fishingaddictsnorthwest.com

We finally got the rods in the water around 8pm, setting ourselves up for a night of steelhead fishing! Pulling lighted plugs and glow in the dark Spin-N-Glos with sand shrimp. Everything was perfect, the weather, the water, and fishing with your best buddies. Anticipation was high; it was up to the fish now.

Summer Steelhead, Salmon, and sturgeon fishing the Columbia River and its tributaries can be an angler’s haven, thousands of salmon and steelhead poor over the dams every year on their journey upstream. Chinook salmon reaching over 40lbs, more steelhead than you can shake a stick at, and lots of keeper sturgeon! It truly is a great time to be fishing this Columbia River fishery.
Summer Chinook fishing is extremely hot! With fish averaging from 16-22 pounds and some well over 30 lbs, you really can’t beat fishing for these monsters. Sardine wrapped kwik-fish and Spinners are extremely productive. This year the season runs straight through July so we get a lot of time to target these huge chromers. Water depth and current flow are extremely important, try to stay in between 8-20ft of water on a normal day but some day’s fish are being caught as deep as 30ft of water. According to the preseason forecast there are almost 90,000 Summer Chinook expected to return to the Columbia this year! These Summer Chinook are by far the best tasting fish and they put up a heck of a fight.
Steelhead numbers over the dam continue to grow! Lots of fish are being caught in the lower river system already and it will only get better. A lot of places allow night fishing as well as day fishing so you never have to stop! Summer steelhead will continue to trickle into our river systems all through summer and into early fall. These fish have tons of stamina and will give you quite a show when hooked! Fishing Spin-N-Glos with sand shrimp, spinners, and small kwik-fish are all great ways to pick up steelhead in the Columbia. When it comes to night fishing, pulling lighted plugs and rigging up a glow in the dark Spin-N-Glo will knock them dead! There are so many fish and a ton of time to go catch them, it is definitely worth it!

Sturgeon is also a hot summer fish on the minds of many anglers! Sturgeon in the Columbia River vary from 20 inches to 20 feet! A keeper sturgeon will have to be within 42inches and 60 inches, making it difficult sometimes to find a fish to put on your dinner table. These fish are very hard fighting (some say the hardest), and taste amazing if prepared right. My favorite is fishing for oversize sturgeon! These monsters average between 6-12ft long, they will tear you up and keep fighting for up to an hour or more. There are many different types of baits used for sturgeon. Sand shrimp, smelt, anchovies, herring, sardines and squid all work well, make sure to use lots of scent also. If you are after the big fella’s then try a fresh whole shad.

We are all very lucky to get to enjoy this great Columbia River fishery. I hope that everybody will help preserve and protect our waters we are so fortunate to have here in the great northwest and enjoy every last minute you have on them. Whether its salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon fishing this summer I hope to all the best of luck!

Your Fellow Fishing Addict,
Shaun Keller

Summer steelhead can be one of the most aggressive best fighting fish to target. They exert explosive runs and huge acrobatic jumps. They also come into the rivers with lots of fat content, making them an exceptional table fare. SW Washington’s rivers have some great summer steelhead fishing. The East Fork of the Lewis, the Kalama, the Washougal and the Elochoman all continue year after year to produce good runs of summer fish.

The East Fork is a great river for all techniques of fishing. The smolt release for this year’s return wasn’t a great one. The release was almost cut in half with only 32,300 smolt released. It’s going to be tough to pick up summer runs in this river, but they will be there. On the river you will see good bobber, drift, plug, and fly fishing water. Two great places to start for bank and boat anglers is Lewisville or Daybreak Park. The float from Lewisville to Daybreak is a really nice float. You can launch at the top of the park and go all the way to daybreak or la center. There is plenty of good water all the way through the float. Daybreak down to La Center is a long float; you will be oaring about 45 mins to an hour once you get to the dead water a few miles below Daybreak. For bank anglers you can park at either of the parks and walk up and down river. There are quite a few spots to fish from the bank. Jig and float fishing is the most popular on this river because of the quality float water up and down the river. From daybreak down, there is a lot of plug pulling water as well as drift fishing sections. Early in the summer you are going to want to concentrate low in the system, as the water begins to heat up, you should start to fish higher in the system cause that’s where the fish will be, trying to survive in the low warm water.
The Kalama should be a different story. With 84,150 smolt released this river is expected to be on fire. I talked with Monty Thierry of Reel Adventures Guide Service (www.reeladv.com) and he said the run this year is going to be a very good one. There are 3 popular floats on the Kalama. The first is from Pritchard’s/Red Barn down to the Slab Hole. Be aware of a large exposed boulder in the rapids just below Pritchard’s ramp. It comes into play as the water drops into summer steelhead time. You’ll need to run the rapids out in the chop to the right of the boulder as there isn’t enough space to clear the rock if you choose the left side. Not an issue if the water is high but as the water drops into summer flows this rock has turned a few boats over in the past. There are some nice runs in this stretch of river, good float and jig fishing just below Pritchard’s rapids and all through Weber’s run. The deep waters of the Upper Bridge hole has good bank access and can be fished with float and jigs up in the fast water at the top of the run and can hold fish all the way to the bridge. The Gazebo run/hole is another boat access only drift that is good for floating jigs/bait as well as divers with bait or small plugs. There is some small pocket water from there to the Slab run/hole that should be fished with floats and jigs.The second good float is the Slab hole to Modrow Bridge. There is good bank access on the Slab hole and can be good for jigs and/or diver bait if you’re in a boat. The lower hatchery run/hole puts out fish all summer long with floats and jigs, as well as drift fishing eggs or shrimp. Just below the hatchery is the Beginners hole with great bank access and is another good float and jig hole with good results for boaters as well pulling plugs or bait divers. Fishing the boulder laden flats below the beginner’s hole with the sun low on the water at first light or late in the day for migrating fish with spinners or floats and dark colored jigs. From this point down there is some limited bank access and better for boaters and can be good plug and bait diving when the water volumes are high enough in the early summer. After the water drops stick to floats with bait/jigs or spinners in the faster white water.
The Washougal River is another smaller SW Washington river that year after year puts out good numbers of summer steelhead. With a smolt release of 64,600 for this year’s return fishermen on this river can expect good fishing results. Highway 14 provides good bank-fishing access to the Lower Washougal, and there are three spots along the lower river where boat anglers can launch to fish. This is a smaller river with lots of boulders so experience is needed for floating this river. When the flows are low on the river it’s not a good idea to even float. The bowling alley hole and cop shop hole are both very good places to fish from the bank. You can find good jig and float as well as drift fishing water by walking up and down the river from either of these spots. The upper shoug can also be very good when the water flows begin to drop. You can find fish trying to survive the heat and low water, in deep pools as well as fast riffles. Casting spinners up here can produce very well.
The Elochoman River is a small river that flows into the Columbia River near the town of Cathlamet, Washington. This river is always a good bet for putting some summer steel on your plate. Fishing this river can be fairly easy just because of its small size, the fish are easier to find. The river should produce a good run this year with a smolt release of 29,200. For such a small river, even if 5 percent returns, you’re looking at a good run. The river is bank fishing only, with most fishing being done below the beaver creek hatchery. It’s best to target the fish as soon as the river opens early in the season, because as the summer goes on and the river drops the fish get very spooked. Later in the summer going higher in the river can produce better fishing. The water between the two hatcheries can be very good water as well as the water above the hatcheries. This river has limited access and a lot of the water is private. Be sure not to trespass and always ask for permission to fish someone’s land. Fishing on the river is primarily done with bobber and jig, but there are a few runs good for drift fishing.
No matter what river you choose to go to in SW Washington you’re going to have a good chance at some summer steel. The good thing about all these rivers is the fact the most of them are fairly close. You can fish the East Fork, and if it’s not producing drive up to the Kalama or down to the Washougal. Fishing for summer steelhead can be one of the most exhilarating fishing experiences. Nothing is like the power and beauty of these awesome fish. I hope that you will be able to create some memories on one of these great rivers.
Marlin LeFever

I thought April showers were supposed to bring May flowers, not monsoon rains and record-setting cold temperatures? It’s the third coldest May on record around these parts. Friends and I were wondering if plunging water temperatures might just put Bass on rewind, back into pre-spawn mode.

If you take a look at my most recent Largemouth picture, you will see that this big female is still carrying eggs and has a sore tail from preparing a bed for the spawn. Definitely a pre-spawn fish. Though all fish do not spawn at precisely the same time, even on the same body of water, I think we will find a similar story in most Southwest Washington waters. Every cloud comes with a silver lining, and the cold rain might just extend some crazy spring Bass fishing. I can deal with that.

The pictured fish could not resist a new River-2-Sea, double-jointed, floating stick bait in Rainbow Trout pattern. I had placed it right next to a corner of flooded brush. She hit near the surface of 3 feet of water after I gave up on twitching the bait. I had just started to move it toward me when she grabbed it and then tried to dive back into the brush. Even in chilly water, this fish had plenty of fight. Three times on the way to the boat I had to wrestle her back out of different spots along the brush line. The water was dingy with new run-off and because of our tangles in the brush, I was not really too sure how big of a fish I was dealing with. After finally being forced away from the shoreline she made a dash for the boat, freight-trained underneath and right out the other side. When I tried to pull her back to my side, I had to pull so hard that I thought maybe she was wrapped on something. No, just a strong, heavy fish. I netted her, amazed at the depth of her body and the thick hump of her back. The backwaters of the Columbia hold such treasures, but finding high enough water and pre-spawn-attractive flooded brush can be a challenge. With all the recent rain, it wasn’t too much of a challenge this time. Who knows? Maybe the water will stay up as the temperature comes up and we’ll have a few more weeks to try such areas?

