FISHERMAN'S CALENDAR
SO—season opened (or opens); SC—season closed (or closes).
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; OF—outlook fair; OP—outlook poor.
TROUT: MICHIGAN: Black, Pigeon and Jordan rivers were last week's top rainbow producers among special-season streams now open; Yellow Jacket streamer is best bet among flies, says spy. Manistee River FG below Tippy, and OG for all open streams as runs should increase through next 10 days.
WISCONSIN: Fall rainbow runs up special-season rivers (from Lake Superior) hadn't developed last week, but are due any day, and OG.
COLORADO: Yampa River L, C, FG with flies and bait, OF/G. Gunnison River L, C, FG, OF. East River, Taylor River and Quartz Creek L, C, FF with flies, bait and spinners, OF. Tomichi, Slate and Henson rivers VL, C, FP, OP. San Cristobal and Crystal lakes and Taylor Reservoir C, FF for trollers, OF. Colorado River (Rifle area) L, SD, FF with bait, OP. Big Thompson River L, C, FF with flies, FG with bait in deep holes, OF; North Fork of Big Thompson L, VC, FF, OF with flies. Troublesome and Blacktail creeks L, C, FG with flies. OF/G. Fish Creek and Buffalo Pass Lakes full, FG with flies and spinners, OG.
MONTANA: Best fishing of season reported from most Montana streams, with fine catches on wet and dry fly from Yellowstone, Madison, Big Hole, Beaverhead and Ruby rivers at midday and early evening. Spring creeks in Livingston area producing fat, sassy browns and rainbows for dry-fly experts (but these 10-to 18-inchers sneer at anything larger than #18 fly on 4X tippet). OVG through October in all streams and lakes.
CALIFORNIA: Heavy rains over northern part of state doused forest fires, broke hot spell and started fish moving in most waters. Best bets in this area: upper Sacramento between Dunsmuir and head of Shasta Lake, North Fork of Feather River near Seneca, both producing wild trout to 2 pounds. Truckee River improving, with veteran fly-fishermen finding FVG and OVG. Yuba, Mokelumne and Tuolumne rivers FF, OP. Fires under control along South Fork of Kings River but fishing spotty, OP. Tule, Kern and Kaweah rivers L, WT68-74 but FG for planted trout. East slope of Sierra improving as weather cools, OG for fly-fishing in Hot Creek, upper Owens River, Grant and Silver lakes, upper Rush Creek and Sullivan, Webb, Waah. Clark, Davis and Thousand Islands lakes (reached by pack trips). FVG in all high lakes as first frosts put fish on feeding spree; Ginger Quill and Gray Hackle flies most favored patterns. wet or dry.
IDAHO: Forests closed on account of fire hazard will probably be opened this week, and Governor Robert Smylie says fishing and hunting seasons will be extended to make up for days lost by closure. Meanwhile fishermen are finding good sport in northern Idaho lakes with trolled lures and in rivers with bait; Moyie River high-rated in area. FVG in main Salmon between North Fork and Shoup, and in South Fork of Payette between Warm Springs Creek and Lowman, but agent says hottest spots in state are Island Park Reservoir and Henry's Lake, where spin fishermen were limiting on rainbows to 5 pounds. For stream fishermen, Henry's Fork of Snake River and Box Canyon on the Snake are good bets this week and next.
NEW MEXICO: OG on all streams as cooler weather whets trout appetites; Chama and Brazos rivers FVG, OVG for dry-fly fishers.
OREGON: Trouting slacked off in most lakes and rivers last week as cold snap numbed fish; outlook poor.
WASHINGTON: The rains came, and 2-month SO Sept. 15 with loud bang at Friday Creek and Samish River as sea-run cutts to 3¾ pounds surged up freshened streams and gobbled spinners, flies and single eggs; area west of highway bridge on Samish was hot last week, and should sizzle through this week. Lowland streams in western state now at peak of season for sea-run natives and dollies. Fly-fishermen can pick any blue spot on map at timberline and be certain of fine trip (but get into high lakes soon, as first snow fell at 5,000 feet and higher in western Cascades last week).
ONTARIO: If you want a big rainbow trout, hurry to Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron and dunk live crawfish in Manitou River. Pools are holding 10-pounders, and most of those caught will fall to bait or flat plug.
MUSKELLUNGE: ONTARIO: FG in most waters of province; hottest spots in Lake Nipissing are Callander Bay near North Bay and weed beds off Cache Bay near Sturgeon Falls. Moon River near Parry Sound and weed beds in French River are trolling wobbler plugs with red-and-white favored color combinations. Colder weather should produce faster action, and OG.
WISCONSIN: Last week's hot weather put muskies off feed but OG when overdue cool weather sets in. Meanwhile some action reported from Round Lake, Couderay Lake and Hayward area.
NEW YORK: Action continues brisk in Cape Vincent area of St. Lawrence River and OG. Chautauqua Lake spy says muskies are beginning to respond to live bait at night but trolling is still most productive during daylight hours; OG through Oct. 15.
PENNSYLVANIA: Trollers removed two 20-pounders at Tionesta Dam last week, and outlook is fairish.
BLUEFISH: MASSACHUSETTS: Blues were still hitting nicely off the south side of the Cape last week and around the western approaches to the Canal; should still be in vicinity, and OG. Best lure: midget popper fished slowly with slight jerks of rod tip.
NORTH CAROLINA: Blues in 4-pound class reported in surf at Cape Hatteras, with tin-squidders finding good sport, and OG.
