Northwest Fishing Reports

OK, I give up! Obviously 40+ years fishing salmon in Alaska taught me squat about trolling for salmon in WA. I've been out three times in the Mukilteo-Shipwreck to E Possession area: once with 1 rod (fishermen), once with 2 rods and once with 3 rods in the boat. Results: 3 takedowns..."0" adult silvers boated. I've tried flashers (grn with red; silver; plain green) and dodgers (silver) with leaders from 12"-32" attached to green, green splatterback, purple haze, yellow hoochies and Ace Hi flies, I've also trolled lures from Apex, to Krocodiles, to Coyote Spoons, depths from 20' to 150' and various trolling speeds. I've also been using herring oil on the flasher/dodger. I've had gear in the water as early as 6:30 AM and fished for at least 5 hours each day.

The only thing, other than too much "LOFT" on the boat, that I can think of is that I"m using High Viz Green Ande mono. I used it for years in AK with no negative affect...but I just can't think of what else I'm doing wrong. BTW, "LOFT"= Lack of
F@#$#@* Talent. Any constructive comments appreciated!

I take it the hi vis is your mainline and not your leader? Dumb question, but if it's your leader you should probably do something about that. Try brining some herring strips to add to your offering, hang it off the front hook of your rig. Also, mess around with your speed, and troll in different patterns. I was out the other day and went from trolling at almost 3 mph to almost a dead stop and got bit. These fish will follow your gear for a long time without hitting it, so try slowing down, speeding up, or turning suddenly to provoke them into striking.

Sounds like you're doing all the right stuff. Maybe it's time to start trusting your electronics. Put the gear in front of them. Kings like to go slow, and Coho's are fast little demonds. Change up the speed. Go 3 to 4 mph and throw in some S turns to shake it up. When you dial in the right combination you'll be all over them.

Thanks, Guys! RCthePirate...mainline is hi viz. I've added 30' section of clear leader, just in case...Bodo, old fishfinder didn't like saltwater and deeper water...lousy pic. I'm installing a new color sounder tomorrow so should be able to see something. I'll keep drilling holes in the water and try the tips. No gps installed, so I'll take my handheld out there to better judge trolling speed.

might want to check your electrical current. if using down rigger with cable you could be repelling fish. Rather then explain how it all works, just google "fishing with black box" and that will give you all the info you need to check your boat.

Thanks, Goodtimesfishing. I've got one d/r with cable, and one with Spectra. Just using the one with Spectra when by myself.

Ditch the high vis stuff. Fishing in Alaska is a different game than our local waters. These fish are not nearly as snappy.

Go south and venture to the west side of Whidbey island / West Possession / Edmonds area.

Fish are not really thick around Mukilteo now. Keep at it and don't fish the areas that aren't producing. Move till you find some.

Fissurski wrote:Ditch the high vis stuff. Fishing in Alaska is a different game than our local waters. These fish are not nearly as snappy.

Go south and venture to the west side of Whidbey island / West Possession / Edmonds area.

Fish are not really thick around Mukilteo now. Keep at it and don't fish the areas that aren't producing. Move till you find some.

It's not the high via stuff..... That's all I use for a mainline and never repelled fish with it... I use a good clear stiff mono leader no longer then 24" for Hootchies and about 38-42" of 12 lb leader when using spoons.... Electronics are important , not so much to see fish but to see depth and structure....

Fissurski wrote: Fish are not really thick around Mukilteo now. .

Are you kidding me? Fish not thick near, Muk? The 599 coho weighed in from Saturday's derby, and the Kreel census checks from Mukilteo and Everett would say otherwise my friend. The coho are THICK and EVERYWHERE out there. We have been slaying them in all the usual locations. Went out Saturday evening, lines in at 4pm limit with 2 10lbs by 530. The fish ARE there.

