By TIM ADAMS

Sports editor

Salmon fishing in the area is still slow and anglers are continuing to play a waiting game for the big schools to begin showing up.

Richard Bartlett from Oak Harbor Ace Hardware said people have been telling him that they have seen fish jumping, but no one has reported having any great success hooking any of the fish so far.

“The local coho that come back into the Oak Harbor Marina every year have started showing up, but there is nothing big yet,” he said. “Beach fishing should pick up any time but as of right now, people are just still waiting around.”

By the end of the month, the beaches at Ala Spit, West Beach and Fort Casey will begin heating up and good catches of silvers are expected to be hauled in.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife survey indicates off-shore fishermen in Puget Sound have had somewhat better success and the hot spots at the present time are elsewhere, such as Coho Resort and at Olsons Resort Ramp and Docks.

Some fish are being caught around the San Juan Islands but again, the success rate has not been as good as in years past.

WFDW reports large numbers of sockeye continue to be recorded at the Ballard Locks and the Lake Washington sockeye season continues through tomorrow.

Bartlett said the fish at Keystone usually come in a few weeks earlier and there has been some activity around the bridge at Deception Pass.

“People are still fishing in the ‘hole’ under the bridge, but I haven’t heard how they’ve been doing,” he said.

When the fish do begin showing up, Buzz Bombs in various colors; along with hootchies; spoons; bucktails and jigs of various sizes, shapes and colors are the lures of choice.

“There are still a lot of people out there who are trying their luck,” Bartlett said. “The idea is if you’re out there, you could be the one to hit the big school. I hear all the rumors from people coming in the store about what’s happening.”