same story as the Heddon baits; great lure, but a challenge to run due to the milfoil and elodea.

Spinnerbaits (various). A ¼- or 3 /8-ounce format works well in LBP applications. Because the water is so dark/stained, baits in blacks and blues seem to outperform others; however, my arsenal also includes whites, yellows and chartreuse. I combat the weeds by using a single blade, and by at times hooking a pork frog as a trailer to make the rig more buoyant. Note: Uncle Josh, a name synonymous with pork frogs, is no longer making these traditional trailers. Once the remaining inventory is gone, it’s gone. So buy ’em now, boys. -MDJ

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FISHING

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With dozens upon dozens of lakes up and down the Long Beach Peninsula, the best way to approach many is with a kayak, canoe or other small craft, but several are large enough for larger boats. Author M.D. Johnson likes his Kilroy by Jackson Kayaks. (JULIA JOHNSON)

if you’re never gone “off trail” on the LBP, let me just say you’re in for an adventure. For the intrepid, Lost connects to a smaller freshwater pond – Mallard Lake – to the north, which hosts the same selection of species, including largemouth.

Rounding the LBP’s Big Three is the popular Black Lake. It sits just north of the town of Ilwaco and on the eastern shoulder of Highway 101.

There’s a dock, aka fishing pier, on the west side of Black, and a short dock at the end of the access road on the eastern shore. The lake is best known for its annual spring trout derby, an event that attracts families from all over Southwest Washington on the big day, April’s fourth Saturday. Once the trouters have come and gone, Black receives little in the way of fishing pressure, despite its proximity to the peninsula’s major thoroughfare.

The little 30-acre pond supports a good population of largemouth, with fish in the 3- to 4-pound class not unheard of. However, it’s not a cakewalk. In other words, there’s more to Black Lake than simply whipping the water to a froth with new neon topwater lizard. Maybe it’s due to the amount of angling activity – trout-focused activity – at Black for a month following the derby. I’ll stick with that one.

Those are, as said earlier, the best known largemouth options on the LBP openly accessible to the public.

There are multitudinous other ponds and lakes scattered the 28mile length of the peninsula, many of which harbor good populations of largemouth, along with ’gills and perch. The sticky wicket, as the Brits are fond of saying, is access. The answer is two-pronged. First, take a walk on Google Earth, and find where several such ponds sit. Then, go door knocking. Ask the age-old question – “I’d like to fish Lake X behind your place there. I’ll wade or use a float tube or launch, very discretely, a canoe, kayak, or similar one-person vessel. I’ll be respectful of the property; in fact, you’ll never

FISHING BEWARE THE BAR ON THE WATER know I was there.” Many will say no; that’s their prerogative. A small handful will say yes, and those are the folks you’re looking for. My wife, Julia Carol, and I enjoy private access to several ponds up and down the peninsula. One, a tiny ½-acre sand pit on a decommissioned cranberry bog, yields two or three decent, i.e. 2- to 2½-pound fish each trip. Another, this one about an acre, we happened upon while doing some work near Oysterville.

This nameless dot on the map has over the past year provided us with not only largemouth, but some extremely nice bluegills for the deep fryer. I’d venture to say that many of these tiny puddles – and some of the larger ones too – haven’t seen the shadow of a basser for years, if at all. The research and permissionseeking process does take time, though, but it’s time that, for us, has paid off in spades.

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Sure, you can fling hardware from the public dock at Loomis. Or from the wood on either side of Black. Or from the unimproved gravel launch – translation: the curved portion of the access road-slash-parking lot – at Island. And you might actually catch a fish, albeit a small and not very wise one. But to access the forgotten largemouth, those that have never seen an artificial lure in their lives, you need to get onto the water. No surprise there, eh?

First things first: outboards. As mentioned earlier, Loomis is the only lake on the LBP that allows outboard motors. My advice when it comes to bigger boats, outboards and electrics, and largemouth on the LBP is simple, and that’s don’t bother.

They haven’t made a prop weedless to the point where they’ll work on Loomis. Electrics can be used on Black; however, you’re going to run into the same weedy problem as on

Loomis. Island? Same story.

The answer? A kayak. Or canoe.

Or Aquapod. Hell, we’ve caught largemouth on Loomis from a friend’s blue-and-white paddle boat.

Note on the paddle boat: the milfoil still sucks. Currently, I’m running a Kilroy from Jackson Kayaks, the same skiff I use for ducks in the fall. It’s not as stable as the 10-foot Aquapod Explorers we also use for the same purpose, but the Kilroy weighs about the same, seems to be more maneuverable in ultraskinny or weedy water, and is set up better for fishing, i.e. adjustable rod holders, Cordura work station, seating and storage. I add a light, 3-pound folding grapple anchor and 30 feet of ¼-inch mainline to the ensemble, just to hold myself in place against the inevitable ocean breeze.

Other than that, a small collapsible landing net and selection of tackle is all I need to catch the largemouth of the Long Beach Peninsula. NS

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(360) 336-2176 • www.mastermarine.com 108 Northwest Sportsman

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FISHING

Brandon Hua displays a Willamette Valley largemouth, which are known for biting off more than they can chew. (RANDALL BONNER)

Topwater baits productive on Westside lakes in late summer.

By Randall Bonner

T

he first thing that comes to mind when most Northwest bass anglers think of fishing for their favorite species is the spring spawn. After being dormant all winter, largemouth and smallmouth are eager to restore their energy as waters warm. They move shallow to stage for the spawn, making for lights-out fishing. Then spawners begin protecting their nests and don’t move or feed as much. Postspawn, bass are almost as much of a challenge to catch as in winter.

Meanwhile, air temps sometimes hit triple digits, oxygen levels in lakes drop and weeds choke the waters, leaving little room to cast without bringing a wad of vegetation back to the boat. This is when most bass anglers just throw in the towel.

However, in summer another mating season occurs, one which should bring fishermen back to waters

everywhere from the Willamette Valley to the Skagit Valley, and the coastal dunes to Cascade foothills.

Frogs roam the shoreline to lay eggs and spawn the next generation of tadpoles. The mats of floating weeds are inviting to these amphibians, and as summer progresses, bass begin feeding again with the intention of storing energy for the coming winter.

HAVING NOT JUST a frog but a small selection of the right frogs can really extend the season for bass fishing well into fall. By the time the submerged weeds have reached floating mats on the surface, a frog is really one of the only feasible fishing options. Frog lures come in varying sizes, but a realistic color pattern and size that matches the local fauna is a good start. Depending on your technique, a frog with a pointed nose and a rounded belly will be better suited for “walking the frog” in open water and bobbing through weed

mats. Designs with a flat belly tend to make this technique more difficult.

A popping frog can also add an extra element of disturbance. The sound will aid fish in finding the bait when sunlight begins to fade away. The blunt nose of popping frogs is slightly more difficult to work in heavy cover than the pointed-nose models.

Soft plastic frogs can be Texas rigged with a single hook and fished like buzzbaits to trigger strikes from active fish and cover a lot water. Most of these models, such as the Culprit Incredi-Frog, have legs similar to swimbait paddletails. They don’t float in a stationary position, so much like a buzzbait you have to hold the rod tip high and rip them across the water when they hit the surface to get them on plane. Having a hollowbodied frog on a separate rod to cast as a follow-up bait can draw strikes from fish that blow up on a soft-plastic frog and miss. As for the hollow-bodied frogs, the Live Target

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Northwest Sportsman 109

FISHING models have very detailed, realistic profiles, and are designed specifically to sit with the nose higher above the water, dangling the silicone legs beneath the surface. All hollowbodied frogs retain water you must squeeze out as you’re fishing. Some brands will flood out quicker than others, but the Live Target models have a more supple plastic body that not only increases hookups but requires less draining. The features of this particular frog won “Best of Show” at ICAST 2010.

A HEAVY-DUTY, LOW-VISIBILITY braid tied directly to the bait is essential for pulling fish from heavy vegetation.

