Tips for a newbie/visitor?

[SlipSinker]

Hi there. Hoping to lean on the forum's generosity here.

I'm a Marylander, and I'm used to fishing one of the Chesapeake tributaries near Annapolis for Striped Bass, White Perch, and Channel Catfish, mostly. (Also do some crabbing.)

In October I'll be headed out to Washington state for work and will probably be able to steal away once or twice to do some fishing. I'll have a car and am willing to go just about anywhere my odds are good. (I'm flying into Seattle but will be driving out to Spokane, so, really, anywhere.)

So I guess my question is: mid-October, you've got a day or two, are open to any kind of fishing (river, lake, etc)---where are you going and what are you fishing for?

I'd love to try for salmon, but am open to any suggestions. Tips about location, time, tackle, tactics---all are welcome. Not expecting anyone to give away their secret spots here, of course.

My thinking is that I might gear up here---buy the right tackle, spool up one or two of my own reels---and then just pick up a rod when I arrive in WA. Hence my head-start.

Thanks in any advance for any advice you're willing to share!

[TrackerPro16]

I hope you realize that Spokane is like, 250 miles from Seattle? Your post can be taken a couple different ways as far as where you will be working and living. Add a little more information and you may get a better response.
On the gear: If I take someone with me it can be easier if they just use my gear. There are a number of different fishing styles in the State and the proper gear will increase your odds and make the fishing 'experience' more enjoyable. Probably no need to buy gear. At least not right off the get go.

[SlipSinker]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I'm in a weird situation here where I'll be working in two far-flung parts of the state--as you say, separated by some 250 miles. And my schedule is fairly flexible, so I can steal away to fish either in Seattle or Spokane--or pretty much anywhere in between or nearby. I totally get the strangeness of this.

My hope, though, is that this flexibility will enable me to go for some good fishing. Out here in MD it's mostly bass ("rockfish"), as I mentioned. It'd be fun for me to try for salmon or trout, but I'm not sure where best to look for them. Just wondering if anyone has suggestions. I'd be boat-less, using spinning gear from the shore.

Again, thanks in any case. And no hard feelings if folks aren't inclined to help. I know the Maryland forums can be tight-lipped.

[Larry3215]

Shore fishing is going to limit what you can do. Bank access is pretty limited in most places. Most any river with fish in it on the west side is going to be crowded as heck. Bank fishing on the rivers around here is called "combat fishing" with good reason It might be better on the west side, but I don t know about that.

There are fishing piers and docks scattered around Puget Sound and in parks on many lakes, but again, they tend to stay pretty crowded - especially on the west side of the mountains.

Two places I can think of where you stand a chance of success might be Banks Lake and Potholes Reseviour, and maybe Moses Lake. All three have a lot of shore access and you should be able to target walleye, whitefish, perch and bass from shore.

[SlipSinker]

Hadn't thought about targeting walleye--that's a good thought. Appreciate the reply!

[TrackerPro16]

The first thing you will want to do is study the regs. Download from WDFW and read from your phone or get a hard copy. I can mail you one if you wish. The regs here can be,,, a challenge, to say the least. Get familiar with them. There are a whole lotta lakes you can shore fish between Seattle and Spokane. The ones on the East side of the State will not generally be as crowded. The 'East side' can be misleading as the dividing line is basically Snoqualomie pass just east of Seattle. There are more people living in King County (Seattle area) than the entire rest of the State.

[spokey9]

You're coming right at an off time this year. Usually Oct is coho time but their projected numbers are low, so we may or may not have a season for them. Mid October might give ya shot at few early chum but salmon fishing is gonna probably slow. If you shoot me a pm a week or so before you get here I might be able to help you find a spot with a chance to catch a salmon, but it's too far out to predict what the actual runs will look like in Oct or what kind of emergency regs the dept throws at us.

[jonb]

I would highly suggest booking a guide on the salt water or river (depending on openings) for coho salmon in mid october (also consider heading north to bc for said coho charter if washington doesn't have an opening this year). For the same money you'd spend on gear you could just hire a guide, use their gear and they will almost certainly put you on an absolutely spectacular day. I would also consider hiring a charter on lake chelan for lake trout (mackinaw). In order to become good enough and geared up enough to be successful in washington you'll have to spend hundreds or more realistically thousands of dollars and years learning. A guide will circumvent all of that and immediately put you on fish. Good luck.

