February is really turning into a great fishing month, and we've got plenty to talk about in our new Fishing Report Series! We will be launching a twice-a-month fishing report for Washington State, and hope to help spread the news on current fishing options. Every region in Washington has some really good fishing going on right now, so whether you're looking to get out on Puget Sound, catch and release a trophy Steelhead, head to the beach for clamming, or find that hot trout fishing spot on a local lake, there's plenty to choose from!
Check out our Washington Fishing Reports page for even more reports, news and info.
Puget Sound Region
South Puget Sound Salmon fishing has been pretty decent this month. Marine Area 13 in deep south Puget Sound is open for Chinook, and catches have been pretty consistent for the guys that can work the tides and find where bait and salmon are concentrated. Fox Island's Gibson Point and the troll between Point Fosdick and Tacoma Narrows Bridge have been the center of the action.
Central Puget Sound Salmon fishing is currently closed, but rumors are swirling around that we will see a Chinook opener in Marine Area 10 and 11 sometime in April. As soon as we get confirmation, we will report back!
Lake Washington Trout & Kokanee fishing has been good for big Cutthroat with light angling pressure. Most of the action has been happening in the southern end of the lake around Gene Coulon Park to Rainier Beach. The guys using the floating bridges as a wind break have also been picking up some nice Cutthroat and Kokanee.
Lake Sammamish Trout fishing has been good from Lake Sammamish State Park off the mouth of Issaquah Creek northward to the Weather Buoy. Troll from the surface down to 40' with a worm harness and dodger, trolling plug like a Mag Lip 2.0, or Luhr Jensen Needlefish.
Lake Terrell Trout fishing is definitely worth a look, the state just stocked over 1,000 Rainbow Trout (1+ pounders) in the last two weeks. Look for decent action right off the public dock.
Snoqualmie River & Tokul Creek Steelhead season has been extended! The state is giving us an additional two weeks of fishing and will keep portions of the Snoqualmie and Tokul open for hatchery Steelhead harvest and Wild Steelhead catch & release until March 1st. Full Report Here
Puget Sound Halibut season setting is far into the process, and we are pretty much fishing 7-days a week starting April 2nd. Great days ahead on Puget Sound! Full Report Here
Olympic Peninsula & Coast
Olympic Peninsula Steelhead fishing has been pretty solid this month so far. Right now some quality Wild Steelhead are being caught mainly on the Hoh, Sol Duc and Bogachiel Rivers. River levels are on the low side now, but Forks is expected to see some substantial rain totals this upcoming week, which will really make for some great conditions coming up! These rivers and a few others will be open through March for catch and release Steelhead. Full Report Here
Olympic Peninsula Wild Steelhead
Coastal Razor Clamming has been excellent this winter. We just finished up a bunch of digs, with more to be confirmed from February 26th to March 4th. These digs are going to be amazing daytime digs in the afternoon to early evening! I love me some daylight digs! Full Report Here
Washington Coast Lingcod & Rockfish is in our sights once again! All marine areas on the Washington Coast from Ilwaco to Neah Bay will open for bottom-fishing on March 14th. Full Report Here
Coastal Lingcod & Rockfish soon to open!
Strait of Juan de Fuca Halibut seasons are nearly finalized! We are tentatively looking at April 2nd. Quota has been assigned, seasons have been drafted and the final fed sign-off should happen any day! Full Report Here
Southwest Washington
Cowlitz River Steelhead has been just starting to get good. Most of the action is around Blue Creek and the Clay Banks, but boaters are also working a wider area above and below. Side-drifting and bobber-dogging beads and bait around Blue Creek has been best, but the plunkers from Toledo to Castle Rock have been picking up a few as well!
Cowlitz River Smelt opened up recently on February 18th, with some pretty good success rates! The state has been monitoring the run and just announced another opener for February 21st! Full Report Here
Kalama River Steelhead fishing has been decent, with some really nice fish being caught. Also looking forward to seeing the river get a little higher flows with the incoming weather system.
Willapa River Steelhead fishing has been okay lately, we expect some great fishing as soon as this week's rain system moves in and gets river levels to optimal conditions! Catch and release for Wild Steelhead on many Willapa Bay tributaries will be open through March. Full Report Here
Columbia River Spring Chinook is open but with colder than normal water temperatures, the catches haven't materialized yet. By March we should start to see some Springers caught in the Lower Columbia around Cathlamet to Kalama. Washington and Oregon are still finalizing the main fishing season here, which really picks up in late March to early April once warmer river temps really draw in the bulk of the Springer migration.
Battleground Lake Trout fishing has been good from both the public dock as well as small boats. Stocked with 2,000 catchable-sized Rainbow Trout on February 11th. This is a beautiful lake in the center of one of the nicest Washington State Parks in Clark County!
Battleground Lake State Park
Klinline Pond Trout fishing should be good for the next month, with a recent stocking of 2,000 catchable-sized Rainbow Trout on February 11th.
Cascades & Central Washington
Lake Chelan sees a little bit of fishing efforts on the nicer winter days, and recently Lake Trout have been the primary catch with a few resident lake Chinook picked up as well. Kokanee and Trout fishing should pick up once we turn the corner into early spring.
Eastern Washington
Columbia Basin Lake trout fishing is back in focus for many Eastern Washingtonians with the early March 1st opener! Thousands of trout have already been stocked for the opener next Sunday. Not every lake will be opening early but you can check out of Full Report Here
Yakima River near Ellensburg, Washington
Yakima River anglers are still deep into their winter tactics. Fishing primarily subsurface flies, including Skywala Nymphs, Streamers, San Juan Worms in slower stretches. Here in a few weeks we should see warmer afternoons that will bring about some March Brown and Skywala hatch activity, the start of dry fly fishing season on the Yak!
Northeast Washington
Rufus Woods Reservoir has been kicking out some decent fishing for Triploid Rainbow Trout. Boat anglers are out-fishing banks anglers but those guys are still catching some. Walleye are also being caught here and there by the boat guys. Hovering near the net pens is always a good place to start your day, but if the action isn't happening, trolling nightcrawlers near the shoreline can be a good searching method.
Northeastern Washington Lakes aside from the mainstem Columbia Reservoirs are mainly covered in ice, some in the Methow Valley, Okanogan and Colville areas are seeing some decent ice fishing, but probably won't be ice free until mid to late March. So if you feel like finding some thick ice, grab your cold weather gear, your auger and jig up some perch, trout and kokanee!
Rufus Woods Reservoir triploid Rainbow Trout
