Author: John Kruse

Posted: 10/23/2020

Between fall hunting, fishing, bighorn sheep and news from our state parks there’s a lot to cover this week: HUNTING: There were no official deer check stations set up last weekend for the modern firearm opening of deer season in Northeast Washington due to Covid-19 concerns but checking with several Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Officers, Spokesperson Staci Lehman was...

Author: Jason Brooks

Posted: 10/10/2020

Last month I spent four days on a coastal river fishing for fall chinook. The first day was on a Saturday the weekend before my family was coming to visit and go fishing. It was spent rowing down the river and fishing, but mostly re-learning the river. Anglers often don’t take the time to “learn” a river or fishery and waste their precious time, often not realizing until it is too late why they di...

Author: John Kruse

Posted: 10/10/2020

If you are looking for a high-quality stream fishing experience for trout, look no further than the Yakima River, Washington’s only Blue Ribbon trout stream. Flowing from Keechelus Lake near Snoqualmie Pass into the Snake River at the Tri-Cities, the river offers cold water fisheries in the upper river and warmwater fishing for bass, catfish and more in the lower section. The upper stretch...

Author: Hannah Pennebaker

Posted: 10/10/2020

Fall is officially here! Even though the weather has cooled off, the salmon fishing is at its hottest. The chinook run has mostly tapered off, but there are still thousands of coho pushing into rivers every day. This is the perfect time to give float fishing a try. Coho are aggressive fish and eager egg biters. In last month's article, we discussed techniques and strategies to optimize your bobber...

Author: Mike Carey

Posted: 10/10/2020

My single action reel spun wildly as the coho took line, rod double over, I enjoyed the pure power the fish displayed. In amazement I watched as the fish clear the water and tail-walked several feet before crashing back down and making another strong run. Working him back to the boat, my friend slid the net under him, a beautiful ten pound September Puget Sound coho. Around us the fleet of recreat...

Author: Rick Lawrence

Posted: 10/10/2020

One of my favorite things to do in the late fall is chase Smallies. Here on the P.O. River in N. Idaho that means falling water and current flow, as well as fairly clear water. One key to fishing Smallies in the fall is to find and fish current breaks. This may be a boulder field or and current line on an eddy in the river. Look for some kind of current break in 8 to 20 ft of water. Smallies in ...

Author: John Kruse

Posted: 10/10/2020

Rusty Johnston is my best friend of 40-plus years. We met bass fishing as kids and have never stopped fishing together since that time. The two of us had been practicing this spring and summer to fish the Berkley Big Bass Tournament at Potholes Reservoir, scheduled to happen October 3rd. Seven hourly first place winners using only Berkley baits and Abu-Garcia rods or reels would receive a $3,00...

Author: John Kruse

Posted: 9/25/2020

Lost in the opening of so many hunting opportunities this month is the fall turkey season. This offers the chance to not only bag a big bird weighing up to 20 pounds but also the ability to enjoy a lean, high protein, tasty meal with plenty of leftovers. In Washington State we have three subspecies of turkey. They are the eastern wild turkey found in Western Washington, the Rio Grande subspec...

Author: John Kruse

Posted: 9/19/2020

Camano Island offers an easy to get to vacation option away from the city through two saltwater state parks located within a mile of each other. Sitting just 67 miles away from Seattle and across two saltwater sloughs west of Stanwood, Camano Island is a rural getaway. There are no towns here, just a few crossings with stores, gas stations and cafes amongst the roads winding through woods, fields...

Author: John Kruse

Posted: 9/15/2020

Every September for 16 years I’ve driven down the hill from Goldendale, taken the turn left on a road that passes by Maryhill State Park, and pulled into a campsite fronting the Columbia River at the impeccably clean and well cared for Peach Beach RV Park. What brings me here? Fish Camp. It’s an annual event attended by outdoors media members, professional anglers and individuals in the fishin...

Author: John Kruse

Posted: 9/6/2020

A lot of fishing derbies and events have been cancelled this year thanks to Covid-19 but one that has gone on with relatively little fanfare but wide availability to the everyday angler since May is the annual trout fishing derby put on by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Running through October 31st, anglers out for a day of fishing should be sure to keep any trout they catch with...

Author: Jason Brooks

Posted: 9/6/2020

Maybe it’s the crisp and cold mornings or it could be the lack of people on the water but fall trout fishing is one of my favorite outdoor activities. The fish are often bigger than the spring planted fish and they fight hard too. For those that like to keep a trout or two for dinner you will notice the flesh is firm and has good taste. Fall trout is something every angler should take the time to ...