Northwest Sportsman Mag - June 2024

Volume 16 • Issue 9

PUBLISHER

James R. Baker

EDITOR

Andy “Just assumes everyone knows what the acronym stands for” Walgamott

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS

Dave Anderson, Jason Brooks, Chris Cocoles, Scott Haugen, Jeff Holmes, MD Johnson, Randy King, Buzz Ramsey, Dave Workman, Mark Yuasa

GENERAL MANAGER

John Rusnak

SALES MANAGER

Paul Yarnold

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Tom St. Clair

DESIGNERS

Gabrielle Pangilinan, Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Emily Baker

OFFICE MANAGER/COPY EDITOR

Katie Aumann

INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGER

Lois Sanborn

WEBMASTER/DIGITAL STRATEGIST

Jon Hines

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@nwsportsmanmag.com

CORRESPONDENCE

Email letters, articles/queries, photos, etc., to awalgamott@media-inc.com, or to the mailing address below.

ON THE COVER

Austin Moser hoists a pair of Columbia River sockeye, representative of summer 2024’s likely best Northwest salmon fishing opportunity. (AUSTINSNORTHWESTADVENTURES.COM)

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Like us on Facebook, follow us on X and get daily updates at nwsportsmanmag.com.

87 SLAY TRI-CITIES SOCKEYE

Captain David Dalan sets us up to run the table on Mid-Columbia sockeye as a robust forecast of more than 400,000 fish make their way up the big river this season.

58 HERE’S AN IDEA: GET TO NEAH!

This port at the very northwestern tip of Washington is a great jumpoff point to fine Chinook and bottomfish angling. Jason Brooks has the details on fishing where the Strait of Juan de Fuca and open Pacific meet.

67 SUMMER OF SALMON 2024

From Gig Harbor to Westport to Bridgeport, there will be a lot of chances to catch Chinook, sockeye and coho in Washington waters this summer. Mark Yuasa previews June, July and August’s best options in the first of his two-part series on 2024-25’s salmon fisheries.

112 SURFPERCH CLASS IN SESSION

True, a boat’s handy for tapping into the bounty of the Northwest Coast, but they’re not needed for one particular species. Our man on the sands MD Johnson has a tutorial for how to catch redtail surfperch off Washington and Oregon beaches.

129 ‘SHADDING’ THE MID-COLUMBIA

It turns out that shad are more than catchable on the Columbia above Bonneville. Jeff Holmes shares how to troll them up below McNary Dam.

(DON MCBRIDE)

122

NORTHWEST PURSUITS

Outsmart

June Trout

No, lowland lakes aren’t all fished out; yes, rainbows can still be caught this time of year. Put away the dough bait and grab Jason’s recommended tackle to boost your late-spring success rates!

COLUMNS

99 BUZZ RAMSEY Get Ready To Chase Upper Columbia Sockeye Sockeye school is in full session this issue! Buzz shares the ins and outs of fishing for these tasty little salmon when season opens below Wanapum Dam, an area that also just might put out some summer Chinook!

107 CHEF IN THE WILD You’ll Dig This Fish

Chef Randy hearkens back to days of yore when Scandinavian peasants buried their fish to preserve it for leaner times, which he thought about doing with a Columbia Chinook he caught. Well, more or less – less mostly. He serves up how to make modern-day gravlax for the perfect bagel.

139 ON TARGET Will Okanogan Deer Hunters Just ‘Grin and Bear It?’

Dave W. has some thoughts on federal managers’ plans to begin releasing grizzly bears into Washington’s North Cascades soon. Totally unrelated, but he also has some advice on preseason gun maintenance and more!

147 BECOMING A HUNTER Scoping Out Your Options: Tips For Selecting The Best Hunting Rifle

With myriad firearms manufacturers, product lines and calibers available, choosing a hunting rifle can be overwhelming for new hunters, but there are a few central things to keep in mind, argues Dave A. He shares what he looks for and what rifles he has on deck for 2024’s big game seasons.

155 GUN DOG Keep It Clean For Better Gun Dog Health

Sure, dogs lick their own butts and eat all sorts of disgusting stuff, but don’t think for an instant that a dirty pooch bowl gets past the daily dish patrol at Scott’s house. He shares why it’s critical to keep ’em clean for your beloved four-legged hunting partner.

(JASON BROOKS)

Breast cancer patients find support and bliss at national nonprofit Casting for Recovery’s fly fishing retreats, including several held annually right here in the Northwest.

DEPARTMENTS

25 THE EDITOR’S NOTE

Meet ODFW’s new director, Debbie Colbert

41 READER PHOTOS

A big pile of ’eyes, fiancees’ pair o’ chromers, huntress’s daily gobbler double, and more!

42 PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

Monthly Coast and Kershaw prize-winning pic

47 THE DISHONOR ROLL

How WDFW pinched a suspected crab pot thief; ‘Senseless’ act poisons thousands of young Chinook; Kudos; Jackass of the Month

57 OUTDOOR CALENDAR

Upcoming fishing and hunting openers, events, deadlines, more

(MISSY SPROUSE, CASTING FOR RECOVERY)

THE EDITOR’S NOTE

Call this a bookend to our March issue’s The Big Pic story, but the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has a new director – Debbie Colbert. She was a unanimous pick by the Fish and Wildlife Commission last month to replace Curt Melcher (the subject of said article), besting a candidate with ties to the Native Fish Society and for whom I’d prepared the potential lede sentence “ODFW’s new director is a vegan pig slaughterer …”

Glad I didn’t have to use that mindbender.

Colbert, 54, has been with ODFW for eight years, the past three overseeing the agency’s Fish, Wildlife and Habitat Programs, as well as has engaged with state lawmakers, a critical Salem relationship given looming budget crunches and a possible fee increase. Not unlike Melcher, who retired after 40 years at ODFW, including the last 10 as director, Colbert’s early career included sampling fish, hers with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission at sea. Her first day as director was May 20, and her salary range as an Agency Head 4 is between $11,945 and $19,774 a month.

AS LONGTIME READERS of this magazine know, we often highlight the women of Northwest fishing and hunting, and not just their catches and kills, but roles in conservation and the industry. Fifty years after ODFW hired its first female biologist – Nancy MacHugh, featured in our April Big Pic – it has its first female director, a historic choice for an agency with roots back to the late 1800s. Colbert is in charge of 1,200 employees based out of 33 offices scattered across nearly 100,000 square miles, a landscape of ocean beaches, cool mountain lakes, desert flats and deep canyons and populated by 4.2 million people – including yours truly and fam – and just a few muleys, springers, greenheads, wolverines and other critters.

I was particularly struck at how strongly Oregon sportsmen advocated for Colbert when she was announced as one of the two finalists. Reading through public comments ahead of the commission’s decision, the overwhelming majority came from hunters, anglers and fishing guides in support of her.

“In the decades that I have been working on fishery issues, I don’t think I’ve seen a more qualified candidate given the helm,” Liz Hamilton, Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association policy director, told me. “All of us who love fish and wildlife in Oregon, and the region, are extremely fortunate. Congratulations to Dr. Colbert – I’m excited!” The Oregon Hunters Association said it’s looking forward to working with her “to protect Oregon’s Wildlife, Habitat, and Hunting Heritage!”

Given the push to reform fish and wildlife agencies and management away from traditional uses and stakeholders here in the Northwest and elsewhere – the other finalist, Kaitlin Lovell, a senior manager of the City of Portland’s Science, Fish and Wildlife Division, was endorsed by the Center for Biological Diversity – this was absolutely a decision to watch and fret about. But judging from Colbert’s answers to public questions on critical fishing and hunting issues, the commission appears to have chosen wisely.

You betcha there will be tough headwinds and challenges and decisions that I absolutely won’t agree with, but best of luck in your new position, Director Colbert! –Andy Walgamott

Debbie Colbert. (ODFW)

Cancer, Casting And Camaraderie

Breast cancer patients find support, bliss at fly fishing retreats.

By Chris Cocoles

Call it a momentary sense of normalcy, a much-needed distraction, a bonding experience, an opportunity to connect with nature. Therapy appears in various forms, shapes and sizes.

And in a setting such as an Inland Northwest river or afloat on a trout-filled lake, fly rod in hand, surrounded by women who are part of the same sisterhood – those who have received a breast cancer diagnosis – the simplicity of waiting for a fish to devour the fly at the end of the line during a most complicated time in life is cathartic, if only for brief moments. Catching fish isn’t the only endgame. Hardly.

Cancer sucks! Or, as often-viral social media hashtags so eloquently put it: #F*ckcancer! There’s no sugarcoating that when a weekend fly fishing retreat is over, it’s not going to change a diagnosis. Casting for Recovery, the organization that offers these free fly fishing retreats from coast to coast for women with breast cancer, understands that a weekend getaway can’t make it all go away, but it can provide a much-needed reprieve from the stress and worry that a cancer diagnosis brings. It can also offer perspective.

“’The healing power of nature’ – a lot of our taglines have to do with that. And I believe that wholly,” says Jen Lofgren, Casting for Recovery senior regional program manager, who helps organize

retreats in the Northwest and beyond.

“It’s just changing a thought, moving a muscle kind of thing. Get out there and allow yourself time to be in nature. I don’t know anyone who has ever said ’I feel worse’ after spending time in nature,” she adds.

What began as a modest idea in Manchester, Vermont, in 1996, has turned into a nationwide nonprofit organization that has served roughly 11,000 breast cancer survivors and thrivers to date. Indeed, Casting for Recovery has found a niche that it can be proud of.

“I know a lot of people who say, ’Oh, breast cancer; there’s a million resources for people with breast cancer.’ That’s true; there’s a lot of stuff out there. But nobody’s doing this. That’s what I hope keeps us relevant for years to come,” adds Lofgren, who also emphasizes the importance of reaching a more diverse audience. “I hope we can continue to do good work and serve people.”

WANT TO KNOW how fly fishing and honoring breast cancer patients came together?

A professional fly angler and a breast reconstruction surgeon, of course. Hence in 1996, the fly fisher, Gwenn Bogart (nee Perkins), and the surgeon, Dr. Benita Walton, were good friends who had an inspiration.

“The surgeon said to the fishing guide friend, ‘Take me out and show me what fly fishing is about,’” Lofgren says. “And she soon realized that the gentle casting motion would be really good for patients

Participants at a Casting for Recovery fly fishing retreat for breast cancer patients work together to land a nice-sized trout at Moccasin Lake, near Winthrop, Washington. (MISSY SPROUSE, CASTING FOR RECOVERY)

who had undergone radiation and reconstructive surgery.”

Gwenn was affiliated with the popular outdoor retail company Orvis, which, Lofgren says, “didn’t hurt,” as it offered up new avenues to mold more than a common bond between two women.

“That was a good launching place, to have the support of Orvis, a giant in the fly fishing world, who agreed that it sounded like a great idea. In 1996, we started with two programs in Vermont, and then fast forward 28 years later and we will host 60 retreats across the country this year,” Lofgren says. “So it’s pretty awesome.”

Indeed, as you read this, 2024 retreats will either already be completed, in progress or being planned everywhere from Vermont to Montana (the current location of CfR’s national headquarters), and Alaska to Hawaii. That there is even more demand to

add more retreats to accommodate all the women interested in signing up is both great for outreach but also the reality of an abhorred disease.

“Sadly, we don’t have any shortage of clients. We all know wives, daughters, mothers, sisters, friends who have had a breast cancer diagnosis. And so we have more women applying than we can accommodate; for every one woman we accept in our random selection process, we turn three away,” Lofgren says. “So there’s definitely more need than there is bandwidth, which is good in terms of keeping the doors open, but frankly, I think we’d all agree that we’d take a cure for the disease and find something else to do.”

CASTING FOR RECOVERY’S Northwest retreats serve women in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Oregon has two

programs covering the state. The Southern Oregon program hosted a retreat in May in Elkton, on the banks of the Umpqua River, with Northern Oregon scheduled to host a fly fishing retreat in late October in Sisters.

The annual Western Washington event is one of CfR’s longest-running retreats, dating back to 2000. Twenty-three gatherings have served more than 300 women during that time frame. This year’s get-together is set for September in Mazama.

The Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho region hosts a retreat early this month in Harrison, between Coeur d’Alene and St. Maries. The same weekend – June 7-9 – a retreat will take place in Southwest Idaho at Living Waters Ranch in Challis.

While so much of the organization’s mission offers hope for better days ahead, the reality of the disease is reflected in a special program for the most serious of

Many program attendees have never fly fished before, but they receive expert instruction from volunteer instructors. These women were being taught at CfR’s Southern Oregon chapter event held at Big K Guest Ranch on the lower Umpqua last year. (MISSY SPROUSE, CASTING FOR RECOVERY)

breast cancer cases.

“Later this fall, the Southwest Idaho program will host their first retreat specifically for women with stage 4 cancer. Women with stage 4, or metastatic, breast cancer, which means the cancer has spread beyond the breast and lymph nodes to other parts of the body, have very different needs and concerns as compared with earlier stage survivors,” Lofgren says of the retreat, also in Challis. “(Casting for Recovery) piloted its first metastatic retreat in 2016, following participant feedback suggesting that women with metastatic breast cancer would benefit from their own retreat.”

The organization also recognized some of the behind-the-scenes superstars from Oregon, Washington and Idaho during one of the most difficult times anyone can remember in the medical field. “Unsung heroes” does not begin to describe those who experienced the chaos and challenges Covid-19 inflicted on hospitals and clinics.

“A specialty retreat that we piloted in 2022 was specifically for healthcare workers/first responders in the Pacific Northwest who worked in a healthcare/

emergency response setting, hospital, medical center, outpatient or long-term care facility during Covid,” Lofgren says.

“We recognized that these workers were especially taxed during the pandemic and we felt a retreat of this nature was necessary to provide some much-needed relief from the stress of the pandemic coupled with a breast cancer diagnosis. It was a powerful retreat, because women in these professions are often so busy caring for others that they don’t take the time to care for themselves,” she notes.

VOLUNTEERS HELP KEEP

CfR churning along, generous individuals who give their time and talents to run these retreats. Each program is run by a team of volunteers, from program and participant coordinators, to wellness professionals, hospitality, fishing guides and photographers. Each program is fully self-supporting and does all of its own fundraising throughout the year in order to host these retreats. CfR has over 1,800 volunteers nationwide! Lofgren was one.

A longtime angler, she was managing an Orvis store in Denver in 2012 when she heard about Casting For Recovery and wanted to help. As it turns out, someone representing the organization walked into the store in search of donation options.

“I said, ’I’d really like to get involved,’ and she said, ’Well, we need guides for this

Participants open up about only what they want to, but many are able to share what they’re going through with fellow patients who have similar perspectives and stories. (LINDSAY AGNESS/CASTING FOR RECOVERY)

weekend.’ And that’s how it all started, and I just fell in love with it. I thought it was the most amazing thing,” says Lofgren, who after years of volunteer work took a fulltime position with the nonprofit in 2018. “And now what I get to do is work with all of the programs in the Western states, and as I jokingly like to say, the West is best! Seriously, though, I feel so incredibly fortunate to be able to do what I do.”

Lofgren says her trips to Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula have been among the most memorable of the Western states’ retreats.

“People go through a lot and it’s really eye-opening to see how strong people are, and not just the person diagnosed with cancer, but their families and support systems as well. It’s really impactful.”

Lindsay Agness is another volunteer who can attest to the power that these retreats can have for those stricken with cancer.

“Many times, women are diagnosed with breast cancer, and they don’t have a chance to go through their emotional journey. They have surgery and follow-up treatments. However, they are left with their grief and feelings that need to be addressed,” she says. “This program and retreat allows them to meet with other women going through a similar journey. The emotional benefits of being with others in a similar situation while connecting to nature is very healing. There is a lot of laughter, crying, hugging and support at the retreat. At the end of the weekend, the women have bonded for life.”

Lofgren also cherishes the friendships she’s developed over time with both retreat participants and volunteers. One particular relationship she’s grateful for was with Margaret Bell, who attended a retreat that Lofgren helped coordinate in Colorado.

Margaret eventually became a volunteer herself.

It’s that kind of pay-it-forward approach that has made this organization grow so well. Connections made over the weekend can become lifelong friendships.

Margaret wrote a recap of her retreat experience and one of the things she said was, “We show up for the weekend and we all have this common language – chemo, radiation, infusion – and as the weekend progresses we’ve got this new vernacular, like thingamabobber and tippet, all these new words that are being incorporated into the

weekend, an example of how these retreats allow women to think about something other than cancer, if only temporarily.”

Margaret passed away on October 10, 2022, but her spirit will remain with her friend forever.

“I can say with absolute certainty that her quality of life greatly improved after she attended a retreat. She completely fell in love with the sport of fly fishing and volunteering for this organization became her passion. She recognized immediately that being in nature, fly fishing with new friends, was the one place that she did not think about how sick she was. As a result, she wanted to go as often as she could. Two weeks before she passed away, she was fishing in Montana. It meant everything to her,” Lofgren says.

Fear of recurrence goes along with this disease that has affected so many people. #F@ckcancer, indeed.

“We offer medical and emotional wellness sessions, where participants are given the opportunity to speak openly about their disease and ask questions in a safe space. They can even do so anonymously by putting a question into a basket about something they might not feel comfortable saying out loud or discussing with their oncologist. A lot of times people have a hard time talking to their own family because they don’t want to scare them,” Lofgren says. “They just have to navigate some things, and being able to do that with other women who are in a similar situation allows them the freedom to do that.”

During free time, many of the women gather with one another, and even with staff, to continue the conversations.

AS FOR THE fishing, many of the applicants have little, if any, angling background. Fly fishing experience is almost nonexistent, but it is also not a requirement.

“The lion’s share of those attending our retreats have never picked up a fly rod before. And many of them have never tried traditional or conventional fishing either, or if they have, it was when they were a child. So we really spend a good part of the weekend teaching them,” Lofgren says. “They usually show up on a Friday afternoon and we get them outfitted in their gear right away, and that’s kind of a good icebreaker – trying on waders and

The retreats also act as a conduit between fishing and conservation. Roughly 11,000 women have participated in the program. (MISSY SPROUSE, CASTING FOR RECOVERY)

posing for a grip and grin with a giant stuffed trout.”

“On Saturday morning, we do a basic introduction to the sport – equipment overview, knots and rigging, how to put a rod and reel together, explain the gear, accessories, rod weights, lines, tippet, accessories, etc.,” she continues. “And in the afternoon, we teach basic casting, wading safety, how to fight a fish and proper catch-and-release techniques. Some programs offer fly tying, so women get an opportunity to try that out, and maybe even catch a fish on a fly they tied!”

“And then Sunday comes – the most exciting day of the retreat, in my opinion. Each woman is paired with her own guide

and the two of them spend four to five hours fishing. The laughter, smiles and hooping and hollering that can be heard echoing across the water is the most beautiful sound you’ll ever hear.”

By the end of the weekend, Lofgren is often amazed and heartened by a newfound love for fishing and the outdoors.

The day ends with lunch and a graduation ceremony, and then everyone says their goodbyes. Lofgren is pleased to note that the comment she hears most often from participants after the retreat is “I wish it had been longer. I didn’t want to leave; it should be a week long.”

“That tells me we’re doing something right,” she says.

