Columbia River. During the past week, Tacoma Power and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife employees recovered 225 steelhead and 70 spring chinook adults during five days of separator operations at Tacoma Power’s Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery. 01/15/2021 Squiding has been good off the piers. Learn More. Locals might hate us for saying this, but Silver Lake is also the best bass lake less than a two-hour drive from the Portland-Vancouver area. There’s a smaller summer-run of Chinook, but small doesn’t describe these fish, which can be among the largest found anywhere. Cowlitz River Summer Steelhead & Sea Run Cutthroat Trout Fishing Historically the Cowlitz has one of the biggest summer Steelhead returns in the entire State of Washington. Yale has a moderate number of trout that drop in from tributaries, primarily coastal cutthroat trout. This is a small river system of modest interest to anglers, with some salmon (including Chinook and chum), steelhead and cutthroat trout present. When the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery began operation in 1968, it was the largest salmon hatchery in the world. Kapowsin Lake Fair New. The slough has the typical lower Columbia River backwater mixture of largemouth bass, crappie, yellow perch and bullhead catfish, plus aggressive northern pikeminnows. Currently, it produces nearly 13 million fish each year. Salmon runs are highly cyclical, so when these fish return to abundance, the Lewis will be one of the places to reliably catch them. You’ll use the same types of set ups in the heat of summer, but you’ll need weight or a down-rigger to reach the schools, which run deeper as the surface water warms. Kokanee fishing at the reservoir, also known as Yale Lake, ramps up by about the middle of spring and continues through summer. The lowest sections of this very short western Wahkiakum County river, including a lower slow-moving slough of a section that flows into Grays Bay, offer a mixture of warmwater fish such as bass and panfish and some sturgeon holes. Boat anglers probably account for 70% or more of the fish. You also can launch a small boat, kayak, canoe and certainly a float tube, but know that gas motors are strictly prohibited here. Of course, catches here have mirrored recent lower success rates in other Columbia tributaries, but this is a good spot to have on your radar. You’ll have to release most fish, as there is a strict one-fish per day limit and that one has to be at least 18 inches. While some of the most productive (and crowded) spots for salmon and steelhead are in Lewis County, the salmon and steelhead also are caught migrating through the lower two dozen miles in Cowlitz County. Here the issue was too many northern pikeminnows, which gobble up smaller game fish and can harm recreational fisheries. Would you Buy Some Value of an Earthworm and a Bee in Nature’s Bio-systems? January through March or April are likely your best trout-fishing months. smacked the crap out of my spinner and pulled like a mule. The fall Chinook run is the largest in numbers of all, and the fish aren’t bad size either, with some going 30 pounds or better. Check current regulations carefully and release wild salmon and steelhead, which will be what you are most likely to catch, other than rare strays. Visit our licensing page online to learn more about the types of licenses available and how to purchase. The Cowlitz River is widely considered to be one of Western Washington’s major sport-fishing factories, and this time of year anglers have their choice of several overlapping species. West Side Guide Service has … “Chinook and coho salmon returns to the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery have been above levels needed to meet broodstock collection goals for the Cowlitz Hatchery Chinook and coho programs. Dated 10/5/20. 4.8/5. Tiger muskies were introduced here and elsewhere in Washington to control non-game fish species that tend to overrun some waters. Satisfied customers. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2020–21 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet, More from The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Green Death: A Hipster Phenomenon? Falling in Love? See more in our Best Tiger Muskie Fishing in Washington article. Whether you call them harvest trout, cutts, or sea runs, sea-run cutthroat trout have been a fall favorite for generations. 