I still have some more River-2-Sea baits to try out, including some really detailed, realistic salamander imitations, complete with adjustable brush guards. There is also a dandy, sinking, single-jointed Rainbow Trout patterned bait that seductively ‘walks the dog’ underwater with a little practice. It has a hard body, but it comes with a replaceable soft plastic tail. Now that’s attention to detail! If they are as productive as the floating version, I’ll be very pleased. I have not tried them yet but there are also some very highly detailed soft plastic crawdad imitations as well. This new line of baits is available at Wholesale Sports in Vancouver, and I know I’m not the only guy picking them up.

A few weeks ago my friend Ken and I went East up the Columbia Gorge to see if we could find some Smallmouth. We found three foot waves and cold wind, but we also found some good fish. Using the old standby lipless crankbaits, we found fish around the usual suspects: Underwater humps and small rocky islands. Sheer rock walls that work for me in warmer water seemed to hold no fish at all. Though I fished them with confidence, soft plastics such as grubs or tubes produced only a few fish. The water was barely 50 degrees and probably too cold for a good grub bite. But it was great to get smacked by Smallies chasing the crankbaits. Lucky Craft seemed to produce the best, and I also did well with a blue and chrome Rapala and a red Rattle Trap. The size of the fish was nothing to write home about, as you can see in the picture, but the rollicking, racing, yanking fight of a Smallmouth of any size is always a thrill. Just a week later, my friend Josh was able to blast a 5+ pounder in the same general area. It’s just going to keep getting better as the temperature rises, and I recently heard a rumor of Salmon fishermen complaining about ‘nuisance’ Smallmouth hitting their baits!

Every Spring has its own character. Usually May is a dependable, uniformly warming month, but not this year. I suspect that we will snap back into more ‘normal’ weather and a rapid warming spell in the next few weeks. This means that Bass fishermen will need to stay adaptable, ready to hunt pre-spawn or spawning fish, and ready with either foul-weather gear or shorts and T-shirts!

I recommend having several rods baited up and ready to go. Have a stickbait rod, a soft-plastic rod, a spinnerbait rod, a crankbait rod and a top water rod with a Zara Spook, a River-2-Sea floater or a buzzbait ready to tempt surface-striking fish. Low-light hours will probably be better for your top water offerings. Remember, never give up after being short struck on any hardbait. Immediately put a soft plastic such as a worm, a tube, a creature or a lizard right back into that same area. You might just score big on the second strike! Use scents! They work, and the lubrication helps your baits move through weeds and snags more freely. Vary your retrieves, especially with spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Short pauses and bursts of speed will arouse fish more than a steady, predictable retrieve. Remember that Largemouth can have spawning beds anywhere from 1 foot to ten feet deep. If you use your Polarized sunglasses and look for them, you might just find them. When fishing flooded brush during midday, cast to the deepest shade areas and don’t pass up indentations or ‘pockets’ in the brush. Even small changes in a brush line  or any weed line or shoreline – might hold big fish!

If it stays cool and rainy, just put your rain gear on and get out there! I hustled off the water when the thunder and lightning started today, but the rain wasn’t so bad. Catching a nice big fish can make you forget having to wear a raincoat!

Your fellow Bassing fanatic,

Bob

If you want to literally be afraid of what is on the end of your line and really second guess ever getting in the water again, try fishing for tiger muskie. These things are a crazy scary and aggressive predator and will eat whatever crosses their path, including a dangling toe off the end of the dock. But aside from that, their also a blast to catch on a fly rod.

The tiger muskie is a hybrid of the musky and northern pike. Hybrids are sterile although females sometimes unsuccessfully engage in spawning motions. Some hybrids are artificially produced and planted for anglers to catch. Tiger muskies grow faster than pure muskies, but do not attain the ultimate size of their pure cousins as the Tiger muskie do not live as long. The body is often quite silvery and largely or entirely without spots but with indistinct longitudinal bands.

Tiger Muskies are found in lakes across North America. They are solitary predators at the top of the food chain. Known as the fish of 10,000 casts, they can be elusive and frustrating. Those who experience the ferocity of a tiger musky strike will never forget it. It takes dedication, perseverance and practice to become a successful tiger musky fisherman. They are a challenging fish and those who pursue them with a fly rod must be well-prepared.

Tiger muskies will eat anything they can get their mouth around. Their diet includes other fish, frogs, ducklings, muskrats, mice and other unlucky animals. Like most members of the pike family, tiger muskies are an ambush predator. They prefer habitat with structure such as weed beds, rock piles and areas with sharp drop offs. Tiger muskies are notorious for following a fly a long distance before striking. Many fish are hooked less than 10 feet away from the boat.

Most serious tiger musky fishermen use an 8 1/2 to 9 foot, 9-, 10- or 11-weight graphite fly rod. Any large arbor reel with a good drag system will suffice. A heavy weight-forward fly line will quickly load the rod and turn over bulky flies. This allows for less false casting and quick follow-up casts. Consider a heavy sink tip or shooting head when fishing deep water. Fly lines designed for saltwater species often work well for tiger fishing and are available from most manufacturers.

It takes a big fly to get the attention of a tiger muskie. Most tiger muskie flies are 8 to 12 inches long with some topping 15 inches. Streamers and top water flies are both effective. Saltwater poppers and large divers create commotion on the surface and elicit violent strikes. The best color choice is a subject of much debate. Experiment with different color combination’s and don’t be afraid to change flies. White, black, orange, and chartreuse are all popular tiger muskie colors. The mouth of a tiger muskie is tough, bony and full of razor sharp teeth, so make sure your flies are tied on razor-sharp hooks.

Tiger muskies are not known to be shy, so long leaders are not necessary. A 4- to 6-foot tapered leader is adequate. Longer leaders will increase the odds of fooling trophy bass that may chase your offering. Regardless of leader length, a bite guard is essential. There are several brands of notable wire that will stand up to the razor sharp teeth of a tiger muskie. Heavy monofilament in the 60- to 80-pound class will also prevent bite offs. Tiger muskies will often inhale a fly, so make sure your bite guard is at least a foot long.

Keep your casts short-40 to 50 feet is sufficient. This will improve your hook setting ability and help you spot fish that may be following behind the fly. Vary the speed of your retrieve. Tiger muskies are attracted to fast sudden movements, so don’t be afraid of moving the fly too fast. Never stop or slow down the fly if a tiger is following. This is unnatural and often results in a lost opportunity. If a fish follows the fly but turns off it, quickly cast again in the same area. Consider rigging a second rod with a different fly to use on follow-up casts.

It’s almost that time of year when the tiger muskies become most active on the top of the water, so any sunny day we get from here on would be a good opportunity to go try for these monsters! Try fishing at Mayfield reservoir, Merwin, or Yale, all holding good size muskies! Good luck, good fishing! Hope to hear some stories soon!.

-tight lines

-troutbum89

As avid Salmon, Steelhead, and Trout fishermen we all can appreciate the advantages that floating the river can give us. Many times I find myself wondering what boat I like better, a pontoon boat or a drift boat. There are so many great things about each craft, and they both get you down the river to those untouchable holes which most bank fisherman cant access. Let’s take a moment to go over the pro’s and con’s of each boat, so you can decide as a fishermen which one suites your needs better.

Drift boats are definitely the most popular and sought after floating device for many reasons. This boat will fit multiple people and tons of gear, which makes it the perfect craft for guiding. Drift boats are also designed to glide easily across the water to make for less strain while oaring. They come in all different shapes and sizes, and are made from many different materials such as aluminum, fiberglass and even wood. Any fisherman can appreciate how comfortable and spacious these boats are, especially when being out on the water all day.

Although there are so many great factors to having a drift boat, I still have couple of issues with them. Drift boats can be extremely loud from bouncing off rocks and scraping bottom which tends to scare fish and let them know your presence. Fishing is all about being elusive and not being seen. Water levels can drop making floating a drift boat very hard if not impossible, then you’re stuck hiking around like everyone else. I also feel that fishing out of a drift boat by yourself can be a little difficult at times, especially launching and loading your boat.

Pontoon boats are not quite as popular as drift boats but are very capable and user friendly crafts. I find that pontoon boats are great for beginners because if you can’t avoid a rock or a log, most of the time you can just go right over it! These boats are also very quiet and can easily be navigated in tight spots. When the river is low these crafts are good to go, they float in 3 inches of water and if you get stuck you can easily drag them to deeper water. When Drift boats can’t float the river, Pontoon boats can!
There are also a few downsides to pontoon boats. With Pontoon boats you are limited to how many fisherman that can float with you, there are 2 and 3 seat pontoons but they are big and can get really expensive. Gear storage can be very limited, and normally you are limited to 1 or 2 fishing rods. There are platforms for a box or a cooler and they usually have a number of pockets but you have to limit yourself to what gear you bring. It also is very hard to pull plugs and bait-diver set ups because lack of hands. If you don’t have an anchor set-up you are usually forced to pull to shore to fish the hole, if there is no bank access I run a rope across the front of my boat so it can’t float away and I wade while fishing.
I hope that this information could help you on your decision on which boat would fit your needs best or maybe both if it’s in your budget. Each boat is a great at floating the river and will do so for many years with the right maintenance. While on your next adventure down your favorite stream, whether it is in a Drift boat or a Pontoon I hope you catch many fish and have a safe float.
Your fellow fishing addict,
Shaun Keller

With spring time pretty much here and summer time just around the corner, you have to choose the long beach peninsula as one of your bass fishing vacation plans. There is lakes scattered all over the peninsula full of largemouth bass, and they get very little pressure. There are a few lakes that I would definitely concentrate most of my time on, Loomis, Black, Island, and Lake O’Neil

