Shhhhhhht! [quiet - last year 32K; this year 40K]
Dt, this is a very productive but ugly crowded fishery. And also keep in mind that what these guys are describing is the zone off the mouth of the Wind outside the Hwy 14 & railroad bridges into what is essentially Wind water outcropping into a large Columbia indent. So it's a bit like fishing the Columbia mainstem, but way more crowded. You can fish for these same fish, along with lots of others, below Bonneville Dam in less crowded places again this spring. They are conservatively predicting 350K up the lower Columbia and over Bonny. That number doesn't include the lower tributaries. Last spring they predicted 300K and got 440K springers! Also this year there will be about 60% finclipped for keeping, compared to 40% last spring. As for fishing the kind of rivers I think you have in mind, ....
.... as I said, the Wind R. upstream will be plugged with them again; but not just with springers, but also inconsiderate fishermen. Tough access issues also. There should be very good runs in the Cowlitz, Kalama, and NF Lewis rivers a ways south of your area. ...
How are the springer runs in recent years in the east Sound rivers north of Seattle? The last I heard, the huge runs that used to swim up the Skagit had really diminished to the point of getting the river closed. Has that changed the last couple years (getting betters runs like everywhere else, with the good ocean conditions)? How about the close by Sno'/Sky' or the Stil' and Nook' rivers these days? Do they have good enough returns for a season on them this year?
Your other option is drano lake. The fishing isnt as good as the wind but there are fish in there are not as much of a crowd. Good luck.
