SALMON

The silvers are starting to show along points in the Straights of San Juan de Fuca and should provide some excellent beach fishing along points including Point Wilson in Port Townsend, Point Marrowstone, and Point no Point.  These incoming fish are still feeding and readily take a properly fished fly.  As a rule, fly anglers do better than gear anglers at these locations as silvers often are very high in the water column, often just below the surface.  This make them available on floating or slow sinking fly lines. Watching a ‘hot’ Coho smash a top water fly is about as cool as it gets!

In the Hood Canal, Quilcene Bay provides some of the better early silver salmon fishing opportunities.  Be sure the check the regulations on line before you go.  In season changes to regulations are posted on line.  In any event, we recommend releasing all wild fish. These are fish that have not had their adipose fins clipped off.

SEA RUN CUTTHROAT TROUT

These trout range the shallow shorelines throughout the inner waters, bays, and byways of Puget Sound year-round and provide a unique barbless hook, catch-and-release fishery.  During the summer these fish tend to search out cooler water. Break out your type III or VI sink tip lines.

Stop by the shop and we can point you in the right direction, show you some unique fly patterns and gear or sign you up for one of our very popular beach fishing seminars. These seminars include the specifics of where, when and how to take advantage of our saltwater fly fisheries. In addition, Richard Stoll’s books on fishing for salmon and sea run cutthroat trout available in our shop are quite definitive on when, where, and how.

ALPINE LAKES ARE PRIME!

Olympic Mountain alpine lake fishing is at its prime this month, and they should continue to fish well into September.  Alpine trails are mostly clear of snow making for easy passage.  Many Alpine lakes are substantially unexploited by the angling community. There are some great venues on the east side of the Olympics in Jefferson and Mason counties.  Several that come to mind are Lower Lena Lake and Mildred Lakes.  Dave Shorett’s Olympic Mountains Fishing Guide is a good starting primer on where to go and how to get there.  We have this book in the shop.  In addition, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has an excellent rundown on these lakes including trout species and when they were stocked:  http:/wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/washington/highlakes/GeoLocation/600/

OLYMPIC TROUT STREAMS – OFTEN OVERLOOKED

One of our most underrated fisheries in Washington State. This alpine wonderland provides miles of uncrowded, pristine waters. Most Olympic mountain streams are open above salmon migration obstructions or as described in the regulations.  Most Olympic streams offer exciting trout fishing on small flies and very light fly fishing gear. A 3wt or smaller rod is the ticket here. The Hama Hama, Dungeness, Dosiwallips, Quilcene, and Duckabush Rivers, are all great local options to explore. A  number of streams may be under selective gear, catch-and-release regulations. Check the fishing regulations before going.