We sporties really took it in the shorts when the opening date moved to October 1. Not always the case (as has been said, the rain came early this year), but it certainly was this year. I understand the reasons, so I'm not upset; maybe just whining a little.

I tried fly fishing the Lower Satsop in late September, mostly looking for anything that might bite (cutts/steelhead) and to get a feel for how the river had changed. I didn't catch any cutthroat or steelhead, but I did run into lots of chromey, bitey, mostly clipped coho and even a couple kings. This was great fun (best salmon angling I've ever experienced in WA), but it was a bit frustrating putting back all those hatchery fish, knowing they were more numerous than I had seen in recent years and that by the time they were open for harvest, most of the clipped ones would be way up the E. Fork. Like Rivrguy said, the lower river was still pretty good fishing for a couple weeks after the opener (if crowded), but the catch was easily 90% unclipped fish.

I've had a pretty good season overall in-river (as regards catching; most fish have had extra fins), but it could have been one for the ages had we had Sept. 16-30 this year. Oh, well. Anymore, a good day of C&R fishing is worth a lot, so I'm fairly satisfied. Those who place emphasis on harvesting fish are probably less pleased....