HOOK & FUR: Cold and wind didn't faze opening-day anglers

By Bob Brown

There is no two ways about it: Western Washington outdoor enthusiasts are a hardy bunch. It doesn’t seem to matter what nature throws at them, they take it on without a backward look and press on.

Case in point was the lowland lake fishing spring opener April 22. Weather conditions weren't the best with cool, blustery conditions prevalent throughout the weekend, but the inclement weather didn't seem to damper anglers' enthusiasm or their activities.

Mineral Lake, located three miles southeast of Elbe, is one of the state's prima donna lakes, and although not a year-round fishing water way, Mineral is noted throughout the state for it’s accessibility, productivity, and rarity of disappointing fishing zealots. Anglers fishing Mineral on opening day averaged four rainbows caught per rod, and many caught their limits in an hour or less.

The annual Mineral Lake Fishing Derby, sponsored by American Legion Post 17, was won by Butch Carzahalo with his 9.2-pound rainbow trout, using chartreuse colored power bait. Doreen Douglas of Mineral Lake Resort reported two seven-poiund rainbows were caught off the resort’s dock opening day.

Other area lake creel reports showed Rapjohn anglers averaged 3.8 rainbows per rod, Tanawax 2.8 and Silver Lake 2.3. Fishing at Fort Borst Park Pond in Lewis County wasn't up to expectations opening day. Anglers only averaged 1.6 fish per rod, although one state derby fish was caught. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) reported fishing was generally slow due to windy conditions.

Meanwhile, on the rivers ...

Joe Hymer of the WDFW reported that during April 17-23, department personnel sampled 3,129 salmon anglers (including 1,021 boats) with 703 adult, 25 jack spring chinook and three steelhead in the lower Columbia mainstem below Bonneville Dam.

Hymer also reported during the same week that 29 Cowlitz River bank anglers kept three adult, two jack spring chinook and two steelhead. Twenty-

three boat anglers kept two adult spring chinook, four steelhead and released one.

Also during that period, Tacoma Power employees recovered 371 winter steelhead, one winter steelhead jack, 505 spring chinook adults, 26 jacks and two summer steelhead adults. Flows below Mayfield Dam were approximately 13,300 cfs on April 24, with a visibility of about five feet.

Happy mushroom hunting

Packwood’s Highway Shopper is reporting Morel mushrooms are now being found in abundance in cottonwood flats along the Cowlitz River bottom lands near Randle, Packwood and Naches. Pickers are reminded that a permit is required if picking in the national forest.

Bob Brown lives in Roy and is a freelance outdoors writer. He can be reached at robertb1285@centurylink.net.