We have had a great season fishing salmon in the Columbia, the sockeye didn’t stick around as long as last year but it was hot when they were here, many of you got some fantastic fishing in, we are catching fall run kings now! Now we are also getting geared up for steelhead! There are over 12,000 steelhead and counting coming over Priest Rapid Dam and almost all are headed to upper Columbia rivers, the Wenatchee River, The Methow River, or the Okanogan River as well as the main stem Columbia. There will be allot of fish available to be caught again this year! We have been fishing the Wenatchee River catching kings ,first time in over 25 years, and its hard to keep the steelhead off our lines when we are fishing kings, and we have noticed that there are WAY more hatchery fish this year! We will be fishing the Wenatchee and Methow mostly with trips in the main stem of the Columbia also, we will be fishing out of the driftboat or the raft or both for parties of 4. We are booking trips for this fishery now as it will start any day and run though March, there are still some prime dates open even a few weekends, so book now before its too late! I am attaching a nice steelhead from early last season it was caught and released mid September.

I have been targeting sockeye and Chinook salmon, bass and walleye the past week and will continue to do so through mid-August. The Brewster Pool and Well’s Dam fisheries are in prime form right now! Expect to fill your cooler with bright, red sockeye meat. The limit on this Columbia River fishery is six adult salmon per person. We are trolling on down-riggers, enjoying cold beverages, and catching fish in exceptionally nice Eastern WA weather. Bring your sunscreen and I will put you on the fish.

Also, if anyone wants to get their top-water big bass fix, now is the time. We have been doing VERY well on these massive bass. The BIG Walleye are on the feed, as well over on Moses Lake and the Potholes Reservoir. If you would like to get in on the action get a hold of me before August 17th.

I then shift gears back over to the Snohomish River system for pink’s and coho and Lake Sammamish for king salmon through late September. These are “local” fisheries only 30 minutes, or less, from downtown Seattle. FISH-ON GUARANTEED for any of the Snohomish River, or Lake Sammamish fisheries … and if you like, we can even fish the lake and river on the same day (they are only 45 minutes apart)!

Remember, the pink salmon run is only every other year and I have only a few prime dates left open … that is if you and your friends and family would like to come and enjoy the most productive fishery the Puget Sound has to offer — hands down!!!!

Oh, and thanks again to every single one of you whom came out to experience the fantastic fishing we had on the Skykomish River from the opener through this last week. What a great season it was for king salmon and steelhead! Hope to see you all out there again next year come June 1st!

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

Here a just a few of the pics from this last month’s Guided Adventure’s:

So we only have 22 days left in this GREAT steelhead season and fishing is as good as it has been all year! All year we have battled with fluctuating river levels and crazy weather, but here at the end all is calming down and fishing is very good. We have been fishing mostly the Wenatchee River and have been doing very good in the upper river, but there are also lots of fish in the lower river and not as much pressure so we have been splitting up our floats and alternating the days on which stretch of river to fish. We have had some great days, with over 20 fish last weekend! We have also been fishing the Methow River where there is great fishing and also the river is in great shape. I have been fishing it at least a day or two a week and having great success. We are fishing with the same jigs as earlier marribou and areo jigs in blacks and pinks. The fish at this time of year are mainly smokers, but great fighters with it being a great time to get your eggs for salmon season, only a couple months ’till springers on the Icicle! We are booking trips with days open till the end of the season and also booking trips for springers on the Icicle openning May 15 and also sockeye and summer-run kings for the Columbia that will open July 1. We have great fishing in the sunshine — go out and get some!

Brad Wagner

fishwenatchee.com
(509) 670-3095
brad@fishwenatchee.com

Fishing is good on the Wenatchee River now, and also the Columbia is fishing really good using shrimp in Pautzkes cure and marinated in Nectar. On the Wenatchee, we are using our tried-and-true cold water jigs that have a little slower action and cold water steelhead can’t resist them as we got nine the other day in a half-day fishing.

Fishing is good — a little chilly, but book a trip and catch some fish! We are offering cold weather specials this time of year also. See you on the water!

Brad Wagner

fishwenatchee.com
(509) 670-3095
brad@fishwenatchee.com

Hello All!

