Football season has begun (yahoo!), school is starting up again, the weather is just fine and the fish are biting! Bass and walleye action remain strong over east. The topwater fishing for bass has been great of late, with really nice, quality, 2-6 lb., largemouth bass. Please respect these wonderful fish and release ALL largemouth and smallmouth Bass over 14″, remember our WDFW does not stock bass: “A picture speaks a thousand words.”

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!”

Hi all, hope summer is treating you great and you can avoid the chores to get some time out on the water! Fishing is still good in the Brewster Pool and below Wells Dam for kings. We are still catching a good amount of sockeye in the Brewster area as well, with a couple kings a trip. Also, the sockeye and kings are both still in very good shape! Below Wells Dam has also been pretty good for kings at times, the season as a whole has been pretty hit and miss, but the guys that stay with it and fish hard are being rewarded with some nice fish.

We are still booking salmon trips for up north and also booking trips for fall run chinook that is forecast to be the second largest run on record at 650,000 fish over Bonneville Dam!! We are booking trips to fish the Hanford Reach for these huge kings now, and we will start fishing them from Sept 1 on.

Now for some steelhead news, the rumor mill is cranking up in high gear with starting date rumors as it always does this time of year, but there my be some VERY good news for all of us who love to steelhead fish — we may see a record-early opener so early I don’t even dare say here on the almighty web, but stay in touch ’cause there could be some huge news very soon!! We are also starting to book steelhead trips and they are starting to fill up in the month of October so get your trip now before it’s too late! I am off to the river; see you on the water.

You can learn more about Brad by checking out his website at Fish Wenatchee, his fishing blog, or the Fetha Styx Team page.

If not, catch up with him the old fashion way:

1227 Down Rd.
Wenatchee Wa 98801
(509) 670-3095
brad@fishwenatchee.com

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

Fishing has been excellent the past month! Sockeye fishing started down here in Wenatchee and until recently was very good, now it continues to be good in the Brewster Pool area — lots of 10-plus fish days. Great for kids with lots of action! It will start to taper off soon as fish head up river, but the kings are really starting to show up in good numbers and fishing is really picking up for them! Lake Wenatchee is open for sockeye as well, also with a two fish limit. It’s always fun to have the chance to land a 40 lb.-plus fish, but most are averaging in the low 20s. Booking trips now for both fishing in Brewster and in and around the Wenatchee area, get a trip now while fishing is hot!

Brad Wagner
Bobber Down Guide Service

Brad’s profile.

The most difficult part of this time of year is choosing where to go. With so much available to us now, sometimes it isn’t until the night before when we decide where to point the truck in the morning. The Snohomish system still has a few fish in it, as well does the Cowlitz. What has got my attention is the first-time Baker Lake sockeye fishery! It will be hard to find a more beautiful place anywhere. We have been getting limits out there in less than two hours everyday so far — and I am now booking trips up there. Call and ask about special rates for the morning trips. You might want to act fast as I have no idea as to how long this fishery will last (it’s never been open before). Meanwhile, we will also be down on the Cowlitz chasing summer-run steelhead where ya just never know when you will have a trip of a lifetime in your own backyard.

Todd
Tall Tails Guide Service
(206) 437-8766

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

Fetha Styx and North Fork Composites have come together to create what I would consider the #1 new rod on the market today for action and sensitivity. Coming soon to a dealer near you! Contact Billy or Gina at Fetha Styx for more information.

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

Those of you who live in the NW know that we haven’t seen too much sun in these early days of summer. Fortunately, the last two weekends have been beautiful and I took full advantage by dragging my raft down from Portland for some fly-fishing on the world-renowned Deschutes River in Central Oregon.

If you have ever had the chance to fish this river you know it is quite the experience. The beauty of the red cliffs and sage brush are beyond picturesque, and on a clear night the stars are unrivaled. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures as I normally don’t bring my camera when I float new water, so you can let your imagination run wild.

Fishing was good, but not spectacular. The biggest fish we saw were the ones we spooked while stalking the grassy banks. That being said, there is something incredible about landing the beautiful rainbows that the Deschutes are known for. I still remember the first time I saw these beautiful “red-sides” and that experience will keep me coming back time after time.

It’s too early for the summer steelhead run so the number of fishermen on the river is manageable, but will only increase as the summer and good weather continue. You are going to have to go downstream of Maupin quite a ways because the recreational rafters and commercial operations are ramping up and busy!

Here are some tips for your next visit to the Deschutes:

• Remember, there is no fishing from the boat even though access can be hard….
• The sun is intense, I found fishing early and later in the evening the better. Make sure you stalk your holes appropriately and don’t spook the fish with your shadow. Beware of the wind picking up around 4 and blowing into the evening. Also, remember no fires.
• Watch out for rattlesnakes.
• The rocks are super slick — you’ll definitely want studded boots or be very cautious.

Flies:

• Caddis (smaller 10-14 worked for me)
• Pale morning dun

Larger nymphs:

• zug bug, prince, darker stone fly, hares ear, pheasant tail, lightning bug

Bill and the boys hit up summer-run steelhead opening day on Skykomish River (June 1st). Had a blast and snagged two nice 13 lbs. steelhead on the new Fetha Styx 9ft., 9in. 6-10 lb, slow, ultra light side drift rod. This blank was built for us by Gary Loomis and turned out to be the hot rod for the day. Hope you enjoy the photos from our outing.

After what seemed like years of rain, wind, and spring snow the sun finally came out and said hello in the Jackson Hole valley.  Subsequently, I got on the river.  Will and I floated both the 19th and the 20th.  Although the river is running super high with a chocolate milk looking substance, we brought our fishing rods anyway.  Fishing was hectic to say the least, between afternoon, down-bursting thunderstorms and the entire forest residing always somewhere in the middle of the river, basically, we got skunked.  Wooly buggers, big, bright streamers, and the always hopeful dry fly all came to no avail.

Next week, if plans don’t change, I want to float the south fork of the Snake and see how things are there.  I imagine with all this sun the river will finally start falling and it’ll be time to slay.  Stay tuned and wish me luck!

After traveling to the far reaches of salmon travel in Kodiak Island, Alaska to the famed Keani river — we were filming for an upcoming episode of Hawg Quest trying to catch that elusive 100lb king salmon — we realized that the best fishing is really right here on the Snohomish river system. As hard as that is to believe, we struggled to get fish in some of the the best salmon waters in the world.  All the while Bonner is sending me pix of steelhead and king limits almost everyday right here in Washington. We will be right here on the Snohomish system for the next month or so with the fishing only going to get better and better. If you want to go after some truly special fishing, give me a call and don’t miss out.

Tall Tails Guide Service