Puget Sound salmon season

[BARCHASER]

Just wondering if you guys have plans for the Puget Sound salmon season. Last year I went over to Sekiu twice and then moored my boat at Edmonds dry storage for Sept and Oct. I did OK at Sekiu but did really well in Sept on Coho out of Edmonds with 51 in the boat on 16 trips. But this year I'm going to pass on Sekiu and put my boat in Edmonds dry storage starting first of July. For what each trip to Sekiu costs I can pay dry moorage for two months at Edmonds and get a lot more fishing. For my truck and my boat the round trip ferry costs over 200 bucks now.

I signed up for Edmonds dry moorage yesterday. Edmonds is nice about it, they give you 30 days grace before you start paying. So I wont moor it until early July but I have a reserved spot now and don't pay until July. Things have changed this year. Last year the dry storage never got full and I didn't moor until Sept. Yesterday the moorage manager said that because of a more generous season this year, dry storage is almost full now. I got one of the last spaces.

[Onmygame]

Not a bad call.

July is a great month for Chinook in the sound IMHO, with resident Coho in the 2 - 3 lb range by the end of the month and putting on a pound or so a week well into September.

I read in the Tacoma News Tribune about a month back in an article about Point Defiance boat launch parking, that the WDFW is expecting this summer's Chinook run in the Sound to be 40% larger than normal.

It will likely pay to stay close to home all summer long. I have a similar plan. Hopefully more hours on the water = more fish in the box.

The best of luck.

onmygame

[BARCHASER]

At my advanced age, 74, mooring dry or wet is the way to go. Lot less hassle than taking it out of the garage, towing it somewhere, launch/recover etc etc,... lot less fun than it was 30-40 years ago. May as well spend the $, cant take it with you.

[18ftTrophy]

I've started watching the creel reports for MA 10 as COHO season started 6/1 with a two fish limit. I launch off Camano Island and make the run to MA 10 & 11 to fish and I'm 72. Can't wait for the 8.1-8.2 season to open. It's a little early for COHO, but a couple have bee checked in at Kingston.

[stryker17]

…..I am 82, and trying to remember which way to go salmon fishing ...LOL......

[BARCHASER]

I didn't realize this website had so many old guys. COOL!!!

Last year for Coho in MA 10 it was kinda unusual. It was good fishing I think partially because 8&9 were closed so the fresh fish coming into MA10 had not seen a lure since they were at Sekiu and Neah. Also in 10 there were not many boats out since lots of guys were just turned off by the closures. Off Edmonds during the week I counted 40 -50 boasts and weekends 70-80. Not many considering the mob that usually shows up when 8&9 are open.

[retired11]

Hey Barchaser, since you did so well last Sept do you have any tips and or tricks you might want to share with a young guy at the age of 64?

[BARCHASER]

The number of Silvers I got last year was pretty typical except for 2016 when everything was closed. I just troll fast, 3 mph, early I'm at 30-50 feet on the DR but after it gets bright down to between 70 and 100, but I have fished as deep as 150. I've had good luck with an Ace High fly under a glo squid. The squid I used last year that worked very well was the Octopus ultra violet 3.5 O225R made by Silver Horde, also like green spatterback. I'm usually pretty far offshore but I do move around quite a bit if I'm not getting fish. It depends, I have had times when I wound up fishing Possession like I would for Blackmouth. The only close in place I like is from the Shipwreck south to Meadowdale. Fresh fish seem to gang up there, maybe they just keep heading east until the run into the shore..

I use two hooks that I tie myself , 3/0 bottom, 4/0 top, always use a herring strip on the top hook. I cut the strips from a larger size herring, purple I think, fillet the herring, cut into fairly long 3"strips, narrow, triangular, after you cut the strips but in pile and liberally coat with your fav smelly. A scissors works well, cut strips on herring that are still slightly frozen. Put in a plastic container, I like the blue ones you get at Safeways that are 2- 3 " wide and maybe 5" long, layer of strips, layer of rock salt . Let sit overnt and then drain out all the liquid, there will be a lot. If you don't drain the liquid its just a mess. Put in the freezer and just grab it when you go.