Loomis Lake is the first one I would spend a day on. The lake is a pretty big lake and is just completely full of big largemouth bass. The lake has a pretty good public boat launch, but other than that there is no public access. There is no shore access to the lake at all, the one boat launch has a few places for people to fish but without a boat here, you are pretty much wasting your time. There used to be a nice dock to fish off but as of last year a tree had fallen on it and they did not fix it. The bass in this lake can be very finicky, sometimes its crazy and you will have 20 fish days and other times you will be lucky if you’re able to hook a couple. I have fished this lake since I was a little kid and I have never been able to pinpoint the reason for this but it just happens. The main places you are going to want to concentrate on this lake are the docks and any other wood you are able to find. There are logs and pilings all over the lake for bass to live. Fish all of them; don’t pass any of them, because the one you pass is the one that has a big largemouth on it! Another place the fish like to hide in this lake is the weed bed breaks. The lake has a really bad milfoil problem. The state has tried to get rid of it numerous times but have failed. The bass love it though! There is spots where it’s so thick you can’t get your trolling motor through the weeds but then all the sudden it will just stop…..when you find these spots fish them. The bass suspend just inside these beds and destroy food that crosses their path. The best baits of choice to fish this lake are spinnerbaits on the wood and 5” weightless senkos on the weed beds. After you have spent your time here, head over to Island Lake, it is just a short drive away.
Island is another lake where you need a boat. There is no bank access what so ever. This lake is huge! You could spend all day fishing the lake. I like to launch my boat and head directly east, once you get through the first bigger channel then start concentrating fishing the south shore. The fish in this lake don’t average very big but I think that is just because how many are in the lake. No sarcasm at all, I have caught upwards of 50 largemouths in one day on this lake. Most fish average between 1-3 pounds, with one pound fish being more common. The lure of choice I like to throw is brush hogs. These fish love to hide way up on the bank in thick brush so, casting up on the bank and dragging the bait into the water works very well here. If you get board catching small fish, it’s time to head to Black Lake.

Around 15 mins from Island Lake, Black Lake gets absolutely no pressure from bass fishermen. The main reason this lake isn’t fished is because of the difficulty this lake conveys in catching bass. Not only is the lake very clear, there isn’t a large number of bass in the lake. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout frequently, so the bass in the lake reach very big sizes. I have pulled 2 fish out of the lake pushing 9 pounds. This lake has a trail that goes most of the way around the lake, and yea you can catch a bass sometimes from the bank but your best bet is still going to be from a boat. Launch your boat and head south around the left side of the lake back into the bowl shaped section of the lake. The most effective way in catching the huge bass that live in this lake is drop shotting. Use your electronics and find some of the deep water structure, a hint for you; it’s in about 25 feet of water. Both the big bass I caught in this lake came in deep deep water. Be patient and if you can come back to the lake numerous times in a season you will eventually hook into one of the big guys living here. Now just 10 mins away from Black lake lies Fort Canby.

This beautiful state park has 2 really untapped bass lakes. The one that has campsites all the way around the lake is called Lake O’Neil. This lake is a great lake to fish from the shore just casting weed less frogs. The fish average 2-3 pounds in here with the occasional 5 pounder falling to your frog. I love fishing this lake when I want to just drive to the beach and go catch some easy bass. The lake gets pretty much no pressure so the fish are pretty willing biters. If you have a pontoon boat you can do very well in this lake as well. The other lake in the campground requires a pontoon or other small watercraft. If you head back towards the Yurts in the campground there is a little gravel parking lot with a hiking trail on the left. The trail isn’t much maintained so dragging your boat through here isn’t easy and make sure you bring your bug spray! If you can endure these 2 things you are in for a treat. This lake is chalked full of bass and some really big ones can be taken out of here. This lake is really weedy as well so bring your Spro frogs! Have fun out there and leave some bass for me!

Your local fishing addict

Marlin LeFever

Bass fishing with fly tackle is unlike trout fishing. Trout fishing is a lot about style and finesse, where as bass fishing is more chill and relaxed, making it easier for more of the beginner class of folks. With bass fishing presentation isn’t everything, gear has a big deal in being successful in adverse spring conditions.

Rod selection for bass is much different than for trout fishing. Trout is more of a slower action rod, and can get away with a 2-5wt rod with any type of line. Bass you want a shorter rod with a stiffer butt and fast action tip preferably 7’6”-8’ in length and in a 7-8 wt with mainly sinking line, or sinking tip to make it easier for casting larger more wind resistant flies.

A fun and action packed way to catch bass as everyone knows, is on top water gear. There is a good variety of top water flies for bass, from poppers to foam frogs to deer hair mice. Popular colors for flies are basically the colors in the rainbow, something that is going to stand out to the bass and say come eat me.

More flies for subsurface are the deke’s bead leg, softshell crayfish, and marabou streamer. The deke’s bead leg is basically a bead head woolly bugger with round rubber legs and can be presented same as a standard bugger although for bass you would want a sinking line, with slow or fast retrieve. Crayfish patterns are best used in a slower retrieve using full sinking line nearer the bottom pausing intermittently. Marabou flies are preferably a mid range fly using float line and a sink tip with a retrieve with short fast strips and pauses frequently imitating injured prey. Mainly fished over weed beds or submerged structure.

Bass are ambushers, they mostly hide out and wait for their prey, so we must go to them. Fish the structures such as sunken logs, rock out-cropping, and docks, find the best ambush points offering some safety and seclusion and typically you will find bass. Not all structure is below the surface either, bass like to sit up under low hanging trees awaiting prey also, lily pads and weed lines are good places to find the aggressive predators also.

During the spawning spring days a good method is dragging sub-surface flies through the spawning beds of bass, but beware their is an angry mother bass watching and waiting.

Bass fishing is an explosive hard hitting experience in itself, add the combo of a fly rod to the deal, and it’s a whole nother ball game. Spring time into the summer months is the best time to fish for these guys, but really there is no better time than the present. Go get your gear, sneak into your neighbor’s frog pond, and give it a whirl (jk always ask permission). Good luck!

written by,

-Tight-lines

-Troutbum89

It’s as simple as picking between braid and monofilament, right? Well, not quite. In recent decades fishing line technology has been leapfrogging itself and with the present varieties of line and their specific uses available, it might pay you to make your spool-up decisions armed with a little more information.

In a more primitive day, fisherman could only use gut, hair, silk or string to connect hook to rod. {“Look! Oog have big fish on line! Me stand there too!” – Yes, competition began early…..}

Then came the advent of that space-age material, nylon monofilament. Clear, smooth, strong and relatively small in diameter, mono revolutionized the quality and length of lines that could be wound onto a reel. Fishermen could fool fish in clear water, cast further, troll deeper, fight heavier fish over longer distances and enjoy small, reliable knots on their hooks.

This breakthrough also forced leaps forward in fishing reel technology. No longer were reels just storage devices, and concepts like casting distances, fish-fighting drags, line capacities, gear ratios and specialized features made fishing reel innovations skyrocket in importance. None of the reel features we have discussed in previous articles would be available to us now, without the blessing of modern fishing lines.

Monofilament itself has improved in leaps and bounds. Line diameters have been reduced, knot-strength improved, visibility (or invisibility) enhanced using different colors or properties, and overall consistent quality has vastly improved. These are not the monos of decades ago and they are dependable lines.

Some new lines, such as P-Line CX, incorporate ‘copolymer’ technology and offer a much smaller diameter at the same pound test or line strength. This means easier handling, smoother casting, less line ‘memory’ or coiling, less visibility to the fish and reduced planing of line. CX is also fluorocarbon coated, which also helps hide it from the wary fish’s eye.

I have caught many species of fish on P-Line CX Moss Green, including Salmon, Steelhead, Catfish, Largemouth, Smallmouth and Crappie, and the 20 pound test CX version remains one of my favorites for heavy cover Largemouth fishing.

When there is either moving water, or water pressure on line being drawn through water, it results in an often unwanted rise of baits or trolling riggings toward the surface. A smaller line diameter encounters less resistance and stays down deeper, hence one advantage of small-diameter line. The 20 pound CX diameter compares to 17 or even 15 pound test in other lines, so I can get more line on my spool in a bigger pound test, which is another valuable feature.

The relatively new copolymer lines are a real improvement on ordinary mono. The copolymerization process combines several nylon ‘monomers’ (A sort of hybrid of monofilaments) in a formula that produces a stronger, yet smaller line that reacts less to physical and chemical weakening. This also translates to good abrasion resistance.

I have fished with Silver Thread’s ‘Excalibur’ copolymer and had good success hauling in big Largemouths on it too. It is more expensive than some lines, but the quality is worth it. My brother, ‘Mr. Finesse,’ likes the clear Silver Thread copolymer for his subtle soft-plastics presentations. Other popular copolymer lines include Berkley Trilene Sensation, Suffix, Izorline and YoZuri (http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-FLCOPOLYMER.html). I have not fished them all, but I’ve had enthusiastic reports from other fishermen.

A related but high-tech departure from monofilament and copolymer is ‘flourocarbon.’ While it looks like mono, its chemical structure is quite different. It is made of extruded polyvinylidene fluoride, a material that is denser than mono and copolymer, and has a light refraction almost identical to water itself. This means that in its pure form, fish just can’t see it at all. It also absorbs less moisture, does not stretch as much, and is ‘harder’ on the outside than the above lines. Also, fluorocarbon sinks in water. Doesn’t take much imagination to think of some real advantages here, does it? Some earlier fluorocarbons were a little stiff, but most of them cast quite well. Most manufacturers have at least one fluorocarbon offering. Here is a helpful comparison of various fluorocarbons: http://www.tackletour.com/reviewfluorocarbontest.html

Even the best of the new monofilaments, flourocarbons and copolymers suffer from a tendency that many fishermen do not welcome…..Line stretch. Sometimes stretch is a good thing. I like knowing that my copolymer line will stretch a little at the hookset. Most of the time the distance from rod to bait is not that far, and I do not want to tear away a crankbait, topwater or other hardbait from a freight-training monster Bass. Also, at boatside where many fights are lost, and where there is only a short length of line under tension between you and your potential catch, do you want some cushioning when the fish shakes his head? I sure do!

