The walleye are just a bit more fickle. Here one day and gone the next, you really need to be versatile to keep on these toothy critters and not be afraid to fish different locations on a daily basis. That’s where my job comes into play. If you want to go slay some spiny rays before the season ends, let’s go get after it! In my opinion . . . the best fishing of the year for these fish is right now.

Looking ahead to September 1st for the opening of salmon season on some of our local Westside river fisheries, which is a week away at press time! Coho/silver salmon retention on the Snohomish system will be good to go right after our next big rain. If you want to go fishing with me and hook into limits of coho salmon, the prime dates are from around the first week in September through October — mother nature permitting, of course. The local king salmon gig is also open and in full swing on Lake Sammamish, as well. Call me and let’s get you and your crew on the fishing schedule.

Here is an example of what to expect on the Snohomish System for coho this year.

Again, quit wishin’ and let’s go fishin’!

Sincerely,
Bonner Daniels
bonnerfishon.com

PS I’ve been out exploring some new fisheries and next year it will be on for the sockeye salmon . . . more to come on these fisheries when the season comes back around in 2011. Take a sneak peak of what to expect below and I will say this, ”bring your bigger cooler!”

August in Washington State rules — if you’re an outdoor enthusiast that is. Pick your poison between fresh and/or salt water, rivers to lakes, sounds to seas, all are productive and opportunities abound. I have been fishing the lakes and rivers of late with great success on both.

I have been catching all species varying from: king salmon, steelhead, large- and small-mouth bass, walleye, and panfish. Sockeye are also available!

If you want to catch fish, now is as good a time as any. Just let me know what you’re looking to do and we WILL get it done. Eastern Washington means shorts and tee shirts and on the westside scene you just never know what you’re gonna get.

Also, don’t look too far ahead on your calendar, but September is right around the corner and that means it’s time for the Snohomish coho invasion and the Lake
Sammamish king fishery. Both fisheries are fabulous fishing and the bonus is that they are both LOCAL, as in 30 minutes or less from Seattle!

Bonner Daniels with a summer hawg.

Well, there you go — a few pics to get your blood flow going! Call me and lets get you out on the water.

Sincerely,
Bonner Daniels
bonnerfishon.com
425-281-8772

Brown Family King

The summertime sun has finally come to Washington state and with her heat came the king salmon retention closure on Sky River. With that stated, I am now shifting gears back to focusing on the Skykomish River summer-run steelhead. If you’re looking for a peaceful float down the river, with the opportunity to catch a summer-run chromer, look no further than your own backyard. The fish have moved up the system and it’s time to break out the drift boat.

Bonner With a Summer King

Otherwise, lets get a crew to fill up the jet sled and head down to the Cowlitz River to do battle with summer-run steelhead. Those fish have definitely shown up and are in the system, as well. Side drifting and pulling plugs are the keys to success down on the Cow.

Lets Go Catch Some Summer Run Chrome!

Sincerely,
Bonner Daniels
bonnerfishon.com
425-281-8772

PS The walleye bite is on over east if your looking for a change of pace. Just let me know when you want to go

Bonner holds a trophy bass.

When we are looking for table fare, we catch walleye.

Net full of walleye.

If you’re looking for a nice change of pace, the Eastside has some truly wonderful warm water fisheries. Give me a call and let’s go catch some fish.

Sincerely,

Bonner Daniels
Bonnerfishon.com
425-281-8772

To the fishing report: walleye fishing is very good right NOW and should remain that way through the month of May. The largemouth and smallmouth bass, weather permitting, have also been biting very well. A typical day in May with me consists of limiting on walleye for the grill, and then finishing off the day catching trophy-size bass. I am in Eastern Washington for these fisheries on the Potholes Reservoir and Moses Lake. If you would like a nice change of pace and a relaxing day on the water, catching fish…this May warm water fishery is for YOU

On the river side of things, June 1st is right around the corner and I will be spending my time chasing summer-run king salmon and steelhead on the Skykomish and Cowlitz Rivers. The catch-and-keep king salmon season runs from June 1-July 31 — and I am running out of open dates on my calendar. If you would like a chance at these chrome beauties call me before it’s too late.

Here are the pics from this last week’s guided adventures:

Sincerely,

Bonner Daniels

bonnerfishon.com
View Bonner’s blog here.

425-281-8772

PS Check out Mario at Doug’s Sports in Woodinville they have a wide selection of fishing and hunting supplies.

It is officially springer salmon, late-run hatchery steelhead and native steelhead season. With that said, literally every mainstem river of the Washington Coast and Columbia River has fish in it right now. Big, bright, chrome fish…get out and get in on some of the action!

The trout lakes have been, or are being, planted; the walleye bite is beginning over on the Potholes Reservoir and Moses Lake; the Potholes Open is right around the corner; the Grande Ronde, Salmon, and Clearwater Rivers are overflowing with steelhead; and the Westside chromers are arriving right now. What a great time to go out and go fishing in this wonderfully mild weather.

