FISHERMAN'S CALENDAR
KEY TO SYMBOLS
SO=season opened (or opens); SC=season closed (or closes); SV=season varies by district or water
C=clear water; D=water dirty or roily; M=water muddy.
N=water at normal height; SH=slightly high; H=high; VH=very high; L=low; R=rising; F=falling. WT50=water temperature 50°.
FG=fishing good; FF=fishing fair; FP=fishing poor. OG=outlook good; OP=outlook poor.
TROUT: COLORADO: Heavy snow in high Rockies put chill on surface fishing in high-altitude waters but big valley streams are hot. Frying Pan L, C, FG, OG; Gunnison L, C, FF, OG; Michigan L, C, FG, OG (this stream is next week's best bet); South Platte VL, C, FP, OF. With tourists gone home and rivers low, fly-fishing is at peak but cold weather will force bait and spinner fishing before SC Oct. 31.
BRITISH COLUMBIA: Kamloops fishing good to excellent at mouth of Adams River, although sockeye run hadn't arrived in force last week; FG in interior lakes and OG until snowfall. All Vancouver Island lakes producing good cutthroat catches to fly and troll; Campbell Lakes, McIvor and others fishing well and OG as sea-run fish show in most streams.
IDAHO: Salmon River and tributaries producing well as redsides move into spawning areas; dry flies taking fish from Snake River in Thousand Springs area as warm weather released heavy fly hatches, but morning trollers getting biggest trout; good evening fly fishing on Little and Big Wood rivers with heavy-hackled brown bivisibles most productive; FG and OG in Lost River watershed streams.
WASHINGTON: 18-pound rainbow caught in Wait's Lake (Stevens County) on bait as lake fishing picks up with cooler weather; Jamieson had hot opener with rainbows averaging 12-16 inches and OG for top fly fishing through October; Lake Sammanish good for cutthroat and rainbows to three pounds on troll; back-in potholes and beaver ponds in cut-over land producing fine wild trout on fly.
MONTANA: Missouri River above Canyon Ferry Lake yielding five-to 10-pound trout on spinning lures as bright warm days and cool nights maintain top fishing throughout northern Rockies.
WYOMING: Cool spell is putting more moxie in trout and OG for fly fishing in most rivers; most Yellowstone area streams are at peak for fly fishing: Lewis, Shoshone and Heart lakes producing mackinaws on large light-colored flies and OG through next week.
CALIFORNIA: Best bets for trout in northern state are upper American and Feather rivers. Good trout have started hitting in Lake Al-manor which will be open all winter this year. Big browns now moving up Owens River out of Crowley Lake and are amenable to flies and spinners.
OREGON: With algae cleared and water low in Wickiup Reservoir (upper Deschutes River), fishing is excellent for rainbows to 10 pounds, browns to 18 on spinning lures (copper wobbler best bet). FG with large dry flies and OG until SC Oct. 10.
IDAHO: One local expert observed, "We didn't have any summer—that's why fall fishing's so good."
BLUEFISH: MASSACHUSETTS: Martha's Vineyard is in midst of greatest bluefish season in years, with six-to eight-pound fish abundant and showing no signs of leaving (top fish in local derby is eight pounds 9½ ounces); OG through October.
RHODE ISLAND: Block Island surf casters taking some good blues from the beaches as schools are thick in offshore waters.
FLORIDA: East coast anglers still waiting for wind to shift from SE to NE and blow blues into beaches from Stuart to Miami Beach, OG if and when.
CHANNEL BASS: NORTH CAROLINA: Surf casters along outer banks (Nags Head to Drum Inlet) should enjoy fast action next few weeks with bass coming big and often; fishing piers producing nice catches of puppy and yearling drum with a sprinkling of mature fish to 40 pounds.
MUSKELLUNGE: ONTARIO: FG in Parry Sound region (41-pounder reported from Moon River on trolled spinner); silver wobblers raising good fish in west arm of Lake Nipissing.
PENNSYLVANIA: Only musky action in state is at Lake LeBoeuf, where fish in 20-pound class are taking big suckers; fishermen flocking to Conneaut Lake as low water forces closing of boat liveries at Pymatuning but FP; local talent says prospects are good when high winds die and barometer settles.
