The Outdoor Report: Memorial Day Opens Options for Spring Kings

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Anglers have gone old school on the Skagit River this week as spring Chinook fishing heats up across northwest Washington. Meanwhile, three new fisheries are opening just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

This Outdoor Report is sponsored by Yeager’s Sporting Goods, located at 3101 Northwest Avenue in Bellingham.

The big story on the Skagit River is the water clearing up, which makes a short, crowded section more of a bottom fishery.

If you’re drifting down on a float tube or drift boat, switch to clear bobbers rather than the big black ones.

Skagit Bite Goes Technical

The upper Skagit opened for spring Chinook last week. WDFW fish counters recorded at least seven kings caught on opening day. Then the bite slowed dramatically.

By Tuesday morning, anglers who camped overnight for first bite watched one another get skunked well past noon. The fish refused to hit spinners or aggressive presentations.

Instead, successful anglers switched to lighter three-ounce ball weights and drifted cured eggs naturally through faster water. Most abandoned Spin-N-Glos and spoons after fish ignored them for hours. Guides continued working bobber-and-egg setups as they drifted the small open section of river.

Worth noting: spring Chinook behavior changes from river to river. Nooksack kings often suspend higher in the water column and respond better to bobber fishing than bottom drifting. Keep that in mind as the Nooksack opens this week.

Nooksack Spring Chinook Fishery Returns

WDFW announced Tuesday that the North Fork Nooksack River will reopen to hatchery spring Chinook fishing from May 23 through June 30. The fishery stretches from the Highway 9 bridge upstream to the yellow marker at the upstream side of Kendall Creek Hatchery property.

This Outdoor Report is sponsored by Yeager’s Sporting Goods, located at 3101 Northwest Avenue in Bellingham.

The reopening marks the return of one of northwest Washington’s most anticipated spring fisheries after years of closures tied to low returns and conservation concerns. Managers said the hatchery spring Chinook forecast is sufficient to allow in-river harvest but will monitor the fishery closely and may close it early if encounter limits are reached.

Cascade River Opens for Memorial Day Weekend

WDFW also announced the Cascade River will open for hatchery spring Chinook beginning May 22, giving anglers a Memorial Day weekend opportunity before a brief closure and extended season through July.

WDFW reminded anglers that game fish season remains closed during May and June, so Dolly Varden and bull trout must be released even when salmon seasons are open. That requirement continues into the June 3 reopening.

Tulalip Bubble Opens Friday

Saltwater anglers also received good news this week. The popular Tulalip Bubble fishery in Marine Area 8-2 opens Fridays and Saturdays beginning May 22 and continues through Sept. 7, with one exception — the fishery closes Saturday, June 6.

The terminal fishery targets hatchery Chinook staging near Tulalip Bay. WDFW warned anglers not to fish outside terminal boundaries because officers actively patrol the area. Once harvest hits 600 Chinook, the fishery closes regardless of date.

Yeager’s Memorial Day Sale

This weekend also marks the annual Memorial Day sale at Yeager’s Sporting Goods, Bellingham’s locally owned outdoor retailer that has outfitted Whatcom County anglers, campers and hikers for more than 100 years.

“Come stop on by our Memorial Day SALE — Thursday through Monday — to get discounts on all kinds of awesome gear for the great outdoors,” the store said. “We are stocked with your favorites for summer camping and hiking, fishing, outdoor games, apparel and footwear, toys, inflatable pools and boats, and so much more. Lots of new clearance prices, too. Yes, we will be open on the holiday.”

This Outdoor Report is sponsored by Yeager’s Sporting Goods, located at 3101 Northwest Avenue in Bellingham.

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