My days have been consisting of side drifting bait for steelhead and springers out of my Wooldridge XL Jet Sled, which holds five guests comfortably. The fishing has been consistent with multiple fishONs!!! per day. This spring run has started off well, and should continue strong and even get better well into April. I am currently booked up through the 1st week of April, if you would like to get out and get after some of these chrome beauties, give me a call and lets get you on the schedule before its too late. See you on the water

Here are but a few pics from this week’s trips….

TIP of The Week: Keep On Casting!!!

Sincerely,
Bonner Daniels
bonnerfishon.com
425-281-8772

Short, BUT sweet…mother nature has been dealing the perfect “river” hand for the past few weeks and the steelhead fishing for my boat has been nothing short of spectacular!! If you want to catch big, brood stock, hatchery steelhead and at the same time have the opportunity of catching a 20lb-plus steelie on the next cast, now is the time.

From now through mid-April, I fully expect the steelhead fishing to continue on a strong note. Get a date before it’s too late

I will let a few of the pics from the last week speak for themselves:

Sincerely,
Bonner Daniels
bdfishon.com

PS Springers are cool…but STEELHEAD rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A few pics from this week’s guided adventures:

The Snohomish System (for the most part) is officially closed and it’s too bad, as the last couple of weeks we experienced some great steelhead action. It would be nice if they could change the regulations to selective gear, catch and release fishing…so we could at the least fish. I will be back out on this system for summer-run steelhead and King salmon starting the first Saturday in June.

With the all the river closures I will be focusing my next two months of guiding on the Wynoochie/Satsop and Cowlitz Rivers. It is also time to break out my drift boat, and if the rivers are anything like the years of past we are in for some GOOD winter-run steelheading for the next couple of months. This is by far my favorite time in the steelhead cycle, as your next cast might just be the fish of a life time. Like Kyle’s monster fish, pictured below, caught right before the closures. I have open dates available, lets go catching!

Sincerely,

Bonner Daniels
bdfishon.com
425.281.8772

PS If you missed it, check out Hawg Quest replays, my first episode was on air Sunday the 17th.

PSS The fishing is really good right now, give me a call!

A river fisherman is never happy: rivers are too high…too low…etc, etc. Right now every river in Washington is, at the least, fish-able. Some are low and some are in perfect condition. Which means it’s time to get out there and take advantage of the low water and your opportunity to fish.

Now that February is upon us, expect the start of BIG native steelhead to enter into our river systems. Up size your baits a bit, stronger line and leader, fish cover, and deeper/heavier currents for these brutes. They have a little bit of a different ticker in comparison to their hatchery brat cousins.

I have been out fishing quite a bit of late and the steelhead just keep on coming. This week we averaged three hook-ups a trip. Surprisingly, all of the fish were bright, late hatchery fish, except one really nice native. February and March are historically the prime-time native steelhead months. Now is the time to get a hold of me for your best chance at a fish of a life time…and the last time I checked the calendar, it read February!

Pictures are from this week’s guided trips:

Sincerely,

Bonner Daniels

bdfishon.com

Ps. Check out Jerome Jefferson at “By the River” Fish and Tackle in Fall City, WA

I can’t believe January is already half way done, how the time flies by! It’s almost NATIVE season!!!!!

On the fishing front…steelhead continue to trickle into our west side rivers. We are starting to get into that “No Man’s Land” time of the winter steelhead season now. The early run hatchery fish are starting to wain and the first native steelies are showing themselves. The fish are still there, just don’t EXPECT to go out and catch double digits at press time.

I have been out on the water this week and we are still putting hatchery winter runs in the box. Side drifting is the method and good bait is the key. I am going to start focusing more and more on the Trophy Native fish. If you want the chance at a fish of a life time February through April is the time for Western Washington steelhead. Get a hold of me and let’s get you a date on the river before it’s too late.

Enjoy the pics below from this week’s guide trips:

Fetha Styx is coming out with a Mid Price range (around $175 a stick) set of rods and I, along with my clients, have been out testing them for the past month or so. I can’t wait to see the overall public opinion for the Northwest Premier Guide Series. The folks I’ve had the pleasure to fish with really enjoyed their light weight, sensitivity and ability to add a great fight to the fish. These rods are simply fantastic for the price, warranty and the Fetha Styx name (remember they are built here, locally, in Redmond, WA). If you’re a side drifter, the 961 and 962 versions are the cats meow!! Hopefully they will be available sometime around the end of April.

Get off the couch, give me a call, quit wish’n and lets go fish’n!!!!

PS Check out Hawg Quest, Todd Daniels is the guide on the current episode. Nice work on a good show Todd!

Sincerely,

Bonner Daniels
bdfishon.com
425-281-8772