Northwest Fishing Reports

MH -- thanks. I know Bruce Bolding has read this thread, so I'm sure he's seen your comment about Tapps C&R. As you know, the Commission, not staff, has the authority to change fishing rules and it's hard to do. I know how you feel about releasing all muskies, but the 50-inch minimum size is almost ...

Thanks. Regarding the sea lions, I don't follow that issue real closely, but I'm pretty sure sea lions are a protected species under the federal Marine Mammals Protection Act of 1972, which is administered by the National Marine Fisheries Service, and I'm pretty sure WDFW and its Oregon counterpart ...

So far as I know, WDFW isn't feeding any of this season's salmon run to sea lions. Why do you blame sea lion predation on WDFW? Isn't it logical that state fisheries managers would regard both pike and sea lion predation as a problem? Believe me, I'm well aware of the disagreement between pike fans ...

WDFW's INland Fisheries Policy Advisory Group met today at the Spokane regional office. We enjoyed a great lunch of grilled walleye supplied by the Walleye club guys. The largest segment of this meeting was devoted to northern pike, which the Fish and Game Commission designated as a "prohibited spec...

Hello Andy, I've tried to PM you, but don't know if the messages went through. Are you still interested in fishing with us? I'm shooting for the weekend of Aug. 14-16, after which I'll be at Merwin on-and-off through the end of September. Update (posted Aug. 12): I plan to fish Merwin from Aug. 19 -...

Update: It takes weeks to get a marine shop appointment in the Seattle area, so my boat goes in for service on Aug. 3, not sure when I'll get it back, but I should be ready to start fishing by mid-August. If you're still interested in fishing with us, give a shout in about a week or so.

I own a fiberglass boat and a hatch lid came loose because the hinge screws pulled out of their holes. Searching the internet, I found a nifty way to fix this with little work and no mess. All you do is stick the end of a plastic cable tie into the hole, cut it off flush with the surface, and reinse...

If you plan to replace your existing boat, your best bet may be to wait until you get here, then link up with local walleye fishermen and buy a boat similar to what they're using. Larger Lunds are very popular here, because the Columbia River can get rough, especially in the Columbia Gorge, and the ...

A law passed by this year's legislature, which takes effect July 24, will require larger decals on fishing guides' boats to make them easier to identify, and fishing guides also will need to have business licenses, current first aid and CPR certifications, and at least $300,000 of commercial liabili...

I have a pair of MinnKota AP-65s on my boat (1 bow mount and 1 transom mount), with the bow mount on a MinnKota quick-release mounting plate. Both of these motors have a special thumbscrew made by MinnKota on the depth adjustment collar on the motor shaft, and the quick-release plate also uses that ...

Hi Andy, I don't know if you received my PM, but you can contact me directly at [email protected]. Put "Merwin fishing" in the subject line so I know it isn't spam. My boat won't be ready before early July. It has to go into the shop for service and they're pretty busy this time of year, but I'm work...

Tackle isn't a problem, I have enough tackle for 3 people. All you'd need is a fishing license, clothing suitable for the weather, and a way to get yourself there.

I haven't fished Merwin in a couple years, but I plan to this year. (I also fish Mayfield occasionally.) My boat is a Tuffy Esox Magnum, which can accommodate 3 anglers. I have 2 fishing buddies in the Merwin area, but they're not getting along right now, so I have to fish with them separately, whic...

KING 5 News reported yesterday that Lake Tapps may remain closed to boating and fishing all summer due to drought. (See link below). Tapps is an impoundment fed by snowmelt that enters the lake via the White River. Snowpacks are at record low levels this spring. In the Olympic Mountains, snowpack is...

Of course we don't know if a given fish will be caught again. I was speaking in generalities. What I said (or tried to say) is a state record fish is near the end of its lifespan, so the odds are it won't be caught again. With these weird fish anything can happen. I once hooked a big Merwin fish tha...

Nope, I didn't.

At least 3 of the 15 members of WDFW's Inland Fish Policy Advisory Group (IFPAG) won't be returning next year, and Chris Donley, WDFW Fish Program Manager, said at today's meeting that WDFW would to appoint a Western Washington bass angler to IFPAG. The members of IFPAG are volunteers who are appoin...

I've been informed by a source I believe reliable that Speelyai will close Sept. 2 for renovation work. My current understanding is it will not reopen this season. If this information is correct, it means participants in Chapter 57's Merwin tournament on Sept. 6 will have to launch their boats at Cr...

I don't care who gets credit, I'm not in this for fame or glory, but for the record it wasn't Mr. Hughes who drove to Olympia in a February snowstorm and sold the 50" rule to Craig Burley and other WDFW staff. My lawyer advocacy skills made that happen. I think I've made my position on C & R clear (...

It's about time we got a new record. The existing record has always been under suspicion of having been caught by less than legitimate means. I don't know, and can't say one way or the other, but I'd like to see any possible cloud over our state record removed by the certification of a new fish. Per...