WHEN CfR’S FOUNDERS teamed up on the idea for the program, they soon discovered

that at its core, the fly fishing premise was on its own a healing placebo for breast cancer patients. That is in the casting motion of a fly rod and how it impacts and improves mobility.

“That’s something that (Dr. Walton) noted right out of the gate, and that’s sort of the idea that was born about why fly fishing and breast cancer (are connected),” Lofgren explains. “A lot of people wondered just that. ’What does fly fishing have to do with breast cancer?’ And even if it didn’t have to do with mobility or movement, I think it would be just being outside and the soothing sounds of the water. And casting; I just love to cast. I find it really relaxing, just the rhythmic cadence of it And I do think it’s a great motion for mobility, even for myself.”

Lofgren notices that rookies often will grasp a fly rod really firmly, as if they’re

An exultant Casting for Recovery attendee at 2023’s retreat in Northcentral Washington. The events provide a “momentary sense of normalcy, a muchneeded distraction, a bonding experience, an opportunity to connect with nature,” writes author Chris Cocoles, whose mother passed away from breast cancer. (MISSY SPROUSE, CASTING FOR RECOVERY)

handling a rattlesnake, and they quickly tire, but as soon as they start to relax and get the hang of the timing and the casting motion, things start to come together for them.

Lofgren has also found that women teaching other women to fly fish makes for an even smoother transition.

She says that generally speaking, women are great casters because “A) They listen pretty well, and B) They don’t try to hammer the cast. It’s so much more of a finesse thing than a power thing – a gentle, even motion. And it’s a lot easier in my experience to teach a woman how to cast than it is a man, which I realize is a broad generalization, but many men think it’s a power stroke. But by and large, it’s a finesse thing.”

The retreats are also an opportunity to provide the women with a conduit between fishing and conservation. CfR has

made it a point to preach the catch-andrelease ethic at its retreats.

“Conservation is so important when introducing women to the sport of fly fishing, and we want to do so in a responsible and sustainable fashion. There is a big movement right now to ‘Keep Fish Wet,’” she says, “and we recognize the importance of doing so, but with brandnew anglers, they’re so excited that they often manhandle the fish. We understand we need to show them the right way to do it. Explain why it’s important to handle fish more carefully and to keep them in the water as much as possible. We also try to impart the importance of maintaining our natural resources so that they are there for generations to come. That, and being good stewards of the land that we’re using is important. We all have a responsibility.”

THREE WOMEN NAMED

Michelle, Melissa and Carol discussed their experiences with Casting for Recovery programs as retreat participants.

Michelle: “I had just had a double

mastectomy and I wasn’t sure I would be able to participate in activities like this. I surprised myself and I am so grateful to have been able to participate in this retreat. It was a life-changing experience for me.”

Melissa: “After I was diagnosed with cancer, I lost my connection with nature. I forgot about the revitalizing effects it has. Being able to take deep, clean breaths, enjoy the brisk morning air and feel the sun on my face as the day warmed was so healing and uplifting. Casting for Recovery reminded me how much I need nature to survive.”

Carol: “I had never been fly fishing. I’m a pretty outdoorsy person, but this was a new experience and I enjoyed the beauty of the river, the company, and I was surprised to catch so many fish and release them back. It was overwhelming at times to be in the company of all of these amazing women with breast cancer. The fishing made that possible.” NS

Editor’s note: Learn more about volunteering or donating to Casting for Recovery at the organization’s website, castingforrecovery.org.

Why wait for June to catch your first-ever summer steelhead?!? Cat put this hatchery fish on the bank back in April while fishing with fiancé Jacob Ross. “She’s been fishing less than a year and put in the work and the time for this summer,” Ross says. “After a few fish lost, it all came together for her. Couldn’t be more proud of her and how far she has come in such a short time.” (KNIFE PHOTO CONTEST)

If you think that pile of spring walleye is impressive – there’s even more fish under the table – Cory Hovanec’s recovery story is too. “In 1990, I moved here from California. I was running from a nagging drug addiction,” writes Hovanec (right). “After about a year in Spokane, I went fishing with a friend to bank fish at Lake Roosevelt for walleye at night. When we arrived, we found this dude waist-high in the water with a leather jacket, beer in one hand and a fishing pole in the other. His name was Bill Stanley (left) and we became good friends. I traded in my drug addiction for a fishing addiction. Bill has taught me everything I know about fishing in the great Northwest. He has been present for my biggest steelhead at 22 pounds and now for my biggest walleye at 32 inches. I am so happy for all the fishing knowledge he has given me over the years, and my drug addiction was left in my rearview mirror. I have taught my son and daughter everything he has taught me and now they both catch fish on their own. Being a single dad, it is hard to keep kids safe in this world, but while fishing we are at peace. We love this sport so very much and can’t wait to catch more. And I owe it all to Bill Stanley.” (KNIFE PHOTO CONTEST)

Washington’s trout opener was good to Aubrey Davis! The 5-year-old caught this nice 13-inch rainbow at Jameson Lake while fishing with her grandpa Nick Wallace. (KNIFE PHOTO CONTEST)

Kelly Frazier not only bagged her first spring turkey, but a second one just 30 minutes later on a hunt in Eastern Washington. As she was celebrating downing the 20-pound bird sporting a 9.5-inch beard with her husband Wes, they heard another gobble in the distance and quickly got back in the blind. When three toms came strolling by, Wes missed his shot, but Kelly made good on hers. “Talk about an awesome morning! This was my fourth year hunting turkey and I finally was able to fill my tags!” she writes. (KNIFE PHOTO CONTEST)

For your shot at winning great fishing and hunting products from Northwest Sportsman and Coast, respectively, send your full-resolution, original images with all the pertinent details – who’s in the pic; when and where they were; what they caught their fish on/weapon they used to bag the game; and any other details you’d like to reveal (the more, the merrier!) – to awalgamott@media-inc.com or Northwest Sportsman, 14240 Interurban Ave S, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for use in our print and Internet publications.

Jessica Faris shows off a nice-sized German brown trout she caught earlier this year at Northeast Washington’s Waitts Lake. (KNIFE PHOTO CONTEST)

PHOTO CONTEST MONTHLY Winner!

He’s baaaaaaaaaack! That’s Darrel Smith with a big Sol Duc buck caught this past winter. (KNIFE PHOTO CONTEST)

Wade Masters went looking for something else to chase this spring than Columbia kings, and he found it in Northern California with this rainbow.

“Shasta Lake is pretty amazing,” reports son Skylar. “We caught a number of trophy-size trout in two days.”

(KNIFE PHOTO CONTEST)

A run down to the Wind River paid off for Dale Olmstead and Kelly Colliton with a pair of springers on a rather pacific morning at the notoriously gusty

Jerry Han couldn’t stand sitting around the house any longer back in early March, so he headed out on the Mid-Columbia and picked up this 5-pound, 1-ounce smallmouth in the face of 15- to 20-mile-per-hour winds. (KNIFE PHOTO CONTEST)

Blue skies, purple fingernails and some Columbia Basin gold! That’s what Maralee Moore got into in her return to the 509 from the Westside. (KNIFE PHOTO CONTEST)

Columbia Gorge Chinook fishery. (KNIFE PHOTO CONTEST)

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How WDFW Pinched A Suspected Crab Pot Thief

No doubt the tide collects its share of crab pots deployed in Puget Sound, but a Lynnwood man is suspected of actively swiping them from sport and tribal crabbers last year.

Game wardens recovered pots, buoys and lines from at least four different fishermen as well as the decoy setups they used to crack the case while serving a search warrant at the 40-year-old’s home in late February, according to court documents.

Papers filed with Snohomish County prosecutors state that crab and pot theft is “prolific” in the inland sea but that it’s hard to detect, so last fall Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officers decided to set out two decoy setups on Port Gardiner’s Everett Flats and monitor them. Like other crabbers do, they used a pair of very uniquely marked buoys to tell their gear from others bobbing around on Marine Area 8-2, then began surveillance.

While they reported catching “multiple people stealing crab out of these pots,” the prime suspect allegedly didn’t just settle for somebody else’s delicious Dungeness for dinner; he went for the whole shebang – and in doing so got pinched.

“It is collaborative operations like this that truly have a significant impact in ensuring that we have an orderly fishery,” said WDFW Sergeant Hwa Kim about the case early last month.

Washington game wardens seized this boat and numerous crab pots, buoys, floats and lines at the home of a Lynnwood man suspected of stealing them from other crabbers. (WDFW)

THE CASE AGAINST the Martha Lake neighborhood resident began to take shape when surveillance showed that on the afternoon of December 31, the last day of 2023’s winter crab season, a boat with a Bimini top and three people aboard pulled up to one of WDFW’s specially marked buoys and yarded it and the attached red and white float and pot into the boat, then quickly grabbed the second setup. A subsequent search of the

JACKASS OF THE MONTH

Idon’t often get to run “Florida man” stories in this magazine, but I’ll always make space for someone who allegedly pulls a gun on kids fishing at a lake, takes away their rods and reels, tackle boxes and cast nets and then “maliciously” damages the gear.

The incident happened in mid-April when the 15-, 10- and 7-year-olds went to fish a lake they had reportedly been to before without trouble and belongs to a subdivision. There they were approached by Kyle Tate, the president of the local homeowners association, who allegedly was bearing a shotgun and claimed he owned the lake.

Between the gear and one of the kids’ phones, Tate reportedly took an estimated $3,700 worth of belongings from the trio,

By Andy Walgamott

water by officers in early January 2024 revealed that the WDFW buoys were nowhere to be found.

In late January, Officer Nick Libbing reviewed security camera footage taken at the Port of Everett, the closest public launch to the flats. It showed that about an hour and a half after the buoys had been taken on New Year’s Eve, a boat with a Bimini top was loaded onto a trailer pulled by a blue Toyota and then

leading to one felony count of grand theft. He was also charged with felony criminal mischief for approaching them with the gun. Tate, a local attorney, has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial.

The incident left one of the kids shaken up. “A gun should’ve never been pulled on them,” the 10-year-old’s mom told a local news outlet. “It was startling. He’s still super shaken up, knowing that on a daily basis we have to drive by this subdivision where this man lives.”

It had been moored at the marina there. (WDFW)

two people moved two crab pots from the boat to the bed of the truck.

Libbing then requested and received from the port a list of everyone who had ended their dock lease at the end of crab season. Using that information, he found a 2005 Triumph 191FS that matched the description of the boat seen pulling the WDFW buoys and appeared later the same day on the security camera. A Bimini top is essentially a sun shade/water blocker over and around a boat’s cockpit.

With the address from the boat’s registration in hand, Libbing drove an unmarked vehicle to the owner’s home, where he saw what appeared to be the same watercraft parked in the driveway next to the officers’ decoy buoys, as well as several other buoys.

That led game wardens to serve a search warrant on the premises. According to court documents, the suspect acknowledged he had gone crabbing on December 31, but when read his Miranda rights, he said he didn’t want to speak further without a lawyer present.

Besides their own two crab traps – one of which was also identifiable because of an orange cord used during an onthe-water repair – officers recovered numerous other pots and buoys. While names and phone numbers on some of the buoys found in the suspect’s yard had faded and were hard to read, others clearly did not belong to the man due to the name or phone number. Two had markings indicating they were owned by a pair of Suquamish Tribe fishermen. When shown photos of 30-inch-by-30-inch pots, both tribal fishermen positively identified them as theirs based on unique bridles, zip

KUDOS

It was a post that aimed right for the heart strings and played each one of ’em pitch-perfectly. An Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife trooper was photographed alongside a 94-year-old fishermen on a dock at Central Oregon’s Ochoco Reservoir. The gent was having a little trouble tying his hook on, so the trooper lent him a hand as the angler “explained he was trying to catch a fish for his 97-year-old friend who could no longer walk to go fishing. We were glad to help, sir.” So are we.

‘Senseless’ Act Poisons Thousands Of Young Chinook

An Oregon Coast man is in a heap of trouble after allegedly pouring bleach into a rearing tank at a salmon hatchery on the lower Umpqua in late April, killing young fall Chinook meant to help power local bay and river fisheries. Joshua A. Heckathorn, 20, faces unlawful take of 17,890 Chinook, which makes it a class C felony with a potential though unlikely penalty of $13,417,500 ($750 for each of those salmon), as well as making a toxic substance available to wildlife, a class A misdemeanor, and first-degree criminal mischief. He could also be banned for life

from fishing and face damage suits for the loss of fish, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The crime left volunteers who annually donate hundreds upon hundreds of hours of labor at the Gardiner Reedsport Winchester Bay Salmon and Trout Enhancement Program facility along Highway 101 by the town of Gardiner perplexed and frustrated.

“It’s just crushing. Why would somebody do that?” said Rick Rockholt, who helps manage a Labor Day weekend fishing derby that directly and importantly benefits the program. “It’s just taking away continued on page 52

The suspect boat and its distinctive Bimini top was seen on a security camera at the Port of Everett about 90 minutes after three occupants aboard it pulled up WDFW’s decoy pots on Everett Flats last December.

(OSP)

MIXED BAG

Tim Hooper, Gardiner Reedsport Winchester Bay Salmon and Trout Enhancement Program facility manager, shovels dead fall Chinook presmolts out of a rearing tank after they were poisoned in late April. The fish were to be frozen for use as evidence as part of a criminal case against the suspect, a local man. (ODFW)

from the struggling Chinook fishery we have on the Umpqua.”

Given reported average return rates of 1 to 3 percent, between 180 and 537 adult fall kings would have been expected to return in a few years if they hadn’t been poisoned, “generating much needed revenue in local economies,” a GRWB STEP Facebook post stated. The loss amounts to about a quarter of the Chinook being raised at the facility for release this year. The other 60,000 fish will have their adipose fin clipped and then be released this month. Another 60,000 kings being reared at Elk River Hatchery will be marked and released into Winchester Bay, at the mouth of the Umpqua, in October.

HECKATHORN, WHO LIVES in Gardiner, was arrested by a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputy back at the hatchery a day after the poisoning was discovered. The Salem Statesman-Journal, reporting on court documents acquired by the Coos Bay World, wrote that Heckathorn “was shaking, sweating and at one point threw up during the interview” and had “trouble remembering details of the day due to being high on marijuana at the time of the crime.”

He was booked into Douglas County Jail on charges of second-degree burglary, criminal mischief and criminal trespass. Initial reports were that someone had broken into the hatchery’s equipment shed and then emptied bleach into one of the four rearing tanks.

Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division Sergeant Levi Harris said that in his 25 years of being a game warden, it was “one of the most senseless acts I have seen.”

When it comes to rearing salmon in aging facilities subject to mechanical and natural disasters, there will always be fishkills for one reason or another, but that this one was deliberate was a bitter pill.

“You get attached to those fish,” said Deborah Yates, STEP chapter president, “When nature does something, it’s crushing. But it’s nature and it happens. But when someone comes in and does something like this, you can’t wrap your head around it. We have so many hours wrapped up in those fish, to have someone come in so cavalier, and kill them, it doesn’t make sense.”

ties and/or weights they used.

page 48

Court papers say another buoy was traced to a Lynnwood crabber, who reported to officers that in December he’d also lost two pots in the same area WDFW’s decoy buoys had been set up. And an Issaquah man whose nickname, address and phone were clearly written on still another buoy confirmed it had gone missing last year.

Along with the suspect’s boat and its trailer and engine, officers seized nine crab pots and seven buoys, among other items. When advised that the two commercial crab pots were being taken for evidence, the suspect allegedly stated he’d bought them off Craigslist and could prove it, according to court papers.

WDFW officers recommended that Snohomish County prosecutors charge the suspect with possession of stolen property and second-degree theft, both class C felonies, and unlawful interference with fishing gear.

SOMETHING LIKE 12,000 pots are lost annually in the Salish Sea due to strong tides and not enough weight or leaded line being used, or gear being set up in ferry and other shipping lanes, all contributing to the loss of tens of thousands of crabs trapped inside them, according to the Northwest Straits Initiative. But the case against the Lynnwood man confirms what crabbers have long suspected – that not all pots are just disappearing into Davy Jones’ locker.

It might also serve as a potential deterrent to Puget Sound pot pillagers.

WDFW Police’s Facebook post on it in midApril, which noted that two other boat operators observed taking crabs from the decoy pots were identified and contacted as part of the overall operation, received the highest number of reactions of any of the agency’s crime-related posts in over a year, some 1,200-plus likes, hearts, wows and more, as well as 313 shares, helping to spread the word even further as this summer’s season nears.

“We are hopeful that this sends a clear message that crab poachers should think twice before pulling someone else’s gear,” WDFW Sergeant Kim said.

Crab Pot Thief, continued from

CALENDAR OUTDOOR

JUNE

1 Washington Marine Area 10 coho opener; WDFW Panhandle Lake (Shelton) Kids Fishing Event – info: panhandlecamp.com/fishing

1-2 Oregon Free Fishing Weekend, with planned angling events at Alton Baker Park (Eugene), Cleawox Lake, Commonwealth Lake Park (Portland), Eel, Hebo and Henry Hagg Lakes, Olalla Reservoir, Small Fry Lake (Estacada, anglers 17 and younger only) and West Kirk Park (Junction City) – info: myodfw.com/articles/ take-family-fishing; Areas 3-4 halibut reopener (Thursday-Sunday fishing through June 30) – info: wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/halibut

2 Area 1/Columbia River Subarea halibut reopener (Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday fishing through June 30) – info: myodfw.com/pacific-halibut-sport-regulations

5 Area 11 hatchery Chinook opener (Wednesday-Saturday fishing through June 30, quota dependent); ODFW Intro To Hunting Workshop (register, $10), Tualatin Cabela’s – info: myodfw.com/workshops-and-events

8 Idaho Free Fishing Day; CAST For Kids fishing event on Lake Charles (Albany) –info: castforkids.org

8-9 Washington Free Fishing Weekend; Washington State Archery Association 3D Championship, Silver Arrow Bowmen, Mount Vernon – info: wsaa.wildapricot .org; Walleye Willie Shootout Memorial Benefit tournament, Bonneville and The Dalles Pools – info: mcmc.net/foundation/events/walleye-willie-shootout

12 Date Oregon controlled hunt draw results expected by

13 Area 2 halibut reopener (Thursday, Sunday and Tuesday fishing through June 30, quota dependent) – info above; ODFW Intro To Hunting Workshop (register, $10), Newport – info above

14-16 Blacktail Bootcamp workshop with Dave Riley – info: theblacktailcoach.com

15 Oregon Central and South Coast hatchery coho openers; CAST For Kids fishing event on Bowman Pond (Winston, Oregon) – info above

16 Lower and mid-Columbia sockeye opener; Lower Skagit River sockeye opener

16-19 Lower Columbia (Astoria-Megler Bridge to Bonneville) summer Chinook season dates

16-30 Mid-Columbia (Bonneville to Priest Rapids) summer Chinook season dates

20 ODFW Intro To Hunting Workshop (register, $10), Tualatin Cabela’s– info above

22 Oregon North Coast and Washington Areas 1, 3 and 4 salmon opener (open daily); Washington State 2024 Sanctioned Duck and Goose Calling Championships and Pacific Northwest Regional Open Duck and Goose Calling Championships, Howard Amon Park, Richland – info: washingtonwaterfowl.org

23 CAST For Kids fishing event on Emigrant Lake (Medford) – info above

30 Area 2 salmon opener (open Sundays-Thursdays only through July 13)

JULY

1 Leftover big game tags go on sale in Oregon; Start of Oregon Youth First Time hunt application period; New Washington fishing regulations pamphlet takes effect; Areas 5, 6 (west of Ediz Hook No. 2 buoy) and 13 (south of Point Ayock) hatchery Chinook openers; Steelhead closures begin on Washington-side Columbia Gorge tributary mouths

1-31 Oregon Central Coast spring all-depth halibut backup dates (quota dependent)

11 ODFW Intro To Hunting Workshop (register, $10), Newport – info above

13 24th Annual Merwin Special Kids Day, Merwin Fish Hatchery (register by June 24) – info: wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/contests/youth

14 Area 2 opens for daily salmon fishing

15 Steelhead closures begin on Oregon-side Columbia Gorge tributary mouths; Deadline to purchase Washington raffle hunt tickets

18 ODFW Intro To Hunting Workshop (register, $10), Tualatin Cabela’s– info above

18-20 Areas 7, 9, 10 and 11 hatchery Chinook retention days

20 CAST For Kids fishing event on Prineville Reservoir – info above

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Here’s An Idea: Get To Neah

The port at the very northwestern tip of Washington is a great jumpoff point to fine Chinook and bottomfish angling.

