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So how will these fish be targeted by the sporties?

I'm curious. Anybody fish the opener today? I've never fished the Skagit. Is the lower river fished by boat or by the bank? It seems pretty wide. Looks like they have a boat launch called Spudhouse if you look on the dfw site.

Traditionally fishing for Chinook on the lower Skagit is by boat anchored either in a hog line, like just upstream of the distributary forks, or anchored in a deep slot travel lane. A size 6 or 7 Winner Spinner (chrome with florescent red backside) with enough lead to hold it in place. The first two hours after high slack were purported to be most productive. All this is hearsay from oldtimers who fished there; I never did it myself.

I expect that contemporary gear like a sardine wrapped Kwickfish would be just as productive, if not moreso.

Check your regs. Skagit is open from Memorial Bridge in Mount Vernon upstream to Gilligan Creek. The spud house is down river of the Memorial Bridge.