[SlipSinker]

These are helpful suggestions and offers--thanks. (And sorry for the slow response; east coast time here.) I've never done a charter, but that's a convincing case. And yes, when I looked at the WA regulations a few weeks back it made me feel much more charitably about the MD DNR's regs, which are far easier to parse.

[TrackerPro16]

Like everything else, once you see how they read they 'sort of' make sense, but they are still pretty convoluted... To charter is an excellent idea, both inland and Coast. I know guys that have hired a Guide wherever they go the first time as you will learn YEARS of tips and tricks in a few hours. Not to mention as has been stated, they usually provide the gear and 'should' put you on the fish.
That said, I would think the gear we use here would be pretty much the same as used on the 'other side' for similar species. A lot of it is personal preference any way. That and knowing your style. I tend to get excited and occasionally 'jerk' rather than 'sweep' for panfish, so use light drag on the reel with braid, or use mono for the 'give'. I also use light and limber poles for the same reason. Good luck!

[fisherman92]

October is usually good for trout and bass in most lakes and lake fishing would be much easier to dial in than river fishing if you aren't familiar with salmon fishing.

[SlipSinker]

Lake fishing for trout is what I was originally thinking before I got excited about salmon. Beginning to think--with all of the feedback here--that salmon just might be too much to take on unless I do a charter. Maybe trout it is... Any specifics on that score are most welcome. (Lures/spoons/spinners or live bait rigs? Specific lakes?) Again, thanks, all--this has been very helpful!

[fisherman92]

If your bank fishing. Power bait is always a good option, anywhere from 3-5 ft off the bottom. If salmon fishing is hot though you can always read the reports and find easier techniques and popular spots to fish.

[fisherman92]

October is a great time for coho. You can always try for them on any open river (And check emergency regs). Twitching jigs or spoons would be an easy option and is what I catch most of mine on. Or eggs of course but I use bait as a last resort usually.

[dj2loud]

MARYLAND.....!!!! Dude call me ! Send me a text, come on over here!!! I'm from La Plata Md....... !!! If your ever in the whatcom area I'll be glad to take you out!

[rwl]

In the spokane area for trout, Sprague lake is right off of hwy 90 between seattle and spokane and is pretty close to spokane. there are lots of reports on this site, and there is shore access. If you check the four seasons campground and resort on facebook, they post regular updates when the fish are biting. Water is too warm now so no recent reports but depending on the cooling, october could be really good. It is worthy of a try because there are some very large rainbows in there. Lake Roosevelt is another good possibility, but a farther drive.

[SlipSinker]

Thanks, all! I'm gathering it's best to track the reports here and then make the call whether to go for coho or trout closer to the date. Getting excited!

[jonb]

If you do go for trout, fall is a really good time to do it. If you have a boat (any floatation device and are here before oct 30) bosworth lake and cottage lake are a sure thing for trout. If you are shore bound, you may want to take a hike to one of the many alpine/subalpine lakes in washington.

For gear any light spinning rod will do, 6lb mono (some people will use braid as mainline and a leader of monofiliment of flourocarbon. Which is fine but I wouldn't over complicate it)
A few things you should have;

- kastmaster spoon
- dick night spoons (you'll find them in most stores that carry tackle here)
- bobber/worms
- wedding ring spinner.
- can of power bait and sinkers.

If you do make it to bosworth lake just go straight down the far end of the lake and troll that wedding ring tipped with a piece of worm slowly, if you don't get action right away, add a couple sinkers and repeat until you start slaying fish. Also try casting and slowly retrieving the kastmaster to rising fish. Same badic thing at cottage lake.

If you walk into an alpine lake start with the kastmaster fanning and covering water, if that doesnt work or stops working go to bobber/worm and adjust depth, and cover water with that until you see succuss.

[SlipSinker]

Thanks! I'm definitely boat-less (unless I look into rentals), but am going to research some of the hike-able lakes.

[riverhunter]

October is a great time for fall chinook on the Columbia. Hanford reach area. It's definitely better on a boat but you still catch them off the bank. If I were to fish the Columbia for kings in oct I would most likely fish ringold springs and either throw spinners with shrimp or plunk with spin n glos using either shrimp or cured eggs. Just a thought as I seen no one mentioned salmon fishing on the east side. There is not much of a coho fishery in that area but the kings come in thick in oct around them parts