Author: Pete Rosko for The Mack Attack

Posted: 7/24/2015

There are distinct advantages to the open shank double hook on the SBF including quick hook changes and increased hook-ups. As with any open shank double, or treble hooks, it is extremely important not to open the tight contact between the shanks. When releasing fish, especially hooked on a double hook, both hooks must be engaged at the same time to prevent damage to the hook, especially its s...

Author: Dave Graybill

Posted: 6/30/2015

Kokanee fishing continues to be good at Lake Chelan, so don’t think that you have missed out for this year. Our area streams are already in fishing shape, and now is the time to try them. I have been spending some of my hot summer days on Lake Chelan, still in pursuit of kokanee. There is still a good cluster of boats chasing these fish, and they are moving further and further down below Ro...

Author: Jason Brooks

Posted: 6/30/2015

As summer heats up so does the salmon fishing. There is something about July, almost like a preview of what is yet to come in the next three to four months. This summer it’s all about Chinook, Coho, Sockeye and Pinks and to kick it off here is a rundown of July’s top fisheries, the places to go, the fish to catch and the gear to use. Westport has been open for over a month now but it started o...

Author: Mike Carey

Posted: 6/26/2015

Imagine a kokanee lake where you can consistently catch 13-15” beautiful fat, shiny kokanee and not have one single other trolling angler around you for three straight days. And it’s only two hours away (plus 30 minute ferry ride). That’s Lake Sutherland, and this weekend JoAnn and I and our dogs Diesel and Rudy were in kokanee heaven. I was honestly surprised. I know it’s off the beaten path, but...

Author: Lance Merz

Posted: 6/25/2015

Evolution is a key to our survival in the human race, so fishing is no different. Often times, many anglers will find a way of fishing to produce more fish. They will always use the same rod and reel, the same type of line, as well as the same lures. I grew up fishing with a bobber, a couple of split shot weights, a worm and a hook to catch my fish. Times are changing however. I was recently a...

Author: Zach McGlothern

Posted: 6/16/2015

I am going to cover one of my favorite new fisheries, Skagit River Sockeye. Last year was my first time targeting these salt fresh fish, and I am now addicted to put it lightly. These Sockeye are hours from the salt water and really put up a tussle on Steelhead gear. Another awesome thing about this fishery is that it gives the shore bound angler a great chance to tangle with a Sockeye. There is s...

Author: Alex W.

Posted: 6/2/2015

Stepping out of my car into the cool, salt tinted air of a late spring morning along the shores of Puget Sound, my eyes are greeted by the hills of Whidbey Island back lit with the rose glow of a swift sunrise under the stark gray of a distant cloud bank. My ears are greeted with the intermixed melodies of a myriad of song birds in the trees behind me and the frantic splashing of schools of bait f...

Author: Dave Graybill

Posted: 5/25/2015

If you are an active angler, you just have to love this area. There are so many great options any time of year, and last week I had a blast exploring some of them. I caught everything from kokanee to rainbow to largemouth bass, and even spring salmon! My fishing buddy Rollie Schmitten and I finally found a couple of free days on our calendars and I took him up to Buffalo Lake, on the Colvil...

Author: Jason Brooks

Posted: 5/24/2015

When I was six years old my father decided to take us up to Eagle Lake that sits high above the Methow Valley. He strapped some sleeping bags onto the handlebars of his Honda motorcycle, I straddled the gas tank and my brother rode on the back with the pack of camping gear tied down to the bike, pinning him against my dad’s back. We putted up the trail towards the lake and met some hikers on their...

Author: Lance Merz

Posted: 5/22/2015

If you’ve never fished in a fishing derby before, I need to tell you from experience, it’s a blast! It not only allows for the opportunity to catch some great fish, but more importantly, it develops a sense of camaraderie and long lasting friendships with the commonality of fishing. If you ever decide to fish in a derby however, here are some tips that will make it more rewarding. Preparation ...

Author: Mike Carey

Posted: 5/22/2015

My son Matt moved to Montana for college several years ago, and now lives in Great Falls with his wife. On our numerous trips to Montana my wife and I have driven past streams and rivers that just cried out “Fish Me”, but I have never had an opportunity. Until this year, that is. Our schedules finally lined up, gas got cheap, and with a green light from my Better Half I threw my two person pontoon...

Author: Rob Holman

Posted: 5/5/2015

Everybody loves salmon. The thing is, some people don’t consider Kokanee “real” salmon. I kind of feel bad for the little guys. They’re like the crazy country cousin nobody admits to having but everyone does. I’m one of those guys, both with the crazy cousin and a Kokanee hater. That is until a recent trip to Palmer Lake in Okanagon County with guide Jerrod Gibbons and his crew from Okanagon V...