Lines that have some wear and tear can be coated using a Sharpie to correct fading. Waxing the line is unnecessary, as keeping the line above the surface will create a disturbance that distracts from the action of the frog. A smaller diameter braid like PowerPro’s new Maxcuatro tends to not cut just through weeds but the water too. Wetting the line a little with a few casts in open water will allow the line closer to the frog to sink slightly, focusing more of the water disturbance on the bait itself.

A heavy, fast-action rod in the 7-foot-6 range with a sensitive tip and good backbone will aid in popping or walking techniques. Any rod designed for casting plastics for bass will perform well at hook-sets.

Setting the drag a little higher than usual is helpful to keep bass from burrowing into weeds, but you should expect to lose a few fish. The deeper-bodied hollow frogs with rounded bellies also allow for a wider gap on the hooks, which will also increase your hook-up ratio.

The double-hook set-up of most hollow frogs will bend out of shape after a few snags in the bushes and limbs, as well as the occasional hookset on a hawg. To keep the body of the frog in place while preventing the hook from bending out of shape, slide the body of the frog slightly 110 Northwest Sportsman

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Summer bass won’t have the eggs that make them such stout spring specimens, but big largies are available to those who work frogs on Western Oregon and Washington waters.

(RANDALL BONNER)

up the shank and wrap some braid around the area where the two hooks meet underneath the frog, then add a touch of Super Glue. If you want the nose to sit higher in the water, you can also use a wrap or two of leadcore braid for this method to add some weight to the back of the frog.

That double-hook set-up is designed to be a highly superior weedless rigging, but tends to prohibit proper penetration on hook-sets.

Slightly bend the points out from the body of the frog with a pair of pliers to stick bass in their gullet.

Most strikes are vicious, but some bass tend to go after frogs like a great white or an orca hitting a seal. They’ll play with their food. Fight the urge to set the hook immediately and make sure the bass has actually taken the bait down before laying into them.

Some strikes will tighten the line instantly and make it crystal clear the fish is hooked. Either way, you want to avoid having slack in the line so you’ll be able to tell the difference

immediately. Shortening the silicone legs slightly with a pair of scissors will also prevent short strikes.

VARYING THE CADENCE of your pops and twitches will present fish with an opportunity to strike. Most fish will follow the movement of the frog into a pocket, at the edge of a mat, or even out into open water before striking.

A cadence of one-two-three ... one ... two ... three ... ... one ... ... two ... ... three ... one-two-three will give the fish ample opportunity to strike, but very little time to think. Don’t just let the frog sit there. Think like a frog.

You’ve slowly wandered out to the edge of the mat chasing bugs towards open water, then you realize that the hunter has become the hunted.

Panic, like a frog. Then pause for a moment, because panicking is exhausting and you need to catch your froggy breath. The explosion of a bass through the weeds to grab your frog right about then just might leave you breathless as well. NS

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FISHING Lloyd Trudeau of Bremerton shows off a nice walleye, caught while trolling crankbaits behind planer boards (inset) at Moses Lake, in the Columbia Basin, with author Keith Jensen.

(BIGWALLYSGUIDESERVICE.COM)

Get On Board Using planers while trolling cranks for walleye on Columbia Basin lakes will increase your effectiveness.

By Keith Jensen

O

K, let’s get right down to it: If you are serious about walleye fishing, you should be serious about trolling crankbaits. Talk to most walleye tournament anglers in the Northwest and they will tell you that it’s one of the mainstay tactics in their fishing arsenal. Over the years, however, I have noticed other walleye anglers are apprehensive about trolling. While there are many factors that go into running crankbaits for walleye, the rewards

are more fish in the boat.

One of the most important parts of today’s walleye trolling set-up is an inline planer board.

At first sight, these devices may seem odd or even intimidating, but after using them a few times, you will flat out love them.

Planer boards are widely used by anglers throughout the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region. But they are not just for those so-called walleye states!

They work phenomenally well here in Washington. I use them

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Northwest Sportsman 113

FISHING

Planer boards allow anglers to put more lines in the water and target boat-shy walleye or fish to the side of the boat. To use one, after letting out however much line you want (the author runs out 80 to 85 feet), simply attach your line to the two clips, with a little bit of slack between them, and start trolling.

(BIGWALLYSGUIDESERVICE.COM)

all through spring, summer and into the fall on Banks Lake, Potholes Reservoir and Moses Lake. Many of my biggest walleye each year are caught using them. The bigger and wiser walleye seem to be very boat wary, so using them gives you a better opportunity to target and catch these bigger fish.

PLANER BOARDS ARE a floating device that pulls a fishing line away from a moving boat. The majority of boards on the market are made of plastic, contain foam for floating the board, and a series of clips to attach to your line (typically two). Popular ones are made by Off Shore Tackle and the Church Tackle Company. Those from the former manufacturer are my board of choice, and thus will be the focus of this article.

Having the right gear is critical when trolling with planer boards.

My first recommendation is to use the same rod and reel combination for each one. When trolling for walleye, it important to be able to 114 Northwest Sportsman

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“read” your rod. Each rod will act differently when trolling and will act differently when a walleye hits your crankbait. Using identical rod/ reel combinations will allow you to key in on the action of the rod and will help you determine when a fish strikes. Walleye trolling rods are long, typically 8 to 10 feet in length. Bass Pro Shops’ 8-foot Walleye Trolling Rod is my rod of choice for planer board trolling. The rod has plenty of backbone to easily support the drag of a board running through the water, and yet a sensitive enough tip to detect walleye strikes.

Linecounter reels are critical too, as it is very important to be able to place your crankbait at the correct distance and depth. There are several high-quality models out in the market to choose from, and I’ve found the 300-size Shimano Tekota Line Counter Reels to be extremely accurate and durable. I typically spool them with 200 yards of braid for backing, then attach 8to 10-pound monofilament line to it.

THE BENEFITS OF using planer boards for trolling crankbaits are many.

First, they spread your port and starboard lures away from the boat. By running your boards 15 to 25 yards to the side, you are able to target walleye that are not being spooked by your boat. This is especially important when trolling in water depths of 15 feet or less.

A second benefit is that they now allow you to put two additional trolling rods out the stern of your boat. When you are trolling four rods with crankbaits and no planer boards, crossed lines and tangles are the norm rather than the exception.

The third is the fact that they let you know when you have a fish.

When you equip your board with the Tattle Tale Flag, the spring-activated flag will get pulled down by the strike of a walleye. It is important to note that Off Shore’s board doesn’t come with the Tattle Tale.

It comes with an attached flag, but is stationary and will not get pulled down by a fish, so it is important to

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Northwest Sportsman 115

FISHING purchase the Tattle Flag upgrade. It comes with instructions and is very easy to put on.

Planer boards are extremely easy to use. Start by putting your crankbait out behind the boat to your desired distance (80 to 85 feet is mine). Then simply attach your line to each of the two clips on your board, leaving some slack in the line between the clips. Slowly drop the board into the water and then let more line out so the device can plane out and away from your boat.

I typically run mine approximately 10 to 15 yards to the side.

When you see your flag pulled down by a walleye strike, grab the rod but do not set the hook. If you do, you are actually setting the hook on the board and giving slack to the fish. Instead, begin a nice steady retrieve. Once the planer gets to within a foot or so of your rod tip, stop reeling and have your

When a walleye bites, the flag drops as more weight on the line pulls on the back clip, connected to the spring-equipped flag via a bar. That’s your signal to reel the planer board to the boat, unclip the line and fight the fish to the net. (BIGWALLYSGUIDESERVICE.COM)

fishing partner unbutton the two clips on the board. Now it’s just you and the walleye.

With a little practice and patience, anyone can learn to use planer boards. Not only are they a lot of fun to use, they also significantly increase your walleye catch rate

when trolling crankbaits. If you have any questions or thoughts on using them, feel free to contact me. I always love talking walleye! NS Editor’s note: Author Keith Jensen operates Big Wally’s Guide Service (bigwallysguideservice.com).

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Northwest Sportsman 117

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FISHING

The Spokane River, cutting through Spokane and the Spokane Valley, hosts a mix of wild and hatchery rainbows, along with westslope cutthroat, brown trout, smallmouth bass and whitefish. (MARK BOVE)

URBAN ANGLING AT ITS FINEST With copious access, the Spokane River shines in summer for trout.

