Fishing for Cowlitz "springers"

Out fishing for springers at Barrier Dam I thought I had one but it turned out to be a late winter run steelhead of a little over 21 lbs




Barrier Dam a little jack on bobber and black and red aero jig shrimp scent




Loser Takes All!

Smith river and others

This steelhead is from the Smith river in California. I was drifting two green cheaters. If you get a chance this river has a A+ rating in my book. It is crystal clear clean and cold. The air smells of redwood and cedar. It offers both salmon and steelhead, and has few fisher men, at least, on my visit.

This is a 25lb springer from Willamette Or. Was using a diver with wedding ring above a red prawn.

Hawaii These fish were mostly catch and release except a few that we're eatable.







Loser Takes All!

Cowlitz river 2011 Coho

Silvers were suckers for glow balls at sunset. My dad, brother, and myself got at least two every time we went out. Here are some of the fish we got.
















Loser Takes All!

Last years Puyallup fall salmon season revisited

For myself, my family, and friends this run of salmon every-odd year is a group fishing trip. There is nothing to serious about it just good times, fish stories, and lots of fish. Even with the occasional river dunk or loss of the biggest one ever this is the time to learn how to fish salmon.
A couple of tips for fishing Puyallup salmon is to fish the edges of riffles and because of the number of fishermen on the river forming lines in the river the fish may be at your feet (but be careful not to hook your fellow fish hunting neighbors).
One of my Puyallup river kings caught at the Fred Meyer hole

One of my brothers caught this Puyallup river silver at the Safeway hole

First of the pink run. They smoke up great if caught with sea lice on them


My sisters first Puyallup silver

Another silver

Loser Takes All

Skookumchuck winter steelhead

3/10/12
My Dad and my brother and I did an early morning trip to the Skookumchuck River. We fished from sun up till 10:00. My brother and I both left with a fish. The winter fish don't seem to wake up till about a couple hours after sun up and stop biting about two to three hours later. We were drifting a peach and white Aerodrifter, size 1 hook, 3' 12lb. Leader, and an 1/8 oz weight. For this river the musts are a shorter 7'6" to 8' pole, my favorite is Shimano medium to medium-heavy, and a net because there is a lot of trees along the bank and few landing spots.

Where to fish - Fish the the tail outs. Look for fish in the shallow head of the rapids. Don't try to catch the fish you can see move up stream there are more that you can't see, those are the ones you'll get. We fished below the salmon hatchery (the videos above are there) and a park in Bucoda, WA. ( the 21lb. Fish below was caught there)
3/3/12

Caught at the park in Bucoda.

3/1/12 up by the salmon hatchery on bobber and nightmare jig and a chunk of shrimp.




Loser Takes All!

Cowlitz Winter Steelhead

Hunting the "silver beast" or taming the "steel bullet" what ever you call it this can some of the best worst fishing you have ever done. This is the first year I have tried for winter steelhead. I have tried for them in all weather rain, snow, and sunshine. Out of ten trips I have scored five times with a number of lost hook ups. I have only had hook ups when the water level was between 9500'cfps and 7000'cfps and all have been in shallow water 4' to 6'. As to lure type that has varied but the common factor is shrimp scent.
This 21
lb. winter run steelhead I caught on the Cowlitz river 4/5/2012.





I was using shrimp scent on an orange and black aerodrifter, size 0/2 hook, 8' 17lb. leader, and 1/2oz weight. The river was at 7,000cfps.




It took me on a 200 yard ride down the river. The B run winter steelhead are in all the way to Barrier damn for the next few weeks. Steelhead seem to run close to shore. So there is no reason to wade in past your knees. I hooked this one about ten feet in front of a line of waist deep fishermen about 50' from shore.
4/10/2012 10lb. Steelhead caught at Blue Creek about 15' from shore the river level was 9,000'. his fish was caught just after sun down on a glow corky and shrimp scent at Blue Creek up stream from the boat launch.




These were caught at Blue Creek on bobber and black and red marabou jog dipped in shrimp scent and water level at 8000'cfps. I was on vacation and was able to fish two mornings in row.


Loser takes all!