WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON: My family of 7 moved to Lynden, WA in June. We live a mile from the Nooksack and fish it frequently. I'm a total NOOB, but love it! I've caught two salmon...

MarkXavierTreas Loc: LYNDEN, WASHINGTON

My family of 7 moved to Lynden, WA in June.
We live a mile from the Nooksack and fish it frequently.
I'm a total NOOB, but love it! I've caught two salmon so far and was more excited than my kids on Christmas morning!

Can anyone advise me on best locations from bank fishing steelhead?

Or maybe other winter fishing tips for this area?

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

Sounds like you're off to a good start. There's folks from eWA around. Hopefully they'll get to you.

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

MarkXavierTreas wrote:

My family of 7 moved to Lynden, WA in June.
We live a mile from the Nooksack and fish it frequently.
I'm a total NOOB, but love it! I've caught two salmon so far and was more excited than my kids on Christmas morning!

Can anyone advise me on best locations from bank fishing steelhead?

Or maybe other winter fishing tips for this area?

What kind of salmon? Just an FYI, this is a pink salmon year. There should be great two to six pound salmon fishing both fresh and salt starting in July. It's great fun for both you and the kids. I am not far from you. I don't even try to get out until late February. Some people fish the upper branches of the Nooksack for river white fish during the winter if the rivers are open (WDFG) and not blown out.

MarkXavierTreas Loc: LYNDEN, WASHINGTON

Sweet! Thx for the response!
I pulled in a couple coho in November - which was AWESOME!

We’ve been gone for the last month - I’m assuming all the coho have finished their run?!

Thx for the thoughts about the summer. Know any place locally that sells used fishing gear?

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

MarkXavierTreas wrote:

Sweet! Thx for the response!
I pulled in a couple coho in November - which was AWESOME!

We’ve been gone for the last month - I’m assuming all the coho have finished their run?!

Thx for the thoughts about the summer. Know any place locally that sells used fishing gear?

I would just try pawn shops for gear, or hit garage sales.
Don't forget about clamming. Birch Bay state park has great clamming , butter and steamers. at any minus tide. Horseneck (cohogs) usually require a minus 2 tide or lower. Be sure to check the shellfish hotline for any local health closure the day you actually go out. As spring rolls around, the low tides become more feasible time wise. But the beaches are more likely to close as well. The paralytic shellfish poisoning can pop up at any time, though more prevalent in the warm months. Two years ago we were able to clam all summer. Last year it was the opposite. Go to youtube for how to clam details. Clamming is an outstanding kids adventure with little supervision as they run at will and the water is only hip deep for a long ways out. The kids can also get butter clams, cockles and steamers on their own, as they are just under the surface to about 10 inches deep. Have fun and stay safe.

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

bapabear wrote:

I would just try pawn shops for gear, or hit garag... (show quote)

I forgot to ask, where did you move here from? Have you fished, clammed or crabbed in Washington before?

SALMON ADDICT Loc: Snohomish county Washington

MarkXavierTreas wrote:

My family of 7 moved to Lynden, WA in June.
We live a mile from the Nooksack and fish it frequently.
I'm a total NOOB, but love it! I've caught two salmon so far and was more excited than my kids on Christmas morning!

Can anyone advise me on best locations from bank fishing steelhead?

Or maybe other winter fishing tips for this area?

Not familiar with that far north but there are a few rivers up that way that should have steelhead in them,first check your local bait and tackle shops,most are happy to direct you to some fishing spots and the type of tackle that most local anglers use,also if you get some locations to check out while driving look for vehicles parked close to the rivers,most times you see a few rigs parked in the same spot theres usually a fairly well traveled trail leading to good fishing holes.Welcome to the stage,good luck and tight lines.

jhensersa Loc: Washington PNW

Just got notification from wdfw that the Nooksack main and forks are closed until further notice due to low hatchery steelhead returns to Kendall hatchery on north fork. Salmon season closed Jan 1 2023. My favorite place to fish steelhead on the Nooksack is between Everson and Nugents corner. Corkies and eggs or prawns. Unfortunately the Nooksack steelhead run has been very poor since the 1980s early 1990s but they can still be caught if we get a season. As mentioned early august on a humpy year the frog pond above the guide bridge is hard to beat but just about anywhere is good humpy fishing using a pink dick night on a 12” dropper and a slow retrieve keeping the dick night near the bottom of the river.
Good luck the Nooksack can be very productive for coho and humpies

67Mustang Loc: Washington State

Sorry. The Nooksack and all tributaries are close until further notice. Make sure you are in tune to the WDFW emergency alerts.

MarkXavierTreas Loc: LYNDEN, WASHINGTON

Great thoughts. We moved here from the Cincinnati area. We did a 6 month RV trip last year and spent a while in Whatcom County, during which we scored while clamming! The chowder was SO good.

Considering the recent and unfortunate closure of the Nooksack, I'm going to start venturing down to the Skagit and try to figure out how to bank fish there

MarkXavierTreas Loc: LYNDEN, WASHINGTON

Thanks everyone for the update on the Nooksack River. That's a disappointment. We just bought all sorts of tackle to start targeting steelhead.

Anyone have advise on best areas to target steelhead on the Skagit?

SALMON ADDICT Loc: Snohomish county Washington

MarkXavierTreas wrote:

Thanks everyone for the update on the Nooksack River. That's a disappointment. We just bought all sorts of tackle to start targeting steelhead.

Anyone have advise on best areas to target steelhead on the Skagit?

Why limit yourself,there are alot of rivers in Skagit and Snohomish counties and most of them get steelhead running up em,just depends on how far your willing to drive,my suggestion would be to get the Washington regs book as well as download Fish Washington App.Start with the book to check normal river openings and follow up with the app for more up to date info due to unannounced sudden closures. There might even be a few out here on the stage that might direct you to some good spots but understand us locals are scattered around the state and might not have info for your area.If your willing to explore just drive around the roads along the rivers in your area and you'll see spots that might hold fish or find out where steelhead hatcheries are and narrow your search that way

67Mustang Loc: Washington State

Hiway 20 to Sterling Road to where it curves right at the river. Park at the curve, short hike in to the river. They haven't opened for Steelhead yet. Probably February if they get enough brood stock back before then