Northwest Fishing Reports

Im new to the salt water fishing and I noticed that a few place I fish are calm and I was wondering if I could float tube fish in calm days I mean I have been on few lakes and the ski traffic the water is rougher than these place and wht tides would u suggest one of the place s is a tidal creek

Sure. Just know that the current pushes water in and takes water out. Some tides are stronger than others and weather changes without warning causing the waves to pick up as well. I guess it really depends also on where you are fishing. I would also recommend a flag. Like a dune flag or something so that boats can see you.

A few years back when Elliott Bay was open for kings there was a guy that float tubed down the east channel into the bay and fished amongst the flotilla of fishing boats, tugs, freighters and barges. I always thought he was a little bit crazy. But I never read in the paper that he didn't make it home. If your going to try it and make access by way of a tidal creek, stream or river I would assume you would want to use the currents to your advantage. Go out on an out going tide and come in with the incoming tide. By the way it was funny to watch the guy when he hooked into a big king. It pretty much took him where ever it wanted to go.

Ya I have hooked a few lake trout that pulled me around ya I will launch when the tide is in and slack I think the first few times the creek has salmon in it we watch them swim up the ladder

More power to ya buddy...no way would I want my legs dangling with deep salt water beneath me. I've seen the size of some of the stuff that swims around down there....no freaking way. Not this guy.

Im not to worried about that as where a few good lil places to go fishing at

if your timing is wrong you could end up pretty dang far away from where you want to be in a jiffy.. I'd never go out with out gas power.. ever.. IMO

Ya im looking at in land places and im not sure how to time it I have been to locale fishing peer in stielacoom and it is calm all the time im just wondering what tide or when should I luanch and wht should I use for biat etc I just want to try it see wht happens I think it would be fun to land salmon on a float tube just want have some and do it safely

I thought about it off Carkeek once, until I saw a log floating by and realized how much I would have to kick to stay in one spot and what I would do when the tide pulled me out to the shipping lanes

The tide can move you faster than you realize. Heck if you drop em in the wrong spot it'll drag crab pots hundreds of feet. If you do it, make sure you got a life jacket, cell phone, flag, and an air horn..

Gringo Pescador wrote:I thought about it off Carkeek once, until I saw a log floating by and realized how much I would have to kick to stay in one spot and what I would do when the tide pulled me out to the shipping lanes

The tide can move you faster than you realize. Heck if you drop em in the wrong spot it'll drag crab pots hundreds of feet. If you do it, make sure you got a life jacket, cell phone, flag, and an air horn..

Thanks for the imput im thinking of hitting chambers creek the mouth of at incoming tide see how I fair

I wouldn't do it with out a boat near by to save your @$$. When the tide grabs you, you're done. I've taken a row boat out in the sound proper, once. At slack tide it was no problem, as soon as the water started to move it was no fun rowing back. A boat with oars moves much easier than a tube. Now if you were in a very sheltered bay or inlet you'd probably be fine and I certainly hope you are wearing a PDF when out in your tube. Good Luck, hope I don't see you in Japan.......

Im lookin for a good places to go I found afew tillow beach I see ppl in tubes and looked in reg I can from no power craft

when the Snoho opens, you could drop your float tube in down town and float all the way top Langus.. have someone pick you up.. sounds way funner and safer to me.. probably easier fishing too.. you got a downrigger setup for your float tube?

I landed this at friends land in the lil lake thats there innmy tube and it tidal on the chelis I know it is a trout but not sure so threw him back after the pic not sure wht kind of trout it is the old time that lives there says its a blu back

It came from the salt water?

Makes me think of one of my favorite fishing memories of my youth.
Circa: 1976, I'm about 12 years old. I can't swim two strokes, but I have the fishing sickness REAL BAD. I sit down in my (actual truck tire inner-tube) on the shoreline of Birch Bay, up above Bellingham.
I've got my rod, and my tackle box is sitting across my waist area. I can still see the tackle box...

I push off. I'm wearing some swim fins. I paddle out maybe 200-300', not all that far honestly..
I'm catching bull heads, and having a blast! maybe 3-4 hours go by. Suddenly I become aware that the actual, "Bay" has filled in with the incoming tide. Suddenly I am WAY THE, cough, OUT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A SALT WATER BAY.
The tide came in and filled the bay up around me, as it pushed me out farther. Remember, I can't swim at all.

I kicked all the way back to shore. As I suddenly stepped of into what was just the surf, I found that there was no bottom below me. I was in some kind of area of wood bark/chips in the surf. and sort of a false bottom.
Tackle box went flying, maybe lost my rod. Some how made it to shore.
I don't regret it at all. It was one of those memories of fishing and growing up that nobody else was there to witness, but I will always have. My parents would have had a BM.

( I think you are down around Steilacoom, Chambers Creek??) Check that area out for safety, in coming tide, etc. if it is a complete cove/bay, incoming tide, might be your thing.
Otherwise, save for a boat!

Steilacom is closed in thanks for info the creek runs to the im gonna start there incoming tide

IMHO your dicing with death.

sickbayer wrote:IMHO your dicing with death.

Word.

I have spent the last 12 years on crab deck I think ill be fine I like adventure and I have been reading and float tube r a good way to get access to fishing in hard spots but im gonna try and see but I went and got me a kayak because of the load capacity I can take my crab pots and shrimp pots I know that shrimp r deep I set up rod with 350ft lines for my shrimp and crb pots