In the net at Neah Bay! The port at the upper left corner of the Olympic Peninsula provides access to rich Chinook- and bottomfish-bearing waters where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the open Pacific. (JASON BROOKS)

FISHING

By Jason Brooks

Pulling into the loading area of the boat launch by Big Salmon Fishing Resort, the excitement of being back at Neah Bay is overwhelming. It is the last town on the far northwestern tip of Washington before the open Pacific and where anglers can choose to troll along the kelp beds or head out to the deepwater shoals and banks. Looking north, Vancouver Island is visible and

even fishable when water conditions and fishing seasons align. Neah Bay offers some great bottomfish such as sea bass, lingcod and halibut, but when Chinook season opens, the tiny town is flooded with anglers. In ideal weather, big ocean-bright Chinook can be caught in calm waters only minutes away from the marina.

Heading out of the breakwater of Neah Bay’s large port puts you right at some of the best fishing locations. Most anglers are out at first light, but

the tide change is when you will find the best fishing. If the tide is midday, then there is no need to be out early. The waters here are the entrance from the open Pacific to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Pinched between the state of Washington and British Columbia’s Vancouver Island, runs of salmon cruise along both shorelines with a mix of fish heading to Salish Sea streams, including the famed Fraser River. Depending on run projections and the fact Canada does

FISHING

not fin clip all their hatchery fish, the regulations will reflect what is best for management and for the fishery to last as long as possible.

A few years ago, the opener had a two-Chinook daily limit with no adipose-fin-clip restriction. Angling was good, a bit too good, in fact, and after that first week, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife dropped the limit to one fish per day. For this year, the salmon opener is June 22 and fishing should be good, as returns are expected to be about the same as last year. This being a saltwater fishery means that those who go need to plan accordingly and check the emergency regulations before departing each day.

It was time to drop the gear. After an hour without a bite, the port side rod finally buried, with a Chinook

grabbing the bait. The fish felt heavy, a bit too heavy, and as I pulled up on it, the rod broke. Now it was down to trusting that the line would hold as I forced the fish and gear in, which turned out to be covered in bull kelp. The long, wavy leaf of the kelp was the weight that broke the rod and after cutting it free of the line, to our surprise a 10-pound Chinook was still there. It was yet another reminder to stay out of the kelp, which also means keeping an eye on the surface for areas where the tide rips around the island and creates an eddy of sorts, collecting kelp, logs and other debris.

Rerigging the spare rod, we soon pulled the downriggers and headed west. The tide was changing to outgoing and we wanted to try Slant Rock, which lies just east of the mainland tip of Washington. Cruising along, we found most boats here were still trolling the 120-foot line. Looking at the graph, we noted a reef a bit closer to shore and decided to see if the baitfish were being flushed up against it, a trick I learned fishing Vancouver Island’s Nootka Sound several years ago. As we slowed the boat to ready the lines, a familiar large orange and blue cloud appeared on the sonar marking a ball of herring, with black arches underneath giving

This pair of early-season kings hit the deck for author Jason Brooks and his son Ryan in June 2022. While other anglers trolled the 120-foot line, the duo moved inshore and worked an underwater obstruction that concentrated a school of baitfish (bottom) that were being fed on by Chinook. (JASON BROOKS)

ONE JUNE DAY we were cruising past Waadah Island and noted the flotilla of boats already trolling along the 120foot line heading into the rising sun.

FISHING

way to feeding Chinook. We were in 100 feet of water but not too far from an underwater wall that was 20 feet high. The reef created cover for the herring, which were in full protective mode trying to survive the attack from hungry kings that would race up from beneath and into the bait ball, mouths wide open and chomping on baitfish.

Dropping the gear to the bottom of the bait ball and then trolling in a figure-eight pattern, it only took a few moments before the first rod went off. Before we could grab the second rod to clear it, another Chinook was on the line. Now doubled up, we realized that bringing

one net was not the best idea we had had that day. Other anglers watched the rodeo that was occurring on the deck of our boat, my son fighting his fish and me fighting mine.

Both Chinook came to the surface at the same time, but I was able to keep tension on my fish while my son netted his and then, without even removing the king, he slipped the net back into the water and scooped my fish. Heaving it over the side of the boat and onto the deck, we hugged and gave each other a pat on the back.

Meanwhile, the other boats were now in the far-off distance, still trolling along that 120-foot line as if that were the only way to catch a Chinook.

NEAH BAY’S KNOWN for salmon, and rightly so, but it does offer some angling opportunities other than silver-sided, red-fleshed fish. On certain days halibut may be open (Thursdays through Sundays this month, depending on quota availability), and the fishing grounds are not too far off. The “Garbage Dump” is a popular and aptly named spot. It is found by looking at the hillside between Kydikabbit Point and Warmhouse Beach; when you see what’s left of the clearing of the old garbage dump on the hill immediately above the Strait, move out to the 300foot line and you’re there.

If rockfish and lingcod are more desired – halibut fishing can be a bit boring, as well as requires specific heavy-duty gear – head towards Tatoosh Island. The waters around the island have big rocks and steep walls that harbor rockfish and some lingcod. It also is the resting area for sea lions; both Stellers and Californias are often seen basking on the barnacle-covered rocks. The navigation lighthouse makes for a stunning backdrop.

Tatoosh Island is also the dividing line for Marine Area 4 bottomfish regulations. To the west, a variety of rockfish can be retained, while to the east it is mostly the blue and black “sea bass” that are allowed to be kept. Keep in mind that in the month of July, you cannot keep copper, quillback or vermilion rockfish, and at no time in any Washington marine area can yelloweye be kept. Also, be sure to have the required descender device on board and use it. As always, double check the regulations for species and depth restrictions.

THE MIXED BAG of fish available to catch makes it well worth it to head to Neah Bay. This unique area also allows anglers to head north into Canadian waters when they are open, but you can only fish one country per day, so plan accordingly. To fish the Canadian side, you need a fishing license from the Department of Fisheries and

Options abound out of Neah Bay – rockfish in nearshore waters, halibut on deeper banks, Canada, the ocean. (JASON BROOKS)

FISHING

Oceans. If you are only targeting salmon, then you can purchase it along with a salmon stamp from the internet and print it out at home. If halibut are also on your list of species to catch, then you must buy your license and halibut record card in person in Canada. If you decide to cross the border by boat, be ready to be met at the dock, as this is not advised, and illegal, without going through a point of entry. Instead, drive across and buy your license prior to your trip to Neah Bay.

If you have your Canadian license and decide to cross over to fish for the day, it is a straightforward process as long as you do not go ashore in Canada. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife requires you to preregister such fishing trips. This is easily done on the agency’s website (wdfw.wa.gov/licenses/fishing/ canadian-trip-reporting); when you register you will be given a confirmation number that you need to keep with you in case you are boarded on the return trip home. You must not stop and fish in Washington when coming back from Canada.

The Canadian option is not only unique in the Northwest, but adds to a Neah Bay trip. Halibut is only open on select days in Washington, but on the Canadian side it is often open for several weeks and the daily limit is two compared to Washington’s one. Be sure to check the regs on restrictions.

ANOTHER OPTION FOR those not interested in sticking to the nearshore bays, points and kelp beds is the open ocean. Swiftsure Bank is one of the more popular spots, but know that it is right on the international border – about one-third of it is in the United States and the other twothirds in Canadian waters. This large underwater flat is a feeding grounds for salmon, halibut, lingcod, black cod and true cod. You will not find much solitude here, as commercial boats can often be seen laying out ground lines for the deepwater fish and sport

anglers will be trolling for salmon.

Early June often finds a mix of feeding and early-returning Chinook, with a few leftover springers heading to various Washington coastal rivers and BC’s Fraser, along with summerrun kings striving for the Columbia. Fall fish also mill around here while feeding on herring.

AS FOR ACCOMMODATIONS in Neah Bay, plan ahead – way ahead – as there are limited hotels, which are mostly in the form of cabin rentals, in the area. There is ample camping, which is what we often do. Pitching the wall tent with our wood stove keeps us warm and provides a place to dry out. The farthest northwestern tip of the continental United States gets a lot of rain, and when it is not raining it is foggy. Even on warm summer days

the ground is saturated with water and evaporates, creating a morning dew that is more like a shallow lake on the ground.

Afternoon trade winds kick up and push small boats off the water. Keep this in mind if you decide to stay at Sekiu, which is about 30 miles to the east. It might be an easy run out in the morning, but by midafternoon the ride back could be very rough. Sekiu does make a good option to stay if you have a boat that is large enough to make the run, or just plan to trailer the boat and haul it along the two-lane winding road. There is only one boat launch at Neah Bay and it is located at Big Salmon Resort, where you can also load up on bait, a few snacks and ice. Neah Bay is ready for anglers with ample fishing opportunities. NS

With this year’s Chinook season opening June 22, now is the time to make plans to head to the far end of Highway 112 and the Makah Indian Reservation. Accommodations are tight but doable. (JASON BROOKS)

Summer Of Salmon 2024

From T-town and the San Juans to the Pacific and up to Brewster, there will be a lot of chances to catch Chinook, sockeye and coho in Washington waters. Here’s a look at June, July and August ops. (PART 1 OF 2)

By Mark Yuasa

Summer doesn’t officially arrive until June 20, but that shouldn’t stop Washington anglers from getting a head start and revving up for the 2024-25 salmon fishing season.

Now that we’ve caught your attention, there are a few key pieces of advice to keep in mind before you dust off the fishing gear and rush out the door.

First off, times have changed around Washington’s salmon fishing scene, with anglers switching up their game and finding it necessary to become more mobile and adaptable, as no season mirrors another.

In other words, don’t tie up your boat or hang a rod off the shore in just one specific area. Be willing to try new fishing spots and move from location to location to maximize your time on the water as well as drive up your catch rate.

Secondly, a good number of salmon fisheries are driven by catch quotas and/or guidelines, so it’s wise to go during the front end of an

Sockeye fishing is expected to be one of this summer’s premier salmon opportunities in the Northwest. Guide Austin Moser and Tegan Yuasa, author Mark Yuasa’s son, show off a quartet from last year on the Upper Columbia. (MARK YUASA)

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opener rather than taking a chance on the back end in areas that could close sooner than expected.

Lastly, salmon regulations are more complex than ever, so those who do their homework can likely gain more traction to even greater success. We live in a modern world where communication is essential, so reading this magazine each month, joining a fishing club, making new friends on the water, chatting with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife creel surveyors or engaging on social media through blogs, influencers and other platforms can play to your advantage.

In this first of a two-part series, we’ll look at a wide range of exciting options available from June through August for a mix of Chinook, coho and sockeye. Anglers can challenge themselves by targeting all three salmon species to possibly score a hat trick. In the July issue, we’ll look further down the road at salmon fishing options from September through April 2025.

Keep in mind that while all

of Washington’s 2024-25 salmon fisheries were set back on April 11, the final season package is expected to be officially adopted sometime in early June. Also, before making any plans, be sure to check WDFW’s fishing regulations webpage for updates or emergency closures. To find a complete list of proposed 20242025 salmon fisheries, go to wdfw .wa.gov/fishing/management/northfalcon/summaries.

JUNE

The coastal ports of Neah Bay (Marine Area 4), La Push (Area 3) and Ilwaco (Area 1) will take center stage for Chinook and hatchery coho fishing beginning June 22. They will be followed by Westport-Ocean Shores (Area 2) opening June 30-July 11 on Sundays through Thursdays, and then daily beginning July 14. Areas 2, 3 and 4 are scheduled to stay open until September 15, while Area 1 closes on September 30. All ports could close sooner if quotas are met.

Speaking of quotas, coastwide it’s 41,000 Chinook (up from 39,000

in 2023) and 79,800 hatchery coho (down from 159,600 in 2023). Despite a dip in the latter quota, anglers should find decent numbers and a season lasting for a good duration of the summer. The late June opener can be hit or miss depending on the arrival of Chinook and coho. However, the past several seasons have been productive right out of the starting gate.

In recent years, a lot of hype during early summer has focused on central Puget Sound (Area 10) coho, which opens June 1. Most of these fish are resident coho averaging 2 to 4 pounds. Action tends to start off slow and it takes about a week or two to build, although last year it was lights out right at the beginning of season. Look for coho in the deepwater shipping lanes between Jefferson Head and the KingstonApple Tree Point area; rip currents off the Edmonds oil docks to Richmond Beach; West Point south of Shilshole Bay; and Bainbridge Island’s east side. If catching an early summer king is top priority, then head to south-

Tacoma will host one of the earliest summer 2024 saltwater fisheries for Chinook when Marine Area 11 opens on June 5 for Wednesday-through-Saturday angling through the end of the month. (MARK YUASA)

FISHING

This July, Puget Sound’s primary hatchery Chinook fisheries will all take place on the same days (Thursdays through Saturdays only) after state managers aligned openers from the San Juan Islands down through Admiralty Inlet –where Chad Smith caught this one – and past Seattle to Commencement Bay and Point Defiance. (KNIFE PHOTO CONTEST)

central Puget Sound (Area 11), where a hatchery Chinook fishery is open off Tacoma from Wednesdays through Saturdays June 5-30 with a catch quota of 1,423 (1,423 in 2023, 580 in 2022 and 431 in 2021), 910 total unmarked Chinook encounters and 2,608 total sublegal encounters.

During 2023’s June season, the estimated Chinook harvest was 988

over June 1-4 and June 8-11. The fishery closed after June 11 due to unmarked Chinook encounters of 1,036 on an allowable ceiling of 901. The Area 11 Chinook fishery is managed under two separate summer quotas and a second window of opportunity happens later in July (see details below).

Dogfish can be a problem in

Tacoma-area waters, especially as summer progresses. Many will opt to jig or troll with downriggers or “meat liners” using plugs, spoons or a plastic hoochie squid. If you’re brave enough, send down a whole or cut-plug herring, but be warned, you might be going through a lot of fishing leaders, as dogfish feed heavily on baitfish schools.

Look for kings off Tacoma at the Clay Banks at Point Defiance Park and from Owen Beach to the Slag Pile off the Tacoma Yacht Club; the “Flats” outside of Gig Harbor; Dolphin Point and the Fauntleroy Ferry area near the northeast side of Vashon Island; south of the Southworth Ferry Landing; Colvos Passage off the Girl Scout Camp; Apple Tree Cove to Redondo Beach; Point Robinson; and Point Dalco on the south side of Vashon Island.

If Area 11 closes unexpectedly, then head south of the Tacoma Narrows Bridges to southern Puget Sound (Area 13) and places like Gibson Point, Hale Pass and Point Fosdick to target early hatchery kings.

Another early-season option is the Tulalip Bubble (Area 8-2), open now through September 2 (fishing is allowed from 12:01 a.m. Fridays to 11:59 a.m. on Mondays only, except closed June 1 for a tribal fish ceremony) and then September 7-22 (fishing allowed on Saturdays and Sundays). In recent years, the bubble has been fair to good for early summer Chinook in the 10- to 20-pound range.

Either troll or jig. For jigging, the type of jig used is usually a judgment call by the angler, with one rarely outperforming the other. The Chinook bite is more reactive of whatever flashes in front of their face, so jigs in glow, chartreuse, pearl-white, green-nickel, bluepearl or blue-gold patterns are best. Store-bought jigs come with a treble hook, which is illegal for salmon in all marine areas. Only single-point barbless hooks and one line with up to two hooks may be used. Others troll using downriggers with a flasher

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Upper Columbia salmon fight well and cut nicely, despite being hundreds upon hundreds of miles above the Pacific. Along with opportunities on the mainstem for summer Chinook and sockeye, look for a probable red salmon opener on Lake Wenatchee if the bumper forecast holds. (MARK YUASA

combined with plugs, spoons and/or a plastic hoochie squid. Before or at daybreak, the fish tend to be found from the surface down to 90 feet, and as the sun rises they’ll go deeper, from 100 to 175 feet.

June nibbles and bites: Don’t overlook open sections of the Cascade and Skagit Rivers for spring Chinook and sockeye, as well as the Edmonds, Seacrest, Les Davis and Point Defiance Park Boathouse Piers for Chinook.

JULY

Fitting every fishing option into your free time during July will likely be more difficult than choosing Plan A or Plan B, or even Plans C to Z. Here are some helpful tips to get you steered in the right direction, with sockeye garnering a majority of the spotlight! Shining brightly is an expected

robust Baker River sockeye forecast of 56,750 fish, up from 2023’s forecast of 31,296 and an in-season estimate of 65,000. For comparison’s sake, recent Baker preseason forecasts were 27,081 in 2022, 12,253 in 2021, 13,242 in 2020 and 33,737 in 2019. The all-time low was 1985, when less than 100 sockeye returned. The 2024 Baker forecast is up 57 percent over the recent 10-year average and harvest will be split between Baker Lake and the Skagit River at 75 and 25 percent, respectively.

The Skagit River from the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway Bridge to the Dalles Bridge at Concrete opens for sockeye June 16-July 15 with a four-sockeye daily limit. The fishery is highly reliant on water flows and glacial runoff. A hot early summer could equate to swift, high water and

murky conditions, which may hinder the fishing.

Baker Lake opens July 6 – regardless of how many sockeye are present in the reservoir – and runs until August 31 with a four-sockeye daily limit; each angler aboard a vessel may deploy salmon angling gear until the daily limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved. Be sure to check trap counts to decide when to go fishing. They can be found at wdfw.wa.gov.

A standout in my yearly fishing log happens on Central Washington’s Upper Columbia River at Rocky Reach Dam to Chelan Falls and as high up as Brewster. The season from Priest Rapids Dam to Rock Island Dam is open July 1-August 31, and from Rock Island Dam to Wells Dam July 1-October 15. The area from Wells Dam to Brewster Bridge is open

FISHING

July 16-September 30, and the water from Brewster Bridge to the Highway 17 Bridge is open July 1-October 15.

Timing is key, as Chinook and sockeye can be in a location one day, only to move 15 miles upstream the next day. Water levels and flows between each dam also affect how the fish bite.

