I have a 10' aluminum boat and would like to learn to fish the lower Snohomish around I-5 (any and all species). I've never fished it and would appreciate any tips: incoming, outgoing or slack tide; troll or mooch; gear; shallow or deep and how deep is the river down by I-5. Thanks for any info.

I love the Snoho! The launch at Lowell is good, except the parking area is a couple hundred yards from the ramp. The two most important things about fishing the lower Snoho are: #1: Know your tides. With a 10' boat you won't have the problem big boats do when they want to take out and the ramp is five feet above the water line. But you want to know the tides for when to fish....incoming tides equals fresh fish. #2: The Snoho is full of submerged logs, stumps, and rocks. The prop on my 14' Lund shows it. Be careful, especially at low tides.

Fishing tactics by I-5 usually involve trolling spinners and plugs for coho, or spoons for the pinks.

Good luck!

I have a 12foot livinstgon and want to fish the snohomish for humpys and pinks this year. what hp motor do you think would be best and where? could i just anchor up and fish since that wouldt invovle much trolling and driving of the boat? what about float it downriver and steerit as wells??? Thanks

For your 12', a 9.9 or 15 will be fine. I have a 20 hp on my 14' Lund and I can go from Lowell to HWY 522(at high water). I also have an electric trolling motor that I use for trolling, the 20 hp is just to get to the honey holes. There are plenty of places to anchor and fish, just look for rolling fish and unfortunately a lot of boats. Being a humpy year, the Snohomish will be wall to wall with boats and bankies. Most boats use the Maple Street launch downtown Snohomish. It is a single lane launch(not very wide, my 20' Alumaweld barely makes it) and not much parking. But it's free and there are spots to picnic. At low tide you can motor downriver to Lowell and back with no problem, but you'll have trouble going upriver past the railroad trestle just above the launch. At high tide, no problem anywhere, just go slow until you know the shallow spots and stumps.

I'm hoping to put "Snake Pliskin" on both of my boats, if you see me, say hello.

I was interested in I-5 to sound or just above I-5 to sound, not the Lowell area. I've occasioanlly seen boats from I-5 down. Is this not a recommended area to fish?

Honestly, I haven't fished that area much. Don't know the "hotspots" like I do upriver. But it should be good and fresher fish.

I took silvers last year from below I-5 to above HWY 2 trolling red wiggle warts. Launch at langus park. It is just below I-5. You have to go past Dagmars to get there. It is a nice launch on any tide but a minus. True story on the incoming tide.