Blackmouth! Who's been out?

[Matt]

8-2 and 9 just opened up for blackmouth yesterday, has anyone been out. My buddy and I are thinking of hitting the Racetrack this Thursday. 8-2 has been closed for king retention since spring and my guess is there are some around. Any input?

[BARCHASER10]

Cant this week. Doing some remodel work on the old house. Go out next week if the weather is OK. Racetrack is good. This time of year, early, I also like Elger Bay. Often, I launch at Everett, start at the Racetrack, and move up to Elger if there is nothin going on at the Racetrack.

[Rich McVey]

Im gonna be a Saltwater NEWBIE here soon. Just mooved to Woodinville and got a 24 ft cruiser I'll be putting in the sound. 8.1, 8.2, 9 and 10 will be my primary stomping grounds.

What is "The Racetrack"?

Rich

[goodtimesfishing]

matt- also try tip of camano(south-east tip) at drop off. If you keep flasher and squid right at bottom(without losing them, kinda like drift fishing, if you never feel bottom, you are wasting your time)you can almost always pick up a black mouth. Color of choice green! uv green if you have it.

[G-Man]

Rich, the Racetrack is the area between Hat Island(Gedney) and Camano Head. It is basically a bar that runs between the two points and holds its fair share of bait and fish.

[Rich McVey]

Good to know.

Thank You.

[kjackson]

Word from Westside Marine in PT today is that it's slow up here at Midchannel and around...will try myself next week sometime after installation of the new kicker, downriggers and sonar on the boat.

[BARCHASER10]

Boy, according to the on line fish checker reports and the Seattle Times today, Blackmouth has been pretty ugly. Weather hasnt been too good either. I may try it next week out of Everett if the weather is OK.

[G-Man]

I've been ready to go the past two days but the wind is not cooperating. Supposedly tomorrow it should stay under 10knts for most of the day, keeping my fingers crossed.

[Dave]

Can't wait till the reports start improving. If the weather allows, I hope to be out on the water Thanksgiving weekend for some crab and a little trolling for blackmouth. I also have Friday December 24th through January 2nd off and hope to get out there at least a couple of times. Prayin for light winds!

[G-Man]

Good news, I was out today and the crab were huge and hardshell. Had double limits in just one pot, however, keeper sized blackmouth were no where to be found.

[BARCHASER10]

I havent been out. But I do notice on the on line fish checker reports, the central and south sound areas are awful, but the San Juans is OK. Link below for the fish checker reports, not sure if it works. If it doesnt work just google puget creel reports.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/creel/puget/

Anyway at Wash Park ramp at Anacortes on 12/10 11 anglers got 8, and on 12/11 25 got 13. So it aint really a lack of Blackmouth, more like they are staying away from 8-2 and 9. I used to keep my boat at Anacortes in the 80's but I havent fished in 20 years, maybe I should start.

[Matt]

I have heard that 8.1 has been crap so far this year, and a lot of the time its been littered with commercial crab traps which is never fun up there either. The regulars in 7 have been doing 2 fish days pretty regular, when the weather holds off, its been windy. Seems like thats the spot to hit this year, so far anyhow. Hopefully 8.1 picks up before spring, I really like fishing up there its beautiful.

[BARCHASER10]

Yup. Elger Bay, Baby island, Greenbank, are my fav Blackmouth spots in the winter.

['OL GREY DOG]

i know your not supposed to report these kind of "secrets" for fear they'll get fished out or something but...

my hardcore area 13 guys are catch'n chum !!!! nice bright 1s....
the thing is tho...when the "right" tide is run'n they almost ALLLWAYS catch atleast 1 chinook
work'n the "edge" and the "hole" off the south end of Anderson <shrugs>

but i never told ya that...DOG

['OL GREY DOG]

hmmppff....here's some more stuff i shouldnt tell ya's....

before the hardcores started chase'n chums farther south....they were hunt'n 'em
on the east side of the narrows and when the tide was right they'd run over and hit
Fosdick and around the corner to Wollchet...drag'n bottom look'n for blackmouth....find
the bait duh....they were pick'n up 1 or 2 nearly everyday 5LBS or a little better...caught
a couple in the bay and a couple across over bye the island... where they found bait duh..
nuthin but general info (mumble'n) about the gear but i do know the 'ol codgers have been
known to go bait fish'n before put'n out their salmon gear and they shock 'em and throw 'em
in the "secret" dye potion <shrugs>
they DO have a couple old fasioned "meat lines" in their boat they say they use but they were
always on DR's when i've seen them out there.......DOG

[Matt]

Anybody been out in 8-1 at all? I heard last weekend and the week prior was good out off Hat Island both south and north side. They were reporting about it on the Outdoor Line and John Martini's from John's had also said it has picked up in 8-1. I was thinking of giving it a shot with the good weather coming this weekend.

[BARCHASER10]

According to the on line fish checker reports, very few boats out. Pretty skunky weather and extreme high tides.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/creel/puget/

[Matt]

Yeah I read the outdoor line blog and they showed pix of area 9 and it is a mud bath out there. I have heard reports fishing around the low tide has been decent in 9 and 10 both. Thinking of maybe fishing for a couple hours around the low tide on Sunday. I wonder if the muddy water goes down very deep? My guess is the top is what is muddy and down towards the bottom where the fish and bait are it is probably much clearer.

[fear_no_fish]

i heard of a few fish cought out there in the mud recently so maybe the bottom is clear or just scent up really well