Puget Sound

jasmillo · Aug 17, 2023

Merle said:
Cool fly pattern! No bead or eyes or weight?

No added weight (eyes, beads, etc.). I fish them on a I/3/5 line though. I fish stinger clousers most of the time for coho but I have been fishing this pattern in various colors a bunch this year. It’s spins and does not keel for shit but that does not seem to bother the fish much.

Divad · Aug 17, 2023

For the grill:

And for the smoker:

PB coho landed on the fly from the beach.

Northern · Aug 17, 2023

Nick Clayton said:
Wind and other obligations kept me off the water this last week, but was able to get out there today.

Six weeks or so ago my son asked about taking his buddy from work out fishing. Said he was super interested in fishing but hadn't done much. Well it just worked out that today, my birthday of all days, we were able to make it happen.

Day started with my son and buddy over sleeping and getting to the launch a bit over an hour late. I was bummed cause I thought that early morning high exchange was going to be our best shot at coho, but luckily I was way off.

Even getting a late start and missing the tide change we found absurdly good coho fishing. I had them rigged up to cast cut plug herring on spinning rods, and after a slow half hour start it was suddenly insane action for the next few hours. Schools of coho were coming in and absolutely going ape shit over giant schools of tiny sandlance. Several times they reminded me of albacore crashing bait. They were ravenous. We quickly had 5 hatchery fish on ice, lost a handful, missed a bunch, and released several because we were not quite ready to quit. Just blew me away how good it was. I totally expected the day to be a pink show, as that's an easy way to get first timers onto some fish, but was thrilled with the quality of the coho fishing.

I did pull out the bug rod for maybe 10 minutes and quickly hooked and lost two nice fish, but today was about letting those guys fish and just getting to spend time with my son.

We sat on one nice rip that came off a point till about 10 or so before the sun got high and the rip finally died out. There were still schools of coho coming through but they got pretty skittish and were tough to get to bite. We did release one pink during this period as well.

Needing one more fish for our limit, and my son's friend curious about pinks, we headed a couple miles away and found a few schools that would pop up here and there and give us shots at em. We lost three or four before we finally put our last fish into the net and headed back. Hit the dock right around noon.

In what has been one of the most trying years of my life it was a true joy to get to have my boy out with me today, and watching the stoke those two young men had for their day was just awesome. Sent em home with a whole pile of fillets to smoke up.

Just a stunning sunrise

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Stoked to get the last fish of the day

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A birthday I will cherish

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Rough day out there

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Every coho was just stuffed with tiny sandlance

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That's a hard to beat birthday, Nick - hope the rest of your day is just as good!

Buzzy · Aug 17, 2023

Happy birthday, Nick, and well done (love the picture of the roe and sandlance.........).

jasmillo · Aug 17, 2023

Divad said:
For the grill:
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And for the smoker:
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PB coho landed on the fly from the beach.

Beautiful fish! Keep at it and you’ll blast past that PB multiple times.

Wadin' Boot · Aug 17, 2023

Happy Birthday Nick!

Greggor · Aug 18, 2023

Eastside, heads westside. Armed with two setups hoping for some coho action!

I'm going to start with my new Boost Blue 6wt, and back that up with a 7wt.

Maybe I'll see a few of you this morning!

Wiznet · Aug 18, 2023

Caught a limit of stinky pinkys today and yesterday. Helped out some folks next to me catch a few too. It was there first time fishing so it was great to see them hoot and holler.

Kfish · Aug 18, 2023

Short morning session at MA11 before work. The new 6wt was properly broken in

Wiznet · Aug 18, 2023

So if I catch a limit in one marine area, can I go to a different marine area and keep fishing?

Stonedfish · Aug 18, 2023

Wiznet said:
So if I catch a limit in one marine area, can I go to a different marine area and keep fishing?

Technically you could. Just depends on what you define as a limit. Say you retain your one fish “limit” of coho in MA 10, you could then go fish MA 9 in an attempt to get your second coho for your two fish limit.
Once you retain your two fish limit regardless of the species, you are done fishing and can’t go fish another marine area.
SF

Jake Watrous · Aug 18, 2023

Wiznet said:
So if I catch a limit in one marine area, can I go to a different marine area and keep fishing?

Yes, but not for the same limit group. Limit on salmon? Go hunt src or flounder, or work towards your crab limit. Don't even have to leave the area. Just do not target the things you limited on.

jasmillo · Aug 18, 2023

Like @Kfish, broke out and broke in a new rod this morning before work. A new 7 weight since I am down two already this season. 3-5 and enjoyed the rod quite a bit.

Wiznet · Aug 18, 2023

Stonedfish said:
Technically you could. Just depends on what you define as a limit. Say you retain your one fish “limit” of coho in MA 10, you could then go fish MA 9 in an attempt to get your second coho for your two fish limit.
Once you retain your two fish limit regardless of the species, you are done fishing and can’t go fish another marine area.
SF

I see so pretty much since I filled my two fish limit in MA 10. I can’t go to MA 9 and fish for more. How does that work for rivers vs ocean? Since the green has a limit of 6.

IHFISH · Aug 18, 2023

Kfish said:
The new 6wt

Looks like a Helios 3D? How did you like it?

Kfish · Aug 18, 2023

IHFISH said:
Looks like a Helios 3D? How did you like it?

I like it so far but not 100% convinced yet. Casting in the park was awesome but the back cramped beach terrain this morning it didn't felt great trying to clear the back casts high up with a heavier fly. 99% of my fishing is not like this however.
Need a few more sessions with it, we'll see.

Grandpa Jim · Aug 18, 2023

Kfish said:
Short morning session at MA11 before work. The new 6wt was properly broken in

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Nice!
Starting to change appearance now as they move further into the Sound. The pinks I was catching from the beach last week in Area 9 were super chrome. Not as many around now on the Area 9 beaches I fish. Last one I landed was 3 days ago.

Wiznet · Aug 18, 2023

Grandpa Jim said:
Nice!
Starting to change appearance now as they move further into the Sound. The pinks I was catching from the beach last week in Area 9 were super chrome. Not as many around now on the Area 9 beaches I fish. Last one I landed was 3 days ago.

I didn't realize that. Do they start turning in the sound already? I noticed a few bucks were already getting a small hump.

Jake Watrous · Aug 18, 2023

Kfish said:
I like it so far but not 100% convinced yet. Casting in the park was awesome but the back cramped beach terrain this morning it didn't felt great trying to clear the back casts high up with a heavier fly. 99% of my fishing is not like this however.
Need a few more sessions with it, we'll see.

As in, it wouldn’t steeple cast well?