Skip to main content

FISHERMAN'S CALENDAR

C—clear water; SH—slightly high; FG—fishing good; FF—fishing fair; FP—fishing poor; OG—outlook good; OF—outlook fair; OVG—outlook very good.

STEELHEAD: WASHINGTON: All rivers L, C and fishable, but extreme cold has kept fish and fishermen inactive except during warmer periods of day. Olympic Peninsula streams most productive, with Quinault and Humptulips outstanding. Warm weather and light rain last Saturday should stir up some steelhead action along entire slope. Green and Skagit rivers getting heavy play, with 17-pounder best fish reported. Wynoochee and Joko rivers FG, OG. This week may be best of entire season, and best bets are Puyallup, Green, Skagit, Quinault, Humptulips, Toutle and upper Cowlitz. Best lures are yarn, cherry bobbers, brass and bronze wobblers.

CALIFORNIA: Last week saw best fishing since December floods as bait and spinners produced steelhead to 10 pounds from Garcia, Gualala, Navarro, Big and Ten Mile rivers. South fork of Eel was clearing at press time and should be in top shape now. Upper Trinity clearing and falling from Douglas City north. Mill, Deer and Battle creeks still FG.

BRITISH COLUMBIA: Mild weather reported at press time should freshen all Vancouver Island and lower mainland streams and improve fishing unless too heavy thaw brings floods. Best Island bets are Campbell, Puntledge, Nanaimo and Cowichan rivers. On mainland, Vedder River looks best, with some fish reported in Fraser River at Hope and in Thompson at Spence's Bridge.

OREGON: Sandy River near Portland L, C, FF/G for fish to 18 pounds, and OG. Most coastal streams L and C but water temperatures too low (to 34°) for good fishing and, OP until warmer weather.

STRIPED BASS: CALIFORNIA: San Joaquin River was hot spot as sunny weather brought out party-boat fishermen last week. Frank's Resort on Bethel Island reports bass to 30 pounds; bank fishermen report FG along Three Mile Slough between Sacramento and San Joaquin and near Rio Vista Bridge. OVG on all fronts.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Santee-Cooper spy says FVG below Pinopolis Dam, but heavy rains are raising reservoirs from record lows, and muddy conditions are expected.

WAHOO: BAHAMA ISLANDS: Heaviest of a dozen wahoo weighed in at Nassau last week was 61-pounder entered in winter tournament by Mrs. F. Mildred Plaxton of Toronto. OG/VG.

CHANNEL BASS: FLORIDA: Good catches of redfish are being taken from little creeks north of the Withlacoochee estuary; guides take anglers up creeks on high tide, fish pools two to three feet deep at low tide, then wait for next high tide to get out. Venice Inlet agent reports scattered redfish in 8-pound class in local bays.

LOUISIANA: In deeper channels and bayous of the Pointe a la Hache, Delacroix, Empire, Hoedale and Shell Beach areas, redfish favor shrimp bait but will strike at nylon feather jigs and small spoons.

NORTH CAROLINA: Puppy drum are plentiful in surf between Kitty Hawk and Ocracoke Island but fishing won't be good until late February or March.

TARPON: FLORIDA: Some 60- to 70-pounders are beginning to show in the Myakka River (west coast). They'll take red and white plugs fished near surface. Smaller schools of fish under 10 pounds also reported near headwaters of river and will take large white bucktail fished on fly rod.