Northwest Fishing Reports

There were a bunch of big commercial netting boats fishing around Humpy Hollow today... the fisheries guy at the dock didn't know anything about them and Google isn't giving up the secrets. Who are they? Will they be out all week?

Pre-thanks for dealing with my curiosity!

If fisheries didn't know what was going on, I'm betting that it was tribal netting. What should be more concerning is that the fisheries person you spoke to didn't know about it, the tribes and the state are supposed to coordinate with one another. I'm guessing that whomever you spoke to didn't make a call to find out either.

I drove across the stilly today off I-5 looked on both sides and theres nets every bend that I could see.

nooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!

I seen them yesterday from Muk after work. Must have been 5 in Everett and more South. I think it's the fleet from Seattle and I think it's a 1 day deal for them. Them fish counters at the docks don't know Jack about what is going on. I'm sure it made a good dent in the fish count today.

I found the following schedule for the commercial gill netting on the WDFW web site:
(this is commercials only, I couldn't find tribe schedules)
The WDFW link: http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/commercial/salmon/

Area 8 (Samish Bay) will be open to:
Gillnets using 5 inch minimum and 5½ inch maximum mesh size with max 60 mesh depth:
Monday, August 19th from 6 AM to 10 PM
Tuesday, August 20th from 6 AM to 10 PM
Purse seines:
Wednesday, August 21st from 6 AM to 8 PM
Thursday, August 22nd from 6 AM to 8 PM
Purse seines must release all Chinook, sockeye and chum.

Area 8A (Port Gardner and Port Susan), waters north of line from Mukilteo Ferry Dock to Clinton
Ferry Dock and west of a line from the southernmost boundary point of Area 8D through the green
light at the entrance jetty of the Snohomish River only, will be open to:
Gillnets using 5 inch minimum and 5½ inch maximum mesh size:
Wednesday, August 21st from 6 AM to 10 PM
Thursday, August 22nd from 6 AM to 10 PM
Purse seines:
Monday, August 19th from 7 AM to 7 PM
Tuesday, August 20th from 7 AM to 7 PM
Purse seines must release all Chinook, sockeye and chum.

Area 9A (Port Gamble Bay) will be open to:
Skiff gillnets with nets not to exceed 600 feet in length and 60 meshes in depth using 5-inch
minimum mesh, beginning 7 AM Sunday, August 18th and open continuously through 7 PM
Saturday, October 26th. All Chinook and chum must be released by cutting the ensnaring
mesh.

Area 10 Limited Participation Pink Fishery:
All Puget Sound Commercial permit holders were mailed a limited participation entry form with
information on how to pursue participation in these fisheries during the last week in May.
Drawings for the Area 10 limited participation pink fishery occurred on August 1st. We have
contacted all the boats selected for the fishery. In cases where the selected boat has chosen
not to participate, we have contacted alternates. Department observers are required on board
all vessels. The fishery will close when 200 Chinook mortalities are reached.
Pink seasonal closure: Area 10 is closed east of a line from West Pt extending west to the
closest mid-channel buoy then true through Pt Wells until reaching latitude 47°44’500”, then
directly east to the shoreline. Area 10 is also closed to purse seines within 500’ of the eastern
shore north of 47°44’500”.
Gillnets using 4½ inch minimum and 5½ inch maximum mesh size:
Open to gillnet vessel Loki only
7 PM Monday, August 19th to 7 AM Tuesday August 20th
7 PM Tuesday, August 20th to 7 AM Wednesday August 21st
Gillnets must release all Chinook and coho. Operational recovery box required.
Purse seines:
Open to purse seine vessels Adventurous, Margaret J, Wisconsin and New Oregon only
Wednesday, August 21st from 7 AM to 7 PM
Thursday, August 22nd from 7 AM to 7 PM
Purse seines must release Chinook, chum, sockeye, and coho. Brailing or rolli

Good job Mike, well get it over with as I plan on fishing next week

Perfect, just the information I was searching for! Thanks so much

Idstud wrote:I drove across the stilly today off I-5 looked on both sides and theres nets every bend that I could see.

Only until the First! then they have to pull them. Any net after then is getting bailed

The Swinomish tribe was down in Everett area monday and tuesday all day nettin pinks. Their not getting on the skagit until sunday, kiss the fishing goodbye above them. The upper skagit criminals are test netting the lower river right now, same animals that rammed my boat two years ago. Looks like there is a WDFW boat thats keeping an eye on them following everywhere they go.

Today there was a gillnetter about a mile south of Mulk and another just north of Mulk. I thought they were supposed to stay north of Mulk, but obviously the tribal guy didnt get the memo or more likely didn't give a hoot! Lots of Pinks anyway, We got our 12, 3 rods, and done by 10:30.

Steelheadin360 wrote:

Idstud wrote:I drove across the stilly today off I-5 looked on both sides and theres nets every bend that I could see.

Only until the First! then they have to pull them. Any net after then is getting bailed

Cant come soon enough!

That's still a lot of time at the PEAK of the migration home..
wonder how many thousands will not enter the snoho now..

They are out getting their ceremonial and subsistence catch...lol

On Saturday my friend was fishing out on Humpy Hollow and there were 3 netters out there right in the middle of all of the sport fishermen. Today, I took the ferry out of Edmonds. On the way out I counted 5 netters. On the way back I counted 4 (don't know if they were the same or new boats).

Based off of the schedule Mike posted, I would say that they were fishing those waters illegally.

I don't mind sharing the water with the commercial fishermen, but being out on one of the busiest days of the year (saturday during the pink season), in the busiest section of the water shouting and honking at all the sport fishermen is just bad form. I encouraged him to make a complaint to the fisheries people.

oneshot wrote:That's still a lot of time at the PEAK of the migration home..
wonder how many thousands will not enter the snoho now..

It's fine for them to target the pink, but no doubt they are catching more than just pink with those nets.

Fact or fiction? I read somewhere that the Tulalips invited the Lumnis down to the Mukilteo area.... Maybe false or real as it seemed to be a rumor....