As a trout angler who occasionally fishes for salmon, it bugs me to see complete river closures, ostensibly to protect Chinook salmon. It happens to the Humptulips, then the Skagit this year, and now the Satsop. A lot of us like to chase sea run cutthroat with 5 and 6 weight fly rods that couldn't harm a Chinook if we tried. And we don't try! Rather than enforce fishing regulations, the Washington Department of salmon just prefers complete river closures these days.

But the Chehalis did open for coho fishing yesterday, so a friend and I gave it a go. I've mostly fished in the Harbor in the past decade or so. I'd kinda' forgotten how nice it is to boat and fish in some tamer water. We boated a couple and called it good.

I agree, Salmo. They could easily craft regulations that protect salmon and allow trout fishing. Used to be that "opportunity" was the mantra. Now, they see to have given up and just open or close.

With the Chehalis tribs being very low and no rain forecast for the rest of the month I was wondering if tribs (Nooch, Satsop, etc) will open ov Oct. 1? Anybody heard anything?