The land locked king salmon fishery in Lake Oroville has been a tough one to figure out. They are a cold water fish that stays down deep for most of the season. Shore based anglers rarely can reach them and boat fishermen have a tough time finding the correct combination of depth, speed and lure. The story of the cold water fishery in Lake Oroville goes back to the completion of the dam in the ...[more]

Reports are pouring in regarding great fishing up in Okanagon County. The area offers lots of recreation opportunities including ATV riding, hiking, and of course fishing. There are many campgrounds and RV parks around the area, but for those looking to just head out and get in some great kokanee fishing, Okanagon Valley Guide Service and the Best Western Plus Peppertree Inn at Omak have put to...[more]

May brings on one of my favorite fisheries, but it is not one where you use a hook, line, and rod to reel in the catch. Instead, baits are in the form of canned cat food, tuna fish, and pellets that resemble dried dog food. Rope is needed, not monofilament lines, and the net is a metal box made of 1 inch mesh. Yes, May is the beginning of shrimp season! Puget Sound offers a very good shrimp fis...[more]

I listened to the trolling motor as it went into it’s programmed acceleration. Like clockwork the outside downrigger rod began to do a familiar “tap tap tap” as it signaled another kokanee on the other end. Pulling the rod out of the rod holder Alan reeled down and popped the release. “It’s not a bad fish” he noted. The rod doubled over as the kokanee gave some good head shakes. Alan slowly and st...[more]

A good pair of waders can be the difference between spending the day with boots full of mud or with dry toes. This article will offer answers to your questions about selecting the right waders to get the most out of your experience on the water. Choosing The Right Type of Waders For You There are several different wader designs available to anglers today, each with their own advantages and di...[more]

Understand the stages of the smallmouth spawn, and you’ll catch more bass this spring. Springtime smallmouth bass are here one day and gone the next as they migrate from their winter haunts to their spawning areas. Understanding the stages of the smallmouth spawn, and how the fish behave in each of those stages, is key if you want to catch them all season long. The three stages are the pre-s...[more]

The fishing at Lake Chelan for kokanee is red hot! If you’re interested in getting some shiny 11-15” silver bullets now is the time to go. I arrived on Thursday evening and met up with site members Fish Dawg and his daughter, Fish Princess, Downriggeral (Alan Hanna of ifishsolutions.com) and they filled me in on where to go and what techniques to use. To paraphrase my guide friend Anton Jones -...[more]

Awesome trips planned for this year Last June, Northwest Fishing Reports had the opportunity to invite members to join us as we fished and filmed with Reel Obsessions in the village of Zeballos on Vancouver Island, BC. Everyone had a great time and we produced 3 amazing adventure videos for our TV show and publishing online. We did it again for Tuna out of Ilwaco, Wa. Another great trip! This w...[more]

Hi guys, Lance Merz here. I want to apologize for not being at the Lake Chelan get together this year. I always love coming to this event because I have met so many great people these past three years in attendance. Unfortunately, I will be giving a Kokanee Seminar in the Portland area that day and everything is locked in. I wanted to take a few minutes to help in your successes (if you nee...[more]

There’s something about trout fishing that always gets me excited. Maybe it’s the fact it’s a sign of Spring and after this past long and wet winter I am ready for some sunshine. But mostly I get excited for the lowland lakes trout opener because it reminds me of my youth. Like most other anglers I learned to fish by heading to the local lakes and fishing for trout on the opener and the following ...[more]

How to Prepare Canned Tuna for Salmon Fishing Many salmon anglers have come to realize the effectiveness of canned tuna as a bait source for salmon fishing. Canned tuna, especially packed in oil, has many uses as a salmon bait. It is often wrapped in mesh to form tuna balls, wrapped onto plugs, stuffed in Super Baits, or added to eggs as a flavor enhancer, and because canned tuna is sold in ...[more]

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing the founders of Youth Outdoors Unlimited for several years and it’s been awesome to watch this organization work! The team at YOU is tireless when it comes to their mission of providing outdoor adventures for young people that truly appreciate it. At the core of what we do at Northwest Fishing Reports it’s a passion for our sport and by an extension the greater out...[more]