RIVER FISHING cont.

Humpies or Pinks: Think pink fo Humpies but don't get hung up on that color since they also take greens and other colors at times. Humpies will take pink corkies with pink yarn and a small pink sand shrimpwith gusto, or they will ignore evereything you try and splash all around you. Try a small pink squid over a 1/4 oz or larger lead head jig, but use a trout rod since the strike will be on the fall and will be very light, you must set the hook immediately or you will lose the fish. Pink spoons will often get strikes as well as a pink Buzz Bomb, but be careful you do not snag the fish. The Dick Nite spoon has emerged as a real contender for Humpies in the smaller sizes. Try half and half pr the pink or green patterns. One of my favorite things to do is fish for Humpies with small pink or green flies. Look for the fish at the head of the holes ready to make a run up river, these are more likely to take a fly.

Coho: Coho in the Snohomish River system are notorious non biters. You can induce the bite if you put your time in and are willing to try different things. They will take bait, they will take spinners (try a #3 Blue Fox in silver or chartreuse or a Mepps brass or silver), spoons or plugs. The best lure in the last ten years has been the Dick Nite spoon in half and half, green, chartreuse, brass and silver. Use the smallest you have and hang on. Jigging Buzz Bombs are very effective, but you must not snag the fish. They will take it on the down fall, not on the up pull.

Chum: Chum Salmon will willingly take small green flies, small green Dick Nite spoons and small green corkies with a bit of shrimp or egg. Use anise scent (smells like licorice) on all you use and stand by for the fight of your life. These fish are the most willing biters and run like a freight train. They are an ugly fish and not top table fair, but what a show they put on. They will also take spinners and spoons but keep on the green side. Note: I refer to small, not large presentations,use this as your guide to catching Chum Salmon. They also will take a plug.

Sea Run Cutthroat: These fish will willingly take bait in the river and often will be caught accidentally while fishing for other species. Your salmon gear will overpower these smaller fish so if you are targeting them, take lighter gear and fish where they are found, then if you accidentally hook that 30 pound Chinook you've always wanted to catch, you will have a heck of a story to tell when you get home about the one that got away.

3. If what you are using is not working then change what you are using. (If someone else is catching fish, find out what they are using): I will not go into great detail on this rule except you must change your gear if you are not getting strikes. Go smaller if you are using large or go larger if you are using small, especially in response to low clear or high colored water. Use a different size leader, go lighter if the water is low, a different color lure or corky, try a spinner or spoon if you were using bait.

I could go on and on and I have many stories of a spoon or spiiner catching a fish in the same hole I just went through with bait. One of the biggest mistakes by those of us who fish is to depend upon that "old reliable" that worked last week, yesterday or even just a short time ago. Fish constantly change their preference based upon unknown factors none of us can understand. Adjust to those changes and you will be a much more successful angler. If you fail to change, you will often be disappointed! At the same time, watch carefully if someone is catching fish and copy what they are using if you have it. I have had people actually give me a sample of what they are using but this is the exception. Even if they are trying to hide their successful gear, you will see what it is if you watch closely.

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