Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Bottom to Top Charters
After reading about the netting schedule on the Skookumchuck, I decided, last minute this morning, to head to the Skykomish instead. Got my line in the water at the hatchery side of Rieter at 7:00 a.m., tossing bobberdogged eggs first; I managed to find some Rays "egg candy" at a convenience store and decided to give it a try over the Alaska brand I got from Sportco. Very different product all together. Anyways, it ended up being a decent day weatherwise, a bit chilly when the sun came up and the wind picked up for a bit, but it clouded back up and was not too cold the rest of the day. Water was pretty clear, although still green I could see about 6-8 feet down.
No takers on the eggs. Tried fresh sandshrimp, no takers. Tried nightcrawlers, no takers. Tried a pink worm, no takers.
I then switched over to jigs. Tried about 10 different colors/patterns, a couple 1/4oz, mostly 1/8oz; pinks, oranges, nightmares variations, one was purple with chartreuse and purple maribou, some peach. Only solid color jig was all pink, the rest were mixed, mostly with pinks or whites. Even tried a bare, white jig head I found with a pink work on it.
No takers on the jigs.
I did get three takedowns, but they were all snags and the first two I lost all my gear (except the bobberstop above the bobber, both times) and that was with a palomar knot below the bobber.
3rd takedown, I got my second lost jig back. It was hooked into a leader, with the weight, corky and hook still attached, which someone near me was using earlier and had snagged a couple times. I didn't move around too much, I went maybe 100 yards either direction from where I started, trying to learn the water there by the hatchery.
Saw one relatively chrome fish come out right in front of the hatchery outlet, about 5-7 lbs I'm guessing. The gentleman said he had seen one other come out on the highway side, but when I left at 3:00 p.m. that was all that was caught.
Except a blue kayak was caught on the highway side.
Seems someone took a spill somewhere upriver. It was snagged by one of the fisherman on the other side, and brought to shore, with everyone wondering the same thing; where is the kayaker? He hadn't floated by, so either he was stuck under a boulder/log or he made it out. 30 minutes later another kayaker showed up, saying the guy was alright and on his way down the highway. 2 others showed up, but he walked out with his kayak while the others left down the river. My guess is he had some damage to it.
Anyways, a decent day on the river with nothing but memories to show for it. Still better than being at work, ANY day of the year.