But sometimes you can get too much of a good thing. Some of the older monos will stretch as much as 30% of length when the line is wet. Many monos have been reduced to 25% or even less than 10% stretch. Some stretch percentages are just too much. How far back can you sweep your rod in a hookset, and how long do you want it take before the hook point actually penetrates when a fish is biting? Before you pick one of these lines, take a good length of it and see if you like the amount of stretch. Find one that is acceptable to you.

A newer line that completely eliminates the stretch problem is a complete departure from either mono, flourocarbon or copolymer, called ‘braid.’ It is made by intertwining fibrous material, usually aramid, gel-spun polyethylene or Dacron, and weaving it into a very tough, very small-diameter line. A variation of braid is ‘fused’ line, actually braided fibers that have been fused into what appears and performs as one single strand.

Most braids have a wet-stretch of only 2 to 4 % or less. That means whatever happens at the tip of your rod is immediately happening at the hook, and vice versa. This can give you a tremendous advantage.

Braids are so small in diameter compared to mono and copolymer that line capacity on your reel is no longer a consideration. Braids are very light and have a tendency to float, making them the choice of many bobber and jig fishermen, especially in the high-vis form. There is virtually no line-memory or coiling, and braided line is also extremely long-lasting and tough. This can be a real problem for older rods with softer guides and tips, and for older reels with softer line rollers. Braid can saw right down into them. If you make the mistake of wrapping the line around your hand to yank it, it will cut through your hand too!

In the weight ranges I use for Bass, braid can actually be too small at times. I do not want to waste time on the water trying to get spider-like braid out of snap rings and other terminal tackle, wind knots from wispy lines and breezes are always unwelcome, and I do not want braid pulling down inside of itself on my spool when I put it under pressure. These are some of the drawbacks of smaller pound test braids. I know some fisherman who have resolved these problems and adapted well enough to be big fans of lighter braid, so it could be just my own preferences here.

On big water and in bigger sizes, I find braid to be superior in almost all respects. I have caught 8 ½ foot Sturgeon and big Spring Chinook Salmon on the Columbia River using braids. Sea Lions and other boaters and lines might be a worry, but not this line! Power Pro, Tuff Line, Berkley Spider Wire and Fireline, and P-Line Spectrex are all excellent braids, with only personal choice of color and ‘feel’ of the line itself being considerations. http://www.nextag.com/braided-fishing-line/search-html

Just a warning: Braid will work fine on the new low-profile bait-casting reels, in fact that is one of its strong suits. But remember the power and strength of this line! You can literally deform, bend or collapse a small, super-light, high-quality, floating spool by applying too much force with braided line. Also, line rollers on spinning reels and other reel parts can be susceptible to increased wear due to braid’s tough qualities. Choose your pound test accordingly and remember that your reel, no matter how high-end and well-machined, is not indestructible! Yes, braid really is that strong.

Now with all this information and real-time fishing tests, which line do I choose as my all-time favorite? The winner is . . . You guessed it. It really depends on what I want the line to do in a given situation.

Do I want a great, invisible, quick-sinking, low-stretch, high-sensitivity line for finessing big smart Bass with a subtle drop-shot rig? Then I should probably pick fluorocarbon.

Do I want to jab the hook in deep and cut my way out of tangles of cover with tough, powerful line when fighting a monster Bass that attacked my jig-and-pig? Then it’s time for some braid.

Do I want something that will load up and stretch a little bit on my long-distance casts, allow my crankbaits and spinnerbaits to stay at the desired depth, allow the fish to get a good pull going on my topwaters before I set the hook, and still be a relatively invisible line? Then I’m going with a small-diameter copolymer.

You will undoubtedly find your own favorites for various kinds of fishing.

I for one am very happy that line technology has come so far and allows so many excellent choices for just the right situations.

We’ll talk about which baits to tie these excellent lines onto when the May article comes out. Keep your wet side down and your dry side up, and give a few good, eye-crossing hooksets for me till then!

Fanatically Yours,

Bassmaster Bob

P.S. Please remember that all lines actually last a long time out in nature. They can prove to be cruel death-traps to birds and critters. I often return from fishing trips with someone else’s line wadded up in my pockets to discard later. It’s smart to take good care of your favorite fishing holes!

If your after channel cats and you have the right rig to get you here, the John Day is the place! This river is loaded
with big channel catfish. These fish are very aggressive and can put up just as much fight as any salmon or steelhead you ever hook. The other plus to these fish is the fact that they make surprisingly tasty meals! These fish are great pan fried, baked or barbequed. This river isn’t going to be for everyone. You need to really know how to navigate up river or else you need to have a jet sled. There is some nasty rocks that can eat your prop up here. I went through one prop already on my first adventure up here last year. The biggest thing to watch when navigating up river is the banks. You want to stay close to whatever bank has cliffs, and you should be ok, but this is your warning be very careful if you attempt up river. Jet sleds have no problem what so ever.

There is many places to hook up on this river, but it all depends on the water temp. These fish start to migrate up river
in the early spring to begin their spawning cycle. Ideal water temp for these fish to spawn is between 70-80 degrees. Male
catfish select nest sites which are normally dark secluded areas such as cavities in drift piles, logs, or undercut banks.
Males guard the nest and the eggs hatch in about a week. Baby cats remain in the nest protected by the male for another
week. Channel catfish less than 4 inches in length feed primarily on small insects. Adults are largely omnivorous, feeding on
insects, mollusks, crustaceans, fish, and even some plant material. Most channel cats are mature when they reach about 12″.

The fishing on this river when the temp is right can be absolutely lights out! There is 3 main ways to hook up on this river
in the spring time. As the fish move up the river to spawning grounds they can be found in deep pools along the way up river.
Using your electronics you can find some of these deeper slots, anchor above these slots. Your going to want to get your bait
right into the deep holes. Lots of lead, a size 3/0 hook, and chicken liver with lots of scent is the technique of choice
in this situation. You wont hook insane amounts of fish doing this but most of the time the ones you do hook are quality
fish.

The next technique can be very fun when the fish are in. Once you cruise all the way up river to a place that your boat can
go no more, lets pull out the back bouncing gear.With your boat facing upstream, come to a standstill and begin to let your
line out. Once you have hit bottom, continue to let out more line, and work it back slowly.
Your going to want to ease the boat backwards very slowly continually working your rod up and down allowing your presentation
to move back with you. As you pull your rod, you need to feel the weight bounce on the bottom every time.
The bite will be very distinct, sometimes during your pull up, and sometimes on the down fall. For bait on this technique I
like to use very stinky smelt cut into pieces.

The last technique is the most effecitive way to hook catfish in this river. Be prepared to leave your boat on the bank and
hike up to catch fish. I usually lock my outboard and trolling motor up and make sure that there is nothing that can be
easily snatched from the boat. You don’t have to worry about to much traffic up here, but its always better to be cautious.
After you cruise all the way up river a few miles the river turns into a canyon style river. Your going to beach your boat
and hike up river for some lights out catfishing. There is a trail that you can walk really far up the river on the right hand
side of the shore. To hook these fish in the canyon your going to need to bring your drift gear. Any steelhead, or bass rod
will work, but remember there is a chance you will hook a monster so be prepared. I like to use an 8′ 6″ medium rod with
a baitcasting reel. I use slinky weights with a size 4 gamu hook. The bait of choice for drifting in this canyon is going to
be a surprise but its tiger prawn, the store bought prawn that you get from safeway or albertsons. These catfish are up in
this canyon to spawn so they are going to be in some crazy looking water that you would never guess catfish to be in. The fish
are found in rapids, pools and fast drifts. Concentrate most of your time right up against the banks on the rock cliffs.
Be prepared to bring a stringer and a backpack. You will be doing some good hiking. Another warning to everyone is watch out
for rattlesnakes. They love to sun themselves on the rocks up this canyon. I have seen several while fishing up here, so
watch your step. Good luck!

Your local fishing addict,
Marlin LeFever

Well, here we are in another year for great trout fishing. The past winter, or lack there of, is hopefully going to be a big plus come June. The lack of snow and our mild late winter/early spring time provides a promising look at what is in store for us. Little snow in the mountains means little to no run-off, which botched the June opener in 2008. Last year was alright, but the water was still ashy on glacial streams and made them run a little higher than we would like, but this year should be picture perfect, knock on wood.

So this spring I encourage everyone to get out and do a little early fishing on some of the year-round trout waters, like the Skagit, which a portion of is open for all trout, including bull trout. Some of these year-round rivers would be a great place to get some early fishing in because of the fact that most guys who fish these rivers during the winter and spring months are targeting steelhead, making it easier to target trout with smaller streamers and dries. Some other rivers to look into fishing include the Middle fork of the Snoqualmie, which has selective gear rules, and part of the Yakima , which is open year round for brook trout. Also you can find other rivers to fish by doing a little work at home. Get your fishing regulations out and scour the pages for year-round listings, and call fly shops or guides in the areas you want to try to fish.

Preparing for a trip to one of these rivers is a must. I don’t recommend just heading out with your usual gear in hopes of catching fish. Call the local shops to see what they recommend you take with you, let them know where you are from and let them know you when you will be in the area, so they can give you all of the specifics. They may have some hatches that we don’t get this early, or special flies you may have never heard of. Don’t forget to stop at the shops you call and mention that you talked to them on the phone. This is always good because they may not give you all the secrets over the phone, but may be more willing if you actually use the shops, even if it’s just for a few extra leaders or flies.