3 lb. Fly Fishing the Cowlitz River. You’ll have to hike in, so it’ll take some work, but Castle Lake offers good bank fishing access and some good-sized rainbow trout in the Mount St. Helens blast area once you get there. It is the most heavily fished fork of the Lewis, compared to the smaller East Fork located in Clark County. There are lots of sections of river with varying regulations, so study up before fishing. May 04, 2015 - Cowlitz River. Both reproduce naturally to help repopulate the lake. Kokanee fishing is nearly always a boat show. Before we get there, we also suggest that after you’ve explored the best waters in Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties, stick around for the “Fishing in Neighboring Counties” feature below. Smallmouth Bass with a gold spinner #4 artic fox . They are often caught by trolling small lures and jigs. The 280-acre lake was formed naturally by an old lava flow from Mount St. Helens, long before the 1980 blast that impacted areas to the north far more severely. The run typically continues into late October or early November. During the warmer months, you’ll find fair to good fishing for bass and panfish species. The summer fish arrive in earnest during May and June and fishing typically holds up pretty well into July and August. We’ll divide up the two counties in the listings below to help keep you oriented. What’s Beyond Our Toilet Paper Obsession? This is Southwest Washington’s premier warmwater lake and one of the best spots to catch big largemouth bass in Washington and the Pacific Northwest. The Cowlitz itself headwaters in the Mount Rainier area clear up in eastern Pierce County, but major tributary Toutle River originates in the Mount St. Helens area. If you need fishing tackle, or are looking for a fishing guide or fishing charter please visit Tackle, Guides, Charters This short stream entering the Columbia River by the community of the same name has been known to put out a few steelhead for a mostly local contingent of anglers. The locals know it as Lake Sacajawea, “Lake Sac,” or simply “The Lake,” and this all-around gem of a city park in the heart of Longview also is home to some pretty decent fishing. Believe us, they are keeping the lake fishable. This is a pretty big lake (773 acres) that has drive-up access only at the southwest end, just off State Route 504. I Watched Another Documentary on Climate Change & I’m Angry. River Fishing (1) Fishing Technique. By June, you’ll probably do better closer up toward Kalama Falls Hatchery. Salmon harvests may be allowed during better run years, so watch the WDFW for updates. There are dozens of producing fishing spots between the trout hatchery and Toledo. The Elochoman is a relatively short river, originating in the soggy hills of Southwest Washington and flowing into a slough and then the Columbia River northwest of Cathlamet. The big bass also have seen it all, so you’ll have to step up your game to fool them. Wynoochee river fishing s cowlitz river fish reports map 30 min to white p ski area how to catch summer steelhead riptidefishCowlitz River FishingCowlitz River Fishing S West Side Service WestsideCowlitz River Fly Fishing TripsCowlitz River Fishing Visit RainierBlack Heron Fly Fishing Longview WashingtonBlack Heron Fly Fishing Longview WashingtonCowlitz River Summer Steelhead Water … Conventional angling techniques are banned here, and also you must release everything you catch, which could include several kinds of trout. The fall run in this lower reach picks up speed during August and keeps going strong into September. Josua Holowatz, a fish biologist in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Southwest Region, says that this year’s return of sea-run cutthroat has been particularly good. Together, the counties stretch between the high Cascade Mountains on the east to the coastal Willapa Hills and the top of the Columbia River estuary to the west. The first salmon of the year typically arrive in reasonable numbers during March (although die-hards start chasing them even earlier), while April generally produces the best results for spring Chinook. Also, note that Coldwater Creek and all inlet or outlet streams are strictly closed to fishing. The middle section of the North Fork is noteworthy by its series of dams forming Merwin Lake and Yale Lake bordering Cowlitz County, as well as Swift Reservoir upriver in Skamania County. Use multiple glow jigs with the heaviest on the bottom.. January through March or April are likely your best trout-fishing months. Until March 31, 2021, anglers can keep up to five sea-run cutthroat on the Cowlitz River, with a minimum size of 8 inches. A small stream entering the Columbia River in western Cowlitz County, home to the Abernathy Fish Technology Center, Abernathy has a modest and mostly catch-and-release fisheries for trout, steelhead and salmon. Much of the warmwater fishing here is focused on the sloughs and other slow-water areas on the insides of islands and smaller creek mouths, rather than out in current. There should be a few cutthroat trout around as well, including sea-runs in the late summer or early fall, but pay heed to regulations. This is a fly angler’s go-to spot in Southwestern Washington. It most likely will be a big rainbow. Today, the Cowlitz River provides anglers with an exceptional sport-fishing opportunity. Better Burial Marketing for The Death Industry. These are among the top fishing holes on the Cowlitz river and