Just read on the WDFW site that the lower Green opened up for silvers yesterday, a week earlier than originally planned. Anybody give it a try?

I fished it a few times last October to no avail. Threw spinners, **** Nites, you name it. Should I try tuna balls? Or maybe the kitchen sink? If anyone has any suggestions on how to take these fish from the slow, deep pools, I'm all ears and would be most appreciative.

Oh, and one more question about silvers on the lower Green. Are they good eating? (Or maybe I should ask, "Are they SAFE eating?")

Thanks for any help.

I've been eating Duamish Coho for over 25 years now and have yet to see any problems. My son with the extra toes also eats fish caught from there and he's alright too. In fact, I hear him in the basement now banging his dish. I better go feed him before he takes after the neighbors Rottweiller again. Those vet bills are really getting out of hand.

My only success on Duwamish silvers has been with eggs. I like small baits and small hooks with a tiny flo red corky. Fish seem to like it, also. You have to have some tidal run to drift effectively in this stretch of the river. I've caught most fish while the tide is running out, but have also taken fish when the tide is incoming and your drift is upriver. Take plenty of leaders; the lower river is a snagfest. Take time to scout the river on an extreme low tide and you will save yourself some gear. Good luck and thanks for the info about the opening.

Try using #5 Vibrax (Blue Fox) spinners, Silver, Silver blade & Chartruese body, or pink body. Buy some shrimp Smelly Jelly scent and smear it on the spinner blade and hook (Not the body, it'll gum up the spinner action).

Also, fish your spinners deep, near the bottom. Let them sink a few seconds before starting a slow retrieve. Hang on.

The Lower Green has many spots to target silvers. But each spot fishes a little differently. Like CedarR mentioned, pay close attention to the tides. Drift fish during the outgoing and use strait eggs with just a pinch of lead. I checked out the river this afternoon and its very low. So long 6lb test leaders tied to a #4 red Gammy will be the ticket. Also try a crappie jig under a float. White/red head has been successful in the past, but also bring along some "changeups" like straight black marabou or tiny tube baits w/sparkles. When the tide comes in flip a spinner or head to the lower part of the Lower and toss a Crippled Herring from the bank. If you have a boat, launch at the First Ave Bridge and troll all the way up to the Oxbow. This is guaranteed fish-on trolling a #3 vibrax or Bomber Model A.

Thanks guys! I'll let you know how I do.

Just for info. My office overlooks the Duwamish and the nets have it choked. The Indians are tending them well and reaping quite a harvest this morning. It looks like they'll add significantly to the 7500 fish they took last week in the "limited" test fishery. I'll keep status updates.

H.S.L.
I would toss blue fox spinner's #4 or#5 down by the boeing credit union.Good luck, STRIKE ZONE.

Grumpr,

You didn.t tell them about your third eye.

give me an e-mial
tight lines

Kevin

Updates on the nets would be most excellent. Thanks.

Nets still thick this morning.

Yo Kevin.
Which third eye would that be, eh?
grumpyr

P.S. read your e-mail

i like using wicked willy spoons green withe red dot and yellow underside

GrumpyR the one on your forhead ha ha. Maybe next week for the puyallup I'll drop you a line

Tight lines
Kevin

As of 7:00 AM this morning (Thurs) the nets are STILL in and doing well. How are the sportsmen doing? I can't imagine any way there could be a 50/50 split on this run.

hey kevin, jus wondering how are you doing on the puyallup? i havent been fishing it much lately due to the color of water, but i know there arre some silvers in it, what do you use to persuade them to bite? ive tried eggs to no avail. ***schitzo***

Retriever: I haven't fished it yet. I drove over to the river and checked it out on my lunchbreak yesterday and was astounded at the labyrinth of nets draped across the river. Hard to imagine ANY fish making it through -- which doesn't exactly inspire an angler to run for his rod. I wonder if the nets will be in this weekend?

Thanks for your updates.

net report 0730 on Friday: fewer nets in and fewer fish being taken in each. Maybe there will be an escapement upstream this weekend. Goodluck.

What a disappointment! Fished the lower Green at the 99 bridge in Allentown from 6:30am to noon. Saw only 2 small coho caught for probably 30 fishermen. I'm really happy that the Muckleshoots could jump in and get their 10,000+ fish while us sportmen enjoy another one of our Department of Fish & Wildlife braincramps (where they offer us the unique opportunity to catch all these bonus Coho amidst a net maze that virtually chokes the river off to migrating coho). It's an outrage. Another way rec. fishers are getting nailed on tribal rivers is that the tribes can control their net size so they can select for the largest fish. Can't blame em'....would you rather have 4-5 lb fish or 7-10 lb fish. For any run tribes can select for the largest fish by varying mesh size on their tax-payer supplied gill nets. If you don't believe me spend some time watching them pull the nets. We get the traumatized dinks that can wiggle through the nets (scarred head to tail)and the tribes are walking away with 60% or more of the fish poundage. Same thing happened for Lk. Washington Sockeye. You didn't see the tribes catching many 4-5 pounders. Ditto for steelhead on tribal rivers. The department of Fish and Wildlife is working for the tribes not us. How come rec fishers don't get to do the test fisheries? I think WDFW could go away and sport fishers would hardly notice. Such a helpless feeling to see this resource so mismanaged. Ever wonder why the tribes don't complain about allocation? The lower green should have been full of Coho like almost every other river in the state currently is today. I can't believe I'm saying this, however I think it's time to return to court and demand our share of the catch!

I fished the "lower Green", actually the Duwamish there, last night after work, just downstream from the Oxbow bridge. Took one Silver 8lbs. Lots of fish rolling, splashing. They just aren't biting real well. Also fished at the old drive in area this morning from about 10:00 to 2:30, below the foot bridge down near power lines. Saw lots of fish rolling there as well, but the fresh rain & not very low tide seems to have them freight training for the upper river. I saw one fish caught, could see about 20 fishermen at a glance. I caught nuthin'. Still quite a few fish rolling around tho'. Granted the nets have been in, but there were an awful lot of people throwing a large variety of tackle & bait. Still no bites. Can't hardly blame that on the nets, can we? Seems to me we should be blaming the fish for being just plain un-cooperative. I also noticed quite a few people fishing above the Hwy 99 bridge, even though that stretch of river doesn't open until tomorrow. Last item WDFW was at the foot bridge when I left. Said he talked to 30 fishermen, only reported 10 fish caught. I'm betting it'll get better.
Murff