Many anglers who are interested in adding a fish finder to their arsenal of tools become frustrated and confused with the extensive options that they have to choose from, not to mention the distinct features that each product has. This is unfortunate as fish finders differ pretty significantly from one unit to the next. So you need to select the best sounder for your needs and circumstances if ...[more]

There’s an old adage that when one door closes another opens. In this age of fishery closures I think it rings very true for anglers. We have limited options, but that doesn’t mean we have no options. Nowhere is this truer than for this falls Puget Sound coho fishery. As any salmon angler around Puget Sound knows, Area 9 is closed for boat angling for coho. Per WDFW, the reason for this action is ...[more]

Starting August 1st, and continuing until the end of the month, we turn our attention to the mouth of the Columbia River near Astoria. Oregon. This is the famed Buoy 10 fishery! There is nothing quite like the pull of a 20+ pound Chinook ripping line out on a hell bent run back to the Pacific Ocean. To say that these fish are fresh is an understatement! The fish you hook up with most likely ju...[more]

This summer, as we all know, put a few wrinkles in all our fishing plans! Before summer even got here, we were already hearing about the low steelhead return forecasted for the Columbia, Snake, and its tributaries. The sockeye run was far smaller than needed forcing a closure on that fishery in the upper Columbia. Fortunately, one of the great aspects of living in the Pacific Northwest is that w...[more]

The miles fly by as my wife JoAnn, and our dogs Diesel and Rudy watch the Montana landscape pass by. Free of the crushing traffic of the Puget Sound, we travel ever closer to my son and daughter in law’s home in Great Falls. Behind us a precious cargo is in tow. But this journey really began twenty two years earlier. I can remember like it was just yesterday… “Go faster, that was fun!” my son ...[more]

I have been fishing for many years now with a swimbait that I think every Bass, Pike and Muskie fisherman should have tied on a rod at all times. If you have never fished a swimbait before this should be your first one you ever throw. If you fish a lot of swimbaits this will be one of the best you will ever throw. It has caught every single Muskie I have ever caught, about 50% of all my Pike and...[more]

Pink Salmon fever is an ailment that occurs every other year and sometimes the disease hits harder for some than for others. Usually those that get the “fever” the most are those that just like to catch fish and a lot of them regardless of size or stature. What also makes fishing for pinks such a craze is the fact that just about anyone who can cast a rod can be very successful. With 1,150,000 pin...[more]

Soft-plastic baits consistently catch bass in all water types and conditions. Whether the goal is to catch a bunch of bass, or the bass of a lifetime, the Texas-rigged soft-plastic bait is a great choice. However, the soft-plastic bait is probably the most difficult bass lure to understand. The variety of baits available, the numerous ways to rig them, and the fact they will catch bass in all wate...[more]

Brewster King Salmon Derby Largest on the Upper Columbia River Held 1st Weekend in August The largest Salmon Derby on the Upper Columbia River is coming up soon, and there is still time to register at Brewster Salmon Derby. The Brewster King Salmon Derby will be held Aug. 4-6, and the odds of getting a wining fish are getting better every year. There is over $20,000 in cash and prizes to be ...[more]

Perhaps you’ve heard the news that WDFW have planted triploid kokanee in Lake Roosevelt. Anglers that have are probably dreaming of monster triploid kokanee, similar to what they have seen for the triploid rainbow trout program. The fact vs. fiction however is much more interesting. When I recently confirmed with WDFW that triploid kokanee were also planted in Lake Cavanaugh I knew I wanted to fin...[more]

The clouds hung over the tree-covered hills but broken patches of blue sky gave the promise of a good day to come. The water was a glassy calm as our boat accelerated away from the dock toward our off shore fishing grounds. We were back for another epic adventure to Zeballos, Vancouver Island, and fishing with Adrian O’Connor of Reel Obsession Sport Fishing. Last year we fished out of Zeba...[more]

“Casting a fly for carp is like dragging a piece of fried chicken through the local seniors’ center. If it looks good and moves slowly enough, something will eventually try to gum it to death.” Thus Field & Stream magazine introduced America to the idea of fly-fishing for carp 10 years ago. The Golden Bonefish Carp – long considered an invasive trash fish and the subject of mockery – st...[more]