will get you on the water at some of the top fishing access points. This article also will talk about the best fishing spots near Cathlamet and other locations in neighboring Wahkiakum County, one of state’s smallest counties both by population and size located just down the Columbia River and within a short drive from Longview and elsewhere in Southwest Washington. This is a former bend in the Lewis River that offers excellent seasonal fishing for plentiful stocked trout (lots of rainbows and often some browns). The North Fork’s winter steelhead runs often peak in December around the holidays and continue to offer fair (sometimes good) fishing into January. Gear, Tackle and Trout Flies - Cowlitz River Washington Fly Line: The fly line we recommend for salmon fishing the Cowlitz River should be either an 9 or 10 weight, floating fly line. Date: Report: Author: 11-18-2020: Retention of hatchery salmon expanded on Cowlitz River Action: Increases daily limit of hatchery salmon. While the winter run isn’t fished much at all in the big river (the tributaries are the place for that), summer steelhead are caught in moderate numbers during June and July, including off beach areas in these two counties. kyle grizzard. Dated 10/7/20 Ray Johnson with a Cowlitz summer run. Be sure to check the 2020–21 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for information about the section of river you’re hoping to fish. For such a young lake, Coldwater quickly joined the ranks of Washington’s better large-trout waters after the WDFW stocked fingerlings starting in the decade following the blast. In fact, there’s quite a good fall fishery for crappie and other panfish here, even for bank anglers, into the colder months. For decades, the lower Cowlitz River reigned as king of winter steelhead fishing streams in Washington. This reservoir is the lowest of three big impoundments on the Lewis River, and it is shared with Clark County. Winter steelhead tend to run fairly late here, with catches usually best in March and April. Also note minimum size requirements for trout and tributary closure information. DATED 9/25/20 Colleen Hanson with a nice rainbow from the Long Beach Pennisula using her special leech pattern. “We’re hoping people get a chance to try one out this fall.”. These links will take you to great fishing just a short drive from Longview and Kelso. The trout will fall to relatively shallow trolling or bait-fishing techniques, but don’t expect this fishery to stretch into the summer here like it will at the reservoirs on the Lewis and Cowlitz rivers. When These California Wildfires Go Out, New Ones Will Come, America’s Wetland Forests: Our Southern communities’ shelter from the storms. Draining the slopes of Mt. This river system is located in northern Cowlitz County and is a major tributary of the Cowlitz River. As you can see from the photo above, they can grow to a size similar to a jack salmon, and weigh up to 3 pounds. Light Tackle (1) Drift Fishing (1) Policies. It has some cutthroat trout fishing. From 19979 reviews. There are some cutthroat trout in Castle Creek. These are fish that provide a lot of opportunity alongside other fall fisheries, and they’re booming in the Cowlitz River right now, at the same time as a better-than-expected coho return that has anglers buzzing. Fall Chinook overlap with often bigger runs of coho, although the latter “silvers” typically are migrating upriver a bit better by October. The first summer fish start appearing in May and June, especially in the lower river, although overall Cowlitz catches are better in July and August. The Cowlitz river offers a wide variety of public fishing access points that allow for access to fish on the Cowlitz river. These fish remain in the river well into August, but fishing is focused on the months of April, May and June. The North Fork below its series of reservoirs tends to be the larger producer of salmon and steelhead. This 3,600-acre reservoir on the North Fork Lewis River is primarily fished for kokanee. While those kinds of catches aren’t the norm today, this is still a good place to fish. Selective gear rules apply. Cowlitz River Subscribe to Receive Fishing Report Updates Rating - Fair: 47.78ft the water has come up a lot Steelhead fishing has picked up some its still early should be better in late Jan to early Feb . The North Fork has runs of both fall and spring Chinook and also fall coho. There is pretty good shoreline access, especially late in the season when the water level drops off a bit and the hatches pick up. The kokanee are a trout-sized land-locked sockeye salmon known for being feisty and quite tasty and traveling in large schools. There also are coastal cutthroat trout here, and WDFW mentions brook trout among the fish you might catch, although the other species are the primary focus. Puget Island in Wahkiakum County reported in recent years, mostly consisting a. 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