NEW JERSEY: Bluefish still large and abundant in north Jersey waters, but schools are scattering; concentrations are heaviest at Shrewsbury Rocks, 17 Fathom and Klondike banks. Surf fishing is excellent for fish to 5 pounds from Manasquan south, but few were in surf last week at northern beaches. Best surf areas are Point Pleasant, Manasquan, Seaside Heights and Phipps Estate; squidders and pluggers taking fish, but butterfish bait getting biggest play from fish (averaging 2 pounds) and fishermen (averaging 165 pounds). OG.
ATLANTIC SALMON: NEW BRUNSWICK: Nashwaak River, L, FP, OP. At Hartt's Pool on St. John River, FF but OG through this month, with a few 20-pounders showing. FVG on Main Southwest Miramichi, FF on Northwest Miramichi, FP on Tabusintac. Oriole, Mar Lodge and all-black flies are best producers. All rivers are low, but OG next two weeks.
NOVA SCOTIA: Cape Breton's Margaree River, a late-season stream, produced 74 salmon to 28 pounds last week and should be hot until SC Sept. 30. (SC Oct. 15 in some Nova Scotian rivers with later runs.)
LANDLOCKED SALMON: MAINE: "Anglers coming down September stretch like Nashua," says down-East agent; Rangeley, Sebago, Mooselookmeguntic, Moosehead, East and West Grand lakes are all yielding fine fish on surface lures and flies. Druggist Onesine Cyr of Waterville set pace for state with 9-pound buster on 9-3 streamer.
STEELHEAD TROUT: CALIFORNIA: North Fork of Trinity is loaded with steelhead; lower Eel, Klamath and main Trinity rivers are improving, and OF/G.
BLACK BASS: MICHIGAN: Undercover man says smallmouths biting so fiercely throughout state that anglers can't wear cuff links. FG.
FLORIDA : FF in lakes and rivers of central state as rains raised water levels in many areas, and OF through September. Good producer in this section is phosphate pits south of Lakeland, where deep-running plugs yield catches averaging 4 pounds.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Reservoir bass are moving into shallow water and assaulting surface plugs and spoons; fly-rod bugs and poppers should get good results; OF/G.
MISSOURI: Lake Taneycomo C, N, FG/VG with top-water lures producing bass to 6 pounds, OVG. Lake Bull Shoals (upper part) clear but about 10 feet below normal and dropping 4 inches a day. However, FG with top-water lures, and OG.
TENNESSEE: Dale Hollow Reservoir FG and OG as cooling surface waters bring bass back to upper levels and in range of surface lures (but deep trolling is still best method if you want one for over the mantel). Early morning fishing most productive. Center Hill Reservoir FG and OG, with Roy Hudgens of Sparta boating two smallmouths over 5½ pounds last week. Kentucky Reservoir FG and OG as big large-and smallmouths move up from deep water and show interest in surface lures. Our spy says Cheatham Lake, recently man-made lake near Ashland City, is giving up big bass and walleyes and should be kept an eye on.
PENNSYLVANIA: Allegheny River is quiet except between Franklin and Kennerdell where occasional 2-pounders will molest bait or lure; OG as nights (and water) grow cooler. In central Pennsylvania, FVG in Susquehanna, Condoquinet, Tuscarora and Juniata rivers and Sherman's Creek; best spots on Susquehanna are vicinity of Taylor Bridge at Harrisburg and below the Dock Dam in same area; OG.
LOUISIANA: A 7¢ bus ride from downtown New Orleans to City Park will put you in range of a lagoon full of bigmouth bass, now starting to develop cool-weather appetites. Not the state's hottest fishing, but the handiest.
PACIFIC SALMON: WASHINGTON: Lower rivers now L, C, with large schools of fishermen in every good pool. Skagit River crammed with terrific humpy run; FVG with June bug spinners-and-streamers, Colorado spinners, Indiana spinners, assorted spoons, wobblers and spin-lures. Reef-netters off Lummi Island's Legoe Bay taking cohoes to 6 pounds and springs to 57 but sport fishermen aren't doing as well. Top spot for silvers is Cattle Point at south end of San Juan Island, but water is rough and hard to fish. Legoe Bay to Lummi Rocks favored for blackmouths and silvers. Run of springs is about ended until late January.
BRITISH COLUMBIA: Tyee Club records closed at Campbell River Sept. 15 after second-best season on record, with 298 fish over 30 pounds (including 7 over 60, 38 over 50, 160 over 40). Silvers now coming to the fore, with rods averaging 3 to 4 fish to 18 pounds from Duncan Bay. FVG off Cape Mudge, FG at Bates Beach, Qualicum, French Creek with some springs to 20 pounds loitering off Qualicum. Fish in good numbers reported just outside Cowichan Bay, which should be hot any day now. In general, OVG for silvers, with flies and small spoons best except in stormy weather.
CALIFORNIA: More rain is needed to start big runs, but Klamath is picking up. Outside Golden Gate, party boats are limiting, with occasional big fish boated. Waters off Fort Bragg and Noyo River still tops in state, and OG.
OREGON: Salmon finally arrived at Yaquina Bay at Newport last Friday, with many fine catches reported; herring is best bait, and fish are running to 15 pounds; OG. Most coastal streams now have runs of jack salmon, and fly-rodders using egg-cluster baits are making good catches of jacks to 4 pounds; fastest sport is in upper reaches of tide water and lower freshwater stretches.
