The Outdoor Line Forum

Hi Tom - I just recently purchased a new drift boat and wanted to explore the Skagit since I've never fished it much, specifically the stretch from Marblemount to Rockport. I am an experienced rower and this is the 3rd drift boat I've had (although the first one in quite a few years). I know you & Robbo have had many years of experience on the Skagit. I'm curious mostly about what the best water levels are for fishing (as City Light seems to change them often) and as we have started the coho run, any particular methods that work best on the Skagit or places (if you're willing to help a new Skagit fisher out ) that may be good places to start in this upper stretch. Thanks in advance for your time fellas!

Tight Lines!
Duncan

Yo! 'yo,
Welcome aboard and sorry about the slow response, the Everett Coho Derby weekend is a bit of a busy one for us!
Congrats on drift boat #3 and the Skagit is a wonderful place to work on your drift boat silver salmon program.
In September, I like the Lyman to Sedro Wooley stretch and while it's more jet sled than DB water there are still spots to anchor and work the coho over.
The unique thing about silvers are that they hang out in frog water that no other self-respecting salmon would get caught dead in.
Look for blind stream channels/back waters and throw Mag Warts in fire tiger finish and Vibrax spinners. Work these lures right back to the rod tip and the strike can come at virtually any point in the retrieve.
Dick Nites in the current edges fished on 4' leaders with 3/4oz drop sinkers will also put coho in your fishbox.
As September fades into October, keep following the coho upstream to the more tradional drift boat water and keep in mind that fresh coho will be found entering the Skagit River right through December!
Good Luck!

Hey Tom - can you give any insight into water levels and what seems to fish best for the Skagit when city light isn't screwing with them too bad? I know perfect levels are hard to come by, but any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Anything less than around 10,000 cfs on the upper river will fish if you can find some frog water (only a few spots at that flow) and below Concrete I would cut it off around 16,000 especially in your driftboat. I used to fish it up to around 22-23,000 on the lower river in the sled but you certainly wouldn't want to take your drift boat down there in those flows. Like Nelly said...work all the deep, slow, froggy stuff with Wiggle Warts, Vibraxes, Dick Nites, or twitched jigs. That's where they're hanging out 95% of the time on the big crick...in the frog ponds. Good luck!

Great advice from the posts above! Never would have really believed about back channels and froggy water fishing but a well known Skagit river guide with the initials "J K" made me a true believer Pulled into a back channel on during dropping river conditions a few years back and I had a puzzled look on my face... I was reassured don't worry as it looked like a Jimmy Houston spot and was warned to hang on! I'm a true believer now! Headed up that way Wednesday and I really can't wait!

One reason I LOVE froggy water! Big fish was pushing 16# and those others not too shabby either