So let’s talk about some of the things that are always good to take, that most of us already have. Woolly buggers are always a good pattern to throw and they will usually produce fish. Go to any local store that carries flies and check out some of the new developments in these patterns as well, you just might find your new favorite pattern.. You can also always count on the trusted favorite nymphs and dries. There are a lot of hatches that occur at roughly the same time everywhere, like midges or blue winged olives (BWO).

Aside from streams, you also have lakes as an option. Like I mentioned before, we had a pretty mild winter, so a lot of the lakes that would usually still be frozen over are open, and haven’t had much pressure for a while. While the gates may be closed still, you can always hike in with a float tube or pontoon and expect some good fishing. If you find the lake you head out to is still mostly frozen, don’t turn around and go home. Look for places where small streams are feeding in there will usually be enough open water to cast to from the shore. These places can often provide some of the best fishing anywhere on the lake. The fresh water brings in tons of food for fish, causing them to school up around the openings in the ice. Try tying on nymphs or cripples and let them dead drift from the moving water into the deeper still water, and be ready to set the hook because these fish will be hungry. You can also throw woolly buggers imitating smaller fish. There will always be small fish coming into these areas to gorge themselves on the fresh food source in hopes of getting bigger, and the big fish love to eat them.

Another necessary preparation for the summer months to come is checking your gear. If you haven’t fished for a while, things can get kind of worn out and old, mainly your lines and leaders. I always highly recommend buying new line at least once a year, and always use fresh leaders because who knows how long they sat in a store before you bought them and stored them with your trout gear all winter. Flies are always good to check as well. I hate tying on a fly only to find that the hood has weakened from sitting in a box too long. Take a selected amount of flies out and give the hook a little tug, you’ll probably find that some of the cheaper flies have hooks that will break behind the material from being put away wet and rusting out. It would suck to hook a good fish and have the hook break or bend.

Something that people often overlook is checking waders and wading boots. I’ve had waders that were in perfect shape when I put them away, but from being folded up for a while developed weak spots that turned into small leaks. With your wading boots make sure the soles are still in good shape. Sometimes the thread can wear out causing the soles to separate in spots, which can be dangerous in the water. Also check your laces, you don’t want to get out there and have the laces break because you never want loose boots when walking on wet or slippery rocks.

I hope you all will take this advice to heart, and get out there and try some great spring fishing. I know that all hardcore trout fisherman will enjoy themselves, even if you don’t catch fish. Hell, anything beats staying in town daydreaming about the summer fishing we all look forward so much. An early trip and that first fish of the season always makes the time waiting for June go much quicker. So good luck, and good fishing.

Your local Fly Fishin’ Addict, the Troutbum89

As my friend Jim would say, you can’t make a rod work for everything from Tuna to Trout.  Anyone who has been fishing for a while has come to realize that even going after just one species requires more than one rod.

A Steelhead fisherman might have one rod for side-drifting, one for pulling plugs, one for bouncing bait and another for jig and float fishing. And if he’s anything like us Bass fishermen, he’ll still want more rods!

The reason is that varying conditions and tactics require varying equipment. It’s just that simple.

When I am fishing a jig-and-pig, I want a stout rod that can take a smash-mouth attack from a big fish, then wrestle him out of heavy cover with enough authority to prevent the him from see-sawing away from me and down into an area of hazardous pad stems, rocks, sunken logs or limbs and make his escape. My brother calls such rods ‘pool cues.’

If I am fishing light soft-plastics or drop-shot rigs and finessing the fish, I want a rod with a tender, sensitive tip that will help me detect subtle taps or movements, yet with enough power to ‘stick’ the hook in when I make my move.

When I am fishing a crankbait, I need a flexible rod that lets the bait work and ‘dance’ in a way that allows me to see and feel the action, making sure that the crankbait is working how I want it to, and that will allow the fish to grab and go, without yanking the lure away before the Bass really has time to crunch it.

When I’m throwing a spinnerbait, the rod must have the flexibility and power to launch the bait as far as I want, and it must have the sensitivity to allow me to feel the bait contacting cover and feel my blades spinning. I have caught more than one Bass because the bait was still coming toward me without resistance, but the blades had stopped turning. Setting the hook – because nothing was happening! – I found that sure enough, a big fish that had taken the spinnerbait and maintained its course and speed was there on the other end!  It is crucial to be able to sense such changes, and a good rod will give you that ability.

Do you want to fish a floating, minnow-immitating stick-bait?  You’ll need a rod that will help you give subtle twitches to the bait, yet will be powerful enough to give you a good hook-set when the time comes.

Sound complicated?  It really isn’t. Choose your line size and application, and you can choose the right rod.

Almost all good rod manufacturers give you helpful information near the butt of the blank.  This includes length, power, line weight ranges,  bait weight ranges and sometimes even specific designations such as ‘Crankbait.’  There will also usually be some information, sometimes on a tag, regarding the composition of the blank and guides.

A fiberglass rod, for instance, might be a good choice for a crankbait rod, though many graphite blanks will perform extremely well too.

Here is some useful technical information about how a rod bends:

http://www.fries-rods.dk/lang/uk/rods_action.htm

And here is more good information about composition and rod flex:

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/rodselection.html

I don’t get too caught up in the technicalities.  I simply look for a rod that will do what I want it to. Most of the time I can tell right away by first deciding whether spinning or baitcasting best suits my application, by looking at the specs on the blank, and finally by hefting, flexing and examining the rod for the characteristics I’m going to need. Sometimes I will do a little research and find out what other fishermen are using for a certain application.

If you live in or around Southwest Washington, another great resource can be found in the Fishing Department at Wholesale Sports in Vancouver.  With combined experience of over 175 years of fishing, the experts there can offer information and suggestions on all species of fish and the right rods to catch them.

You can make a rod serve several purposes, but I strongly suggest that as you become more experienced it is best to demand exactly the right rod for the right situation.  This will give you more success and help you to get more satisfaction out of your fishing.

But then, you’ll still need another rod!  Right?

Spring Chinook are starting to trickle into our great Columbia River, and with each day the numbers should get stronger. Columbia River Fishery Managers are predicting the strongest run of Spring Chinook since the 1930’s with an estimate of 470,000 returning adult salmon for the 2010 season. If the numbers are record breaking as planned then all of us fishermen should have a great season and hopefully a full punch card!

As we prepare for some great salmon fishing let’s talk about a few key tactics to catching more fish. First thing to figure out is where to fish and when, seasoned fishermen already have this down but if you are new to the sport then you better start doing some scouting. There are creel surveys posted by ODFW/WDFW which tell you how many fish were taken from each boat launch, this will get you started. Finding good holding water will improve your odds extremely. Remember that Spring Chinook tend to move very fast upriver so just because an area is good for a few days don’t mean it will produce as well a week later. Tides are also a big factor and will change with each location you decide to fish, watch the tide and know when it changes. Second is to figure out which technique you will be using. There are three techniques that are commonly used while fishing for Spring Chinook: Trolling, Anchoring, and Plunking. Trolling and anchoring should be pretty good below 205 bridge as far down river as Longview bridge. Plunking is going to be really good above I-205 this year because there will be no boats but it can also be done in the lower river.

Trolling seems to be a favorite among the hard core Springer fishermen! This technique is great because it allows you to cover a lot of water and you can go back through the same area over and over again. These fish will start moving upstream rather than holding in a specific location, with trolling you can stay with the fish which will produce better catches. Knowing when the fish move and acting on it is the hard part. Always remember to troll with the tide, not against it. Spring Chinook generally won’t chase bait against the current. Trolling is definitely more costly to fishermen for fuel and bait, but it is a lot of fun and well worth the investment!
Anchoring is a great cost effective way to catch Springers, and it produces quite a few fish when done right. Finding a seam in good holding water is the most difficult part, when you do find your spot its game on! Sardine wrapped Kwik-Fish, Plugs, or herring if the current is strong enough, are the baits of choice. Anchoring is very effected by tides and is normally only done on the outgoing tide. This technique can be lots of fun when the fishing is hot but it can also be extremely boring, come prepared with a deck of cards just in case. Also be careful of those sea lions, they tend to steal a lot of fish from anchored boats.

For you guys and gals out there that don’t have boats, Plunking is your best bet! Plunking from the shore is more difficult to take springers than in a boat but can be productive when the fishing is hot. This method is generally done by taking a long bank rod, run a 30” leader to a Spin-N-Glo tipped with sand shrimp or prawn and run a dropper line to a weight(18”-30”), try casting as far as you possibly can to get into the seam. Finding good water to bank fish from won’t be too difficult this year, the complete river between I-205 bridge and Bonneville dam is bank fishing only, this will give the bank fishermen the upper hand when the fish are really pushing through that part of the river.

Spring Chinook fishing in the Columbia River is one of the most anticipated sports among all fishermen in the great northwest. We could see more fish this year than we might ever see in our lifetime and that is just amazing! With our hopes running high and the beginning of the run at our doorstep we should start seeing more fish every day. I hope that everybody has an insane Springer season and let us keep this great sport alive.

Your fellow fishing addict,
Shaun Keller

Let’s face it, Bassing friends, January and February in the Pacific Northwest are not premium months for pursuing either Largemouth or Smallmouth. There are still catch-able fish out there, lurking in the Winter haunts we discussed last month, but it’s a cold, slow game if you want to try for them. You can review the February 2009, Bob’s Bassmaster Basics article on preparing for Spring Bass fishing. It has lots of useful information for planning, researching and just generally studying up in order to be really ready for your first major trips into Bass Paradise. For January and February, let’s talk a little bit about rods, reels, baits and other gear. Some of this information will be very basic, but these articles are purposely geared toward folks who are newer to the Bass fishing scene, or who would just like to gain a few more tidbits of useful knowledge. As always, feel free to put in your two cents worth in the Forum section. I am forever looking for new ideas, and I believe that is one of the identifying signs of any good fisherman.