It’s been a while since I have posted anything on here. Sorry about that, but it’s been a busy start to steelhead season for sure between fishing everyday, keeping up on jig orders and keeping myself in jigs this blog kind of got left out. Fishing has been a little hit and miss the first month and a half of the season, but we have had some good days with eight-plus fish, and some lousy days with only one or two on. All-in-all, we are averaging probably two to four fish a day through the season. The numbers are a little lower than last year, but the size of the fish this year have been amazing! We have got several 35-plus inch fish, including one at 39 inches but not one over 40 inches yet — hopefully that will be soon! River levels have been a little erratic keeping lots of fish still out in the Columbia River so I am expecting the rest of October to be good fishing and November should be some great steelhead fishing! Still have trips available: some in October and quite a few in November even with some weekends still available. There is something great about catching steelhead in the sunshine!! See you on the water!

Brad Wagner
fishwenatchee.com
(509) 670-3095
brad@fishwenatchee.com

Wenatchee River is open to steelhead in the earliest opening that we have seen in a long time!! So with all the anticipation what happened? The rains came down and the river blew out!! We launched and there was about two feet of visibility, and then about three hours later we were down to 6 inches. The rains came down and the fish shut off by mid way through the float — we just floated down with our tail between our legs making the occasional cast hoping to hit a fish in the head so he would hit. So when all was said and done, we got down to the take out without even so much as a hit! What an opening day bust! Feeling discouraged, I went and hit the Columbia and within about 20 minutes had a chrome 6 lb buck on the bank, so all was not lost on this meager opening day.

So with all this rain and the river going way up so fast and getting all muddy the upside is that this is really going to push a lot of fish into the river. I am expecting some pretty good fishing in the very near future with lots of fish staging to come up and this rain is just what they were waiting for. I am looking forward to be out there floating the river in short sleeves landing steelhead after steelhead! We are booking trips with many open dates in Sept. and Oct. See ya on the water!

Brad Wagner

fishwenatchee.com
(509) 670-3095
brad@fishwenatchee.com

Well, with the springer run starting to taper off it has been a pretty good year with lots of fish to be had throughout the Columbia River system. We have approximately another week left for me then it is time to stay at home (waters) with the Snohomish system opening up on June 1st. We are quite excited about the new opportunity for the Skykomish summer kings: much more section of the river is open this year and add 15,000 kings with summer-run steelies there too, it is definitely something to try out. Give me a call and get out on the river for some summer fun.

Todd
Tall Tails Guide Service
(206) 437-8766

P.S. Sorry to the weekend crews who had the dead battery issues. No photos, oops!!

With the warmer weather here for now, so is some pretty good fishing. We have been both on the Columbia and the Cowlitz rivers lately. Fishing for winter-run steelhead in almost 70 degree weather just seems kind of weird, it is supposed to be like 35 degrees and raining! But we will take it any time mother nature is willing to give it to us. I will be giving the Cowlitz one more week of steelhead fishing to finish up what is truly an amazing run so far; if you want one more crack at these steelies let me know there is some room left. Starting the beginning of May we will be down on the Wind River or Drano Lake to go get after what is going to be a record run in both tribs. I am looking forward to this year down there more than any in a long, long time. I still have dates available — let me know.

Todd
Tall Tails Guide Service
(206)437-8766

It’s great to be back home . . . even after a NICE vacation in the Hawaiian Sun. Check out Maui Extreme Fishing if you’re ever on the islands, those boyz really know how to catch the fish. I was M.I.A. for a few days there. I sure did get home in the nick of time, as the fishing has been absolutely wonderful. How can you not love sunshine, winter steelhead and springer salmon all in one?!

The salmon season is in full swing and people who are out fishing for them are catching them. Big, beautiful, chrome bright, springer salmon between I-5 and Willamette is quite good at press time. Get some herring, or your favorite spinner and get out there!! It closes here very shortly. By the way, springer salmon is nearly $30 a pound at the grocery store!!

I have a few openings left for late-winter steelhead and spring Chinook salmon on the Cowlitz and Columbia Rivers. If you would like to book a trip, NOW is a great time. My boat averaged nine fish fought and four killed everyday this last week!!!! It’s on like kong

Here are a few pics from this week’s trips:

Sincerely,
Bonner Daniels

Bonnerfishon.com
425-281-8772

Ps. Quit wish’n and let’s GO fish’n!
Pss. Todd Daniels’ Hawg Quest episode is replaying this week . . . check it OUT!

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Video courtesy of The Outdoor Line.