This month we are going to target trout in the Dosewallips.
Originally, we discussed fishing for pink or humpback salmon.
Note that the Dosewallips is currently closed to all salmon fishing until November 1.
It is expressly illegal to target pink salmon in that river at this time.
Meet: We will depart Haagen’s parking lot at Cooper Point Rd. and Black Lake Blvd. at 6:00 am if you want to carpool. Or meet at Dosewallips State Park 8:00 am.
Trout fishing is open. There are plenty of places to pull over and park along the Dosewallips River road on the north side of the river off Highway 101. If you have the time, take the short hike to Rocky Brook Falls, reportedly a nice waterfall.
Here’s some info on pink salmon which may benefit you later when you legally fish for them.
You may fish for them in the salt at this time. And they are at the Hoodsport hatchery in some numbers, but our outing is the Dosewallips for trout.
“Pinks” are commonly called humpies, due to the prominent hump the males develop when spawning. Our apologies. Their scientific species name is Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, based on the Russian word gorbusa which literally means humpie. Pink salmon are the smallest and most numerous of the salmon species. In Puget Sound humpies return in good numbers
during odd numbered years. They can be readily caught on a fly in saltwater, and when spawning in rivers. Typically, anything pink works, though I have a friend who hammers them with white jigs in the Snohomish River. Though the smallest of the salmon species, they put up a good fight when caught on a fly rod. If you are going to retain a fish or two for the BBQ
or smoker, you need to bleed them and put them on ice as soon as possible or the meat will be soft and mushy.
Flies: Usual cutthroat trout patterns about size 16: Egg pattern, stonefly nymph, San Juan worm, and dries like elk hair caddis, mayflies…
Lines: Floating (this is mostly shallow water). May want to bring a sink tip/indicator for deeper holes.
Directions: Highway 101 to Dosewallips State Park near Brinnon