Fishin' Magician: Colville Hatchery

After a slow day at Wells Dam I decided to travel back up to Bridgeport for steelhead. I had my friend Tom Vershuren from the west side along, for this first time trying bobber and jig fishing. There were a couple of boats fishing up river from the launch, so we ran down to the area near the Colville Hatchery.

He caught the first fish, and we thought for sure we had a good steelhead on. It turned out to be a big, bright triploid of about 8 pounds. It sure put up a good fight. We had a ball catching tiploids that day, but for the first time this year I didn't bring home a keeper steelhead. I heard of one wild fish taken on another boat. It was a classic calm and clear winter day, and Tom had a great time and is anxious to get back up there.

I love fishing this area and I'm sure the fishing for steelhead will improve. It's still awfully early in the season for the upper Columbia. I am getting mixed reports now on the Methow. Some days are good and others slow. Fishing boats right at the mouth has been good at times, too.