Whether you are a die hard Salmon fisherman, Steelheader or Bassing fanatic, if you have been fishing very long at all you probably have some strong opinions on the relative merits of spinning gear versus bait-casting gear.

I grew up fishing with spinning gear. As a boy I would spend entire Summer days, dawn to dark, wandering up and down the local creek near our home. During the school year I would be back down at the creek, as soon as I could dodge out of old Mrs. Peterson’s class. Using worms I had dug from our garden or crawdads I caught with the worms, I would catch nice Rainbow Trout throughout the year. Many were in the 14 to 16 inch range and one monster was 20 ½ inches long. I came whistling home like Opie from Mayberry and my Dad took one look at that whopper, grabbed his gear and headed for the creek!

Dad was quite the accomplished Steelhead fisherman and had ‘mastered’ the Kalama, Lewis, Washougal and other rivers by the time I was getting good at free-lining worms or crawdad tails into likely seams in Burnt Bridge Creek. He fished with spinning gear, so I did too. The reels we had back then were fairly basic and cheap. But they worked, and we caught fish. I’ll never forget how amazed my Dad, my brother and I were when we saw our first 5 to 1 retrieve reel. It was a D.A.M. Quick and wooee, it was FAST!

On my 8th birthday my Dad walked into my classroom at school with a brand new rod and reel, handed it to me and said: “Let’s go fishin’!” The teacher and the other kids watched with open mouths as I proudly hopped out the door with my Dad (I don’t think anyone could get away with that trick nowadays!). He took me to a couple of his favorite holes on the Kalama river, set me up with an Okie Drifter rig and much to my surprise, I caught two nice hen Steelhead that day. It took me over 7 years to catch another one. Okay, Dad was a little better than me.

When I finally got into Bass fishing – in my forties – I kept seeing guys using bait-casters almost exclusively. I had seen bait-casters up on the Kalama, but Dad and I just considered them oddities and went with what had always worked for us. I would watch Bill Dance and Larry Nixon and other Bass pros on T.V. and look at pictures of them in magazines. With the exception of the Lindner brothers (them good old Northern boys), everyone was using a bait-casting rig. I remember one program when the Lindners were showing how to throw spinnerbaits with bait-casting reels. They seemed surprised at how well they worked.

I was already catching nice big Bass on my spinning gear (My Dad was horrified when he found out I was using 17 pound test line – He regularly caught summer run Steelhead on 4 lb., and he always declared that anyone using more than 8 lb. was just just ‘horsing the fish in!’), but I got curious and bought a low-profile bait-cast reel from a catalog. What a strange contraption! The spool was sitting sideways and it went around whenever you touched the handle, unlike the stationary spool on a spinning reel. It was a Right-hand reel, and I quickly became convinced that the pros must be wizards, because I couldn’t make it work right and it always felt awkward to use. I simply could not duplicate their habit of casting and then switching the rod to the other hand.

It was a revelation when I discovered that you could get bait-casters in a Left-hand version. Since I had always used my Left-hand on my spinning reel, hanging down under the rod, it worked much better for me to have a Left-hand bait-caster, sitting on top of the handle. Also, my right arm is my power or ‘fighting’ arm, so I can battle the fish in the way that is ‘natural’ to me.

So what does bait-casting gear do that a spinning reel does not do, or can not do? For one thing, it fires the line straight off the spool when you cast. The line passes through the line-leveler and there is no spiral of line – an unavoidable characteristic of spinning reels – uncoiling off the reel, then passing through large guides on the rod until it is finally traveling in a straight line. Many people believe this gives the bait-caster an edge in distance casting.

Another plus is that the bait-casting rod has more guides than the spinning rod, because the line passes over the top of the rod, rather than underneath. Since the line is moving straight from the time it leaves the reel, this does not slow the line at all, but it does force the line to follow the curve of the entire rod blank when under tension. When a spinning rod, which has fewer and wider spaced guides, is flexed under tension, the line makes some jagged, angled turns from one guide to the next, without really following the complete arc of the rod. This puts more strain on the line and does not take best advantage of the fish fighting ability of the blank.

One more advantage of the bait-casting rig is its ability to zing your bait out quickly, yet with some practiced ‘feathering’ of the spool with your thumb, it allows the bait to slow to a stop and quietly ‘kiss’ the water at the end of the cast. Once a spinning outfit has launched your bait, your gear is going to crash into the water with a little more force and noise, even if you try to give it a gentle toss. If you are stalking spooky fish, or if you simply do not want to alert your prey to your presence, a bait-caster can be just the thing! The only way to compensate with a spinning rig is to go to lighter gear, which you may not be able to cast as far.

Lighter gear is still the strong suit of the spinning outfit. You can throw very light weights and baits very easily with them. This makes it a cinch to ‘skip’ light baits in under low-hanging brush or tree branches, or underneath docks. Bait-casters have traditionally been used for heavier weights and baits, and unless you have one of the newer, low-profile bait-casters, it will be difficult to achieve the same results. Even with the finest of the high-end bait-casters, it will take some practice to ‘skip’ light baits without backlashes.

Now we come to it, the misery of the backlash or ‘birds nest.’ No reel, bait-caster or spinning, should ever bring in loose or ‘slack’ line. You are just asking for a tangle or stray loop caught in the wrong spot on the reel. As for outgoing line, the spinning reel casts reliably, simply with the release of the line from your finger. The bait-caster, not so much! You must adjust the braking of the spool, or it is very liable to have an over-travel problem, continuing to spin after your bait has hit the water. This will produce a birds nest so glorious it could end or seriously delay your time on the water. Even with the brake adjusted properly, a new breeze can produce enough pressure on your bait and line during flight to cause it to slow, while the spool happily whirls around, throwing out loose line that turns into tight knots.

The best bait-casting reels have more than one kind of braking system. They help you ‘fine tune’ the spool. Some have magnets and/or designs that adjust centripetal force on the spool. Some have other specialties, such as ‘twitching bars’ that allow you to bring in small amounts of line with your thumb without even touching the reel’s handle (One hand twitching or hopping of baits), and some have ‘flipping switches’ which facilitate short-distance ‘flipping’ or ‘pitching’ techniques. Whichever bait-casting reel you choose, it will take some time to ‘make your peace’ with it. But you will enjoy its advantages in various situations.

I now fish with an equal number of bait-casters and spinning outfits when I hunt Bass. I adapt them to my needs, the kinds of baits I am throwing and the conditions I am facing. I still love the spinning reel, but the bait-caster is a welcome addition to my arsenal, and I understand why old Bill Dance loves his. In fact, I fish with Quantums, just like Bill. Other great brands include Shimano, Pflueger, Abu Garcia, Daiwa and others that offer high-end, smooth-casting reels.

Take a look at some common features on the spinning and bait-casting reels in the pictures provided. On the bait-caster you will see the large ‘star drag,’ your fish fighting friend, and the smaller brake knob. On the side opposite the brake knob on the Quantum Energy there is a dial for ‘fine tuning’ the travel of the spool. This is a common feature of good reels. The line-leveler at the front of the reel travels back and forth and stacks the line on evenly during the retrieve.

On the spinning reel, the large dial on top of the reel is the drag. On the Quantum Energy shown, the drag is composed of stacked ceramics, making it smooth and uniform in the pressure it applies. The line roller that guides line on and off of the spool should be large and should turn freely, to lessen the sharp turn of line from rod to spool in order to avoid line twist and/or damage. At the rear of the reel, as in most spinning reels, is the ‘anti-reverse’ switch. On good reels, it should be ‘infinite’. That is, it should prevent the reel from reversing, no matter in what position the handle is stopped.

Now is a good time to clean and lubricate your reel, and to spool on new line for the coming season. Consult your owner’s manual for recommendations for your particular reel. I find Quantum Hot Sauce oil and grease to be the best lubricants for my gear.

Next month we’ll talk about fishing rods, line, baits and other gear that Bass fishermen need to consider.

In the meantime, why not go fishing? Come on! It’s not that cold!

Spring time is so close we can all almost hear the first honey bee zip by our ear, we can picture the flowers and trees blooming across the land, and we can smell the spring Chinook coming back from their long 3-4 year journey in the ocean. That’s right, with spring time just around the corner, so is the arrival of one of the most sought after fish there is. There is something that a spring Chinook does to all avid fishermen that cannot be explained. Maybe it’s the fact that these fish are extremely aggressive and usually will bite exactly what is put in their face, maybe it’s the fact that these fish can rip line off your reel at about 35 feet per second, or maybe it’s the fact that these fish are the best eating fish you have ever sunk your teeth into. If these fish can make it past all the rath of sea lions and other obstacles a good run of these fish will be heading for the Cowlitz and North Fork Lewis Rivers.

The Cowlitz River is going to be your first and best bet out of the two rivers to pick up some springers. A year ago the estimated return was 4,100 and the run came back stronger than predicted at 4,900. The predicted run this year on the Cowlitz is 12,500 fish, with a spawning need of 1,250 fish. If this return happens it would be double what the 5 year average has been, which pretty much means GAME ON! A majority of these fish are going to be bonked at the mouth of the Cowlitz. The technique best for picking up fish here is to anchor up based on the tides. Every fisherman out there has their own technique and spots of where these fish travel, the rule of thumb is most fish will be in 6-25 feet of water. Find that depth and anchor. There are many lures of choice but Luhr Jensen Kwik fish is the most popular. Sizes K-13 to K-16, with the K-14 & K-15 the most common. The larger sizes are used when the current slows down, the smaller sizes are good when there is faster current. On the belly of your kwikfish place a sardine fillet and attach it using stretchy thread. This will make your plug give off a very oily scent to the springers heading its way. 50″ leaders & 18″ to 26″ lead lines are industry standard. For weight you can use 2 or 8 ounces depending on the depth and current of the water.
If you’re not looking to anchor fish another great way to pick up springers in the Cowlitz is to back troll for them. The method of choice is going to be either back trolling plugs or bait and diver. You’re going to use the same set up as anchored but you will be trolling against the current with your kicker motor slow enough to allow the boat to back down with the current. This can be a very effective method! Launch at either barrier dam or blue creek and work around that area.
If you’re reading this article and getting sad because you don’t have a boat, don’t worry because tons of fish are caught on the Cowlitz by bank fishermen. Plunking is highly effective on this river and there are lots of places to do it. From your fishing pole, use a 15 to 25-pound mainline and two 8mm beads up your line, then tie a size 3 swivel and a 32-inch piece of 30-40 pound mono. Run up a large slider followed by two more 8mm beads and then another size 3 swivel. Tie on another 36-inch 15-20 pound leader and size 2 Spin-N-Glo with two 5mm red beads and a double 2/0 hook. For bait you can use sand shrimp or cured prawns. Some good places to give a chance are the high bank hole, which is located across from Delameter Road just below Four Corners; this is one of the best holes on the river. Another good bet would be the mouth of the Toutle Located on the east side of the river, take I-5 exit 49, head east and take the first left, which is a frontage road. Travel about 2 miles to the parking area above the train bridge at the Burlington Northern-Sante Fe gate, park there and it’s about a mile walk.
The Lewis this year is also expected to get a better than normal Spring Chinook numbers. The forecast a year ago was 2,200 and the actual run was 1,900 which were worst of the decade. This year the expected number back is 6000, which if it turns out could make for a really good year. The hatcheries need 950 spring Chinook for spawning purposes. I talked to Paul Ambrose from Great Northwest Rivers Guide Service (www.greatnwrivers.com) He said that the technique of choice in the north fork is to hover fish, simply put hover fishing is a super slow back troll technique where you “hover” over the hole and wait until you get a bite. Standard technique is to let your bait hit the bottom then reel up 2 cranks and hold it, the bite is not very heavy and you should set the hook after a few “taps”. Most people use cured eggs with sand shrimp. You can do this in any significantly deep hole you find and it will hold fish. I like to also use mackerel and sardine with eggs. Have you heard the saying; “early bird gets the worm.” On the North Fork this can really pay off. If you can use bait/diver on Johnson creek flats first thing in the morning that always produces fish, and quite a few doubles. You can also use cut plug herring and sardine and back troll them on this river.
On another note the Kalama River hasn’t had the best of numbers in the past years and it looks like the forecast for this year isn’t going to be much better. The 2009 return of 350 was the second worst since at least 1980. The only worse year was 338 adults in 1985. This year a weak 900 fish are expected to return with the spawning goal for the hatchery of 500 spring Chinook. Even with these numbers, talking to Monty Thierry of Reel Adventure Guide Service (www.reeladv.com), he assures me that fish can still be taken, so don’t let that out of your radar for a possible on catching some spring Chinook this year. These fish are the best table fare the great pacific northwest has to offer, and it looks like all these rivers this year are going to put a lot of it on all of our tables! Happy Fishing!
Your Local Fishing Addict,
Marlin LeFever

Published in March 2010 Issue of Northwest Sportsman Magazine

Fishing is slowing down a bit and we are in between runs. Anglers are getting frustrated and worn out because fishing is getting tougher and tougher. Many people start to give up and stay off the water until summer. It happens every year, but there is still fish in the rivers to be caught!

Most steelhead anglers have a certain comfort zone they do not like to break, but don’t be afraid to try something new. Get away from places that get fished by a hundred people every day, walk that extra mile upstream to find that secluded hole. Like one of my good friends always says, “I don’t let the fish come to me; I go where the fish are”. If you fish a spot hard for a half hour picking each and every seam apart with no luck then it’s time to move on. Taking that extra effort to get away from everyone else will greatly increase your odds of catching more fish this time of year.

Switching up your gear a little bit is always a good idea. You have to remember that these fish have been in the river for a while now so they have had just about everything thrown at them, so don’t be afraid to try something that might look a little more natural. Also if you have not tried any scents yet this year it might give your bait that little extra to entice the fish to bite, but it can also be your worst enemy so be careful with it. One of my personal favorite tactics for enticing steelhead to bite when they just will not cooperate is tipping my jig with a little bait. It gives you a little reassurance when fishing.

When all has failed and the fishing just really sucks then it’s time to move on. I use times like these to go scout other rivers and look for future fishing spots. If one river is not producing fish, there is another river that is. With a little research online and a few phone calls to local shops you can find rivers and streams that still have lots of fish. This will also help you choose what tactics and gear to use when fishing a river you haven’t fished before.

Finding steelhead is only as frustrating as you let it be. Being a little adventurous and exploring new tactics will pay off if you put in the time and effort. Keep pursuing the elusive steelhead that swim in our rivers and let us do everything we can as fisherman to keep them here.

Your Fellow Fishing Addict,
Shaun Keller

Fishing for steelhead with a fly is one of the most difficult ways to be a successful steelhead fisher. One contributing factor is the deterioration of local fisheries due to habitat degradation and excessive harvest from commercial fishers. Even with the odds against the angler here are several techniques that will produce action.

#1. Deep swing with retrieve-

This is an effective way to catch fish in deep water. Stand upstream of the fish, cast across the water and a little downstream. Strip enough line to get your fly to the depth of where you think the fish are holding. Let the fly swing through the drift until its below you. Retrieve the fly at the desired speed, try switching speeds to find one that works.

#2. Dry fly swung-

Cast your fly across the current and down stream a bit, then let the current swing the fly until it is hanging below you. Walk downstream a little to cover all the water fish may be holding. Effective flies for this need to be super buoyant, such as the waller walker and riffle dancer.

#3. Nymphing-

Cast your fly well upstream of the targeted area and allow the fly to drift naturally with the water. Using a strike indicator is suggested and helps keep the nymph at a desired depth. Another trick is to add on a bead trailer about 10inches below the nymph. Make sure the bead isn’t against the trailer hook, this can cause missed hooksets.

#4 Wet fly swung-

Cast the fly across the river and a touch downstream, allowing the current to swing the fly downstream. Take a couple steps downstream to cover all the desired water. Copying the same technique used in trout fishing in streams. An easy method to cover a lot of water.

#5 Wet fly retrieved near surface-

Cast across the river, either upstream or downstream, and simply retrieve your fly by stripping in the line with either long slow strips or short fast strips. And you be the judge on what is attracting the most fish.

Even though steelheading on a fly can be difficult and frustrating, it is definitely one of the most rewarding experiences a fisherman can have. It may seem like an endless struggle to master the arts, but I’ve seen on many occasions avid fly-steelheaders out fish conventional tackle fisherman. Good luck in using these techniques, it takes practice and some dedication to make them effective but I assure you its rewarding in the end. Good luck, watch the back cast, and keep your lines tight.

-tight-lines -troutbum89

Every steelhead fishermen’s head hits the pillow at night in the late winter months hoping that the next time he or she gets out on the water, that one big 20 pound plus steelhead will be persuaded to eat his offering. At least I hope I’m not the only one that lives and sleeps in hopes of catching a 20 pound plus steelhead. All steelhead fishermen know that the native species of steelhead are so much more capable of giving the fish fight we are all after, and to be able to hook on that is 20+ would absolutely be a feat that would be remembered for the rest of his or her life!

The first thing you need to do to even have a chance at one of these fish is to go fish the water that is most likely to hold them. There are a lot of rivers in Washington and Oregon that are capable of producing these big natives. For Oregon waters include the Wilson, Nehalem, Trask, and Salmonberry just to name a few. In Washington your best bet is to focus your time in the Olympic Peninsula. Rivers like the Hoh, Sol Duc, Bogachiel, and Queets. The best time to venture out and give any of these rivers a try is going to be mid February to the end of March. This is when you will have a lot of these big fish in the systems and they will be fairly spread out. Don’t let some of the other rivers in these states out of your head though. There is 20 pound fish to be had in a lot of the rivers. A couple local rivers that I fish have been known to produce a few here and there. The thing to remember is always target these fish when you know they are there. You do not want to waste your time trying and trying early in hopes of getting the first fish, I have done this time and time again, yea you might get lucky, but the fact of the matter is you will probably just get burnt out. March is going to be your best bet so that is what I would focus on if you really want a good chance at these fish. Make sure to check your rules and regs because a lot of these rivers have specific rules and boundaries.

River conditions are going to play another big role in trying to land of these monster steel! In most of these systems the rain and other weather conditions can really change the outcome of what the river is going to look like on any certain day. A lot of these rivers are glacier fed as well, so unexpected snow level drops or temperature changes can also hurt your chances. In most cases the best color to look for when fishing any river system is that brilliant glacier green! This is when fish seem to just be on the tear! The water has good visibility to the fish but perfect for keeping you hidden a little. Most people think that the river level deters them from catching fish, and in some cases it can. What I have found though is that as long as the river holds a good color you can catch fish no matter how high it is. The main thing to focus on is finding places moving slowly or inside seems the fish can sit and rest to get out of the rest of the raging river. Snow is a great thing! If it’s snowing outside it seems to trigger something in these fish, they become really aggressive and move a lot, moving and feeding on the way. Every time I have got out on a day it was snowing was always an amazing day of fishing. Water temperature is going to be another thing you’re going to want to know. If your facing really cold water these fish will most of the time stage up in deeper water and be a lot less likely to move far to feed. You will really need to get your bait right into their nose to entice a bite.