By Mark Bove

I

t is a calm summer evening, the sun’s warm rays are fading into twilight. Caddis are dancing on the surface of the riffle below me. My cast-step-mend rhythm is interrupted by a throbbing pull on the end of my line: a 19-inch wild, native rainbow trout is dancing at the end of my line. All this happens

just a brief walk from the Spokane Valley Mall.

The Spokane River is an oftenoverlooked trout and smallmouth bass fishery. Originating at Coeur d’Alene Lake and beginning at Post Falls Dam, the river winds through Spokane on its way to Lake Roosevelt’s Spokane Arm, one of the Northwest’s finest walleye fisheries.

About a century ago the Spokane

River hosted a run of nearly 1 million summer Chinook. These fish were the famous June hogs, commonly reaching 50 pounds, with fish over 80 pounds documented. The river also hosted two steelhead runs and a small return of coho. In 1911 with the construction of Little Falls Dam on the lower river, salmon and steelhead migration was halted by the impassible barrier. Fish continued

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FISHING

To entice the Spokane’s redbands, which can stretch to 20 inches, author Mark Bove likes to nymph before 6 p.m., switching to soft hackles to target trout as they feed on emerging caddis. For dries, he goes with caddis-imitating Elk Hairs and Goddards. (MARK BOVE)

to show up to the base of Little Falls up until the time Grand Coulee Dam was built, extirpating all anadromous runs to the Spokane River Basin.

The kings, coho and steelhead are

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all gone, but the rainbows remain.

FISHERIES AND ACCESS There are two sections of the Spokane River that hold relatively

abundant populations of Columbia redband trout. There are also small populations of westslope cutthroat, brown trout and mountain whitefish, as well as the odd landlocked Chinook that finds its way into the river from Coeur d’Alene Lake. The upper stretch, from Post Falls Dam to Upriver Dam, is predominantly a wild trout fishery. The Centennial Trail offers great public access along the length of this section. One can work all the best waters simply by hole-hopping up or down the trail.

During the sweltering heat of August the trout will tend to congregate in certain sections of the river seeking thermal refuges that are provided by springs that seep into the Spokane. The springs are spread between Harvard Bridge and Plantes Ferry Park.

Before fishing the upper Spokane, I suggest stopping by the Silver Bow Fly Shop (silverbowflyshop.com) to pick up some local patterns that are specialized for this section of river.

The shop is conveniently located about a minute’s drive from Marabou Point Park, an excellent access point.

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Northwest Sportsman 121

FISHING sometimes brown trout) in Nine Mile Reservoir and Upper Falls Reservoir. These fish often turn up in the catch in this stretch of river. This section also hosts a good population of mountain whitefish, along with a strong population of redbands.

The nearest fly shop to this stretch is Swede’s (swedesflyshop.com). The owner carries perhaps the best selection of tying materials that I have found anywhere in the Northwest and he has everything one needs for catching fish on this part of the Spokane.

To access prime water, head for Riverside State Park.

It puts you in the heart of some of the best pools on the lower Spokane and offers access to both sides of the river via the suspension bridge just above the Bowl and Pitcher.

GEARING UP The Spokane is a decent-sized trout stream even in low flows, and a giant during the run-off of spring and early summer. I fish it with three set-ups. The first is a 10-foot 6-weight fly rod.

The Spokane is an excellent nymph fishery, particularly any time before 6 p.m. in summer. Trout this time of day are keyed into eating caddis pupa, crawfish and various other nymphs that float through feeding lanes. To catch these fish employ a right-angle nymph rig with one or two

The river has abundant access in the form of state and city parks and the Centennial Trail, and rafters can put in at several locations. (MARK BOVE)

BB shot 16 inches above a large attractor nymph. I have great success with crawfish patterns or Pat’s Rubber Legs.

Below the attractor pattern place a small nymph dropper.

Some Spokane River favorites include Copper Johns, Pheasant Tails, Fox Pupa, Prince Nymphs and Hare’s Ears.

My personal favorite pattern is a Pheasant Tail with a set of rubber legs in a size 12. To make this rig fish correctly you need a buoyant and sensitive indicator. On the Spokane, I have gone away from Thingamabobs and stuck with the old tried and true, a white yarn indicator.

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NNorthwest th t Sportsman S t 123

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slows to a halt. In the evening the fish focus on eating emerging caddis.

This is the perfect time to swing soft hackles. Many fly rod manufacturers have been coming out with trout Spey and switch rods. These are perfect for this application. Swinging soft hackles is very simple. Attach a 9-foot 3x tapered leader, and any size 10, 12 or 14 soft hackle. Cast the fly at a 45- to 90-degree angle across the current and let the current swing the fly through the holding water.

A bite will be truly unmistakable.

It does not hurt to put a streamer above your soft hackle. Each year a number of Coeur d’Alene’s Chinook get blown into the upper stretch of river, and they happen to like most streamers, especially unweighted MOAL leeches swung above a soft hackle.

The final set-up that I fish with on the Spokane is a 9-foot 5-weight for brief outings to catch a fish or two on a dry fly. I tie a Goddard Caddis or an Elk Hair on a 9-foot tapered leader to 4x. When dry fly fishing, I pick out a pool that I know fish will rise in and target individual risers. Most evening trout will start rising during the twilight hours and into dark. If the trout aren’t rising, it is very easy to attach a soft hackle and swing while waiting for the trout to start feeding on adult caddis.

HEAD ON OUT! The Spokane River is an underappreciated trout stream in the heart of Washington’s second largest city. It holds a healthy population of wild trout that sometimes stretch the tape over 20 inches. The river’s abundant public access and convenient location make it a mustvisit fishery for anglers in the region.

Both Silver Bow and Swede’s Fly Shops can set you up with a guided trip. I highly recommend a day on the water with one of the many skilled guides who work this river. Give this urban angling gem a try, and you will be delighted with what you may encounter. NS

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Northwest Sportsman 125

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FISHING

A River On The Mend Recovering from mining abuse, Western Montana’s Clark Fork hosts good numbers of rainbows, cutts and browns.

From its origins in Silver Bow Creek near Butte to the reservoirs below Thompson Falls, Western Montana’s Clark Fork River presents a range of fishing opportunities, as well as a stream recovering from mining pollution. (MIKE WRIGHT)

By Mike Wright

T

he main tributary in the formation of the Clark Fork is Silver Bow Creek, which has its source near the Continental Divide, just outside Butte, Mont. From here it flows northwesterly until it merges with Warm Springs Creek and becomes known officially as the Clark Fork River. For many decades mining was the lifeblood of Butte, and Silver Bow Creek was the receptacle for much of the contaminated byproducts of the industry.

There were times when the river was so polluted from mining waste that the water would turn red, destroying all aquatic life, even stopping the growth of algae.

The first attempt at repairing the damage was the construction of a series of large settling ponds downstream around Warm Springs, which is near Anaconda. Lime salts are added to the water coming into the ponds to precipitate out the heavy metals present in the stream. Over time this process has worked quite well; not only does the water exit the ponds clean enough to support fish life, it has created a vibrant tailwater fishery. There is a vast supply of insect life that supports between 2,000 and 2,400 catchable trout – 99 percent of which are browns – per mile that make their home in this section of the river. The predominant fly on the upper Clark Fork is the caddis. An incredible

2,000 larva per square yard can be found in this stretch.

On warm summer evenings clouds of adults hover over the water, sending the fish into a feeding frenzy. An Elk Hair or Goddard Caddis in sizes 14 to 18 will usually match the hatch. When the fish are not rising, a caddis nymph or a Deep Sparkle Pupa can usually elicit a response. The trout average between 12 and 14 inches, with a substantial number running between 15 and 18 inches.

IN THE SETTLING PONDS themselves rainbows and browns were stocked in the 1980s. This turned out to be an outstanding plan. These waters teem with insects, scuds, snails and leeches. There is such an abundance of feed the trout practically only need to stay in one spot, open their mouth and gain weight. Rainbows can reach 11 pounds, and browns up to 14 have been caught. However, unless you are very familiar with the waters, getting skunked is a distinct possibility and a common occurrence. Montana’s mental hospital is located just across I-90 from the ponds and there was talk that the state might set up a special wing to deal with anglers’ shattered egos, but alas, it turned out to be just a rumor.