In 2024, look for another strong Columbia sockeye run, thanks to a forecast of 401,700 fish, which is up 16 percent over the recent 10year average. This could mean backto-back years of success for anglers targeting sockeye in open waters of Columbia. The Okanogan River sockeye forecast of 288,700 is way up from 2023’s 187,400 and the actual return of 179,655.

Many sockeye linger in the Brewster Pool, making it a popular deepwater salmon fishery on the Upper Columbia. In 2023 and 2022, colder water throughout the Mid- and Upper Columbia had sockeye darting up to the Brewster Pool, generating good fishing in early summer and into August.

Sockeye have been adapting their upstream migration timing in

recent years, with most returns now peaking sooner in the summer. In past recent decades, the run peaked by early July, but now it’s shifted to late June, resulting in higher sockeye survival rates.

Besides sockeye, anglers can target summer Chinook on the Upper Columbia from Priest Rapids to Chelan Falls and as high up as Brewster. The 2024 summer Chinook forecast is 53,000, down from 85,400 in 2023 and an actual return of 54,722.

If I had to pick one spot, it would be just below Beebe Bridge, better known as Chelan Falls. It’s a shallowwater fishery with the bottom being 25 to 50 feet in most places, so keep the downriggers at home. There are nice boat launches at Chelan County’s Beebe Bridge Park and across the river at Chelan Falls Park. This is usually an early-morning, out-before-sunrise show, as the salmon bite tends to end by 9 a.m. Keep tabs on the dam fish counts to know where to be on certain days. For a mix of kings and sockeye, head to areas below Rocky Reach Dam, below Wells Dam or at Brewster.

Other go-to spots for Chinook include the tailrace of Wanapum Dam, the “bubbles” near the mouths

OREGON SUMMER OPS

Oregon anglers can look forward to fishing for Chinook on the ocean up and down the entire coast this summer, unlike last year when waters south of Cape Falcon were closed until September 1.

That was due to weak California stocks that pasture off the Beaver State, and while this year’s Sacramento and Klamath forecasts still aren’t the best (and Golden State waters are closed), kings are open through October. Outside of anglers running out of Hammond and Warrenton to intercept Columbia-bound fish, Newport and Depoe Bay typically account for the largest Chinook catch and effort, but not far behind them are Garibaldi and Pacific City, the latter the home of the beach-launching dory fleet.

Hatchery coho season opens June 15 from Cape Falcon to the Oregon-California border and June 22 north of Cape Falcon, and it’s likely the two aforementioned Lincoln County harbors on the Central Coast will be busiest. This season’s quotas are below 2023’s, but that’s due in part to a new ensemble forecasting model that managers are using to estimate Columbia coho abundance at sea. September’s Cape Falcon-Humbug Mountain any-coho fishery has a quota of 25,000. The Oregon Coast natural forecast of 233,200 is roughly the same as last year, but Lower Columbia naturals are double, 87,800.

Bay and river fall Chinook and coho seasons will be set this month and later this summer, respectively. –NWS

of the Entiat and Chelan Rivers, the Wells Dam tailrace and the Brewster Pool up to the city of Bridgeport.

Salmon anglers can also begin to focus their time during July on saltwater areas from Puget Sound clear out into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Sekiu/Pillar Point (Area 5) opens July 1-August 15 for hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. The Chinook fishery could close sooner if the 6,539 legalsize encounter guideline is achieved (3,906 in 2023, 3,890 in 2022 and 4,077 in 2021). In 2023, the estimated legal-size Chinook encounter tally was 7,516 (7,254 was the total legal-size encounter quota) over a full Chinook season from July 1-August 15.

At Sekiu, look for kings off of the Caves, a long stretch of kelplined shoreline near the breakwater off Mason’s Resort in Clallam Bay and which head west toward the Sekiu River mouth; Slip Point Buoy; Mussolini Rock and Little Mussolini Rock; Eagle Point; the Slide and Coal Mines areas; and east off Pillar Point. Port Angeles and the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca (Area 6 west of a true north/south line through the No. 2 Buoy immediately east of Ediz Hook) opens July 1-August 15 for hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. The Chinook fishery could close sooner if the 11,173 legal-size encounter guideline is achieved (5,258 in 2023, 6,050 in 2022 and 4,769 in 2021). In 2023, the estimated legal-size Chinook encounter catch was 9,909 (11,516 was the total legal-size encounter guideline) during a full Chinook season from July 1-August 15. The area east of the boundary is open July 1-September 26 for hatchery coho only.

Top Area 6 fishing spots include directly off Ediz Hook in Port Angeles; the humps and Winter Hole in the exposed Strait; open areas outside of Freshwater Bay; and from Crescent Bay to Whiskey Creek. Note: Some Area 6 locations are closed for fishing, so anglers should check the regs pamphlet or WDFW website for details.

WDFW salmon managers aligned several Puget Sound summer Chinook

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fisheries to begin on July 18 to spread out angling pressure in the San Juan Islands (Area 7), northern Puget Sound/Admiralty Inlet (Area 9), central Puget Sound (Area 10) and south-central Puget Sound (Area 11).

The San Juan Islands hatchery Chinook fishery is open July 18-20. WDFW will assess the catch on a weekly basis to see if additional days can be added after the initial opener.

In Area 7, the Chinook quota is 2,181 (2,181 in 2023, 1,800 in 2022, 1,382 in 2021 and 1,562 in 2020), along with 3,845 total unmarked encounters and 2,141 total sublegal encounters. In 2023, the estimated Chinook harvest was 2,088 (2,181 was the total quota) during openers on July 13-15, 21 and 28-29.

The northern Puget Sound/ Admiralty Inlet (Area 9) hatchery

Chinook fishery is open July 18-20. WDFW will assess after the three-day fishery to see if additional time can be added. The Chinook quota is 3,900 (4,300 in 2023, 4,700 in 2022 and 2021 and 5,600 in 2020). In 2023, the estimated Chinook harvest was 4,558 (4,300 was the total quota) over three July opener periods.

In Area 9, look for kings at Midchannel Bank and Point Wilson off Port Townsend; Bush Point, Fort Casey, Lagoon Point and Double Bluff off the west side of Whidbey Island; Point No Point; Possession Bar; Scatchet Head; and Pilot Point south along the northeastern side of the Kitsap Peninsula.

In central Puget Sound (Area 10), the hatchery Chinook fishery is open Thursdays through Saturdays from July 18-31. Season could close sooner if the quota of 3,166 is achieved (3,566 in 2023, 3,966 in 2022, 3,718 in 2021 and 4,100 in 2020), along with a 6,477 total sublegal encounter quota. In 2023, the estimated Chinook harvest was 3,420 (3,566 was the total quota) with a sublegal Chinook encounter total of 9,079 (7,748 was the total sublegal encounter guideline) during a Chinook season held July 13-August 3 and August 11-13 and 18-20.

In Area 10, target kings around Kingston; Jefferson Head; Richmond Beach to the Edmonds oil dock; the east side of Bainbridge Island at Point Monroe to Skiff Point and Yeomalt Point; Allen Bank off Blake Island; West Point south of Shilshole Bay; and Southworth.

The south-central Puget Sound (Area 11) hatchery Chinook fishery reopens Thursdays through Saturdays beginning July 18 and the remaining summer quota is 3,379 (3,379 in 2023, 2,816 in 2022 and 2,656 in 2021), along with an unmarked encounter total of 5,907 and sublegal encounter total of 840.

During 2023’s July season, the estimated Chinook harvest was 820 (3,379 was the total quota) over July 1-2, 6-9 and 13-14. The fishery closed

Guide Bill Monroe Jr. releases a large wild fall Chinook caught at Buoy 10 last season. Retention this year will largely be limited to hatchery kings except for a four-day period ending on Labor Day. (ANDY WALGAMOTT)

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after July 15 due to 2,002 unmarked Chinook encounters (1,858 was the total encounter guideline) and 3,715 sublegal encounters (3,845 was the total encounter limit).

July nibbles and bites: Other notable spots include open portions of Hood Canal (Area 12) and the Fox Island Pier. Freshwater areas opening in July include the Nisqually and a few northern coastal rivers, as well as Chambers and McAllister Creeks.

AUGUST

This is a point in summer when anglers make a mad scramble to fish. Focusing on where and what salmon species to catch becomes critical before these fish head to the spawning grounds. I’d bank most of my summer vacation time to fish in Puget Sound or around the Lower Columbia, from the mouth at Buoy 10 to above the AstoriaMegler Bridge. Coho is the name of the game starting in August as larger

migratory fish begin to arrive in inside marine areas.

If Puget Sound hatchery Chinook catch quotas or guidelines aren’t gobbled up, there could be some latesummer options left in August in the Strait, Admiralty Inlet and central and south-central Puget Sound. Check the WDFW emergency regulations webpage for updates.

If Chinook options are closed in Area 9, then it’s time to pivot to hatchery coho, open through September 23 and then switching to nonselective for coho September 24-30. Areas 10 and 11 are open for nonselective coho through November 15. Area 7 is open daily through August 31 for hatchery coho only and switches to nonselective for coho September 1-29 with a daily limit of two coho. Areas 5 and 6 are open through September 26 for hatchery coho, followed by a nonselective coho fishery September 27-October 15 with

an increased daily limit of two. Fishing in Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay (Area 8-1) is open for nonselective coho August 1-October 13, and Port Susan and Port Gardner (Area 8-2) are open for nonselective coho August 1-September 24.

There’s a window of opportunity in inner Elliott Bay east of a line from Pier 91 to Duwamish Head for nonselective Chinook fishing from August 2 until 12 p.m. on August 5; additional openings may occur. The inner bay is a staging area for kings heading back mainly to the Green River. Good places include the Duwamish Head Marker; off Todd Shipyard; the West and East Waterways; from Salty’s Restaurant to the Don Armeni launch; and near the Elliott Bay Marina breakwater. Well to the southwest, look for staging fall Chinook and coho from Buoy 10 upstream along a 20-mile

stretch where the Lower Columbia’s brackish water meets the briny Pacific Ocean. This salmon fishing hotbed opens August 1-29 for hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho, August 30-September 3 for hatchery coho and nonselective Chinook, then September 4-December 31 for hatchery coho only.

Big flood tides are the best timeframe, as each tidal series pushes in fresh salmon from the ocean. Knowing where to go can be intimidating to the uninitiated, but on an early morning flood tide, try along the Wing Walls, a mess of old cannery pilings, just outside the Port of Ilwaco; the Desdemona Sands, located in the middle of the river above and below the Astoria-Megler Bridge; the buoy line just off the town of Astoria above and below the bridge and in front of the Port of Astoria Marina; the three long underwater channels above the bridge along Highway 401; the Church Hole off Fort Columbia State Park; and at Fort Stevens State Park on the Oregon side west toward Hammond. Buoy 10 itself – the red marker where the big river meets the ocean – isn’t an ideal place to fish, although you can find decent action for hatchery coho.

Well upstream, another place to keep tabs on is Lake Wenatchee, where the sockeye forecast of 97,000 is up dramatically from 2023’s expected 44,300 (the actual return was 146,875). The management objective is 23,000 sockeye at Tumwater Dam above Leavenworth, so monitor fish counts to see when it’s time to go. The lake could provide a late-summer sport fishery if the objective is met.

August nibbles and bites: A short list of other noteworthy spots includes Willapa Bay, Grays Harbor east of the Buoy 13 boundary line, Westport Boat Basin, Bellingham Bay, Sinclair Inlet and the Samish, Puyallup and Green Rivers. NS

Editor’s note: Mark Yuasa is a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife communications manager and longtime local fishing and outdoor writer.

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Portrait Of A Sockeye Psycho

Ambushing chrome salmon in Tri-Cities with Captain David Dalan.

Story and

captions

by Jeff Holmes

The popularity of Columbia River sockeye fishing has increased dramatically over the past 20 years, as have the zones where we target them. It used to be that Brewster was the place to catch sockeye after they swam hundreds of miles above the Pacific to stack up in the cool waters of the Columbia at the mouth of the Okanogan River. Encountering a “thermal block” (deadly warm water), the silvery little red-meated salmon swim around in front of the sun-baked Okanogan, waiting for the river to cool enough to allow them to jet upstream toward Canadian spawning grounds. Meanwhile, sometimes as many as 300 boats troll around above them dragging dodgers and little lures tipped with shrimp. Like spring and summer Chinook, which also enter freshwater with tons of oil in their flesh and small eggs and milt sacs, these sockeye are great to eat and remain so throughout this popular fishery spanning the month of July, despite hanging out in nearly 70-degree water.

Yes, Brewster is still a special place

David Dalan’s kids and wife, Heather, reveal a fish bag of chrome Tri-Cities-caught sockeye, which they love to eat. The Dalans follow the sockeye from Tri-Cities to Brewster and, along the way, Dalan gets tons of kids out on the water. Taking kids fishing is a legitimate passion for Dalan, such that he will often let kids under 18 on the boat for free with paying customers whenever there’s room. (ALUMINAUTI.FISHING)

Captain David Dalan. (ALUMINAUTI.FISHING)

FISHING

to fish and should be a bloodbath again this summer all July, but over time Central Washington anglers have learned to catch sockeye much lower in the system. We’ve learned that we can stay closer to home and catch even tastier and shinier sockeye before heading north once the bulk of the run has made its way over Wells Dam.

THERE ARE A handful of crowded sockeye fisheries below and above MidColumbia dams that need no extra attention, and there’s good sockeye angling below the Longview Bridge (although most are caught incidentally by steelheaders on anchor). But by far the best places to ambush blindingly chrome sockeye in the Northwest are the Pasco and Richland shorelines and the swift waters of the Hanford Reach, just above Tri-Cities.

I live about 300 yards from the Columbia in Tri-Cities and have partaken liberally in this anchor fishery to great results. I love the opportunity to anchor and at times experience crazy numbers of takedowns in great weather. The best fishing occurs, of course, during big runs – 2024’s predicted return of 401,700 fish is well above average – but high flows play a huge role too. Big water pushes sockeye tight to shore, confining their travel lane and thus amping up the catch rates when a concentrated stream of fish swims under anchored boats tucked close to shore in 3 to 10 feet of water. This year’s flows will be far from record-setting, but even lower-water years yield good fishing and a chance to dial in tactics in advance of the next high-water year and the predictable blood bath that will result.

During the last big run a couple years ago during a high-water event, I put up scores of pints of canned sockeye that I’m still eating. I love the fishery for many reasons, but I’m way more interested in the species’ distant cousins, summer Chinook. They zip by Tri-Cities at the same time and show up in the bycatch. A couple of my friends, however, both

to

in

This day she and family started bright and early, but the action was more than fast enough to keep everyone excited. Even her grandson Jacob, who thinks earlybird grandma might be just a little crazy, stayed awake for a fast and furious bite.

better salmon anglers than me, are obsessed with the sockeye and put aside efforts to kill big oily Chinook when sockeye are streaming past.

“I spend a lot of time telling people that I think sockeye are the best fish out there to chase,” says Captain David Dalan, owner/operator of Walla Walla’s Aluminauti Outdoors (aluminauti.fishing; 509-301-6207).

“It’s the best-tasting salmon on Earth. You can disagree with me, but you are wrong. I will absolutely trade a spring Chinook out of my freezer (pound for pound) for sockeye, without hesitation.”

Like Dalan, my good friend and salmon fishing mentor Don McBride of Richland loves to catch and eat sockeye. McBride is a king-fishing fanatic, but when sockeye are in, he is whacking and stacking and filling catch record cards and his freezer.

IT IS DALAN, however, who is the most obsessed sockeye angler I know.

“I first got hooked on sockeye fishing in Lake Washington,” he recalls. “My dad and I were not super successful at the catching part, failing to fill the cooler on the technique of the day involving small FlatFish.”

Dalan grew up in Western Washington near Green Lake and later Maple Valley. He and his family fished the trout contests at Green Lake, fished all over Puget Sound and its steelhead rivers, and made many trips eastward to escape the rain on holiday weekends, wetting lines in Jameson Lake, Potholes Reservoir and other popular Eastern Washington fisheries. After moving east to attend Washington State University and learning about the excellent steelheading on the Grande Ronde and other fisheries like the

Dalan’s 82-year-old mother, Celia Andrews of Walla Walla, loves sockeye fishing close

home

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(ALUMINAUTI.FISHING)

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FISHING

Mid-Columbia, Dalan stayed put and made a home in Walla Walla.

“About a decade ago I became aware that these yummy oddities [sockeye] were being caught not too far from my home in Walla Walla,” he recalls. “I had been fishing the Columbia around the Tri-Cities for many years by then, but never heard much about sockeye. The first place I made a real effort to fish for them on the Columbia was at the mouth of the Okanogan in what is known as the Brewster Pool. This is where I figured out how to go from driving in circles and sweating in the sun, to tagging out a full boat in an hour when the bite was good.”

“My best fishing buddy and I figured it out the hard way, trial and error. We read all the stuff we could, for sure, but putting the parts together was all on us. How hard was the hard

This good-sized Mid-Columbia sockeye bit the rig of first-time

anchored a few-minute boat ride from a popular TriCities launch while fishing with Dalan in his posh River Wild sled emblazoned with his trihooked Aluminauti Outdoors logo. The water was high this day, pushing sockeye close to shore and concentrating them in the fishing lane. Lead on a dropper with a dodger trailed by a shrimp spinner did the trick. (ALUMINAUTI.FISHING)

way? My buddy TJ Hester of Hester’s Sportfishing (hesterssportfishing.com) was working the Brewster Pool that year and catching nearly 100 sockeye every morning and done before 10 a.m. The week my buddy and I were up there that year we caught … seven. Well, we did figure things out, and now the Brewster Pool is the most consistent fishery for us of the year. We camp there the same week every summer and have dubbed it ’salmon camp.’ It’s my happy place. That said, I love that I can drive an hour from Walla Walla and be at a productive Tri-Cities launch, and I like the variety of having anchor fishing opportunities, since Brewster is a 100-percent trolling show.”

“FISHING FROM A boat in the Tri-Cities will give you access to more areas than bank fishing, although there are plenty of bank options in Richland

and some in Pasco too,” says Dalan. “If you are just starting out, I will say this about anchor fishing – be safe. Setting and pulling an anchor in heavy water can be dangerous.”

“When setting and pulling your anchor, wear a life jacket, have a very sharp knife handy to cut the anchor line if needed and avoid fishing alone. Get a good Columbia River anchor system, and read up on how to use it safely, or go with a guide or experienced anglers and ask to watch the process and pay close attention! While safety considerations are important, anchoring in shallow water along the shore with help from a fishing partner is relatively safe if best practices are followed.”

“Still, in the last few years I have embraced an alternate method of anchor fishing. I have discovered that I can use the Spot-Lock feature of my bow-mounted Minn Kota Ulterra electric motor in 90 percent of the conditions where I would normally anchor. In the Columbia River near Tri-Cities, I have not used a ’real’ anchor for two seasons now. Most of the time if I cannot use the bow mount, the water in that particular spot is too fast for good fishing anyway. I’ve since used this technique when anchoring for spring Chinook and sturgeon as well. I have a 24-volt system for my 26-foot sled and a lithium battery pack. It is said a lot these days, but it has been a game changer.”