NEW YORK: Rough weather keeping most musky regulars ashore in St. Lawrence River, although Clayton reports two fish last week in 30-pound class. OG after first frost, due soon. Stormy weather roiled Chautauqua Lake last week after veteran muskyman Knute Hillstrom brought in 32-pounder taken off Maple Springs Monday night. After-dark anglers should do well with live bait from now until SC Oct. 15.
WISCONSIN: Most of northern part of state had heavy frost last week and sucker-soakers sprang into action. FG in Hayward areas, Chippewa Flowage and Round Lake; cord wood plugs and bucktails producing in Eagle River area, Big Twin, Columbus and Long Lakes; Wisconsin River (Rhinelander area) off slightly. No trophy fish reported and pressure off because of cold spell but traffic will increase with good weather and brilliant color in woods.
WALL-EYED PIKE: TENNESSEE: Norris Lake reports FF but other state waters disappointing, OP.
PENNSYLVANIA: Big wall-eyes still not showing in Delaware but OG in all pools above Port Jervis after Oct. 1.
MINNESOTA: Leech Lake reported redhot as cool weather has improved statewide fishing.
BLACK BASS: MICHIGAN: FG in Orchard and other lakes NW of Detroit with bass averaging two pounds and many in five-pound bracket; nightcrawlers best bait.
NEW YORK; FP in Chautauqua Lake, St. Lawrence River, Lake Erie but OG when weather settles.
TENNESSEE: Fishing improved on all TVA lakes last week with best catches from Cherokee and Center Hill Lakes; some top-water action starting to develop but most lunkers still in deep water and partial to slow-trolled lures.
MISSOURI: Most streams in fine condition as cool weather makes bass eager to feed and several four-to five-pound fish reported last week; Black River C, SH, FG, OG.
ONTARIO: Rideau Lakes and Bay of Quinte producing well and OG next two weeks; FG in Temagami, Nipissing and smaller lakes between, with surface plugs most successful and OG until SC Oct. 15.
PENNSYLVANIA: Fishing improving in central state as rivers rise to normal level, but still below par, with best (but not good) reports from lower end of Juniata. FP in Allegheny River but OG when weather lights someplace.
STRIPED BASS: MASSACHUSETTS: Long spell of stormy weather seems ended and OG for surf and boat fishermen as good schools are moving south and west around the cape and islands toward Montauk.
CALIFORNIA: Even hard-luck guys taking limits at all popular spots in San Francisco Bay region. Delta waters full of bass to 20 pounds.
ATLANTIC SALMON: NEW BRUNSWICK: Cains River SH with OG as best runs have not shown yet except at mouth; recent rains raised Tabusintac and Tracadie Rivers but a few fish in 10-pound class were killed last week and OG when water lowers; Nashwaak N, C, OG on this late river; not much action on Southwest Miramichi as SC Sept. 30.
STEELHEAD TROUT: CALIFORNIA: Fly fishermen doing well in Lower Klamath (up to Blue Creek) and in the Trinity to Weaverville.
OREGON: Steelheading fairly hot in Grant's Pass to Galice area, with boating most-favored method and standard steelhead fly patterns on #8 and #10 hooks best lures; OG unless heavy rains come early in upper river.
PACIFIC SALMON: WASHINGTON: Inner Puget Sound showing best silver fishing of the season off Bush Point, Mutiny Bay and Point No Point with salmon averaging eight to 10 pounds; limits common last week at Strait of Juan de Fuca at Neah Bay and Sekiu with prospects good for next fortnight.
CALIFORNIA: Commercial fishermen predict best fall run of chinooks in many years as huge schools lay off mouths of rivers; Klamath hottest now; trollers taking quick limits off San Francisco; few chinooks in Trinity River but rains will goose runs toward mid-October peak.
OREGON: FG at Yaquina Bay with silvers running to 15 pounds and best fishing just outside the bar; herring mooching with light spinning tackle most popular method; OG through early October but bring rain clothes.
BRITISH COLUMBIA: Coho salmon showing well in most waters and milling off river mouths with good catches reported from April Point, Browns Bay, Campbell River and Comox; OG although heavy rains have already drawn some fish into the streams.
PHOTO