Northwest Fishing Reports

i think the last week of july and 2 week of august they should start showing in good number:cheers:

Watching the West coast fishing reports, Olsens ect...and every day there are a few more being caught...Sat 15...Sunday..24..ect

I can't wait!! :bounce: :bounce: :chef: :chef:

I can't wait either. Over 5 million predicted to return, so when they are in here thick it should be one right after the other. I will definitely be taking some time off once they arrive in big numbers and will fish it as many times as I can. They BBQ, bake, and smoke up nicely when caught in the salt. Man I can't wait!!!!! I'm also looking forward to catching a few in the rivers on some trout gear. That's a blast as well.

One of the very reasons of my boat purchase this year. :bounce:
You know, come to think of it now, I have only caught them with pink buzz bombs, what else is there to use (Salt) that will catch them as well?? :bounce: :bounce:

The basic set up is a white flasher and a pink squid. The pink squid comes in 2 sizes, full size and short. I have had good success with both and usually run one of each if there are 2 of us on board fishing 2 rods. I've seen pink salmon caught on other combinations as well but this basic set up seems to work just fine and consistently. At first light, you can find them in the top 20 feet of water. As the sun rises the pinks start to swim deeper. I have caught them at 10' and as deep as 130', but start shallow at first light and as the sun comes up, you can slowly adjust your presentation fishing a little deeper for them. If you have downriggers, I think that is your best bet for keeping your set up in the strike zone however in my experience, when these fish are in the area thick, it really won't matter if your technique is a little off or altered. You can add scent or a small strip of herring to your squid but as I said, when they are in thick, it won't matter. It's a very fun fishery. You can also troll a coyote spoon by itself or behind a flasher if you like. In the rivers, I found that a green and silver Kastmaster with a single barbless hook works very well. I have had limited success with pink spoons or buzz bombs in the rivers but this Kastmaster spoon has worked well.

The basic set up is a white flasher and a pink squid. The pink squid comes in 2 sizes, full size and short. I have had good success with both and usually run one of each if there are 2 of us on board fishing 2 rods. I've seen pink salmon caught on other combinations as well but this basic set up seems to work just fine and consistently. At first light, you can find them in the top 20 feet of water. As the sun rises the pinks start to swim deeper. I have caught them at 10' and as deep as 130', but start shallow at first light and as the sun comes up, you can slowly adjust your presentation fishing a little deeper for them. If you have downriggers, I think that is your best bet for keeping your set up in the strike zone however in my experience, when these fish are in the area thick, it really won't matter if your technique is a little off or altered. You can add scent or a small strip of herring to your squid but as I said, when they are in thick, it won't matter. It's a very fun fishery. You can also troll a coyote spoon by itself or behind a flasher if you like. In the rivers, I found that a green and silver Kastmaster with a single barbless hook works very well. I have had limited success with pink spoons or buzz bombs in the rivers but this Kastmaster spoon has worked well.

there is many ways to skin a cat...
2years ago I had some very good trips in the river and one day on the skykomish was just incredible it was me and 3 other guys on a jet boat and we caught fish till my wrists felt like they were falling off. numerous times all of us had fis on at the same time. we found the most productive lure is a 1/4 ounce jig with pink marabou. their was people on the bank not catching them using buzz bombs and spoons.

as for salt I've never fished them in the salt but I have kind of made up my mind that I'm no going to troll with flashers since the fun part of humpy fishing is playing them on light tackle. I'm going to locate schools and cast buzz bombs. I also really want to catch a few on my flyrod.

I think I'm going to bring along a medium weight rod and see if I can use it on my down rigger without breaking it. Maybe troll a pink coyote by itself just to see if that works. I agree that catching the pinks on light gear is a blast for sure. I'm no expert. I am sure there are many methods and set ups for pink salmon.

coho flies work great behind a dodger or a cut plug behind a pink or green dodger never fished the river for them i am this year my new boat is to small for the salt any tips on the river would help the snohomish wehenn do the start showing up in the snohomish ?