“Anchoring and navigation is easier in areas below Johnson Island (upriver of the Tri-Cities) than it will be further upstream in the Hanford Reach proper,” notes Dalan. “In town and in the Reach, anchor close to shore. Under most conditions and in most locations, you should be in less than 9 feet of water, and might be in as little as 3 to 4 feet of water. There are exceptions to this, but these depths are a great starting point.”

“Rod and reel can be any light salmon/steelhead rod that can handle a 4-ounce dropper or a small diver. Don’t tie on the largest Jet Diver; it’s not needed. I use the Brad’s standard diver, or the smallest Jet Diver. For

salmon angler Barbara Saucedo Gonzalez of Walla Walla. She was

FISHING

lead and dropper, use 8-pound test and make it 18 inches. Hang the dropper off a slider on your mainline. Below that put a bead and a snap swivel or duo snap (I prefer duo snaps in all my rigging). The leader should be 18 to 24 inches long. I prefer to use Smile Blades or similarly thin spinning blades, three or four 5mm beads and a pair of 2/0 Gamakatsu or Owner octopus hooks. Tip the upper hook with a cured coonstripe shrimp (I like pink or red), and apply ample scent to the shrimp. Krill oil is a great place to start.”

“Float the gear back behind the boat and make sure you put out enough line to get the diver on bottom. If you’re using lead, lob it out gently and walk it back until the lead is just on bottom. I prefer divers because I think I snag up less, and the diver adds action and allows the lure to move around. Sockeye are scent junkies and also like a lure with lots of movement.”

“If you want to use a dodger, which is very possible on anchor in a strong current, the setup is similar,” adds Dalan. “On the mainline use the same sliding setup with either a diver or lead. Make a 24-inch bumper of 40-pound mono between your mainline and the dodger. From the dodger make a short (12- to 18-inch) leader to the same Smile Blade setup described earlier. Some successful anglers tie 9- to 12-inch leaders, but 12 inches is probably a

good starting point. I use the exact same two-hook and bait setup behind the dodger. Anglers use a variety of different blades and hoochies in their two-hook setups, but whatever your bait presentation, the key here is remembering you have a dodger on the line. The setup requires gentle casting, since dodgers do not float.”

“There are many other methods out there as well, and I may or may not be experimenting with small Mag Lips this year, since I’ve caught sockeye on K-14 Kwikfish in the Hanford Reach while targeting summer Chinook.”

“ALL GEAR RIGGING happens at home before we ever leave for the river, and I have plenty of leaders and other components ready for quick changes on the water to keep the fishing fun

for everyone: kids, clients, friends and for me. Our summer days during the Tri-Cities fishery start out early (predawn), as there are two universal truths about sockeye fishing,” says Dalan. “The first is that sockeye really do usually bite best at the start of the day. The second is that when the fishing is good, the crowds are good too, and getting up early puts us in a better position to make it happen.”

“We launch in the dark, then fire up the motor on my 26-foot River Wild sled and make a short run to an anchor spot. Since gear is pre-prepped ahead of time, we’re ready to go as soon as we are anchored or Spot-Locked. Some kids like to manage their own bait, some not, and it’s up to them.”

“As we wait for waves of sockeye to swim under and past the boat and encounter our spread of baits, we snack, chat and usually reel in sockeye until we have all our fish or until the sun slows the bite and starts melting us in the boat. With kids, a key is making sure they have a positive experience, and torturing them under bright sunlight in 100-degree weather is never advised, unless they just don’t want to leave!”

“Depending on the year’s return and how flows push the fish tight to the bank, a trip can be pretty quick. If I recall correctly, one of our more productive trips in the Tri-Cities saw us limit five people in about 45 minutes. It can be slower, but we aim high! For everybody – kids, clients,

This is one of Dalan’s typical and effective sockeye rigs: two 2/0 octopus hooks, three beads and a 1.5 Smile Blade make up this simple but deadly tool of sockeye destruction. He, like almost all sockeye anglers in TriCities, tips his spinners with a cured, scented shrimp. (ALUMINAUTI.FISHING)

Another Tri-Cities salmon fiend, Don McBride, puts a lot of sockeye aboard his disgustingly tuna-dripped Tracker boat, which I learned this morning he is replacing with another 20-foot Tracker Tundra he will soon also abuse with dripping tuna, shrimp and various bait oils. This is his shrimp spinner roll, which I have modeled my game after; these roughly 24-inch spinner rigs work great, and sometimes the cheapest, plainest metallic blades work best. When McBride fishes dodgers on anchor, like Dalan does, he favors a 9- to 12-inch leader with a double-hook rig, with some rigs bearing hoochies, a Smile or other mylar blade, a single Corky or just two hooks. (DON MCBRIDE)

FISHING

and other diehards like me – plenty of sunblock, sun hats, sunglasses and cold beverages are essential. These are important safety measures and help to extend time on the water when the fishing isn’t lightning fast.”

“While on anchor or on Spot-Lock, our hands are free for coffee, snacks and shooting the crap with fishing buddies,” says Dalan. “Because fishing can be fast and furious, it’s a great activity for young kids or folks who don’t fish often. Sure, there’s a learning curve when you are new, but with a little practice your crew will get plenty of action. Some of my favorite trips are with my wife and my many children, my parents, my friends’ parents and my coworkers. Throw in an old friend from out of town, and sockeye fishing becomes a great socializing opportunity.”

“There is also an opportunity to catch quite a few other species. Aside from the usual bycatch that is less than exciting, like pikeminnow and the odd catfish or sucker, you have a real opportunity to catch a summer Chinook or a rocket-hot chrome steelhead. You might even put a couple of walleye on the boat or hook a sturgeon. One year when we spent the early season in the Hanford

FOSTERING FUTURE FISHERS

David Dalan loves fishing for sockeye above all other quarry, but there’s a fishing activity he enjoys even more, which is taking kids fishing regardless of species.

“I still fish sockeye just for fun and cannot imagine that ever stopping, but a few years ago I formed a guide business with an eye on getting lots of kids – especially foster kids – out on the water,” says Dalan.

He and his wife Heather have dedicated a lot of time and love in life to positively impacting the lives of foster kids.

“We have fostered for over 20 years and have adopted six children during this time and have fostered dozens of others,” says Dalan. “We really want to give as many kids as we can an opportunity. Right now, we are too old for more babies, so we’re focusing

on teens. Our goal is to help them get ready for adulthood. We’ve been through the wringer with schools, colleges, and have a real depth of knowledge about what kind of services are available to help kids make the transition from being a kid to taking care of themselves. We like to tell them our goal is to give them as many choices as we can so they can pick a patch.”

“Our current ‘sister from another mister’ is Bailey, and she’ll graduate high school in a year and be a licensed CNA after her pinning in a few months. When we met, she was 15 and had almost no high school credits. She has a bright future because she chose it, and we’re glad to help,” Dalan says.

Many fishing guides see the value in taking kids fishing and will tell you that one of their real joys is taking kids out

fishing, but not many guides make the commitment Dalan does, letting kids under 18 on the boat for free with paying adults whenever opportunity permits.

“I always advocate focusing mostly on kids when they are in the boat because these early trips in their lives really affect how they see fishing in general as they grow up,” says Dalan. “I will, of course, book clients of any age, but I am never more happy than when kids are in my boat.”

He takes not only his own kids fishing, but also tons of other youths whose parents cannot take them on guided trips or kids without parents to take them at all.

“I want all kids to learn to enjoy the outdoors, and I think the experience of fishing – especially catching and eating sockeye – is addicting,” says Dalan. –JH

Dalan’s son Jacob hoists a nice summer Chinook caught during a short after-work sockeye trip just upriver from Richland. Just because early bites can be the best, there is no reason to skip the evening if that’s when you have time. Huge waves of fish and fast catching can happen anytime during the peak of sockeye migration in June and early July, and kings are one of the bonus species that like shrimp spinners. Others include sturgeon, smallmouth and walleye. (ALUMINAUTI.FISHING)

FISHING

McBride annually fills a few catch record cards with his favorite salmon to eat, the oily, deep-red-meated sockeye. When they swim through TriCities, McBride is on the water almost every day, seeking out his favorite ambush spots along the Richland and Pasco shorelines. Not every anchor spot is created equally, so be prepared for a learning curve. Watch for the success of others here and try to imagine how the shoreline might direct the upstream migration of these little salmon. Set up so that your baits sit on points and ledges where the sockeye will encounter them as they streak upstream. McBride has caught trout-sized sockeye before, as well as a few measuring 27 inches (one of which I netted for him). Columbia River sockeye are not usually large fish – they average maybe 22 inches – but they are plenty large enough and as delicious as their Baker Lake and Alaskan counterparts, making them well worth it.

INLAND BOATS & MOTORS

Reach, we saw flow conditions that were absolutely apocalyptic. Snuggled right up against the bank, we were able to catch fish two at a time, and often it was one sockeye and one walleye. On one particularly good bite that year, we hooked a 5-foot sturgeon, which we managed to get to the boat in heavy water on 14-pound mono and an 8-foot-6 steelhead rod,” Dalan states.

WHETHER IT’S THE Tri-Cities fishery, the Chelan Falls summer Chinook fishery or the summer sockeye slaughter at Brewster, Dalan is a great guy to spend a day with this summer chasing salmon, with or without kiddos. He also guides spring and fall kings, steelhead, sturgeon and walleye, and could probably even be convinced to bundle in some “shadding” (see page 129). I highly recommend him as a guide and dude, and I admire his guide business name, Aluminauti Outdoors, which is one of the best out there. NS

(DON MCBRIDE)

Get Ready To Chase Upper Columbia Sockeye

This year’s sockeye salmon forecast looks promising with just over 400,000 sockeye expected to return to the Columbia.

The vast majority of these fish are headed for the Wenatchee (97,000) and Okanogan Rivers (288,000), tributaries flowing into the Upper Columbia. The sockeye fishery upstream of Priest Rapids Dam opens the first day of July and offers anglers a foursockeye daily limit. I’m writing about this fishery now to give you time to plan a trip or book a guided adventure.

You should also know that although the number of sockeye bound for the Snake is really small as compared to the Columbia, the preseason forecast of 3,800 fish is much improved compared to past years due to recovery efforts initiated to bring these fish back from virtual extinction via the Endangered Species Act. Managing the recovery effort, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s goal is to rebuild this stock of salmon to the point it no longer needs federal protection.

BEING

A FREE agent (as in: not aligned with any particular fishing tackle company, except for rodmaker Douglas Outdoors) has its benefits, I’ve learned. As an

example, a couple years ago I got an invite from fishing guide Chris Turvey to chase sockeye on the Columbia downstream of Wanapum Dam in Central Washington. What I didn’t know at the time was how many summer Chinook we might catch.

Others fishing with Chris and me that day included Scott Kaul, who is a coowner of Brad’s Killer Fishing Gear; Brad Schoenborn, the founder of Brad’s; Jeremy Herrick, who works for Boeing; and Justin Wolff of Angler West TV fame and who filmed our adventure.

Columbia sockeye aren’t big, as they only average about 3 pounds, with a few hitting the scale at 5 to maybe 6 pounds. However, they are no less tasty than sockeye caught

The area where anglers find sockeye success at Wanapum Dam is right in front of the boat launch on the eastern shore of the Columbia River, just downstream from the dam. (BUZZ RAMSEY)

BUZZ RAMSEY

COLUMN

from other areas of the Pacific Northwest, and catching them, if you know how, can be easy as pie. Perhaps making up for their small size is the salmon limit of six per day, four of which can be sockeye in the Columbia upstream of Priest Rapids Dam.

In addition to your four-sockeye limit, you are allowed to keep two hatchery finclipped summer Chinook, so six total adult salmon is your daily limit. Keep in mind that limits vary depending on where you are chasing sockeye and/or summer Chinook on the Columbia River. (See the 2024-25 regulations for potential four-sockeye limits in select waters near Tri-Cities.) It’s also worth paying attention to the in-season emergency rule changes that can and do happen. As an example, the limit in the Lower Columbia, yet to be fully confirmed at press time, might allow a two-sockeye limit.

ACCORDING TO TURVEY, the normal gear used when trolling for sockeye is much like what’s used for kokanee. What works for most anglers is a size 3 spinner blade or small Smile Blade, sometimes rigged in combination with a small hoochie squid, but always tipped with a small prawn/ coon shrimp. Just as with kokanee, a 00 size dodger is used in combination with a 12- to 18-inch leader. Two size 2/0 single hooks snelled in tandem is what most anglers rig

A prawn rigged in combination with a No. 3 spinner blade ahead of two hooks snelled in tandem is one way to fish for sockeye swimming up the Columbia.

in combination with their spinner rig. And although not mandatory, red hooks are what many anglers rely on for success.

To allow your dodger the freedom to work properly, it should be positioned 36 to 48 inches behind your sinker. Five or 6 ounces of weight is the right amount when trolling dodger setups downstream from Wanapum Dam. At least for the Wanapum fishery, most anglers let their lines out 25 to 35 feet on their linecounter reels.

While you might catch a summer

Chinook when trolling traditional sockeye gear, it’s unlikely. Knowing this, Turvey started using rotating flashers in combination with 28- to 32-inch leaders extending back to prawn spinners and Brad’s Mini Cut Plugs. His thought, at the time, was that he’d likely catch a few sockeye (enough to keep his clients happy) even though he would be targeting Chinook with the heavier-pulling 360 trolling gear.

WHEN TARGETING CHINOOK with a kokaneesized Brad’s Mini Cut Plug in combination with a 360 flasher, Turvey rerigs it with 40-pound leader and two size 2/0 or 3/0 single hooks snelled in tandem. Keep in mind that it’s important to thread three 6mm beads between your tandem-hook setup and Mini Cut Plug. To add scent, the guide fills the hollow portion of the lure with canned tuna.

What is amazing is how Turvey will often limit his boat on sockeye while using rotating flashers in combination with long leaders for Chinook.

“I guess it’s just a reflection of the huge number of sockeye navigating the Columbia River,” he says.

For example, on the day I fished with him, five of us landed 18 sockeye and eight Chinook, two of which had to be released because they didn’t have the required-tobe-kept missing adipose fin.

(BUZZ RAMSEY)

Fishing guide Chris Turvey, Scott Kaul, Justin Wolff, author Buzz Ramsey and Jeremy Herrick show off the hatchery summer Chinook they caught while also fishing for sockeye. They managed to land 18 of the smaller salmon during the trip. (BUZZ RAMSEY)

ALTHOUGH THE FISHERY at Wanapum lasts through July before tailing off, it’s often the very best during the first week or two of the season. Just how good really depends on the runoff, as high-water years normally produce the quickest action.

In order to stay on the fish past this time frame, you will need to follow the sockeye as the bulk of the run passes farther up the Columbia. According to fishing guide Shane Magnuson (509-630-5433), there is a sockeye fishery much like Wanapum downstream from Rocky Reach and Wells Dams above Wenatchee.

Austin Moser (509-668-0298) plans to guide for sockeye below Rocky Reach until the bite slows and then will move up to Brewster as fish numbers build there.

Chelan Falls, located above Rocky Reach, supports a mostly summer Chinook fishery, thanks to a hatchery there. Magnuson and fellow guide Cody Luft (509-853-5338) work there, at Wells Dam and Brewster, which is the uppermost Columbia sockeye fishery.

Sockeye, as well as Chinook, accumulate at Brewster because the Okanogan River, a main spawning tributary, is usually warmer than the Columbia, creating a thermal block. Guides Troy Black (208-6991360) and Adam Geddes (509-440-2267) also work sockeye in the Brewster area. NS

Editor’s note: Buzz Ramsey is regarded as a sportfishing authority, outdoor writer and proficient lure and fishing rod designer. As such, fishing rod manufacturer Douglas Outdoors has added Buzz to their ambassador pro staff.

Herrick shows off a sockeye he caught while trolling an Evolution Flasher and Brad’s Mini Cut Plug setup (above) downstream from Wanapum Dam. (BUZZ RAMSEY)

You’ll Dig This Fish

CHEF IN THE WILD

By Randy King

The boat I was in was anchored in about 10 feet of water at the mouth of the Deschutes River when something began to pull on my cured roe. I yanked on my pole and hoped for the best. Soon my guide, a former Special Forces soldier, yelled “Fish on!” and everyone else in the boat began reeling in. I have no idea why the medium-sized hatchery hen chose my eggs, but I didn’t question it.

With the fight on, I held my cool and landed the nice salmon. I was all smiles.

The weather soon changed. As the rain fell, I began to think about far-off places and recipes for my newly acquired grub. When winter is on its way, I tend to consider food preservation more. I wanted to save a side off this fish for curing.

I wanted to make gravlax.

WHAT IS GRAVLAX? Let me explain, starting with some etymology. Grav is Scandinavian and means either “to dig” or “grave/pit” and lax means salmon. So when combined, it is grave salmon or pit fish. Both are wonderfully evocative descriptions of the historic process of making gravlax.

In pre-refrigeration Scandinavia, peasants needed ways to preserve food for the long cold season. Things like sauerkraut were invented by digging a pit, filling it with cabbage and adding some salt, then waiting for a while. So why not salt some fish? Logically, this means that at some point someone dug a hole, tossed in some fish, salted it and covered it up. Coming back a few days later, they must have been happy with the results. Bless those who started this tradition, but it had to have been a stinky, stomach-turning affair as they dialed in the recipe.

Two things must be pointed out as very important to success in this recipe: salt and cool temperatures. Salt is known

With winter on its way one fall salmon season, Chef Randy King’s thoughts turned to curing this upriver bright, caught on the Columbia Gorge, based on an ancient technique involving ground burial and salt, albeit with a modern twist. (RANDY

as a preservative all around the world. It basically creates an environment that is uninhabitable for bacteria. And when you dig a hole into the earth that’s about 4 feet deep, the temperature runs 52 degrees around the world. So, a pit full of fish will actually be relatively cool. The fish pits are basically rudimentary root cellars.

Curing recipes varied from area to area.

Some fish was fermented for up to three months, creating an edible but putridsmelling Bizarre Foods episode concoction very similar to Surströmming. Modern recipes rely on about 72 hours in salt to create the magic we are looking for.

You can still find canned fermented fish. I encourage everyone to smell it, if not eat it, at least once in their life. NS

KING)

HOW TO MAKE GRAVLAX

The best possible way to enjoy gravlax is on a bagel. Hand me an everything bagel with cream cheese, capers, onions and lox as my last meal – please! – and I would die a happy man. The combo of the garlic in the bagel, fat from the cream cheese, twang of the onion and salty goodness of the lox make it a classic the world over. I have had lox bagels in Singapore, New York, London and Seattle. Classics are classics for a reason. Let’s break down why.

Samin Nosrat succinctly summed up the deliciousness of the everything lox bagel in her book title Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat – the combination of flavors is perfect. Her concept – one that had been floating around kitchens for eons, but no one had ever codified into a book or TV show –encompasses why my everything bagel is so good. Basically, she surmises that every

good dish needs to be a balance of saltiness, fattiness, acidity and heat. Classic dishes all tend to be in balance with those elements.

Think of the Ceasar salad. There’s saltiness from the dressing (anchovies and parmesan); the heat comes from the garlic and black pepper; the acid from the vinegar in the dressing; and the fat from the oil in the dressing and the meat of the fish. Add on top of all that the crunch from the lettuce and the croutons – perfection.