Each year the ponds receive a stocking of 20,000 trout, primarily rainbows. Releases of browns were discontinued in 2013, but in 2008, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks nwsportsmanmag.com | AUGUST 2016

Northwest Sportsman 127

FISHING tributaries such as the Little Blackfoot River near Garrison.

However, browns are still the predominant species, added westslope cutthroat to the program. Since the making up nearly 98 percent of the trout population. westslopes have made a remarkable recovery in Silver Still, the river is a small, easily fishable stream with Bow Creek, it was hoped that there might be a similar a number of larger, 18-inch trout. Dead-drifting Woolly occurrence in the ponds. Recently there has been a spike Buggers, Girdle Bugs, Bitch Creeks, Muddler Minnows in the mortality rate of trout in the ponds, which has both and cranefly nymph patterns is a good approach in this FWP and sportsmen concerned. section. Though not particularly good dry fly water, a Joe’s “It is still unclear what has caused the mortality Hopper, orange Skating Spider or white Deer Hair Moth increase, but we are working hard to find a solution to the can elicit a take. problem,” says state fisheries biologist Jason Lindstrom.

The quality of the Clark Fork deteriorates even more in For those willing to endure the mental anguish in the canyon. The construction of I-90 straightened it to the search of a true Kodak moment, these are a few flies you point where it is more of a channel than a river in places. might want to consider. The first is a sparsely tied brown A slimy weed growth covers the river bed and retards Mohair Leech in size 8 or 10. During the damsel hatch, insect life. Hot springs increase the water temperature and a green Kaufman Mini Leech and a Whitlock Damsel forces trout to seek thermal refuges downstream. have worked best for me. A gold-ribbed Hare’s Ear and a red chironomid will Westslope cutthroat and German browns can be found in the Clark Fork River, along with rainbows. Most of the trout average a also catch fish foot long to 15 inches, but some stretch the tape to the 20-inch mark. (MIKE WRIGHT) (sometimes).

One of the most unique and effective patterns to use is the Rollover Scud. When tying the fly, attach a small amount of lead to the top of the hook shank. When you strip the fly in, it flows through the water normally with the hook down. When you stop the strip, the fly will roll over to attract the fish’s undivided attention.

AROUND DEER LODGE, the Clark Fork’s characteristics change dramatically.

The number of trout and water quality gradually deteriorates.

Between Deer Lodge and Drummond the number of catchable trout per mile drops to an average of 300, a considerable drop-off from the upper river. In this section, the river traverses through more open land with far less vegetation and undercut banks for the trout to seek refuge. There is an increase in cattle grazing, damaging the riparian vegetation along the bank, along with more water being diverted for agricultural purposes. The streambed is straighter, and with an increase in unshaded, shallower and slower-moving water the river temperature tends to rise. There are fewer side channels and fewer obstacles in the river to create deeper pools, which provide trout with thermal refuges. In this section more rainbow and cutthroat begin to appear, especially near the mouth of 128 Northwest Sportsman

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But soon famed Rock Creek pours a vast amount of cool mountain water into the Clark Fork. It more than doubles the size of the river, with insect hatches increasing dramatically. After spring runoff in late June, good hatches of green and brown drakes begin to appear, along with golden stones and a small number of salmonflies that come off in late May. These are larger flies ranging from size 6 to size 12. Blue-winged olives and pale morning duns in sizes 14 to 18 also appear, but in smaller numbers than further downstream. There are more side channels, deeper water and other thermal refuges, and consequently they hold some of the larger fish on the upper Clark Fork. During the irrigation season in midsummer, a large concentration of green algae is flushed into the stream, making it difficult to keep your line and fly clean. But at

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Northwest Sportsman 129

FISHING

The Milltown Dam, across the Clark Fork at lower left, has since been removed and the former reservoir is part of a massive federal clean-up effort. As a result, trout populations are beginning to recover and a state fisheries biologist says, “We feel confident things will only get better.” (LADD KNOTEK, MONTANA FWP)

the same time, it brings a large amount of feed.

IN 1911, a dam was constructed at Milltown by William Andrews Clark to provide electricity to his company town. The reservoir behind it became a receptacle for all of the pollutants washed down from the mining activities around Butte. Heavy metals, it turns out of course, are deleterious to trout and the food chain, stunting growth and increasing mortality. In 1986, the entire upper Clark Fork received Superfund designation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in order to clean up

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mining damages to the river. As part of the plan, the dam was removed in 2007.

Until 1986, Milltown’s operators annually drew down the reservoir to repair and maintain the spillway panels, which caused fish kills downstream. In 1998, FWP and Northwest Energy (owners of the dam) began using it also as a way to control an illegally introduced and exploding northern pike population. These drawdowns were gradual and had far less effect on downstream fish. Although there was some mortality, it showed promise, so this was the adopted method used in preparing for the dam removal.

As for getting rid of contaminants, that has been very encouraging.

“The intensity of the hatches have improved, more rainbow are coming into the area to spawn, an increase in bull trout redds (spawning beds), an increase in the cutthroat density and with the removal of the dam, northern pike numbers have dropped considerably,” notes Ladd Knotek, Missoula-area FWP fishery biologist. “We feel confident things will only get better.”

THE LOWER CLARK FORK has not and will not receive any of the clean-up and restoration funds authorized by the federal and state governments. However, there is optimism that the work done on the upper river will, at least indirectly benefit this stretch.

With additional water from the Blackfoot, Bitterroot, Thompson, St. Regis and Flathead Rivers, the Clark Fork becomes the largest stream by volume in the state of Montana. While it only supports 250 to 500 catchable fish per mile – which is rather dismal in comparison to the Madison’s 4,500 – as the upper stretches are starting to see increases in fish density, over time it is felt that that will help downstream populations.

“What we expect to see is more years where the fish densities are at the upper end of the scale and less drastic fluctuations,” Knotek says.

You might conclude it’s not worth fishing the lower river, but that’s not the case. The trout here tend to form small pods and can be widely dispersed, and the fishing often takes on the trappings of a hunt, searching for risers, often with binoculars. The fish average a very respectable 14 to 15 inches, with a considerable number over 20 inches. Once you locate a school, you can have a very enjoyable day.

Because the lower river is large

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Northwest Sportsman 131

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and fast drop-offs along the bank are the rule, a boat is the preferred method of fishing it. For someone unfamiliar with these waters, a professional guide might be worth the price, since he or she will probably know the best places.

For flyrodders, Elk Hair Caddis in size 14 and 16 work well throughout summer, as do size 16 and 18 Pale Morning Duns. Callibaetis and tricos generally come off in August, making a Parachute Adams, Adams or Purple Haze in sizes 14 or 16 and spinners in sizes 18 or 20 and in black or tan the best choices. Since you’re keying in on surfacing fish, dries are the obvious choice, but nymph patterns also produce. In late summer and early fall, ’hoppers and beetles are in abundance, particularly close to the banks. For the hardware fisherman, a gold Mepps spinner or a Thomas Cyclone are always dependable.

The predominant species in the lower Clark Fork are rainbow and cutthroat, and while more gullible than the browns, they do not go far when feeding, so the fly needs to be right near their noses. Be aware that most of the Clark Fork falls under catch-and-release regulations on cutthroat.

From Thompson Falls well downstream of Missoula to the Idaho border, the angling changes drastically. With three major dams, this section is more of a warmwater fishery, better suited for pike, largemouth bass and crappie. Anglers target them with lures and bait, but there are some very impressive browns in this section too.

With phase one of the clean-up and restoration showing very positive results, the future looks very bright for Montana’s Clark Fork River. It will be interesting to see just how good this former blue-ribbon stream can be, given time and additional clean-up.

The Clark Fork flows next to I-90 all the way from St. Regis to Warm Springs.

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COLUMN

Gourmet Backpacking A

flash awoke me. Bright light was the last thing that I expected to see in Central Idaho’s Sawtooth Wilderness at 2 a.m.

I sat up in my sleeping bag, looking up CHEF at the no-longer-star-filled sky. Then there

By Randy King was another flash. This time my eyes were open and I could see the young men asleep on the tarp near me in full color. We had decided to backpack camp without a tent to save weight; now I regretted that move. The lightning bouncing off the canyon walls was soon followed by roaring thunder.

My guts dropped and my heart rate rose – we could be really screwed. I quickly woke the boys, making them repack their bags and move a few yards to a circle of trees. We tied the tarp at about waist level to two large ponderosas and then extended the other end out to the ground. We placed rocks around the edges, and then moved all our sleeping bags and gear underneath. A sandwich of sleeping bags and BO, our impromptu lean-to was shelter for the night, come what may.

And it came. Wind, thunder, rain, hail and an impressive amount of lightning. But the tarp did its duty and kept us dry – though no one got any sleep.

At first light the five of us stood and stared at each other dumbly. The storm had passed, but the morning bear hunt was not exactly calling me; I didn’t want to abandon these traumatized young men. Exhausted and bleary-eyed, one of the kids muttered, “Well, at least we are going to eat well out here …”

And we did, thanks to the techniques of my buddy, chef Steve Weston.

AS A CHEF I should be ashamed at the amount of dehydrated backpacking food I’ve eaten. Mind you, it has always been a lastditch thing, an effort to minimize weight, but honestly I have never enjoyed it. So a few years back when I met Weston, I was overjoyed.

He was an “adventure chef,” as his job (at least part time) was to cook for people on backpacking trips. He had just come out with his first book, In the Wild Chef (Sportsman’s Warehouse and Amazon, among other places), and the kindship and like-mindedness was immediate, what with me billing myself as “Chef in the Wild.” What would seem like competition really was complementary, since we had two completely different audiences. Weston focused on the

Their backcountry bear hunt didn’t go as well as planned, but despite a rough night due to a passing thunderstorm, the King clan still ate well, thanks to meals like Swedish meatballs and gravy prepared before hitting the wilderness. (RANDY KING) backpack gourmet and I focused on helping the hunter at home.

We understood that synergies could be found and wanted to pursue them. It only took bear season to do so.

So we climbed into the Frank Church to look for a bruin. We didn’t find any, but I did take the time to quiz Weston on the finer points of cooking and eating well in the backcountry. After all, he was the guy who fed me spring rolls, Spam-fried rice and brie pancakes 6 miles back.

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COLUMN

PRIMUS SWEDISH MEATBALLS 1 pound ground beef 1 pound ground pork ½ cup panko 2 large egg yolks ¼ teaspoon ground allspice ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Gravy ¼ cup unsalted butter 1 /3 cup all-purpose flour 2 cubes Knorr Beef Bouillon (2 cubes, 2 cups water – make this at camp) 4 cups boiling water ¾ cup sour cream Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (Note: Steve and I argue about whether this is optional or not)

Steve Weston-inspired Primus Swedish meatballs and gravy. (RANDY KING) Like all journeys, backcountry or otherwise, a little preparation at home is required for this meal, which comes courtesy of chef Steve Weston. The way I organize my backpacking meals is to get out my handy “seal-a-meal” vacuum sealer. I seal the food after it is made and then freeze it. When packing time arrives, I simply toss the frozen package into a cooler bag, stuff that in the backpack and off I go. Assembly on the mountain is super easy.

Primus Swedish Meatballs 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 onion, diced

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At-Home Preparation 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently until onions have become translucent, about two or three minutes.

2) In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, panko, egg yolks, allspice, nutmeg and cooked onion; season with salt and pepper to taste. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs, forming about 36 meatballs.

3) Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil on the baking surface of a cookie sheet, place meatballs on and bake in oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool. Vacuum seal and freeze. Transport in hot/cold thermal bag to destination, storing meatballs in snow bank or cold stream.

4) To make the gravy, melt butter in the skillet. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in beef broth (made ahead of time) and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about one to two minutes. Let cool and freeze in vacuum seal bag.

At Camp: 1) Add gravy to a sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

Add the meatballs and continue to heat. When meatballs are hot, stir in sour cream. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

2) Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, or lingonberries if desired.

For more recipes, see chefrandyking.com. –RK

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COLUMN “For beginners,” he coached, “I recommend that you practice in your kitchen, then take your kitchen outdoors. It’s a good idea to figure out ways to cook backcountry food at home, when you can afford a mistake, and then make that food again on the trail. Have a killer stir-fry idea for the backcountry?

Practice the recipe before your trip. Would you rather fail at home or at 9,000 feet on the side of a boulder?”

The man has a point: Make life afield as easy as possible.

Weston advocates those little spice packs (stir-fry powder, taco seasoning, etc.) that you can grab at the grocery store as a flavor starter. Then, all a hiker has to do is find other lightweight alternative foods. I’ll use those little wrapped “pats” of butter found next to the dinner rolls, and will abscond with single-serve hot sauce packets from my favorite Asian take-out joint. Don’t take a pound when all you need is an ounce.

Going through Weston’s book I came across multiple recipes using ramen noodles, powdered milk, Jell-o mix and even dehydrated mashed potatos – all lightweight options that I had never considered “trail” food before.

“I’m a converter, that’s all. I take recipes from the kitchen out on the trail,” Weston says. “Why buy that prepackaged stuff? ... My recipes can save you money, and taste a heck of a lot better.”

“One of my favorites,” Weston adds, “is Swedish meatballs. It’s so easy, quick and yummy.”

When Idaho’s spring bear season rolled around, I busted out one of his suggestions. My goal was to take four boys camping, eat well and maybe shoot a bear. Instead we got a thunderstorm – and a belly full of great backpacking food. In other words, a great adventure. NS

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(RANDY KING)

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Hunt South Sound Bruins

The Right Way H

iking along a gated forest road I came across a bear track. I pointed out the size and shape of it to my hunting partner, who has lived in the southern Puget Sound region his whole life and confided that he had never seen a black bear in the wild. I SOUTH SOUND found this very strange as he is a good hunter

By Jason Brooks who spends a lot of time in the woods.

As we continued walking along the road it seemed we were going the same direction as the bruin until we came to a small gulch. The tracks led to a well-worn trail that I decided to follow and see where it went. A few hundred yards up the hill I came to the edge of a clearcut on one side and some dark timber on the other. The bear’s trail faded away and it seemed as if this was where the bruin would go into the shadows to sleep or into the cut to feed on grass and berries. It is these established trails with bear sign that make for good hunting.

As we returned to the old road I asked my hunting partner if he ever went out and looked for bears. He replied with a confused, “What do you mean?”

In the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s 2015 hunting prospects, the local game biologist describes how most black bears are harvested during deer and elk seasons by hunters who happen upon them, not by devoted bruin hunters. I explained to my partner that most deer and elk hunters look for just those critters, deer and elk. We look for their sign such as tracks, scat, buck or bull rubs, bedding areas and learn about feeding areas and habits of these animals. But for some reason, whenever I have talked to hunters who have taken a black bear or, in my partner’s case, have never even seen one, they don’t hunt them like deer or elk. And that is probably why most hunters who purchase a bear tag have never notched one.

IT’S NOT LACK of bears. WDFW’s latest Game Status and Trend Report says an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 roam Washington. In fact, we have one of the highest black bear populations in the Lower 48, and on the Westside we can harvest two a year.

There are nine bear management units across the state, with BMU 2 comprising South Sound and the rest of Pugetropolis. Last year 107 bears were harvested in the unit. Success rates ranged from a high of 10.7 percent for the 270 hunters who bagged 29 in Game Management Unit 454, Issaquah – which has one of the highest, densest human populations in the Northwest – to 2.5 percent in GMU 667, Skookumchuck, mostly comprised of

Hunters who pursue bear outside of deer and elk season can find ursine success by not hunting the species like they’re ungulates. Ron Ellis bagged this one. (RON ELLIS) industrial forest lands and which yielded 11 bears for 447 hunters.

Elsewhere, hunters killed 23 in North Sound and Snoqualmie, 20 in Mashel, 19 in Olympic, 17 in Kitsap, 14 in Puyallup, 11 in Mason and nine in Coyle.

So why is it that bear harvest and success rates are relatively low when we have such high numbers? It is possible that sportsmen do as my hunting partner has in the past, and that is not actually try for bears or even look for them but just rely on stumbling upon one.

It’s possible, of course. Bears like to eat – a lot – and then sleep and then eat some more. With increasing human-bear conflicts each year, we know that bears will habituate with people. If bears have frequent encounters with humans, including our activities

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Northwest Sportsman 143

COLUMN

One key to finding bears is finding their trails.

A trick the author’s used is to sweep dusty areas and then return to find out if bruins have been frequenting a path. (JASON BROOKS)

such as hiking, cars driving by, dogs barking and such, then they adapt and quickly learn what a threat is and what is not. Unlike elk, where once you spook the herd they take off and sometimes won’t stop running for miles, bears will go a short distance and then hide; sometimes they just climb a tree and wait for the threat to pass. This means that if you find bear sign and an area that offers food, then you have narrowed down your chances of finding that bear again. Like I began telling my hunting partner, if you locate spots that a bear is frequenting, be patient and you will find the bear. First you need to locate activity, such as the tracks we found on the dirt road and then the well-used trail. Next would be to find the food source and then a vantage point to sit and glass it from a distance.

Hunters on Vancouver Island often glass the extensive logging road system. This is because the edges of logging roads hold a lot of food for bears and also offer cover close by. It’s the same here in Pugetropolis, where we have clearcutting on public and private forestlands. Stop and look at the edges of the gravel roads and you will realize that they are lush in grasses, mushrooms and berries, all of which are what bruins look for to put on winter fat.

This month is prime berry season. Just about every kind of berry in Western Washington is ripe come August. This can make things a bit more difficult for hunters, what with all the food available all over the place, but when you find fresh tracks, scat and a berry patch, it’s only a matter of putting in the time before you find the bear. One of the areas I prefer to sit and glass looks across to a large clearcut with several roads. A good pair of binoculars and a spotting scope are more important than the weapon you choose, as first you need to find the bears. Simply glass along the roads and edges of the cover, though I have also found many bears right out in the open.

TIME OF DAY is not as important for bear hunting as it is with chasing deer and elk. Those who hunt the hooved game often find themselves perched at first and last light, hoping to find an 144 Northwest Sportsman

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animal out feeding during the cool times of day. This is because deer and elk are ungulates; they have chambered stomachs and will go lay down and chew their cud from a place of safety. Bears don’t do this; they gorge when they find a food source. Most bears only move off of the food source because they get their fill, to return later once hungry again, or because they were pushed off of the food due to a threat. Bears, especially older boars, will fight other bears, so they are more on the lookout for other bruins in the area than humans, especially if they have become accustomed to human activity. Most of the bears I have seen have been feeding in the middle of the day. Before the passing of the law to stop baiting bears in 1996 I would bait for them and we had our best success in midafternoon. Rarely did we go to our bait sites early in the morning, as there was no need.

Hunters who target bears and learn the species’ habits are more successful than those who just hope to find them by hiking along. By learning where a bear is feeding and the times of day they are at the food source, you increase your chances.

Nowadays we have trail cameras. Thanks to these cameras you can put one up where you find an active trail and then come back later to learn what time bears are using the area, their size, color, and, most importantly, sex. Boars tend to have wider and bigger heads and sows are smaller. If you find a sow with cubs, you will want to avoid the area. Biologists note that bear populations can be sensitive to harvest due to a slow reproductive rate – cubs stay with sows for two years. If possible, target the boars. And it’s a better idea to take a smaller and young boar than a middle-aged sow, as even if the sow is alone, she might be pregnant from this past spring’s breeding season.

If you don’t have a trail camera, a trick I used back in the day was to take a branch and wipe away a section of a used trail.

Upon my return I would check the area I’d cleared to see if there were any new tracks. They can tell you a lot about the bear, such

POPPING OFF

Black bears are silent for the most part. You won’t hear them crashing through the woods or roaring like in the movies.

Unless the bear is tearing apart a stump or rolling rocks looking for grubs they make little noise. Their feet are padded and thus very quiet when they walk. However, if you startle a bear or come between a sow and her cubs, listen for a “popping” noise. A bear can pop its jaw, which is a warning that they are in no mood to back down and may become very aggressive. Never run from a sow that is making this popping noise. Your best bet is to slowly back away while looking at the bear, while yelling loudly in a deep voice. –JB

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Northwest Sportsman 145

COLUMN

The best way to locate bears is to find their feed. That can be in the form of ripening fruit – whether blueberries in the highlands, black- or huckleberries in the lowlands or old orchards – or even the grassy verge of logging roads. (JASON BROOKS, BOTH) as size, direction it’s traveling and frequency that the trail is used. It can also let you know if there are cubs in the area.

Hunt bears like a bear hunter, not a deer or elk hunter, and look for signs of frequent use. Find the food sources and you will find the bears. Glass the well-used area from a distance so not to spread your scent and once you locate a bear, watch it for a bit to assure there are no cubs. Black bears have great noses and pretty good hearing, but horrible eyesight. Stalking a bear

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is fairly simple, as long as you go slowly. More than once I have closed the distance on one with little to no cover, and when the bear caught me approaching I just stopped and waited. As long as you are downwind, the bear will eventually go back to feeding and you can continue the stalk.

Lastly, when out bear hunting in August, don’t forget to collect some of those berries. There’s nothing better than a bear steak dinner with fresh berry cobbler for dessert. NS

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COLUMN

Bear Season Begins

Aug. 1 marks the start of black bear season in the North Cascades, and you can hunt bruins from foothills timberlands, where this one was photographed not long after a bear hunter walked past, to mountain meadows. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST)

B

ruin hunters are seeing a more typical transition to summer’s scape in the North Cascade foothills this year.

There are greater expanses of lingering

By Doug Huddle snowpack on north slopes now than there were at this same time last year, and that’s going to affect the timing of berry production and thus black bear foraging habits at higher elevations as season begins Aug. 1.

Also, along one Northwest Washington lowlands stream, some sense of normalcy will return following the regulatory chaos of this spring as the Samish River opens this month for fall Chinook.

NORTH SOUND

HIGH BERRIES DELAYED The federal Natural Resources Conservation Service’s annual water report update indicates that Northwest Washington came through last winter with an average to above-average snowpack from 3,000 feet above sea level on up. According to the same monthly tallies, below that elevation snow precipitation and accumulation were subpar.

Insofar as black bears are concerned, snowfall alone does not prompt denning behavior. That’s influenced more by the annual photoperiod (the length of daylight) cycle.

However, where localized interannual climate effects did take some of the edge off the need to “stay up late,” black bears have been seen to remain active much later in the fall.

Several bears on the lower South Fork Nooksack River were found to be foraging for naturally spawning coho into late December, well past the turn-in time of bruins denning several thousand feet higher upslope.

Higher-elevation-dwelling bears almost always give sign of descending at emergence in the early spring to meet green-up only to head back uphill in summer, taking in early berry, grass and groundcover plant blossoming as they go.

Indications this year are that midelevation huckleberry and whortleberry production is ahead of schedule and, in some areas, robust.

But due to the lingering snowpack, especially on north slopes (which are generally cool and wet environs in which to loiter), berry plants are now just emerging. It’ll take time for leaf-budding and blossom formation.

With last year’s fruit-producing new twig growth protected from frost by early snowfall, though on a later schedule, when berries up high do ripen, in most locales the crop should be robust.

WHERE TO LOOK UP HIGH Expect foothills and mountain black bears to be drawn to south or sunny slopes for the earliest-ripening berries, as well as boggy upper basin areas with similar sunny aspects.

Vehicular access will be most readily available on the national forest, but the down side here is that with the cessation of logging, clearcuts are fewer and the older ones are now obscured by regrowth.

On the Mount Baker Ranger District, look to the Finney Block (south of the Skagit River) and its Iron Mountain (Forest Service Road 1775), Gee Creek (Road 1705) and Gee Lake (Roads 1720 and 1722) accesses.

The Illabot Creek Road, southeast of Rockport, offers access to the 16 Mainline and Road 1620 on federal lands, as well as walk-in

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COLUMN access to lower elevation gated private timberlands. Also try the Jackman Creek (Road 14) mainline east of Concrete.

In the Baker River Valley, Roads 12, 13, 1107, 1130 and 1144 provide access to aging second-growth units with some vistas. They also serve as jumping-off points for developed trails or pioneered routes into subalpine areas.

In the Nooksack Basin, the Canyon Creek (Road 31) and Wells Creek (Road 33) are again closed due to storm damage, but Glacier Creek (Road 39), Swamp Creek (Road 3065), Anderson Creek (Road 3071) and White Salmon (Road 3070) routes are accessible and Western Washingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three most productive bear units in 2015 by harvest tally were all in the North Sound. The therefore the best choices.

Nooksack Unit led the way with 59 bears for 579 hunters, while the Stillaguamish Unit was second with 46 bears State timberlands have newer for 546 tagholders. The Sauk Unit, where Brady Compton bagged this one in 2011, yielded 34 for 376. Compton harvested areas, but increasingly, was hunting the base of Mt. Higgins relatively late in the season, November. (BROWNING PHOTO CONTEST) especially in checker-boarded Slide Mountain road systems into predominately public lands also ownership or near rural residential areas where shooting has provide for dispersed August and September bear hunting. become a problem, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more difficult to find drive-up options.

Private timberlands, though impacted most by black bearLook to the Coal Creek Road on the east side of Sumas caused tree damage, are least likely to be accessible by motor Mountain, as well as the Coal Mine Road south of Glacier to be vehicle for bear hunting. On the main, Northwest Washington among the best bets. The Red Mountain, Racehorse Creek and companies in Whatcom and Skagit Counties allow walk-in day-use hunting forays but they do not permit overnight camping or fires. They also occasionally invoke state-administered absolute closures to entry to lands especially vulnerable to wildfires, which means no one is allowed to go in.

AN OPEN INVITE (SHHHH) However, one Northwest Washington private timber company, which wishes to remain unnamed, has taken to opening a few road gates on portions of its tree farms in August and occasionally into September to admit by motor vehicle fall general tag black bear hunters. Their motivation is not so much out of social obligation as it is to more readily reduce bruin populations in and around stands of younger conifers. A predilection to sap feeding in some bears reduces the standing crop of growing trees, costing landowners by their accounting millions of dollars in lost resource. Studies have found that for some of these omnivores, feeding on conifer sap or pitch is a learned behavior. In the spring, sap-feeders just out of their dens focus on younger trees 150 Northwest Sportsman

AUGUST 2016 | nwsportsmanmag.com

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COLUMN with thinner bark, raking the lower trunks into the sapwood with their claws, causing rising sap to ooze from those gouges. Hungry animals make the rounds of Douglas fir/western hemlock stands, licking the carbohydrate-rich pitch for nourishment.

When viewed from a distance, reprod hosting sap-dining bears are readily identified by the conspicuous sprinkling throughout of browned, dead saplings and sometimes larger trees.

Spring public controlled or limited-entry permit hunts, sorghum pellet (bait) feeding stations to distract the sugarcraving animals and even contract population reduction hunting are some of the other alternatives forest managers employ to deal with losses from marauding bears.

Animal rights groups, in efforts to counter or end lethal control The Samish River opens for Chinook and stray hatchery coho this month, but won’t really start methods including kicking out kings like Jacob Ostrom’s from the 2014 public hunting, season until September. Ostrom was fishing a jig have supported the tipped with cured shrimp. (DAIWA PHOTO CONTEST)

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development of chemical contraceptives as a means to suppress and stabilize bear populations.

With all that in mind, timber companies, though averse to wholesale public access to their lands, find it helpful simply to open gates for the early phase of the fall hunt and take advantage of the free willing-public hunting effort since the “service” costs them little and it comes before the crush of the modern firearms deer season.

There’s no advertisement of these no-cost entrée gate openings, either in general or specific, and not all landowners are doing it.

Several here have instituted limited fee-access programs for public recreation as a means to encourage and focus hunting effort.

Not all open private gates during this time carry an invitation to trespass for hunting either. Would-be hunters coming across potential opportunities should do their due diligence, find out who the landowner is and make inquiries. Of course, if an otherwise closed timberland gate is open at all hours in August, it’s likely to be OK to venture in. Just beware of logging operations.

Once inside the normally vehicleless domains, the regular bear hunting provisos kick in. Hunt at dawn or dusk. Stake out wet, marshy areas. Bring optics. Stay alert and, above all, be patient.

SAMISH KINGS UP FOR GRABS The Samish River’s late summer fishery targeting a nonnative hatchery Chinook stock survived last spring’s frenzied conservation-driven discussions and will be among the few North Sound early fall in-river options for anglers.

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Northwest Sportsman 153

COLUMN Though the fish actually arrive later – September is typically when most are caught – this small stream opens the first of August and at run’s peak, kings from 3½-pound jacks to 25-pound five-year-old adults are the attraction here.

Large numbers of the expected 37,000 or so Samish falls are going to be taken in the terminal-area commercial fishery, but actual returns to the stream’s narrow confines can range from 9,000 to upwards of 18,000 fish.

Parking and bank access across private land are two of the three key challenges facing fishers here. The third is overcoming the temptation to snag these fish.

It’s well within the capability of fishers to rig up and operate

terminal tackle in such a manner that they fair hook these salmon inside the mouth so they can be kept.

At a minimum, bring cured egg clusters, single hooks and bobbers. These kings also will strike a wide array of other endof-the-line offerings. The trick is finding the combination of both elbow/backcast room and water depth to make them work.

Other essential gear includes a tide guide to pinpoint the middle of a high/low tide cycle and at least hip boots, if not chest waders, to get to a fishable lie. Do not try to float the lower Samish; though legal, it won’t be tolerated by bankies.

Some anglers prefer the slack ebb when there’s the least amount of water, but low tide restricts gear selection and increases the likelihood of snagging, both deliberate and inadvertent.

BORDER CRABBING SET TO OPEN

Recreational crabbing starts Saturday, Aug. 13, in Marine Subarea 7 North, the so-called Gulf of Georgia waters off northwest Whatcom County and the last of Washington’s inland zones to open for the summer.

Scheduled for a 49-day fishery, it’ll be open five days a week, with Tuesday and Wednesday shutdowns.

Handy and lucrative for short-line pot fishers are the gently sloping shallows off Neptune Beach to up to Boundary Bay, including Cherry Point, Birch Bay, Point Whitehorn and Semiahmoo.

While generally dominated by depths not fishable with recreational gear, the zone has several offshore locales worthy of short-line sets, including Alden Bank, a near-surface rise west of Sandy Point; the rock-strewn off-beach waters along Patos, Sucia and Matia Islands’ north shores; and the tapered intertidal locale around Point Roberts.

These waters, along with Subarea 7 South, remain open past the Labor Day general closure elsewhere in Puget Sound, with crabbing legal until Sept. 30. Just be sure to have your late, or winter, Dungeness catch record card for documenting keepers after Sept. 5. –DH

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The focal point for the Samish’s fee-free accessible reach is the Bayview-Edison Road bridge, where there’s a smattering of state-owned land. It’s also where the main pay-for-access private land is.

The Farm-to-Market Road bridge 2 miles south of the town of Edison is the second possible entry. However, all high ground here is privately owned.

The third angler approach for lower Samish fall kings is Thomas Road bridge about a mile and half west of Allen.

From Thomas Road up to the Interstate 5 bridges – the remainder of the open section – access is much more difficult. Of note to avoid are the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad tracks, where the company enforces the trespass ban on its right-of-way and bridge.

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Speaking of North Sound salmon, this year, fishery officials had to scramble to conserve coho and maximize their return to spawning grounds and hatcheries.

Coho are closed in almost all of Puget Sound’s marine waters, and portions if not all reaches of rivers such as the Skagit and Stillagaumish are closed to all fishing in fall when silvers are in.

The Nooksack, however, will be a noteworthy exception. Because of its major hatchery supplementation program, the mainstem and its north and south forks have a straight-through salmon season starting on the lower end the first of September and on the forks beginning Oct. 1. Wild coho have a getoff-the-hook-free pass systemwide, but anglers may keep a total of four adiposefin-clipped hatchery coho.

Along with Chinook, the Samish will also be open for stray hatchery coho through the end of November.

NEXT ISSUE Early archery hunts, more on the Nooksack’s coho fishery and upland birds. NS Editor’s note: Doug Huddle lives in Bellingham, is retired from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and has written about hunting and fishing in the Northwest for more than 33 years.

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COLUMN

The ‘Impossible’ Head Shot Only A Matter Of Practice Rifles and pistols in .22 caliber like the Ruger 10/22 and Mark I are legal for taking forest grouse and rabbits, and a bit of skill will enable hunters to take meat-saving head shots. A good way to practice for such a small target is to glue the lid of a milk jug sideways on the top. (DAVE WORKMAN)

F

orest grouse seasons open Aug. 30 in Idaho and Sept. 1 in Washington and Oregon, and I will be out there somewhere looking to put some fat fool hens in the cooler.

I will have a shotgun, of course, but there will also be a .22-caliber rifle with a scope in ON TARGET

By Dave Workman the truck. I learned long ago that a head-shot grouse tastes just as good, and there’s no worry about biting down on a tiny chunk of lead, or ruining any meat. Ditto on rabbits.

Yes, headshots on small game with a rimfire are possible, and all three states allow forest grouse to be shot with rimfires.

I have done it, though I’ve also missed a bunch of times, and I

know other guys who make an annoying habit of it. Right now, with a few weeks before the seasons open, is the time for people interested in trying their luck to start practicing.

We’re talking about a target that is about an inch across on grouse. And it might not be entirely motionless. Still, it can be done, and I’m about to explain how someone prepares to take such a shot.

It takes practice. It also takes a keen eye if using iron sights, or a well-tuned scope on a rifle, plus a great deal of patience.

My personal rifle is a Ruger 10/22 semiauto. It’s got metallic sights, but some years ago I topped it with a 1.75-4x32mm Bushnell scope. At 25 yards it is dead on. This rifle is so accurate that I once did a story about plinking games that involved shooting the heads off wooden kitchen matches at 25 yards. I did

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Northwest Sportsman 161

COLUMN

Brought To You By:

KICK-EEZ

that off a sandbag rest on a calm day.

USEFUL TARGET PRACTICE For the next couple of weekends as I bounce along some gravel roads looking for blue grouse in the mornings and evenings – you bet, I scout ’em – I take the rimfire along to find some out-of-theway spot to practice a bit.

You have several options where targets are concerned. Buy a stack of smallbore paper targets and shoot at them for group.

Save your plastic half-gallon milk jugs and top them off with a small rubber ball or golf ball, or glue the cap on upright at the spout and set them up at 20 to 25 yards. Zero on the ball or cap.

I learned to do this shooting bottle caps as a kid.

A golf ball is a bit larger than the head of a grouse, but if you can fine-tune a rimfire rifle to consistently punch that ball, you’ve got a pretty good chance of putting birds in the bag.

Be sure to use a good, solid rest whenever possible.

If you’re interested in collecting rabbits, a tennis ball makes a superb target for practicing head shots. Or, set a pop can on its side and shoot at the bottom of the can. If you can hit that consistently, there isn’t a cottontail on the planet that will be safe.

Both Champion and Birchwood Casey market small game targets made from a self-sealing synthetic material. These are good for hundreds of rounds, and if one concentrates on just making

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®

head shots, in due time one’s skills are going to be sharpened.

Last and certainly not least, find a few old fir cones and stick them in the spout of that empty plastic jug. These approximate the size of a grouse noggin and the shooter who can repeatedly pop these cones should have no trouble hitting a grouse or bunny in the head.

Important: Make sure you have a good backstop! Do not set targets in front of a gravel bank or boulder. Old stumps or the berm at a shooting range will stop the bullet after you bonk the target.

Not only is this challenging, it is fun.

CHOOSE YOUR AMMO I recently tested a new Takedown Lite Ruger 10/22 and discovered that it liked one type of rimfire ammunition while it didn’t care for another. Ditto my rifle and anybody else’s .22 caliber, whether a single shot, bolt-action, semiauto or pump.

My personal 10/22 is fond of Winchester 40-grain hollowpoints, but my vintage bolt-action Model 69A Winchester, a gun that belonged to my dad, does quite well with Winchester, Remington or Federal 40-grain roundnose lead bullets.

I also have a bunch of hollowpoint 38-grainers that I use in my Ruger semiauto pistol.

I mention this because it is important to have the right combination of gun and ammunition for this game. If you load

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Northwest Sportsman 163

COLUMN

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To help improve his shooting eye for taking head shots on small game, Workman also likes self-sealing rubber targets from Champion. They are reactive, so hits are instantly visible. He will also turn a tin can sideways to approximate the head of a rabbit; he put 10 rounds into that single hole, shooting from a sandbag rest. (DAVE WORKMAN)

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE Lastly, you’ve got to be patient. Do not shoot too soon!

One thing I have discovered about grouse and rabbits is that they will freeze in place momentarily if they think there’s trouble, just to size up the threat. That’s when to shoot, and you must be ready!

On the season opener a couple of years ago, I plugged a blue grouse from about 25 to 30 yards with a pistol, but I waited for the shot.

One can set up shots on grouse by spotting them along road edges. Drive slowly and cruise to a stop without making a commotion and gently follow them as they walk off into the brush. If they spook, they will likely fly into a nearby tree and sit on a limb to see if you follow. With a scoped .22 rifle, you have the advantage of outsmarting the buggers.

Rabbits, or course, will hop off into the brush but with a pair of binoculars you can often follow them and watch as they stop to check out what’s behind them. Bang!

You cannot shoot along or across any road in any state I’ve ever been in. Get off the road and go to work.

Be sure to check the regs, be aware of bag limits and shooting hours, and then have some fun collecting dinner. NS

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FISHING

Scenes from Buoy 10: A tall ship near the bridge, one of the many sea lions, fishing during last August’s smoky days and success for the author’s son Ayden. (ANDY SCHNEIDER)

(continued from page 50) spinners, I used the 6.5 Mulkey and No. 7 Cascade spinner in red and white, made by Yakima Bait, and had excellent results. They are well made and held up to many fish.”

With the growing popularity of using cannonball weights in lieu of divers, Johnson has found a happy medium where he utilizes both techniques.

“I run divers quite a bit, actually.

I’m always running at least one, usually off my back corner,” he says.

“Why? Because I’ll stick with what has worked for many, many years.

Also, divers are a great choice for new anglers.”

Whether running divers or lead, though, the guide prefers stringing up with braid.

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monofilament, making it weak,” he says. “When using braid, there is no worry about that. Braided line also cuts through the water better, allowing me to use lighter leads and detect the bottom easier.”

Johnson’s standard rigging starts with 65-pound braided mainline tied to a large duolock snap with a single 8mm bead above it. When using cannonballs, Johnson will snap the duolock into a Shortbus rudder/ spreader. From there, he clips his triangle flasher and a 12-inch wire lead dropper with 8 to 12 ounces of lead. Behind the flasher is 4 to 5 feet of 40-pound Maxima Ultragreen to two 4/0 fix-tied barbless hooks.

“I’ve had a lot of people tell me that they don’t want to use that heavy of line,” says Johnson. “They think that these fish are line shy. But I have not seen a need for lighter or fluorocarbon

lines in this fishery. Forty-pound line ensures that I don’t lose any fish, and that I can catch fish over and over on the same leader. If the knots were a little easier to tie in 50-pound test, I would be using that!”

When using divers, Johnson simply unclips his duolock from the spreader and hooks it directly into a diver. Behind the diver he uses a triangle flasher and the same leader and hook set-up as with cannonball leads.

Every angler has a different view of what makes a successful fishing trip.

Good food, weather and company all contribute to a good day on the water, but some catching turns successful trips into memorable ones, trips that are reflected upon in the months and years to come. Keep that in mind and use these tips to create your own memories at Buoy 10 this season. NS

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