When going after big natives you can use all kinds of bait. These fish most of the time are very aggressive. One of the most effective baits for catching these monsters is the pink worm. This bait is very versatile and can be fished under a bobber, drifting, or plunking. My favorite technique is under a float. I like to take a 1/8 or ¼ ounce jig head in pearl pink color. I will use the Berkley 6” pink worm and cut them down right after the collar. This makes for a perfectly looking presentation under the water and these big fish can’t resist it. This technique is extremely effective when the water is that Glacier green color like I was talking about. The other main technique I like to use on these big fish would be spoons. The big flash and flutter of these baits is irresistible to these fish. My preference is the 2/5 ounce Little Cleo in blue/silver pattern. I will take the treble hook off and replace it with a single siwash. You also want to make sure to use a barrel swivel on the eye. Swinging these spoons through tail outs of any water can be very deadly. I also like to flutter them down into deep pools. One good trick that most people fail to do is put scent on the spoon. A little smelly jelly in shrimp/anise works wonders!

These beautiful native fish are a thing to cherish! There is nothing like hooking into to one of these beauties. It’s sad to say but the numbers of these fish have really declined in the past years. We all need to do everything we can to conserve these fish so more continue to reproduce. Please always practice catch and release and make sure you take extra care of the fish. If at all possible keep them in the water except for one quick picture and then make sure they swim away strong and on their own to go off to their distant gravel bed and reproduce offspring for you or someone else to catch another day!
Your local fishing Addict,
Marlin LeFever

When our Northwest water temperatures dip below 50 degrees, we have well and truly entered Winter’s chilling grip, and Largemouth fishing presents two major problems: Coldblooded, lethargic fish that are slow to respond to any presentation, and cold, shivering fishermen who would rather stay extra active to keep warm! What a combination! Just when you feel an urgent need to move around a lot and keep up speedy casts and fast reeling in order to stay warm…..you have to slow way, way down if you want to catch a big Bass.

It’s not that the fish do not want to eat at all. They do, but just not as much or as often as in warmer, more active seasons. And the ‘Strike Zone’? Well, it is pretty much right in front of their noses, even when they are in what passes for an ‘active’ mode in Winter. Even with the urge to eat, or to strike at an irritating, intruding bait, the Bass just can not muster the energy or speed to move very far or very fast. When hooked, most cold water fish are logy and put up a slow-motion fight. But a big fish can still give you a satisfying, worthwhile battle!

The one common denominator of all big Bass is still in effect even in chilly water: They want to use their well-developed, efficient ambush skills to get an easy meal with the least amount of effort on their part, and with the least amount of exposure to possible predators. Experiencing success in these areas is how they have grown so large and stayed alive so long.

While I will discuss warm weather ‘Thermoclines’ later in 2010, the truth is that in our local lakes and streams, Largemouth location will be determined by water temperatures and depths near available food and cover. Cover becomes more scarce in Winter. The lily pads, underwater weeds, cattails, bulrushes, floating weed mats and leafy, overhanging trees and brush of Summer are mostly all gone. Now Bass are reduced to finding hiding places such as leaner logs extending from shore down into the depths, underwater wood such as submerged limbs or stumps, rocks, ledges, deep steep banks and areas in or near underwater creek channels.

Some fish will simply seek the confidence of a lot of deep water over their heads in any area where baitfish are still available. The fish can also take refuge near man-made structures such as bridges, pilings, culverts or shoreline riprap that runs steeply down to sufficient depths. Winter can provide a slight advantage then: Bass are often concentrated in these premium areas during cold months.

Each body of water is unique, but it will possess at least a few of these necessary features that are worth fishing. One Southwest Washington lake has a creek and well defined creek channel proceeding through the lake and down to a dam. The dam area offers steep banks and evergreen trees that still cast shade. Even shore-bound anglers can offer vertical presentations of small plastic worms, leeches, grubs or tubes fished conventionally or on a drop-shot rig here. Drop-shotting might work best, with a heavier-than-normal weight at the bottom that is kept in one place after the cast, while the soft plastic bait above the weight is repeatedly shaken or twitched at intervals. Large, slow-fluttering metal spoons might also tempt a fish, as can a lipless crankbait that is allowed to ‘sit and hop’ slowly on or near the bottom. A very slow-moving ½ or ¾ ounce jig and pork frog would also be a good choice. Keeping good contact and ‘feel’ with the bait are extremely imporant. The fish are not going to ‘freight train’ your bait, rocket to the surface and jump cartwheels. They will ‘tick’ or move the line slightly, and a prompt hookset is vital.

At the other end of the lake, the creek is a fairly wide, deep trench entering the lake, with a nearby submerged stump flat making up most of one side of the upper end of the lake. The channel and nearby areas will hold winter fish, and even fish that are not feeding can be susceptible to swatting at a deep-diving, lipped crankbait slowly rooting along through their domain. Start with big baits, then downsize if necessary. Firetiger or Citrus are both good colors for this duty, though chrome and black baitfish imitations might work too.

Middle reaches of the aforementioned lake also offer points and a few rocky or extended riprap areas. There are also some areas with car-sized underwater boulders.

The points will be among my first target areas, simply because I know that points reliably attract Bass year round. The fish only need to travel short distances to find the temperature, depth and feed they like. It may take some zig-zagging runs while watching my electronics, but eventually I’ll find the depth where most fish activity is located along the point. Then I can mount my campaign to fool a big, coldwater trophy. Often, a big, slow-moving spinnerbait will be my first ‘search bait.’ Like most lakes, there is a very deep area near a point. This is a good place to look for fish, then go vertical with spoons or drop-shot rigs.

Wherever you fish, on whatever body of water, one good rule of thumb to remember can be found in the advice of seasoned pros: “There will always be a few fish shallow, even in Winter.” Shallow may be a relative term in frigid water, but I would not neglect a few well-thought-out, probing casts into some likely, shallower areas!

As always, remember that a few days of warmer weather and sun on the water can produce enough of a temperature change to lure Bass into shallower areas. Be careful how you approach, don’t spook them, and go get them! I have caught good big Bass in these cold water months, and I know you can too. Remember to dress warm, be prepared for nasty weather, and if you feel yourself beginning to get numb or starting to move clumsily, time to head immediately for hearth and home. The fish will wait until next time!

See you in January, when we’ll talk a little about rods and reels.

Winter fishing is finally upon us here in the great Northwest. The weather can change in a blink of an eye with temperatures dropping below freezing and water levels can change drastically within a couple of hours. Fishing conditions become more and more dangerous as the winter days go by. Being prepared for these conditions will make your next outing much more safe and enjoyable.

First things first, you need to wear a good set of thermal layers and warm socks for they keep your body heat in the best. If you are going to be wading make sure you buy a good set of waders, I regrettably know firsthand that buying a cheap set of waders can make a great fishing trip miserable. If you are not wading try to have a good warm pair of water proof pants. At last make sure you have a nice durable warm coat that is also water proof.

Water conditions will be very dangerous this time of year. Before wading make sure you test the depth and the current of the river. If possible try to use a walking stick for extra support while crossing. One slip could not only ruin a whole fishing trip but put your life in immediate danger. If you are not sure that it is safe then do not do it. Take every precaution possible to make your next fishing trip safe.

We all get pumped and let our minds fill with excitement when the fishing is going to get good but we also need to be extra careful out there, especially now. I hope everyone has an awesome winter of fishing and keeps those lines tight!

Well, summer has come to a close, but good trout fishing sure hasn’t. Deer season is one of my favorite times of year to head out to my favorite trout streams, with opening weekend of rifle season being the best. My number one reason for loving this time of year is the lack of company. Sure, sometimes it’s nice to see other people on the water, to swap secrets with, brag to, or to pick up on certain techniques of the old guys, but after a summer of seeing people everywhere, it’s definitely nice to have some time on the water to yourself.

The weather has cooled down, but in many places the fishing is still hot, and will continue to be that way for most of the fall. This is also a great time to fish patterns specific to the fall, like the October Caddis. As the name suggests this huge caddis is prolific in October, but you’ll also see them throughout September and into November.

This is one of my favorite flies to throw, because it’s huge size and similarity to the stonefly, which is my all-time favorite pattern. Throwing these flies will usually produce bigger fish, which are looking to fatten up on protein rich bugs, those that diminish during the cold winter months.

Autumn also produces hatches of flies that are common throughout the rest of the year like the Blue Winged Olive, and Quills. The Quills, though, have changed color from a standard blue to dark blue and chocolate. Although not all rivers get these hatches, you’d be surprised to find that maybe the next river or stream over is seeing tons of them.

This time of year is also great for targeting bull trout. These big fish spawn in October through November, and also follow other spawning fish such as kokanee. Egg patterns and big bunny leaches are great patterns to throw at these voracious predators, and they’ll put up a fight like no other trout you’ll find around here.

The fall season though, does have some downsides. The number one is that for the most part the rivers and streams are low and clear, which makes for spookier fish. Another downside is the distance between fish because they are moving so much. Sometimes fish will school up in deeper water, but if you spook one, you usually spook them all. But there are upsides to these downsides. With rivers being low and clear, sight fishing is a lot easier, and is one of the most fun ways to target and catch fish. And with fish being schooled up, you have a better chance of one of the fish seeing and taking an interest in your presentation, that is, if they don’t spook. So when confronted with these conditions, definitely go with a ten foot, lighter leader. If fish still spook to a seamless cast, they’re probably seeing your line. Now it’s time to break out the sharpie and color ten to twenty feet of your floating line (you’re going to buy new line in the spring anyways, right?).

So get out there this deer season and experience some of the best trout fishing of the year. Don’t forget to move around, just because you don’t see fish, doesn’t mean they’re gone. Throw some patterns you’re not used to throwing, but don’t forget about the trusty standbys. Good luck and good fishing.

Your Local Fishin’ Addict The Troutbum89