Author: Hannah Pennebaker

Posted: 10/5/2021

As the days get shorter and the air gets crisper, the lull of the summer trout bite starts to wear off and they begin biting again. Trout leave the depths of their summer hideouts and become more active, responding to the cooler water. I always look forward to the fall trout fishery here on the western side of the state. The fish are more aggressive, so it's a great time to put away the dough bait...

Author: Randy Castello (Rseas)

Posted: 10/5/2021

A September-October Family Adventure? Why not crab and or coho off a dock? It turns out that there is a solid coho fishery available to the shore based angling family in and around the Westport boat basin. With a little common sense and eye for safety it is even wheelchair accessible. If the thought of hooking a 4-20 pound salmon off of a dock doesn’t give you goosebumps, add an opportunity to...

Author: Paul Lewis

Posted: 10/5/2021

Salmon season has been in full swing, gorgeous chrome is being caught in the saltwater as well as the rivers in our area. As for me, well those that follow the NWFR magazine know that I have been in Charleston, South Carolina recently, meaning I am missing one of my favorite seasons, Salmon plunking! Plunking for salmon is a fantastic way to spend a morning or afternoon relaxing with the family o...

Author: John Kruse

Posted: 9/24/2021

The forest grouse season opened on September 15th and general upland bird seasons for chukar, quail and gray partridge (formerly known as Hungarian partridge or Huns before the PC police changed the name) opens October 2nd across Eastern Washington. Upland bird hunting, also known as going for a long walk with a dog and a gun, can be a rewarding day afield. All that’s needed is a shotgun, a ...

Author: John Kruse

Posted: 9/12/2021

THE WASHINGTON OUTDOORS REPORT September 03 to September 10, 2021 OUTDOORS ROUND UP FISHING REPORTS: COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE: At Gorge Outfitters Supply in Rufus, Megan Eshleman reports anglers are catching Chinook salmon off the mouth of the Deschutes River but winds have kept anglers off the water for several days during the past week. Walleye fishing remains consistently good above the ...

Author: John Kruse

Posted: 9/7/2021

With some three million pink salmon flooding Puget Sound and entering tributary rivers right now, it is prime time to go fishing! Pink salmon return to Puget Sound every odd year and this is the best return we’ve seen in nearly ten years. The pinks are also known as humpies for the hump that forms on their back after they enter freshwater on their journey upstream to spawn. They generally run f...

Author: Hannah Pennebaker

Posted: 9/5/2021

It's the heat of the summer, and crappie fishing couldn't be hotter! As lakes begin to heat up, crappie come close to shore from the depths of their winter hideouts. These little panfish put up a good fight for their size, and they taste great too. Unlike trout, which don't bite as well when lakes heat up, crappie are right at home in warm water. They are eager biters from sun up to sun down, so n...

Author: Hannah Pennebaker

Posted: 9/5/2021

Tempura Breaded Crappie Crappie are truly the classic summer panfish. Whether you fry them whole or fillet them first, their tender white meat is always a summer highlight. They have large, thick bones that are easy to remove from fillets, or if you want to cook them whole, you can pull the meat off the bones once they're cooked. One you locate the school, crappie bite eagerly and it's easy to ...

Author: Hillary Holman

Posted: 9/5/2021

The Crazy Crab Place Kennewick, Washington NW Good Eats! Hey Everybody! It’s me, Hillary again with another NW Good Eats. This month we move on up the Columbia to Tri Cities Washington. Many of you have driven through these towns making your way to the Coast, Hanford Reach or The Dalles. Kennewick is where this joint is. Kennewick is a usual stop for Rob and I to stretch our legs and grab...

Author: Jason Brooks

Posted: 9/5/2021

The morning sky was getting light enough to tell itself from the distant mountains as we backed the boat down the ramp. Once we launched it was full throttle ahead as we crossed the Columbia to the mouth of the tributary river dumping in cooler water. Salmon making their way up the Columbia often dive into the cooler waters of tributaries or where that water mixes with the warmer water of the big ...

Author: Mike Carey

Posted: 9/5/2021

My reel was peeling line at a dizzying rate and it felt like I had a freight train attached on the other end. Without thinking I applied my thumb to the level line spool and pulled back with a loud “ouch!” “That’ll leave a mark” our guide Dave deadpanned. The fish was a good fifty yards behind our boat before I was able to slowly start to regain line. Foot by foot the strong chinook and I battled ...

Author: Paul Lewis

Posted: 9/5/2021

Toothy Monsters: The mighty Atlantic Sheepshead For those who have read my recent articles, you know that when I’m not in our great PNW guiding for the myriad of species we have, I am blessed to travel the nation with my second job. Just like many of you, I travel with my rods and spend my off time exploring new and exotic species wherever I am located. In this month’s travels, I was in the ...