I cant resist calling them "Silvers" since that's what we called them growing up in Oregon. Never got used to the word "Coho".

Works for me.

[BARCHASER]

One more thing, everybody has a fav flasher, my fav is the Hot Spot Silver Fever, I add a strip of bright red tape on the side half an inch wide.
http://www.hotspotlures.com/products_flashers.php

[retired11]

Thanks for the information. I will be fishing from the Kingston side in a 16' open boat. Last few years I have been traveling down to the Columbia River and fishing the Woodland area. This year I'm going to fish closer to home which will allow more fishing time.

Thanks for sharing Barchaser.

[BARCHASER]

Since Chinooks start up real soon, just thought I'd revive this thread and see what everybody has planned.

I dont like the tides on opening day, the 15th, so I think I may give it another few days until the tides slacken a bit, maybe the 17th or 18th. I'm boing to put my boat in dry storage at Edmonds this week.

The fishing reports have been pretty good for local Coho and the guys say they have all had stuffed tummies. Fish checker reports for Sekiu have been good also with a 50% success rate. When I start it will be westside of Possession or Pilot Pt on the incoming.

Prob flashers and Kingfisher spoons to start.

[retired11]

I'm thinking Wednesday, Thursday & Friday next week.

I'm going to start off with a Shortbus flasher with 3" Mountain Dew Superbait filled with tuna.

Good luck Barchaser and leave a few for my boat........

I will be fishing the Kingston area.

[BARCHASER]

I'll prob be doing Kingston some also. 18' North River Seahawk with blue trim and a Northwest Fishing Report sticker on the side window. We should all decide on a VHF channel to share reports.

[18ftTrophy]

I'm planning on trying the west bar till tide change on Tuesday, just remember the season starts on the 16th not the 15th. I'll be in my 17' Glasply with a 115 blue Etec. Good luck.

[riverhunter]

Can't fish until Saturday. This thing called work is a nuisance and for some reason they want me there Mondays through Fridays . Saturday I'll be fishing in and around possession using red racer flasher with either a kingfisher spoon or the trusty OG2. Saturday the 21st that is

[BARCHASER]

The Mountain Doo Superbait is the lime green one? I have one of those all rigged up but I haven't tried it yet. I haven't bought any Old Goats. Everybody seems to like them. What size and color for Nooks?

[BARCHASER]

I looked up the OG on line. Looks good. I don't know about those hooks, do you change those out?

[riverhunter]

Yea I replace them with a double hook setup. I downsize the hook by one then the original to keep it working great. I also switch out line for flurocarbon I normally use. It comes with flurocarbon line already but I like a stiffer line when saltwater so the flasher imparts a little action on whatever lure I'm using. So far I've been using the 2.8" for blackmouth and coho primary colors green/white with pink underside, chartreuse/black with white underside, and blue/black with white underside in that order. I have picked up a few of the bigger sizes but haven't gotten around to using them as the 2.8" have been working great for me

[retired11]

Yea I replace them with a double hook setup. I downsize the hook by one then the original to keep it working great. I also switch out line for flurocarbon I normally use. It comes with flurocarbon line already but I like a stiffer line when saltwater so the flasher imparts a little action on whatever lure I'm using. So far I've been using the 2.8" for blackmouth and coho primary colors green/white with pink underside, chartreuse/black with white underside, and blue/black with white underside in that order. I have picked up a few of the bigger sizes but haven't gotten around to using them as the 2.8" have been working great for me

How's the hook up rate with the double hook setup Vs the single hook? Looks good.... I use a similar setup with superbaits.

[retired11]

The Mountain Doo Superbait is the lime green one? I have one of those all rigged up but I haven't tried it yet. I haven't bought any Old Goats. Everybody seems to like them. What size and color for Nooks?

Yes..... 3 or 4" will work. I will start off with the 3".... Remove the foam and load it up with tuna with oil...... I use a double hook setup with beads.... I will try to load a picture tomorrow.