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Cutts @ Cape Disappointment?

2K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  Chad Lewis 
#1 ·
I'm going to spend the next week down at Cape Disappointment to work with a trail maintenance crew, and I'll have a bit of free time. I'm a newb to salt, but I'm thinking about giving the cutts a try. Does anybody have any beta on fishing down there? Any recommendations on flies?

Cheers
Bret
 
#3 ·
I grew up down in Ilwaco. Check the regulations before you fish [Emphasis Here]. You will be surrounded by three different bodies of water. Also, be aware that the SRC populations in Willapa Bay and the Lower Columbia are not in very good shape, the fishing will reflect this. If the rivers were open you'd have a lot more options.

If you go to the public park in Ilwaco there is a trail the leads along Baker Bay. If you have the patience to deal with the grass, mud, and bugs you can fish the mouth of the Wallicut River where it feeds into the Columbia/Baker Bay. There are a few fish that still poke their heads in this river but not many. The river is more of a ditch now.. but 20 years ago it had a healthy Sea-Run and Steelhead population.

Another option is Willapa Bay on the other side of the peninsula. You never know what you will find over there. The Sea-Run are pretty hit or miss, but I've caught a few off the mouth of Bear River and in a little slough north of Oysterville. This is also a muddy, weedy, buggy, and some times stinky place.

Your less muddy options will be the Pacific Ocean, and the North Jetty. You'll have easy access to both of these from Cape D. as Ft. Canby State Park[AKA Cape Disappointment State Park] provides public access. I've never caught a Cutthroat in either of these locations, but have caught Silvers, Black Rock Fish, Greenling, and Surf Perch off the North Jetty. The ocean beach is popular for Surf Perch.

Approaching these with a fly rod will be difficult however. You have no room for a back cast on the jetty, and the combination of waves and height off the water are not exactly conducive to casting. I'm not even sure how you'd approach surf fishing with a fly rod :hmmm:

If you will settle for freshwater there are a number of tiny lakes on the Long Beach Peninsula that are planted with rainbow trout, and/or have self-sustaining Bass, Perch and Bluegill populations. Black lake is on your way out of Ilwaco, traveling towards Long Beach. There are some very large Bass there...
 
#5 ·
hahhaahhahaha have fun with trail maintenance, last time i was there about 1 year ago the trails were kept up nicely. i do not have any suggestions and i didn't spend much time on the beach but i remember that the beach was very sandy, and not very steep. i do remember one thing, WIND was a terrror it picked up sand by the pound and threw it everywhere. it was like a sand storm but when i got into the park it was fine! have fun its a beautiful place. hike ot the light houses, ive seen so many light houses on the coast but i love to see them all over agian!
 
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