All of this is predicated on doing the combination correctly. A salad without the right amount of dressing is boring, while way too much dressing is gross. Wilted lettuce is nasty. The right combination of salt, fat, acid and heat is what matters.

So why is the gravlax everything bagel so, so good? Well, the gravlax itself functions as the salt, as do the capers. Cream cheese covers the fat – maybe even the fish,

depending on species and time of year. While capers are gross if you eat them alone, they are wonderful as a method of acid addition to a dish. And the heat is provided by the black pepper on the bagel and raw onions, which make a slightly spicy combo.

It’s all just enough for the Northern European palate – heat tends to rise in the food cultures of the world the closer to the equator you travel; think Thai food, southern Indian food, North African.

TO CREATE MODERN

gravlax, you need very few things – sugar, salt, spices and time. I would like to thank recipetineats.com for a ratio that helps explain why some of my recipes for gravlax have worked better than others over the years. The formula for gravlax is stated as “equal parts salt + sugar (combined) 50% of the weight of the salmon. Coat, leave 24 hours for lightly cured, 36 hours for medium (this is what I do) and 48 hours for hard cure.”

Freakin’ brilliant! So, let’s say you have a 3-pound side of salmon from the Columbia, Clearwater, Northwest Coast, what have you. You would need 12 ounces of salt, 12 ounces of sugar and whatever spices you would like. (Traditional items like dill, lemon, black pepper and caraway are always good additions.)

Following the ratio, you can get a very basic gravlax by doing the following:

3-pound salmon filet (frozen can work, but is never as good)

12 ounces brown sugar

12 ounces kosher salt

1 lemon, zested and juiced

¼ cup fresh dill, rough chopped

1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper

Combine all ingredients, except for the fish, in a mixing bowl. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Sprinkle about onethird of the mix onto the baking sheet. Add the fish to the top of the mix. Add the remaining mix to the top of the fish. Cover with plastic wrap.

Next place another baking sheet on top of the fish and then put some weight on it (I’ve used six 12-ounce cans of beans). You want the weight on the top cookie sheet

An everything bagel topped with cream cheese, capers, onion slivers and lox made with fresh dill and other spices presents a perfect flavor and textural combination for the author. (RANDY KING)

COLUMN

Making modern gravlax involves pressing salt, brown sugar and other ingredients into a salmon filet with weight for 48 to 72

to be squishing the fish. This pushes salt into the meat and forces water out. Place this in the fridge for 24 hours.

Carefully remove the fish from the fridge and pour off the liquid that has accumulated. Flip the fish over, put the cookie sheet and weights back on top and return to the fridge for another 24 hours.

At this point, the gravlax is done. Another 24 hours (for a total of 72 hours) will get you a hard cure on the fish (firmer texture, saltier), but normally I find 48 hours to be the sweet spot. Eat or freeze the fish within three days.

If you want to next-level your everything bagel, add some fresh dill and lemon zest to the cream cheese. This will give you a little more acid in the dish; as long as it is in balance, it will work great. Toast the bagel –always a good idea and then you get some different textures. Add extra black pepper to the lox to turn up the heat a little. Pickle the onions; this will give you more salt and some acid – two in one! Toss on a little Sriracha –not much, just enough for some heat

Enjoy the gravlax – enjoy the pit fish! –RK

sculpin tubes and jigs generate bites from creating subtle flashes and movements from the jig’s innovative pectoral fins

opening the fins by dropping the jig only a few inches keeps you in the zone and stimulates strikes

made in palmer, alaska, these jigs are designed to be alaska tough

hours. (ANDY WALGAMOTT)

Surfperch Class In Session

Here’s how to catch redtails from Washington and Oregon beaches.

FISHING

By MD Johnson

Just out of curiosity, I did a search on a Washington-focused fishing website recently for the word “surfperch.” Perhaps not surprisingly, the search spit back 130 threads in which anglers asked a multitude of questions, the common denominator being the very broad “how.” For the record, 130 original threads on the ins and outs of surfperch and the techniques associated therewith were more than there were about walleye, the cash cow known as northern

pikeminnow and steamer clams, although admittedly not nearly as many threads as those devoted to Bigfoot. That number was 1,055.

But digging around on Al Gore’s internet got me to thinking that many folks rank catching surfperch and catching a glimpse of a big hairy guy who isn’t my Uncle Bob pretty much neck and neck. But why so much trouble catching surfperch? Unfamiliar territory? New to fishing entirely? Right church, but the proverbial wrong pew? Or that tried and true “should have been here yesterday”?

I’ll admit: Surfperch can prove frustrating, unless you wander down to the water’s edge armed with a couple pieces of information, the right gear, a full tank of fuel, plenty of time and the willingness to relocate, relocate and possibly relocate again.

Oh, and patience. A little bit of patience never hurt.

THE NORTHWEST IS currently home to six (6) different perch species, five of which call the saltwater home. Those include the Pacific Ocean perch, pile perch, redtail perch,

A lone surfperch angler works a beach south of Newport on an incoming tide. The subspecies known as redtails are available up and down the Northwest Coast, from Brookings all the way north to Neah Bay. (ANDY WALGAMOTT)

FISHING

striped perch and shiner perch. While I’ve caught plenty of striped perch off the Westport Jetty, as well as from the rocks to the north of the former Harbor Resort, which (sad face emoji) burned to the ground in 2022, in the Westport Boat Basin, here I’m talking about redtail surfperch (Amphistichus rhodoterus, for the Latin species-name sticklers reading along), a beautifully silver oval-shaped fish sporting strong vertical striping and red or reddishpink fins and tail. If I were asked about the weight of an average redtail, I’d give a range from 10 to 18 ounces; however, 2-pound perch aren’t uncommon, and Washington’s record redtail – caught in August 1996 at Kalaloch – is 4.05 pounds. That’s a dandy! (Oregon does not have an official high mark for the species.)

As my avid readers will recall, I’m originally from the Midwest –Ohio, to be specific – and as such, I obviously didn’t grow up on a diet of

redtail surfperch. Yellow perch, yes; surfperch, no. So how did I learn about this wonderful silver oceanic crappie? My wife, a Washington native and experienced angler, taught me quite a bit. Then there was a seminar or two, courtesy of the O’Loughlin’s sportsmen’s shows. Reading various articles.

Talking to fellow anglers I met on the North Jetty, Tokeland, Westport, Beards Hollow and up and down the length of the Long Beach Peninsula. I asked questions. I listened.

And my education continues. Recently, I sat in on a surfperching “demonstration” off the Oysterville Beach Approach and, honestly, picked up a few good tricks to try. But mostly, it’s been trial and error – what tackle to use; the best bait; do I cast beyond the breakers or into them?; and perhaps most importantly, where to fish.

And so with that, let’s begin our search for surfperch …

RULE NUMBER 1 & OTHER CONSTANTS

We’re going to work a bit in reverse here, so bear with me. That’s because this is perhaps the most important –and the most oft-ignored – rule, per se, in successful surfperch fishing. If you work a hole for 20 to 25 minutes without a fish, move. Maybe it’s only 50 yards north or south (if you’re on the Long Beach Peninsula), but move. Redtails are wanderers. Schooling nomadic fish. They come and they go. Up and down; in and out.

I learned long ago not to beat myself silly due to inactivity. If it’s not happening, I go somewhere else. And this is where the “full tank of fuel” mentioned earlier comes into play. I truly believe that if a good surfperch angler will be honest, he or she will tell you the key to success is mobility. That is, not being afraid to relocate.

When to fish: Flood tide. Incoming tide. Whatever your terminology, I’m pretty secure when I say 99 percent of the redtails I’ve caught since 1993 have been on the flood tide. Can they be caught as the water falls away from the sand? I’m sure you can, but like many tidal critters, redtails (my theory) know to back off on the ebb and come close on the flood, as the rising water 1) makes an abundance of food accessible, and 2) ensures they’re not going to be trapped or stranded in a tide pool or other now-landlocked puddle they can’t get out of. What I’m saying here is to find either an old-school tide book or download a tide app –mine is Tides Chart, though Tides Near Me is another good one – and then learn how to use it.

Where to fish: In the case of the Long Beach Peninsula, there are 28 miles of surfperch fishing options, so where does a body begin?

First, let me divulge where I don’t spend much time, and that’s very far north of the Oysterville Beach Approach. Clamming, yes; fishing, not so much. Why? It’s too flat, which means the water is awfully shallow a long way out.

With generous daily limits – an even dozen in Washington and 15 in Oregon – a trip to the Pacific can yield a lot of fun and filets. (MD JOHNSON)

FISHING

An inveterate tinkerer, author MD Johnson has come up with his own kind of surfperch rig, essentially a crappie rig with a pair of fuel lines for arms instead of the stiff wound wires or short plastic tubes found on commercially available setups. The arms help keep baited snelled hooks away from the rest of the leader, reducing tangling, and in Johnson’s case, they’re also adjustable. (MD JOHNSON)

Now, there are some who would disagree, though they might not say as much out of secrecy, as there are certainly deeper troughs and holes above Oysterville that can be mentally marked, dropping a pin or going old school and using the trip meter/odometer and then fishing on the incoming tide.

So where do I prefer to throw a line on the LBP? My area of operations is roughly from a point midway between the Oysterville and Ocean Park beach approaches south to Beards Hollow. I’m also partial to the sloping beaches (Benson Beach) in Cape Disappointment State Park, as well as the ocean side of the North Jetty.

Can I be a little more specific? I can and I will; however, it’s important to remember the beach is constantly changing. Twice each day, every day of the year, it’s changing. So what this means is that the holes, troughs and deeper cuts that were there in March might not be there in June. That said – and this next statement really provides the foundation for the answer to “where to fish”– what you’re looking for (ideally at low tide when they’re visible) are these deeper water areas. The stretches of surf where the waves r…r…o…o… l…l smoothly onto the shore/sand with little violent chop, indicating water a little deeper than where

7 TIPS TO REMEMBER

Irecall an exceptionally frustrating afternoon on the North Jetty a couple years back. The group just 50 yards west of me was pulling in perch after perch; the young ladies were catching ’em two at a time. And big ones too! Try as I might, I couldn’t connect. Same bait. Same water. Same tide. I’d cast how they did. Wait like they did. Hell, I even started holding my rod and reel like they did. Nothing. Every now and again, the pretty gals would look down my way, hold up another foot-long redtail – or two – smile big, and drop him in the bucket. Some days, I reckon, are just like that.

But I have had good days perchin’, and plenty of them. You can, too, especially if you remember a handful of things, like:

• Don’t be afraid to move. And move. And move.

• Often, the fish are close. Real close. Work the water right in front of your boots. You might well be casting over the best fishing.

• Take plenty of bait. The crabs are always hungry.

• If you get to the beach and you’ve forgotten something, never fear. Jack’s Country Store in Ocean Park has everything you’ll need. Other Washington and Oregon Coast tackle shacks might not have Jack’s

there’s short rollers/waves clear up onto the sand. Yes, sir; telling one from the other takes a little experience, but in time recognizing the former becomes much easier. Helpful hint: Up and down the length of my AO, there are several freshwater streams running out of the dunes and into the salt. It’s been my experience that the beach either side of these seaward flows can be excellent places to start your perch hunt. How far either side? That’s the unknown, as sometimes it can be 100 yards; others, a quarter mile or more. Hit it and move. Hit it and move. That’s the key.

RODS, REELS, LINE

Simple, simple, simple; that’s my mantra when it comes to rod, reel and line for surfperch. For 2024, I’m running 9-foot Shakespeare Ugly Stik Elite medium-heavy spinning rods matched to size 40 Pflueger President reels, which I spool with 30-pound Berkley Big Game braid. Why these? There seems to be no in between when it comes to perch. Either they hit like they’re trying to drag you into the surf or they’re light, was-that-a-bite? nibblers. Either way, I want a rod that will let me know what’s going on out beyond the waves; thus, the Ugly Stik Elites. These models are actually the company’s affordable

jalapeño corn dogs, but they’ll likely be able to outfit you and offer some tips too.

• Start light and get heavier with your weight. You want the bait to move, but not too much.

• Experiment with different baits and lures. Berkley has several styles of Gulp! plastics worth investigating, e.g. shrimp, mullet, saltwater grubs, mud minnows, mantis shrimp, sand fleas and more.

• And after your trip, always take a few minutes to rinse your gear with freshwater. Salt isn’t kind to metal, including critical elements like line guides and snap swivels. –MDJ

CONNECTICUT

Connor’s and O’Brien Marina Pawcatuck, CT connorsandobrien.com

Defender Industries Inc. Waterford, CT defender.com

O’Hara’s Landing Salisbury, CT oharaslanding.com

MASSACHUSETTS

It’s a glorious sunrise, viewed in fast forward thanks to the power of your 250 ProXS. Because you need to get there while the fish are still eating breakfast. Learn more at mercurymarine.com or

Captain Bub’s Marine Inc. Lakeville, MA captainbubsmarine.com

Doug Russell Marine Worcester, MA WorcesterBoating.com

Essex Marina LLC. Essex, MA essexmarinallc.com

McLellan Brothers Inc. Everett, MA mclellanbrosinc.com

Action Marine & Watersports Inc. Holyoke, MA actionmarineholyoke.com

Bill’s Outboard Motor Service Hingham, MA billsoutboard.com

Merrimac Marine Supply Methuen, MA merrimacmarine.com

Nauset Marine-Orleans Orleans, MA nausetmarine.com

Obsession Boats East Falmouth, MA capecodboatcenter.com

Portside Marine Danvers, MA portsidemarine.us

Riverfront Marine Sports Inc. Salisbury, MA riverfrontmarine.com

South Attleboro Marine North Attleboro, MA www.sammarine.com

Wareham Boat Yard W. Wareham, MA wareham-boatyard-marina.com

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Dover Marine Dover, NH dovermarine.com

Winnisquam Marine Belmont, NH winnisquammarine.com

RHODE ISLAND

Billington Cove Marina Inc. Wakefield, RI bcoveyc.com

Jamestown Distributors Bristol, RI jamestowndistributors.com

FISHING

($89) salmon/steelhead option, and I use them for silvers in September and October. This outfit is heavy enough to handle a 3- or 4-ounce weight, but not so heavy when combined with the Pflueger reel that it’s an ordeal to hold for an extended amount of time.

Is braid necessary? It’s not, but it’s nice when it comes to providing minimal resistance in the surf –translation: It cuts through the roiling water nicely – and thus less sinker drag. Monofilament certainly works

and is less expensive. If you’re going with mono, I’d suggest at least 15if not 20-pound test. Unlike on the jetties, abrasion in the surf typically isn’t a problem; however, there’s a ton of kinetic energy involved with whipping a 4-ounce lead with a 9-foot medium-heavy rod, so use line that can handle the cast stress.

Part of the aforementioned kinetic energy revolves around said sinker, and there are a lot of schools around how heavy is best. Light, so the rigging can move and cover

ground? Heavy so it stays puts and the perch come to the bait rather than the other way ’round? At the bottom of the mainline with the bait(s) elevated, or in a Carolina rig, i.e., mainline through an egg sinker, 5mm bead and snap swivel followed by a 24- to 30-inch leader and size 6 hook and bait on or near the bottom?

Regarding working the bait –we’ll cover the options next – on or near the bottom, my theory is that in roiling surf it’s tough for a sightfeeder like a redtail to actually see a bait bouncing around just off the sand. However, elevate that bait 12 inches (hook No. 1) and 18 inches (hook No. 2), and there’s a better chance of the fish seeing the bait. I’m no marine biologist with a PhD in redtail surfperch, mind you, but the theory makes sense to me.

That being theorized, then, my goto weight is a 3- to 4-ounce pyramid at the bottom of the line – a high/low or fish-finder rig, as the influencers on YouTube call it – with baited hooks staged above and explained below. Why a pyramid and not a traditional bank sinker, claw or pancake? I find that with the pyramid, the weight allows the bait to both hold momentarily and move a bit, giving me the best of both worlds.

RIGGINGS

So with my 3- to 4-ounce pyramid snapped to the end of my line, I go back and forth between single- and double-hook setups. Single hooks are simple and damn near tanglefree; however, with just one bait, you’ve theoretically halved the attractiveness of your presentation. Two hooks can prove twice as tough to keep hanging as they should, but do double the visual attraction and can result in the occasional doubleheader. Not for me, of course, but I’ve seen it done.

Running a double-hook setup with the weight at the bottom, there are essentially three variations to work with here, one store-bought and the other two being DIY rigs

Johnson’s preferred terminal gear includes 3- to 4-ounce pyramid sinkers, Gulp! sandworms in camo and snelled size 6 baitholder hooks. (MD JOHNSON)

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FISHING

building on a foundation of a 25- or 30-pound mono leader roughly 30 inches in length. These include:

• With a double overhand knot, fashion two small dropper loops approximately 14 and 20 inches above the bottom snap swivel and sinker. Plain size 6 (not 6/0) or snelled size 6 baitholder hooks – I’m partial to the latter – are fastened to each of the dropper loops. Pros: Quick and inexpensive; direct (sensitive) feed or feel from the bait/fish to the rod. Cons: Dropper knots are a weak link in the entire chain; tangles.

• Danielson Crappie Rig. Pick them up for around $1 at Sportsman’s Warehouse, etc. Two stainless steel wire “arms” hold the baited hooks away from the leader. Typically come with two size 6 gold Aberdeen-style hooks. Pros: Cheap; minimal tangles; stainless steel hardware resists rust. Cons: Light-wire long-shank hooks bend easily.

• Being cheap and not a fan of the plain ol’ dropper loops, I made my own “crappie rigs.” Starting with 30 inches of 30-pound mono, I made a double overhead loop at one end; this I would attach to the snap swivel on my mainline. Then taking the tag end of the leader, I

threaded it through a 11/2-inch piece of new 1/8-inch fuel line, a 3mm bead, snap swivel, second 3mm bead and then back through the fuel line. Approximately 8 to 10 inches below that, I repeated the process before tying a snap swivel at the bottom for the weight.

Essentially what I created was a crappie rig using rubber fuel line, beads and a swivel. Pros: Satisfaction of a DIY job well done; cheap; no tangles; visually attractive; adjustable as to height and hookto-hook distance; probably going to make a million bucks selling the idea to Pure Fishing. Cons: None that I’m finding. Yet, anyway.

ABOUT BAIT

I’ll make this brief by starting with what I’ve not used for surfperch. I’ve not tried twister-tail grubs, Rooster Tails or Panther Martins, or small silver crankbaits. I’ve heard they work; I personally haven’t fiddled with them. What I have used is natural bait or a single soft plastic, to include:

Clam necks: Easy to come by if you dig razor clams; a little spendy if you don’t or don’t have a friend who digs. Clam necks work incredibly

well and stay on the hook seemingly forever.

Sand shrimp: Dig your own (cheap) or buy them (not so cheap). Sand shrimp are perhaps the best surfperch bait there is, but keeping them on the hook is a challenge. Enter Stretchy String or Mustad’s Double Live Bait Hook with the safety-pin-style keeper, the latter roughly $1.25 per hook.

Nightcrawlers: I’m not sure where redtails are getting their ’crawlers from, but the traditional backyard flashlight finds can work extremely well in the salt.

