Stories by Terry Otto

Columbian freelance outdoors writer

Anglers gather at Klineline Pond to fish for trout. The lake was red-hot after the Black Friday stockings, but has since slowed. Upcoming stockings will revive the bite.

Large winter trout still waiting to be caught at local lakes

December 2, 2023, 6:02am Outdoors

The winter trout season kicked off on Black Friday, with several local lakes stocked with larger than usual rainbow trout for the event. Read story

Dave Mallahan holds his personal best, a 22-pound Cowlitz late-run coho that topped 22 pounds. He took the fish in 2010. Cowlitz late run coho often reach into the upper teens.

Late-run coho salmon a good catch in Columbia River tributaries

October 21, 2023, 5:55am Editor's Choice

Fall salmon fishing has been very good this year, and now that the mainstem Columbia is finally cooling off for Chinook, many anglers will be looking to the tributaries for late returning coho salmon. Read story

Diggers hit the beach during an evening tide. Using powerful lighting, clammers search for signs of razor clams, one of the tastiest clams on the west coast.

Clammers return to Washington beaches to dig their haul

October 14, 2023, 5:55am Editor's Choice

Washington clammers hit the beaches for the first digs of the new season recently, which ran from Sept. 29 through Oct. 2. Diggers found good success during the first open tides. Read story

A fall Chinook that fell for a spoon at the mouth of a Columbia River tributary. Anglers in the Vancouver area are getting fall salmon in the local hog lines.

Coho salmon fishing season on Columbia River should be a good one

September 9, 2023, 5:55am Latest News

Reports of excellent coho fishing out in the ocean has guides and anglers looking forward to when they will begin to move upriver in droves. Read story