Puget Sound salmon season

[jd39]

Looking for a little feedback/advice on puget sound ramps as I'd like to start fishing the sound this season. My top concern is that I have stock 2 wheel, rear wheel drive truck. I'll be using the Shilshole and West Seattle launches mainly. I had heard that the launches can have traction issues due to algae/seaweed growth and sometimes need 4 wheel drive to maintain traction. Stopped by West Seattle at high tide and it looked fine (still noticed almost all the launch vehicles were 4 wheel), will have to stop by at low tide. I plan on visiting Shilshole as well. Curious what your collective thoughts are on this?

Should I be concerned or did I get bad info and the ramps are fine with normal traction?
Do any of you launch with 2 wheel / rear wheel drive?

Never has any problems with fresh water ramps but salt's a different animal altogether is what I have had heard.
I'll eventually put high traction tires on the truck or just trade it up to a 4 wheel drive but that probably wont happen this season.

Thanks for any help and advice!

[BARCHASER]

I've always launched at Everett. But I've gone out with my buddy and we launched at Shilshole and no problems, other than crowded and not many lights so pretty dark before sunrise. He launches there all the time and has no problems. He just has a 2 wheel drive van.

[18ftTrophy]

Shilshole is protected by a break water so no sand on the launch but slime on any saltwater ramp can be a problem. Until you get a 4x4 add some weight above the rear wheels for added traction, and easy on the power coming up the ramp.

[Onmygame]

Jd39 - you don't mention the size of your boat, or if glass / wood / aluminum. If not too large or heavy, a 2WD should be fine.

Ramps can be a challenge for any rig depending on tide, algae and incline.

Just be sure to use a lower gear pulling out, and pay attention to the tides as well as know your ramp's lowest tide point for normal boat loading.

[jd39]

Thanks BARCHASER, I’ll probably go to Shileshole a little later then when they’ll be light my first time. Probably risking parking but rather be able to see well in an unfamiliar place, work/day got away from me yesterday and couldn’t go check it out.

Good suggestion Trophy! Will throw some weight in the back! I always forget that for some reason, appreciate the reminder.

Hi onmygame, it’s a 16’ smoker craft pro tracer, probably 1,000-1,500 lbs boat, motor, trailer...etc...being launched by a f150. Will try low gear as well!

Thanks again, appreciate your help! Hope to see you all out there tomorrow!

[jd39]

Made it out yesterday no problems. Had 4-5 bites, 3 solid hookups but no fish in the boat, lost one right at the side, oh well. Looked like a ~3lb resident. Released 3 shakers. Saw a few harbor seals and some porpoises, had a great time out! Really liked fishing out there especially with the conditions.

Fished right outside Shilshole around the green can from ~6:30-11:30, from 40’ early down to 90’ later in the morning, most bites came between 60-80’. One solid bite and hookup on a hootchie with herring strip, rest on cutt plugs, no love for the white/black OG2 for me.

Hope to be back out soon! Thanks again!

[BARCHASER]

When the ocean fish show up, further out is usually better. Keep a fast troll, usually 3mph or better.

[HammerinHonkers]

Im gonna give it a go tomorrow morning. 530-11 probably. Launching at shilshole and gonna fish the 10/9 boundary. I want to get everything dialed in before the push comes in. Thanks all you guys for the pointers and info, ill post a report good or bad.

[HammerinHonkers]

Fished sunday from 730-1130. Had two good bites that popped the clip but didnt stick first thing. Pretty slow after that, just shakers. Saw a few netted. Talked to fish checker, said Sunday wasn’t great but Saturday alot of fish got checked in. Still just the smaller 4-5lbers, a few bigger ones mixed in. Hope to get out twice next weekend

[BARCHASER]

Thank you for the report. In my experience, its still early. In my fishing records over the last 10 years, the earliest I ever got ocean Silvers in Puget Sound was Sept 2nd. For me its usually the first week of Sept.

[BARCHASER]

My friend Terry and I fished 10 around Edmonds today in my boat and we got 3, two 6-7 pounds prob ocean fish and one 4 pounds that was local. Our bite was between 9 and 10AM. About 40 boats on the water between Edmonds and the oil docks. Seems to be some ocean fish trickling in.

Still pretty early.

[BARCHASER]

The Silvers are there but not in any numbers yet. Today I went out with my friend Terry. We started out in 10 around 6:30 but it was dead. So about 8 we ran up to the Shipwreck. I got a nice 8 pound male (on the scale) 5 minutes after we got there. Fished another 2 1/2 hours and didnt get another strike or see a net. So around 11 we ran back to 10 and got one about 6 pounds at noon and that was it. No other strikes.

Its early. But even having fishable numbers this early is a good sign. In my fish records over the last 10 years the earliest I ever got an ocean Silver was Sept 4th and usually its more like the 6th or 7th.. When I put my boat back in the Edmonds dry stack the guy said he only saw two other fish for 10-12 boats. So we were lucky.

[Mike Carey]

just posted a nice Area 10 report, definitely ocean run fish and looking good. Fingers crossed for another great season!

[retired11]

Hey Mike, I don't see the report..... Did you send it snail mail?

[HammerinHonkers]

Ill be out there tomorrow in the edmonds/oil dock/shilshole area. Good to see some big salters showing up.

[Mike Carey]

Hey Mike, I don't see the report..... Did you send it snail mail?

it's posted on the web site under Latest Reports.

[18ftTrophy]

I'm not seeing it either Mike.

[retired11]

Mike must have blocked me..... Still not seeing it.....

[HammerinHonkers]

Its not his personal report, just an A10 report with a couple good sized coho

[Mike Carey]

Mike must have blocked me..... Still not seeing it.....

this is not Facebook!

As noted, it's not a personal report, see a web site report under latest reports.