I heard there was a 12 X 6 mile school of pinks spotted off the coast a few days ago, then they moved into neah then sekiu. bring 'em on!

big fish lite line wrote:

The basic set up is a white flasher and a pink squid. The pink squid comes in 2 sizes, full size and short. I have had good success with both and usually run one of each if there are 2 of us on board fishing 2 rods. I've seen pink salmon caught on other combinations as well but this basic set up seems to work just fine and consistently. At first light, you can find them in the top 20 feet of water. As the sun rises the pinks start to swim deeper. I have caught them at 10' and as deep as 130', but start shallow at first light and as the sun comes up, you can slowly adjust your presentation fishing a little deeper for them. If you have downriggers, I think that is your best bet for keeping your set up in the strike zone however in my experience, when these fish are in the area thick, it really won't matter if your technique is a little off or altered. You can add scent or a small strip of herring to your squid but as I said, when they are in thick, it won't matter. It's a very fun fishery. You can also troll a coyote spoon by itself or behind a flasher if you like. In the rivers, I found that a green and silver Kastmaster with a single barbless hook works very well. I have had limited success with pink spoons or buzz bombs in the rivers but this Kastmaster spoon has worked well.

there is many ways to skin a cat...
2years ago I had some very good trips in the river and one day on the skykomish was just incredible it was me and 3 other guys on a jet boat and we caught fish till my wrists felt like they were falling off. numerous times all of us had fis on at the same time. we found the most productive lure is a 1/4 ounce jig with pink marabou. their was people on the bank not catching them using buzz bombs and spoons.

as for salt I've never fished them in the salt but I have kind of made up my mind that I'm no going to troll with flashers since the fun part of humpy fishing is playing them on light tackle. I'm going to locate schools and cast buzz bombs. I also really want to catch a few on my flyrod.

You could also try trolling with a fly on the top of the water. We've caught silvers before doing this over at hood canal, I'm sure it would work for pinks also.

Dave wrote:I think I'm going to bring along a medium weight rod and see if I can use it on my down rigger without breaking it.

Not quite the same, but I've been using a medium weight 6' 6" ugly stick for humpies for as long as I can remember.

As for gear, I'm old school...pink spoon casting it/around logs in the lower skagit (from shore).
If you know the right areas, action is non-stop.
(I've never had too much action fishing from the bigger sandbars).

Can't wait!

I heard at another website that pinks were getting close and Phil of Mystical Legends Guide service said:

"They must be close to that huge school of Chinook that is 5 miles long and 5 miles wide that my buddies buddies buddy heard from his buddy that his buddy heard a report that someone saw from some helicopter out in the Pacific 3 weeks ago.

They must be gettin real close by now." Phil has a great sense of humor...once you get to know him.

Toni wrote:I heard at another website that pinks were getting close and Phil of Mystical Legends Guide service said:

"They must be close to that huge school of Chinook that is 5 miles long and 5 miles wide that my buddies buddies buddy heard from his buddy that his buddy heard a report that someone saw from some helicopter out in the Pacific 3 weeks ago.

They must be gettin real close by now." Phil has a great sense of humor...once you get to know him.

Hey Toni...my buddy told me the same thing the other day! :geek:

mav186 wrote:

Toni wrote:I heard at another website that pinks were getting close and Phil of Mystical Legends Guide service said:

"They must be close to that huge school of Chinook that is 5 miles long and 5 miles wide that my buddies buddies buddy heard from his buddy that his buddy heard a report that someone saw from some helicopter out in the Pacific 3 weeks ago.

They must be gettin real close by now." Phil has a great sense of humor...once you get to know him.

Hey Toni...my buddy told me the same thing the other day! :geek:

you must be a buddy of Phil's buddies buddies buddy who heard from his buddy and his buddy and now I lost how many buddies buddies it would be. :flower:

Let's not forget our Humpy Hollow video to get your juices flowing!

Humpy Hollow Video 07

Pink season is a blast. The pinks are already on there way up the green. 2 weeks ago I saw 4 humpys on the lower green. Only 900k more to come. But the green isn't open for salmon quite yet.

The #1 river set up is a pink mini hoochie. Then towards the end of the run, any color mini hoochie will work. 1/8 - 1/2 oz marabou jigs work very well too. Get them now, the pink jigs/hoochies go fast at the height of the run.

In '07 we were cutting up pink clothing and tying it onto a pink painted (nail polish) jig head in between shipments at outdoor emporium.

Bscman wrote: Not quite the same, but I've been using a medium weight 6' 6" ugly stick for humpies for as long as I can remember.

Same here. My salmon rods are Ugly Sticks. You can't beat em as far as price and performance go. I know there are other more expensive rods out there but the old standby Ugly Sticks are great all purpose rods. It's good to hear the pinks are starting to show. Maybe they will arrive in Puget Sound a little early so we can all get started. Man I can't wait!!!!

Kings...............................are already here

Lots of them!:chef:
South of Jeff head all the way to P.P.

The new weather systems have them moving in from the ocean:bounce: :chef: