Fishing Articles
Westside Fall Alpine Lakes
Winter is coming. When the cold air filters into the high lake areas of Washington State, suddenly if you aren’t ice fishing you aren’t fishing at all. If you want to hit the Pierce County high lakes now is definitely the time. Popular for their abundance of rainbow and brook trout, Pierce County high lakes offer fishermen at all skill levels a chance to throw a line in the water and truly enjoy t...
GH Unders Product Review
I got to learn a little bit about first layer under wear recently at Ed Iman’s Fish Camp, courtesy of Grays Harbor Unders Company GHUnders. This local business has been around since 2005, and started making products primarily for motorcycle riders. Ben and Mario Winkelman did a presentation for us at Fish Camp, which was quite informative.
Mario was a cross country motorcycle enthusiast, and his...
Argonne Ace Hardware Opening “Fishing Hole” Tackle
The General Store has been a mainstay for Spokane sportsman for decades. Last year they acquired the Argonne Ace Hardware in Spokane Valley and have spent the time since acquiring it bringing it into the General Store way of doing things.
“We’ve remodeled and brought a lot of different products,” General Manager Jon Evans said.
The remodel includes over 1500 sq. ft. of dedicated fishing tack...
Caddis Fly: Don’t Leave Home Without it
I was asked the other day which fly I would never leave home without. I quickly answered, “a caddis of course”. I think that would be the answer that most fly fishers would give. The caddis fly is thought of around the world as the fly fisher’s best friend.
More than 1,200 caddis species inhabit the rivers and lakes of North America. Caddis hatches are often the first to appear in April and oc...
Boat Trailer Maintenance
The truck pulled up next to us as we headed north on I-5, returning from a nice weekend at Merwin reservoir. “You’ve got a flat!” the passenger called out. Fortunately for us we were only a half mile from a Chehalis exit. JoAnn pulled us off the road and into an AM/PM gas station.
Our rear left trailer tire was indeed flat as a pancake. I proceeded to jack up the trailer and pulled my spare ou...
Mack's Lure Legacy of Innovations
There are many fishing lure companies that come and go, but the ones that stick around must be doing something right. Mack’s Lure has been in existence since 1969 and there’s no doubt that they will be around for many years to come. The business itself started with Vern McPherson, his wife Edna, and their son Ray who had started making lures in the garage of their home in Riggins, Idaho. The in...
The Art of Mentoring
Mentoring a new angler may not be easy, but it is vital to the future of our fisheries. With that in mind, I offer a few tips and a story to help you as you mentor the next generation of anglers.
Start with Bigfoot Repellent. Tell the young angler, "It's 100% guaranteed or your money back," or some other nonsense to let him or her know this is going to be fun no matter what happens. Then make q...
Floating Eggs for Fall Chinook 101
Though it has been unseasonably warm this summer we are about to take a turn into fall. With rains being predicted for the upcoming weekend and Chinook starting arrive in good numbers it’s time to get the float rods ready. By now, hopefully you have collected and cured enough Pink salmon skeins to fill a few mason jars. In case it has been a little while since you fished eggs under a float here is...
Brewster Sockeye Recap
Over the past few years, “red fever” has gripped more and more anglers during the long, hot, eastern Washington summer. The high numbers of these tasty red fleshed salmon returning, decent catch limits, and variety of ways to catch them all are contributing factors to “sockeye madness”. While several sockeye fisheries are gaining renown and have grown in popularity – “The Brewster Pool”, seems to...
The Friendliest Catch in Ilwaco
Ilwaco, Wa is part of a cluster of “beach” communities that cover the Long Beach Peninsula. Located about as far southwest as you can get and stay in Washington, its very near to the confluence of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. Its geography has shaped its identity – as much as its history of great fishing. Long a commercial fishing mainstay, it’s popularity as sport fishing mecca has ...
Locals Only
In many places it is common to discover “locals only” spots where anglers live down the road or at least in the nearby river town. When I find these rare gems at the peak of salmon or steelhead runs, I have found it is best to ask, “Where do you want me to fish?” which translates into “Where can I cast without bothering you?”
If you are fishing in Washington, and the Dick Butkus-looking guy ...
Puyallup River Pinks
(A rundown of the best bank areas)
My father was visiting from out of town for the weekend several years back and I suggested that we go fishing. My oldest son Adam, who was only five back then, was excited at this suggestion as well. So the three of us went down to the Puyallup River which is only a few minutes from my house since the Pinks were running. At the riverbank my father put on his w...
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