Cocktail shrimp: My wife Julie and I watched a young man catch perch after perch from the North Jetty using – he told me/I unashamedly asked – small cocktail (salad) shrimp he’d soaked in garlic Smelly Jelly. They’re relatively inexpensive, e.g., $7 per pound at Walmart, and stay on the hook well.

Berkley Gulp! Sandworms: The 2-inch “camo” color plastic has become the go-to artificial bait for scores of surfperchers up and down the West Coast. Why? They work, but so, too, do the red and natural patterns, or at least they’ve earned a spot in my tackle bag. NS

Sand shrimp could be the best bait for surfperch, but they’re also fragile. Another good – and far tougher – option is clam necks. (MD JOHNSON, ANDY WALGAMOTT)

Outsmart June Trout

NW PURSUITS

By Jason Brooks

Washington’s late April lowland lakes opener, also known as the opening day of trout season, is very popular among anglers. Generations of families and friends gather at local lakes or make a mini vacation out of it and head to far-off waters. It is often more about the reunion than catching a 10-inch stocker that gobbles PowerBait faster than Cookie Monster eats a chocolate chip cookie.

After the parties and trips to fish camp, the lakes often lose their luster and within a few weeks, anglers find other adventures to seek out. Sometimes effort drops off due to lakes being “fished out” – i.e., most of the stocker trout are believed to have been caught – or the fishing just becomes a bit harder after the dough biters have been weeded out.

Well, if you ventured out this past April or even the first weekend of May, when trout season and reunion parties were normally in full swing, then you endured high winds, rains and exceptionally cool temperatures. Those who did go found decent fishing, as catches were normal for the recently planted trout, but effort was low. When we have harsh weather for opening weekend, and especially this year when the first two weekends were miserable, that means more trout will have survived the onslaught of PowerBait flingers and boatborne hardware trollers. June is also a good month for those who prefer quieter campgrounds and solitude on the water. Indeed, April showers might bring May flowers, but it also saves trout for June anglers, and this year the fishing will be good as summer begins.

Even with hundreds of thousands of trout planted in lakes all over Washington

each spring, I am always baffled at how quickly solitude returns between the opener and the few weeks before jet skiers and recreational boaters take over. June is one of the best months to get out and explore some new lakes and catch some fish. Along with lowland waters, the high lakes become snow-free and streams open as well. This means anglers have a lot more options and will spread out, often leaving the more popular “trout” lakes alone. This gives you the opportunity to angle without the crowds but with a good chance trout will still be around.

NOW THAT THE disruption of the fish’s big trip to the lake and the chaos of opening day are well behind us, the trout start to settle down a bit. As they become more acclimated to the lake they will spread out and start foraging on natural foods instead of always looking to the sky for the hatchery manager to broadcast some feed pellets from above. Fly fishing is one of the best ways to keep catching trout after opening day. You do not have to be a purist fly angler to use this technique either. Trolling flies with a lightweight kokanee rod is a fantastic way to sit back and let the gear work for you.

When trolling flies using spinning rods or levelwind outfits it is best to use a wet pattern, such as a Carey Special, Woolly Bugger or a Smile Blade Fly by Mack’s Lure. That last one is a Woolly Bugger that has a small Smile Blade on a bead just below the eye of the hook. Acting as both an attractor and a food staple, the blade flashes and creates a bit of turbulence, recreating a bug swimming in the water. Put a few split shot on the line and let the enticement out behind the boat. This is a wonderful and effective way to troll in a small rowboat or with an electric motor, as this needs to be presented very slowly.

No need to tell members of the Han family that nice-sized rainbows are still more than available this time of year. They teamed up to land this one at Northcentral Washington’s Curlew Lake in June 2021. (KNIFE PHOTO CONTEST)

With

For those who like to fling flies instead, working areas with cattails, shallow flats and coves means you’ll want to tie emergerimitating patterns like chironomids, blood worms and gold beadhead Hare’s Ears. A small bite indicator really helps and using a dropper fly doubles your chances of a bite. One pleasant thing about this technique is it can be used out of a float tube or pontoon, meaning you don’t need a big vehicle to get your watercraft to, well, the water. Since the lakes are often void of other anglers and boats, you have less worry of wakes and can have a more enjoyable experience. Another benefit for those using flies, either dry or wet, is that most bugs start to hatch or emerge as daily temperatures rise. This means a midmorning and even a midafternoon bite. Sleeping in and getting to the lake once the sun is well up makes for an

enjoyable day. But don’t leave the water too early – you should stay until evening when bugs are still active before the temperatures cool and the sun becomes shaded as it heads to the horizon.

TRADITIONAL GEAR PULLERS who like to fish small plugs, such as the Brad’s Kokanee Cut Plug or a 2.0 SpinFish by Yakima Bait Company, will do well to use dark patterns like frog or black with silver sparkle. But do not overlook the hot orange colors as well. A recent trip on one of my favorite year-round lakes after the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife planted it saw fish jumping everywhere. One guy pulled up with two rods rigged for trolling with fluorescent orange F4 FlatFish and he limited out in less than 45 minutes.

Small spoons work well, with Cripplures and Hum Dingers in silver, gold or any UV

color being top producers. As for spinners, an olive green or black Rooster Tail from Yakima Bait is always rigged on one of my rods. I used to use the Pro-Cure watersoluble shrimp oil so it would not hinder the hackle at the end of the spinner, but now Yakima Bait has teamed up with ProCure to make a scent just for Rooster Tails.

Using scent is one of the most important things to do when fishing post-opening day. This is because the trout are moving around and exploring the lake. When trolling, one trick is to use a downrigger with a Scent Flash filled with one of your favorite attractants. The Scent Flash is an inline flasher from Mack’s Lure. It separates and creates a scent cavity where you can use the supplied scent pad or a thicker, sticky gel scent such as Super Gels, with rainbow trout, kokanee and nightcrawler being some of the best scents to use.

most dough-bait-biting stocker trout weeded out of the gene pool, it’s time to switch up to spinners, spoons and flies for holdovers. Troll the thermocline or move in to nearshore waters for fish working bug hatches. (JASON BROOKS)

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The Scent Flash spins just like any other inline flasher, but it also releases scent at the same time, which is then mixed in the water by the spinning action of the flasher. This creates an exceptionally large scent “cone” out of the back of your boat. Simply attach the Scent Flasher to your downrigger ball and drop it down a few feet. Watch your fish finder and put it down to the depth where most trout are located. If you are using your downriggers, then use a downrigger clip a few feet above the ball-and-flasher combo. That way when you run your lure back behind the boat 20 or 30 feet and attach it to your downrigger clip, the lure will be in the scent “cone” from the flasher.

REGARDLESS OF WHETHER you are trolling flies, plugs, spoons or spinners, you should keep your speeds slow. The use of an electric trolling motor helps with the slow speeds and makes the day very enjoyable. Unfortunately, I do not have an electric motor on my 18-foot boat, but I do have a 9.9-horsepower kicker. Switching the propeller out to a shallow-pitched fourblade prop allows me to slow down to 1 mile per hour and if I want to go slower, I use a drift sock that creates drag and slows the boat.

Once you start catching fish, make a note of what is going on with your fish finder, especially if you have a unit that tells you your speed and the water temperature.

Look at the bottom structure and depth. Trout are a coldwater species and lakes have varying temperatures depending on depth, bottom composition and springs or inlet creeks. An example is a shallow cove that has a muddy bottom. As you near shore, the water temperatures here will warm up, and as you move to deep water they cool off. The mud will absorb sunlight and warm up and act as a water heater. Start working your way into the cove and look for fish. Conditions can change throughout the day depending on the air temperature and even the fish’s feeding patterns. Bugs will emerge from the warm mud and the fish might move into the warmer waters to feed, but once they get uncomfortable,

Along with still plentiful trout, late spring is a good time to get out for largemouth bass, crappie and other spinyrays as they become more active with warmer waters. (JASON BROOKS)

they might move out to a little deeper water. This is where you need to pay attention to the fish and your electronics.

One reason anglers stop fishing after opening day is because they start catching fewer fish with each outing after that special fourth Saturday in April and think the lake has been fished out. Sure, there are not as many trout in the lake, but that does not mean there are none. The fish are just moving and learning to be lake residents, since they are no longer in a cement pond with a regular feeding schedule. Good anglers learn to figure out where the fish are and how to get them to bite.

For instance, if you catch a trout and decide to keep it, open its stomach. If you

find a lot of emerging bugs, then you know the fish was feeding near the bottom where the bugs come out of the mud or weeds. If it is full of dry flies, then that fish was feeding near the surface, so look for rising trout. This will also help you in determining which flies or even color of lures to use.

LASTLY, LET’S TALK about bait fishing. On opening day, we often go out and fish PowerBait or some other dough and catch our limits quickly. Doing so afterwards, you might find that limits do not come as fast. If it has been warm out, remember that weeds grow rapidly in the springtime, especially milfoil. You need to use a leader long enough to get the bait above the weeds. A

slip sinker helps, as it allows the fish to take the bait without feeling the resistance of the weight. Another way to get around the weed issue is to use a slip float. Just know that a floating bait like dough will not work as well, so give the traditional jarred single salmon eggs, nightcrawlers or even a piece of cooked salad shrimp a try.

And don’t overlook other species. June means spawning bass and crappie can often be found in trout-stocked lakes. As the month continues, recreational boaters will start to come out. You’ll want to switch to fishing early in the day and then get off the water once it gets busy. There are plenty of fish to catch after opening day, so go out and give it a try. NS

‘Shadding’ The Mid-Columbia

It turns out shad are more than catchable well above Bonneville, and not just on anchor. Here’s how.

Story

and

captions by Jeff Holmes

Growing up inland in the Spokane area, I read in magazines about the blizzards of shad that ran up the Columbia and other West Coast rivers decades before I would ever catch one. Most of what I read would prove to be true: There are millions of them that swim over Bonneville each year, they weigh about a pound on average, they fight hard, they remain purplechrome way upriver, they prefer to eat tiny baits and they make poor table fare due to being bony.

While West Coasters mostly turn their noses up at eating shad, I also read how they were a major protein source through Indigenous and American histories – 3,000 miles away. American shad were only introduced to the West Coast in 1871 and were released in the Sacramento River. They are native to the Atlantic Ocean and East Coast rivers and run in the winter over there. They were a major food during the Revolutionary War and were a desirable commercial fish.

Nowadays, shad thrive over here from Baja Mexico to Cook Inlet in Alaska and have established populations in Russia. With as many as 7 million streaming over Bonneville Dam every late spring and

early summer, they represent a viable fishery for kids of all ages. Some people will pickle them, pressure cook them or steam the meat off the bones.

Others turn them into Dungeness and red rock crabs by using them as bait or into heirloom tomatoes or other veggies as fertilizer (author raises his

Ashley Spradling of Kennewick hoists one of many shad we caught on an evening trip out of Plymouth Park below McNary Dam. We caught a lot of shad, but we did it on anchor before learning how trolling greatly outperforms sitting on the hook. As many as 7 million American shad pour over Bonneville each year, with lots pulling into the Willamette and other West Coast rivers too. They leave something to be desired on the plate, in my opinion, but they are a blast to catch and make great crab bait and garden fertilizer. (JEFF HOLMES)

FISHING

hand here). Shad are also a valuable commodity as a recruitment tool to angling. Adults and kids both have a blast in great weather reeling in hardfighting fish after fish.

When I finally did catch some shad below McNary Dam 14 years ago, they were all incidental catches of spawned-out fish that bit ¼-ounce Hot Lips and other small walleye and steelhead plugs. The fight of these moldy shad was not impressive. But living in Tri-Cities close to the Columbia and enjoying taking kids fishing, about 10 years ago I relented to learning to shad intentionally. I bought a bunch of Dick Nites, tied some lead droppers and found a spot amongst the anchored boats near Plymouth Park a few miles downstream from McNary Dam.

My first trip on anchor was a mediocre success, putting only several shad in the boat. Followup trips yielded better numbers as I learned where to anchor – right on the current seam in 14 to 18 feet of water – and how to rig. The smallest Dick Nites (size 0) and 50/50 nickel-

June on the Columbia is a great time to bundle shad and walleye into a combo trip. You won’t catch many shad, if any, trolling smolt-imitating Bandit plugs like the one pictured at top, but you will catch walleye when you troll these bad boys upstream in 18 to 24 feet of water on the edge of the river channel. If you want to catch shad – likely many more than anglers in anchored boats – troll hookless Mag Lip 3.5s with 18 to 24 inches of 15- to 20-pound mono off the back, trailed by a size 0 Dick Nite in 50/50 nickel-brass finish or another metallic color. Troll this combo upstream, zigzagging across the edge of the river channel in 14 to 18 feet of water. You’ll sometimes also catch walleye and smallmouth and possibly steelhead or salmon using this technique. (JEFF

brass finish outperformed the many colors and sizes I’d purchased, so I retired my other Dick Nites to look pretty in the tackle box. I helped some coworkers’ kids and some friends get on a whole bunch of fish, putting lots in the cooler to take home as crab bait and garden fertilizer.

DESPITE WHAT I thought were epic

catches, my friend Don McBride reported much higher numbers using a different technique. He told me upstream trolling Dick Nites 20 to 24 inches behind a hookless plug or Brad’s diver in and around the same 14- to 18-foot water people anchor in below McNary Dam would result in perhaps twice as many fish.

The first time I took to the water with this approach, which I now call “shadding,” we fished three rods and landed shad at such a pace that we had several triples and would have had many more if we’d been able to get three rods in the water without hooking a shad. I’d taken the hooks off of some Yakima Bait Mag Lip 3.5s and tied 20 inches of 15-pound Maxima Ultragreen to the butt end, followed by the size 0 50/50 nickel-brass and other chrome Dick Nites in the same size. The heavyish line – which could likely be heavier – allowed anglers to yard their own fish into the boat without losing my precious supply of Dick Nites. The heavyish mono also allows for the landing of salmon and steelhead and large walleye, all of which will bite a tiny Dick Nite trolled behind a plug.

Slowly zigzag trolling these rigs upstream on this first and on subsequent trips undeniably yielded more shad than any of the anchored

HOLMES)

These three walleye, all over 20 inches, bit Dick Nites while trolling for shad. Walleye are hungry and on the prowl in June in the Columbia and frequent the same areas that shad do. Whereas shad are moving upstream in the slower-moving water on the edge of the river channel, walleye are often in the same places lying in ambush for the current to carry salmonid smolts and other tasty prey downstream. (JEFF HOLMES)

FISHING

boats and better results than I had even seen. I have now also witnessed other boats mopping up shad at a wild pace while on the troll, like me concentrating on the travel lane and eddy lines.

IN THE FRENZY of shadding in moving water, it’s important to be watchful and to avoid anchored boats, showing them respect while they are on the hook. If you’re new to the fishery around Umatilla and Plymouth, start

by looking for the anchored boats in about 15 feet of water to get a sense for where shad travel and stage. This same approach works anywhere on the Columbia during the shad migration and flat out will yield more fish than anchoring.

Is there also a place for anchoring or dropping an electric bowmount motor and using Spot-Lock? Definitely. Plenty of fish can be landed while stationary, and I have had the action be so fast a few times while trolling that the novelty soon wore out.

A major key to having the type of success I describe here is to fish during the peak of the migration. Check for big numbers coming over the dam immediately below your fishing area; shad are included in the fish counts over Columbia River dams (see fpc .org and cbr.washington.edu/dart for daily and 10-year average counts and graphs). Try to fish in or near the tailrace of your preferred dam where shad stack up to spawn. NS

Scott and Nick Baker of Richland, Washington, went shadding with me below McNary Dam a few years back, and we filled a cooler and nabbed a couple nice walleye as well trolling Dick Nites. Here the Bakers hold three shad landed in fast succession along the Oregon deadline below the dam, a familiar spot for Tri-Cities and Northeast Oregon shadders and walleye enthusiasts. (JEFF HOLMES)

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Over the coming years, federal wildlife and land managers will release three to seven grizzly bears annually for five to 10 years in national park units and wilderness areas of Washington’s North Cascades. Designating the bruins as a nonessential experimental population provides more management flexibility, though many local residents and others wish none were being reintroduced at all. (NATIONAL PARK SERVICE)

Will Okanogan Deer Hunters Just ‘Grin and Bear It?’

ON TARGET

By Dave Workman

Late April’s joint announcement by the US Fish & Wildlife Service and National Park Service that grizzly bears will be “reintroduced” in Washington’s North Cascades over the next few years has some people convinced this was predetermined.

All of the public meetings, the comment period last fall during which more than 12,000 comments were received; was it really all just for show? At least one member of Congress thinks so.

Representative Dan Newhouse (R-4th District), who represents much of Central Washington including the Okanogan, typified the angry reaction when he posted this message on X: “Today’s

announcement reinforces what we feared: No amount of local opposition was going to prevent these federal bureaucrats from doing what they wanted all along.”

If you don’t live in Newhouse’s district, contact your own member of Congress and express your concerns.

The first step in the federal plan calls for establishing a population of 25 grizzlies, transported to the north and south

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For working on your rifle this month, get a handy platform like this one, and do your work outside whenever possible. We’ll get to why author Dave Workman stuck a dollar bill under the barrel in a moment. (DAVE WORKMAN)

units of North Cascades National Park and the adjacent western Pasayten and northeastern Glacier Peak Wildernesses gradually over the course of several years in hopes at least some of them will mate and produce offspring.

Before anybody gets too fired up, it is not clear how this will affect Okanogan mule deer hunting, and since the bears aren’t even here yet, perhaps they’re getting ahead of themselves.

There are genuine concerns about the future, if hunting is somehow curtailed to: A) protect the bears, and B) make sure bears have plenty to eat. If you’re worried

about that, especially since wolves are already part of the equation, start living at the Washington Fish & Wildlife Commission meetings and make sure the commission understands you’re paying attention, because as a licensed hunter you pay the freight, via licenses and tags, and Pittman-Robertson Act tax revenues from the sale of firearms and ammunition. Contact your state representatives and district senator and make sure they know you’re interested in how they approach game management.

During a chat I had with a friend at a Colville radio station last month, it was

confirmed that residents in Northeast Washington are not happy with the USFWS/NPS decision.

The present Fish & Wildlife Commission is the product of one-party rule in the Governor’s Office for the past four decades. To change this, a change of party power will be necessary in Olympia. You must vote, with hunting and outdoor opportunity, along with your gun rights, being priorities.

On social media, in the days after the federal decision was announced, I saw messages such as this: “They aren’t even trying to hide it anymore. Blatantly giving us the middle finger. With record low numbers of deer and elk everywhere why on earth would we reintroduce a new alpha predator? Everyone here saying, ‘I can’t wait to hunt grizzlies!’ How long do you plan on it taking before we can hunt them???”

The right answer is “Never,” so long as the current power structure exists in Washington, both the state and District of Columbia. It’s the same story as wolves. Even though they appear to be expanding across the Evergreen State, the Fish and Wildlife Commission isn’t likely to remove them from state protection, no matter

So about that buck … Crud can gather under the barrel between the metal and wood, and it might even get rusty down there. A free-floating barrel should allow sliding a dollar between the stock and barrel

the way up to the receiver. (DAVE WORKMAN)

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what the feds do.

Anecdotal evidence suggest grizzlies are already in Washington, pushed south by forest fires in British Columbia over the past few years. I’ve heard reports from very reliable people, including my late uncle, who have seen grizzlies in this state.

