The returns are down compared to 2008, but last week saw some high notes on the Blue Creek stretch of Washington’s Cowlitz River — nine particularly high-leapin’ notes coming off of just one boat.
Last Tuesday, Jesse Thompson (deckhand) of Duvall and the Ahinas of Lynnwood — 5-year-old Ala Pa’i, who battled the 14-pound hen he’s hanging onto and Jared and Tyson — tore it up side-drifting shrimp and eggs.
(WOOLDRIDGE BOATS)
They hung ‘em while fishing with Bonner Daniels of Tall Tails Guide Service (TallTailsGuideService.com) out of a Wooldridge 20’ AK XL.
That’s a pretty good ratio of fish to angler. A count last weekend found 137 sled-born anglers with 102 steelhead at the trout hatchery, according to data forwarded by Joe Hymer of the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.
“Forty three bank anglers (almost all at the trout hatchery) kept 10 steelhead,” he adds.
Yesterday, Hymer reported that through early December, 467 metalheads had checked into the Cowlitz, much lower than last winter’s 1,039 for the same period.
But that’s still better than what the Lewis is seeing.
Hymer also reports that Tacoma Power “recovered 840 coho adults, 37 jacks, 203 winter-run steelhead and nine sea-run cutthroat trout during five days of operation at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator.”
He adds that “river flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately 8,800 cubic feet per second on Monday, December 14. Water visibility is eight feet.”
