Departments

Tips & Tailouts
You get a little bit of everything when you read Tips & Tailouts this issue, including what not to toss when you clean your fish. We also tell you what lenses are best in what conditions so when the time comes to purchase a pair of sunglasses you’re better educated. And for those who like to construct their own gear we teach you how to make leader rolls for your boat. We also weigh-in on the best steelhead books written, plus we break out our top 30 list of items every drift boat owner should own.

Technique / Downriggers
As someone who fishes with downriggers it should come as no surprise that paying close attention to things like leader length, downrigger “drops”, types of hooks and finally the new breakaway flashers your catch rates will improve dramatically. And veteran saltwater fisherman Tom Nelson explains the nuances of putting all this together to ensure success on the water.

Issue
If only someone could come up with a way to commercially harvest salmon without killing wild salmon, at the same time maintain control on the numbers of fish caught. Enter the Colville Indians from Eastern Washington. For the past two summers the Colvilles have been leading the charge in selective harvest with extremely positive results. Which leads us to ask why isn’t more being done on the lower Columbia

Gear
Curing the perfect set of salmon or steelhead eggs isn’t as hard, nor as time consuming, as you might think, when you consider there are a number of companies that offer the perfect cure in a 16-ounce shaker bottle. Dave Schamp dissects the process and reviews five of the best cures on the market.

Freshwater
Those who prefer to cure their eggs the old fashioned way will be happy to read Bob Ball’s column. He breaks down the process of home brewing a perfect batch of salmon or steelhead eggs. It’s a relatively involved process, but if you’re someone who likes to tweak and experiment with cures, it’s right up your alley.

Saltwater
When the bite gets tough it’s time to think outside the box. Terry Rudnick recalls days when he’s done just that. And scored big time on the fish. Rudnick explains a couple easy, but often overlooked methods of putting fish back into the proverbial fish box.

Homewater
Not everyone fancies themselves as a lover of chum salmon, but Homewater editor E. Donnall Thomas, Jr. makes a strong case for the dogs. And if you’re like any red-blooded salmon fisherman you’ll have a hard time disagreeing.

Alaska
SITUK RIVER: Best known for its steelhead fishing, the Situk River is due lofty praise for its late-season coho run. But anyone who visits here in the late summer and fall will be blown away with the sheer volumes of coho this river receives. To put it bluntly: you will have to work at not catching fish on the Situk.

British Columbia
VANCOUVER SALMON: Vancouver’s downtown skyline glistens as the sun sets on the city. To the right the shoreline of white-collar West Vancouver glistens and Vancouver Island can be seen across the Straight of Georgia — all of which help make up an environment worth visiting. But the real view is where the Capilano River hits the salt and salmon can be caught almost year-round.

Washington
SKYKOMISH RIVER: In most angling circles, Washington's Skykomish River in the north Puget Sound region is thought of primarily as a steelhead factory due to its perennial position on the state's top 10 steelhead rivers. However, as a coho and chinook producer it is under-rated, over-looked and often taken for granted given its location in the heart of the "Pugetropolis" population center. Find out why.

Oregon
NEHALEM BAY: In the world of salmon fishing, Nehalem Bay is a bit of a sleeper. With monster fisheries like Tillamook Bay only 20 miles to the south, Nehalem Bay is easily overlooked. But fishermen who are looking for a less hectic fishery that can quietly produce outstanding salmon fishing should give this diamond in the rough their utmost attention in the summer and fall.