And, anybody who thinks these bears will stay within the national park or the wilderness areas outside the park doesn’t understand bears at all.

GUN MAINTENANCE MONTH

Now, onto a different subject. June is what I often consider to be “maintenance month.” Rifles, shotguns and handguns that may have been in the gun safe since the end of last year’s seasons need to be cleaned and cared for.

My own plans include replacing one of my recoil pads on a favorite rifle, and actually dismantling all of my rifles to clean the undersides of the barrels. For this project you will need some very fine steel wool, Hoppe’s No. 9 or Outer’s cleaning solvent, a bottle of degreaser and a bottle of Birchwood Casey Perma Blue, and some patience. I always have a bottle of linseed and/or tung oil in the workshop, plus a fresh can of neutral shoe wax.

Remove the stock from the barrel and receiver, wipe the metal down and if there is some rust, use the steel wool and gun solvent to remove it.

Next, use a good degreaser to remove any oil and allow the surface to

Build your own sandbags out of denim pant legs. Fill 1-gallon plastic bags with sand or sawdust, seal them and put them inside the denim “tubes.” They should last for years, like this pair Workman made more than 25 years ago. (DAVE

SANDBAGGING IT

Moving on from cleaning your guns to, well, fouling the barrels again, do you need new sandbags? If so, they’re easy to make.

Cut the legs off worn-out denim jeans and stitch one end closed. Fill a gallon Ziplock bag with sand or sawdust and seal it. Slide the bag into the stitched denim leg, sew up the end and, voilà, you’ve got a sandbag that should last for a long time.

Make a couple of such bags, one for the forend stock to rest on, and the other to place under the buttstock for additional stability on the bench.

I’ve got a couple of these bags and have used them for many years.

BUYING NEW GUNS, AMMO, GEAR

dry. Buff the spot with clean steel wool. Then, using a Q-tip or cotton swab, apply the cold blue. Allow it to set for a couple of minutes and then rinse it off with cold water. Dry and buff it, first with the steel wool and then with a soft cloth. For a deeper blue finish, apply another bit of blue and follow the steps I described above. Once you’ve got the desired results, apply a thin coat of gun oil and give it a final wipe.

For scratches in the wood, apply some linseed or tung oil, or rub in the shoe wax. If it’s a major scratch, break out some fine sandpaper, smooth down the wood and apply the oil.

Do not forget the bore and the action. Run an oily patch down the bore, and if it comes out dirty, get to work with a patch soaked in Hoppe’s, and don’t shy away from using a bronze bore brush if you have a buildup of crud. Keep running patches through until they come out clean, then run an oily patch down the bore.

If you store your guns in a safe, be sure to toss in a couple of bags of desiccant to reduce or eliminate moisture while the safe is closed.

Real Avid offers a nifty tool called the Speed Stand, which comes in handy for gun cleaning and other chores, such as mounting a new scope. It has adjustable “feet” for stability on a work bench, and it is collapsible.

This thing will accommodate most rifles and shotguns, and the footprint expands from 10 to 16 inches.

Just a reminder, there is a 10-day waiting period for all gun purchases in Washington. This law was written by people who refuse to acknowledge that criminals don’t obey gun laws, won’t bother with waiting periods or background checks, and generally consider the lawmaker authors to be morons.

Just be thankful the state legislature didn’t pass a bill that would have required people to get a permit from the local police just to buy a gun.

Give any new gun you buy a bath in Hoppe’s inside and out to remove shipping oils before you ever fire it.

Speaking of shopping, this is officially the “off season,” which often means you can find good supplies of ammunition, and sometimes take advantage of sales. Stock up now so you aren’t scrambling in September or October.

I’ve always looked for bargains during the summer, either for ammunition or reloading components. I spend lots of time at the reloading bench and the range this time of year, taking advantage of long, warm evenings to do either. There is plenty of daylight to check your zero, shoot some clay targets with a smoothbore, and start planning fall hunts by scheduling a weekend or two to visit your hunting spot and do some scouting.

Now is also the time to buy a new scope, if that’s on your to-do list for 2024. You will have plenty of time in June and July to get everything zeroed, select a consistent load and get used to a new gun. NS

WORKMAN)

CUMBERLAND’S NORTHWEST TRAPPERS SUPPLY

Hide Tan Formula has been used successfully by thousands of hunters and trappers across the U.S. and Canada. No more waiting several months for tanning. Now, you can tan your own hides and furs at home in less than a week, at a fraction of the normal cost. Our Hide Formula tans deer hides either hair-on for a rug or mount, or hair-off for buckskin leather. Tans all fur skins – muskrat, mink, beaver, fox, coyote, raccoon, squirrel, rabbit, etc. It also applies to bear, elk, moose, cowhide, sheep and even snakeskin. Hide Tan Formula is premixed and ready to use and produces a soft, supple Indian-style tan in five to seven days.

One 8-ounce bottle will tan one deer hide in two medium-sized fur skins. Bear, elk, moose and caribou require three to six bottles. Complete instructions are included. You’ll be amazed how easy it is!

Tanned hides and furs are great to decorate your home or camp and also to sell for extra income. Tanned hides and furs are in demand by black powder enthusiasts, American Indian traders, fly tyers, country trading posts and many crafters. Our products are proudly produced and bottled in the U.S. for over 20 years.

Available at Cumberland’s Northwest Trappers Supply in Owatonna, Minnesota. Call (507) 451-7607 or email trapper@nwtrappers.com. nwtrappers.com

Cumberland’s

Cumberland’s Northwest Trappers Supply is your one-stop trapping supply headquarters, featuring one of the largest inventories in the U.S. We are factory direct distributors on all brands of traps and equipment which allows us to offer competitive prices. Give us a try. Our fast, friendly service will keep you coming back.

Over 50 Years Of Service To The Trap & Fur Industry

Request A Catalog Or Place An Order By Phone, Mail Or On Our Website

If you get in the area, visit our store!

Hide Tanning Formula” in the bright orange bottle. Retail & dealer inquiries are welcome.

Scoping Out Your Options: Tips For Selecting The Best Hunting Rifle

BECOMING A HUNTER

By Dave Anderson

In a world of endless options, selecting a hunting rifle may seem quite overwhelming. About 20 years ago, we did not even have close to the number of different styles that we see today. Stock options were not as great. Carbon fiber barrels were not a thing. Most of us chose rifles based on information from reading a magazine or going to a local gun shop/retailer that carried options for us to touch, see and feel how heavy they were. Also, the caliber selections available were in your standard cartridges: .270, .30-06, 7mm Rem Mag, .300 Win. True, I am leaving out the Weatherby mags and more, but the aforementioned cartridges were what most

would consider when looking for a big game rifle. Today, I could almost draft a full article on just the types of cartridges available for us to choose from. Luckily, ammo is once again plentiful and shelves are staying full in most retail stores. I am also seeing sales being offered on ammunition, which we did not see during Covid, when most of us experienced the ammo drought. Thanks to bullet stocks normalizing, I have also seen prices decline. This is something to keep in mind when selecting calibers for your rifles.

I’VE USED MY fair share of different rifles and cartridges throughout the years. I have upgraded along the way and have used some incredible firearms.

When I first moved out West, the first rifle that I purchased was a Remington Mod-

el 700 BDL with detachable magazines. I thought that a hunter would need multiple magazines in their pocket. I was not familiar with hunting the West and was new to the Rocky Mountains and open ranges. The rifle was chambered in .300 Win. Mag., and to this day I own one in that caliber, as it represents a great all-around cartridge for hunting the West. If you are looking for that one-size-fits-all type of cartridge, I would 100 percent put the .300 Win. Mag. at the top of the list.

Ammo for this cartridge is plentiful and there are lots of bullet-size options for different big game animals. This round is more than capable of taking moose, elk, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain goats and more. It may be a little overkill for some of the smaller-sized game, but my motto is you

With myriad firearms manufacturers, product lines and calibers available, choosing a hunting rifle can be overwhelming, but there are a few central things to keep in mind, argues author Dave Anderson. (DAVE ANDERSON)

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can’t kill anything too dead if you select the right bullet. Place your shot correctly and you won’t have nearly the amount of damage as you would with a large bullet. Shot placement is everything with any round.

Some of the rifles I have cycled through include: a Tikka T3 Lite in .270 WSM; Bergara B-14 Hunter in .300 Win. Mag.; two Weatherby Mark V Backcountry 2.0s in .300 Weatherby and 6.5 WBY RPM; and a Weatherby Mark V Carbon Mark Pro in .300 Weatherby. All these rifles have served me well and each were accurate and able to harvest game efficiently and cleanly. Personally, I prefer more horsepower.

AS FOR AFFORDABILITY, the Tikka T3 Lite is an impressive entry-level rifle. There is a custom rifle builder in Post Falls, Idaho, that is building a lot of long-range rifles using

the Tikka action for an affordable solution. This says something about the quality of the Tikka action when a well-known shop uses their actions to build custom guns. The Bergara is another great option for affordability. They make some amazing barrels. Weatherby Mark V rifles are incredible rifles. One of the major downfalls that I see with these rifles is the cost of ammunition if you are shooting Weatherby premium ammunition. However, if you are a reloader, this is not a big deal. When I decided to walk away from my Weatherbys, it was when Nosler was no longer available in their ammunition. I also would have been stuck with three Leupold Custom Dial Systems for an obsolete/discontinued ammunition line. In addition, the Backcountry line’s barrels were small and thin, which made it hard for me to thread on my suppressor and have

enough bite to keep it from coming loose. But if you do not care about ammunition prices or are a reloader and want a premium quality manufactured rifle, Weatherby Mark Vs are an excellent choice. They use TriggerTech triggers, have great stock options and are dependable. They also have some great ballistics and shoot fast and flat. Ruger, Remington, Winchester and several other manufacturers also make great entry-level rifles that will get you hunting without breaking the bank. I always recommend visiting local gun shops/retailers to look at the different options available in your price point.

WHEN CONSIDERING

CALIBER and thus cartridge, there are certain factors that you will want to have in mind. What is the size of game that you are hunting? Are you going to strictly hunt deer? Are you going to pursue larger animals such as elk or possibly moose if you are lucky enough to draw a tag? The answer to these questions will play a huge role in picking the proper caliber.

If you are only going to hunt deer, a .308, 6.5 Creedmoor and other smaller calibers will get you plenty of snort to take down a buck. Sure, these cartridges are going to be able to take an elk with a well-placed shot, but in my opinion, if you are planning on hunting larger game animals, you should start looking at a 7mm Rem. Mag., 7 PRC, .300 Win. Mag. or .300 Weatherby.

Another consideration is your style of hunting. Are you going to be backpacking deep into the wilderness, or hunting from a vehicle, ATV or side-by-side and sticking close to roads? Weight will be something that you want to consider if you are packing in miles, and you will want a lightweight rifle for this. With lightweight rifles, there is a tradeoff in terms of steadying the gun for a shot, but if you practice – hint: You should! – you should be familiar with what it takes to execute a good shot.

If you are a truck hunter or hunt using an ATV and/or side-by-side, weight should not be as big of a factor. I would lean more on the heavier side with a larger scope, especially when hunting big open country.

Are you someone who is sensitive to recoil or are new to hunting? If so, I would highly recommend picking a smaller caliber to start with. I think it is a terrible idea

Anderson is folding a new lightweight rifle into his lineup, a Bergara MG Lite chambered in 7 PRC. The folding stock will allow him to attach it to his pack and not have to have it slung over his shoulder while hiking to backcountry hunting areas.

(DAVE ANDERSON)

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to grab a big magnum cartridge and expect that you are going to shoot it great without developing bad habits, such as flinching and slapping the trigger each time you fire. You do not want this to happen, so starting off small and developing good shooting habits before moving into larger caliber rifles would be a good idea.

MY CURRENT HUNTING rifle lineup includes a Bergara MG Lite chambered in 7 PRC. It is a chassis rifle with a stock that folds down. I can secure it to my backpack when I am in the backcountry and hiking in with my pack. I am extremely excited to not have a rifle slung over my shoulder, as for 90 percent of my shots I have a lot of time to get set up beforehand. I can slip off my pack, remove my rifle and set up quickly. I have spent time behind the wheel with it and my first impressions are that it is outstanding. I am hitting steel out to 800 yards consistently with Hornady Precision Hunter ammunition in 175-grain ELD-X, which I have been able to find for around $49.99 a box. This ammo is also plentiful; I found one store

alone that had over 100 boxes in stock.

The next rifle that I will be using is a Proof Research .300 Win. Mag. I have yet to get out to shoot it, but found Hornady Precision Hunter ammunition for $56.99 a box in 175-grain ELD-X. This sounds crazy, but I am thrilled to find some ammunition for less than $60 a box. This will allow me to shoot more and get more rounds downrange in the offseason.

The other huge benefit with both of my new rifles is that they have carbon fiber barrels with more surface area for my suppressors to mount to. Hunting and shooting suppressed is the only way to go, in my opinion. However, a word of caution: Once you buy one, you will buy more – I can assure you of that!

If you are just starting out or considering a rifle upgrade, I hope you are able to find some of these tips about selecting rifles helpful. There are always multiple factors to consider, but ultimately you want something you are comfortable with and checks all the boxes for what and where you are hunting. NS

Just know that while the right rifle is a critical component towards a successful harvest, it’s not the only factor. There’s a lot to be said about fieldcraft and knowing your quarry to help make it all come together. (DAVE ANDERSON)

Be sure to wash dog bowls after each meal with hot, soapy water because they’re one of the most contaminated things in your house. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

Keep It Clean For Better Gun Dog Health

By Scott Haugen

Iwas recently at a friend’s house and watched his dog drink from a bowl on the back porch. When I looked closely at the bowl, green algae could be seen covering the bottom. There were also dead bugs floating on the surface.

“You need to wash your dog dish,” I told my buddy.

“It’s fine; he drinks from it all the time,” was his comeback.

We’re good enough friends that I took a moment to scold and enlighten

him. I mean, would you drink from a dirty cup or eat from a dirty bowl? No, and neither should your dog. Dog bowls have been found to be among the most contaminated items in our house. While it may appear your dog is tough, can handle drinking from a dirty bowl and licks their food bowl so clean it doesn’t appear to need to be washed, think again.

DIRTY DOG DISHES are a breeding ground for bacteria and germs such as salmonella and E. coli and can make your pets sick. Aluminum bowls are best, as their surfaces are easy to clean. We have Yeti Boomer dog bowls for both of our dogs. Both dogs

have their own inside bowls, share a large drinking bowl in the house and on the porch, and they have their own travel bowls for food and water that stay in the truck.

Plastic food bowls can be OK as long as they’re not made with bisphenol A, or BPA, and are thoroughly cleaned after each meal. In fact, all bowls should be cleaned with hot water and liquid soap after each and every meal. We have separate scrub brushes devoted to only our dog bowls, as we don’t want to cross-contaminate our dishes.

I wash the dogs’ outside water bowl once a day with hot, soapy water, which is especially important in the summer. Bugs, pollen and plant debris will all collect in a

GUN DOG

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dog’s outside water bowl and these can contaminate the water and make your dog ill.

The residue, even slime, left on a bowl from your dog licking it can also harbor harmful bacteria that can not only make your dog sick, but you or other family members too. Once washed with hot, soapy water, further cleaning a dog bowl with a water/bleach solution, then letting it air dry, is not overkill. Regularly washing dog bowls on the sanitary cycle in your dishwasher is also a good idea.

I hear folks say all the time that the slime from a dog licking you is harmless. But know that a dog’s mouth contains billions of bacteria, including bacteria from sniffing other dogs, as well as bacteria from things they eat or lick. While dog saliva contains enzymes and chemicals that can help fight some types of bacteria, it’s not a universal antiseptic and it’s certainly not sterile. Dog saliva has the potential to contain parasites like giardia and cryptosporidium, along with salmonella and E. coli, so think twice about letting your pup deliver a juicy kiss or lick an open wound you have.

During summer training sessions, avoid letting your dog drink from roadside puddles, stagnant water – even shallow ponds that hold algae and other

Avoid swimming your dog in warm, algae-infested water this time of year, as it can be a severe health risk. Instead, get them in fresh, clean water for relief from the heat or a training session. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

potentially harmful aquatic life. Since early March, some of the ponds – even sloughs I routinely swim my dogs in – have been so covered in algae I’ve not been able to let my dogs near them. We’ve moved our training and fun swims to rivers, where the moving water is cleaner.

Be sure to inspect your dog’s gums and teeth regularly – daily is best. Red, inflamed gums are a quick indicator there could be a problem with a food or water bowl.

THE ACTUAL FOOD or treats you’re giving your dog can also be a potential health risk. You

wouldn’t eat low-grade fast food for every meal, so don’t skimp on dog food. Don’t be fooled by popular dog food companies that have the marketing dollars to promote their often less-than-ideal product. Read labels and know what you’re feeding your dog. Some of the cheapest, most popular dog foods are the most harmful.

We feed a lot of raw food to our dogs, year-round. As for their dry food, treats and toppers, NutriSource is what we choose. All NutriSource formulas deliver compact nutrition and include prebiotics and probiotics to help support a healthy gut, and they’re developed for specific age classes and activity levels.

At first glance, NutriSource dog food seems spendy, but read the label and you’ll see you can feed less of it at each meal, meaning you actually save money by feeding high-quality ingredients and using less of it. We use a range of NutriSource treats, even handing them to the gas station attendant to give our dogs, versus those unhealthy biscuits.

A happy dog is a healthy dog, and the healthier they are, the longer they’ll live. Take the time to keep things clean and feed your dog the best diet possible.

After all, they’re only with us a very short time. NS

Editor’s note: Watch Scott Haugen’s basic puppy training videos and learn more about his many books at scotthaugen. com. Follow his adventures on Instagram and Facebook.

Author Scott Haugen feeds his dogs NutriSource foods, treats and toppers because of their high level of protein and ability to promote a healthy gut. He feeds a rotational diet, which further promotes healthy digestion, and his dogs love it. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

CUMBERLAND’S NORTHWEST TRAPPERS SUPPLY

Hide Tan Formula has been used successfully by thousands of hunters and trappers across the U.S. and Canada. No more waiting several months for tanning. Now, you can tan your own hides and furs at home in less than a week, at a fraction of the normal cost. Our Hide Formula tans deer hides either hair-on for a rug or mount, or hair-off for buckskin leather. Tans all fur skins – muskrat, mink, beaver, fox, coyote, raccoon, squirrel, rabbit, etc. It also applies to bear, elk, moose, cowhide, sheep and even snakeskin. Hide Tan Formula is premixed and ready to use and produces a soft, supple Indian-style tan in five to seven days.

One 8-ounce bottle will tan one deer hide in two medium-sized fur skins. Bear, elk, moose and caribou require three to six bottles. Complete instructions are included. You’ll be amazed how easy it is!

Tanned hides and furs are great to decorate your home or camp and also to sell for extra income. Tanned hides and furs are in demand by black powder enthusiasts, American Indian traders, fly tyers, country trading posts and many crafters. Our products are proudly produced and bottled in the U.S. for over 20 years.

Available at Cumberland’s Northwest Trappers Supply in Owatonna, Minnesota.

Call (507) 451-7607 or email trapper@nwtrappers.com. nwtrappers.com