Keep it simple. Green or UV 11" flasher, 36" lead to either a glow white squid, or green spatterback squid. I have been using no scent, just flasher and squid, hooked a few on coho killers and 3.5 kingfisher lite's, but the majority have all been on squids. Speed is a huge factor. Make sure to pay close attention to what the tides are doing, I find that fish bite better following the current, bucking a hard current puts too much blow back on your DR cable and causes your flasher to spin at a ridiculous unappealing speed. Use your GPS for speed over ground readings and keep them at or above 2mph. As stated, they will follow for long periods of time, try making turns, chopping the throttle, or even turning all the way around. Seems to me the outside rod (fast rod) is usually the one that gets hit.

I will say this, fish have been deeper this year than average. Most fish hitting 40-55 first light, then 90-120 after sun up. 120 was the ticket all weekend.

Good luck!

+100 Matt..... Just north of the ship wreck area has been on fire.... My buddies did not heed my advise for derby day and hit pr no pt and possession and only hit 1 small fish all day.... So much for trying to stay away from the crowds....

Matt wrote:

Fissurski wrote: Fish are not really thick around Mukilteo now. .

Are you kidding me? Fish not thick near, Muk? The 599 coho weighed in from Saturday's derby, and the Kreel census checks from Mukilteo and Everett would say otherwise my friend. The coho are THICK and EVERYWHERE out there. We have been slaying them in all the usual locations. Went out Saturday evening, lines in at 4pm limit with 2 10lbs by 530. The fish ARE there.

Most of those fish were caught in Area 9 or 10, not up into Area 8-2 near Mukilteo. Fish are definitely "near" muck but the masses of fish are still in their staging areas (entire possession area, shipwreck to Edmonds).

Fissurski wrote:

Matt wrote:

Fissurski wrote: Fish are not really thick around Mukilteo now. .

Are you kidding me? Fish not thick near, Muk? The 599 coho weighed in from Saturday's derby, and the Kreel census checks from Mukilteo and Everett would say otherwise my friend. The coho are THICK and EVERYWHERE out there. We have been slaying them in all the usual locations. Went out Saturday evening, lines in at 4pm limit with 2 10lbs by 530. The fish ARE there.

Most of those fish were caught in Area 9 or 10, not up into Area 8-2 near Mukilteo. Fish are definitely "near" muck but the masses of fish are still in their staging areas (entire possession area, shipwreck to Edmonds).

Where did you get your info?.... My buddy who ran the derby said most all fish were up north of Richmond beach, and majority of them north of edmonds

Fissurski wrote:

Matt wrote:

Fissurski wrote: Most of those fish were caught in Area 9 or 10, not up into Area 8-2 near Mukilteo. Fish are definitely "near" muck but the masses of fish are still in their staging areas (entire possession area, shipwreck to Edmonds).

I don't know where this info is coming from either, but I have caught fish from the ferry to shipwreck with ease.... and there is no "c" in Mukilteo.

I would say just get out there, start trolling at the Shipwreck in 400-600 feet of water, and troll south, don't stop until you get to Shilshole. If the current is S-N start in front of Edmonds and troll north until you get to Mukilteo, 400-600f of water.

Haha, now there is a "troll"!!

[/quote]
Where did you get your info?.... My buddy who ran the derby said most all fish were up north of Richmond beach, and majority of them north of edmonds[/quote]

Time on the water is my info....

/ Possession on derby day was lights out for us. I won't take your buddies word as Possession was en FUEGO on derby day / I don't get how they only found 1 fish....

PER SALMON U
Open for Coho

Coho action from Mukilteo to the Shipwreck is okay now but a better choice is to go farther south just past the Shipwreck into area 9.




Surely the Puget Professor knows what he's doing...

*Edited, please, no referencing non-sponsor guide services. Thanks, Mike

Utilizing a bunch of the tips I got from you guys, and putting in the time, I managed a breakthrough today...deck got messy! Ignore the Old Fart in the Photo...just a photo prop. Both hens. No scale, but largest measured 28". Thanks again, Everyone!

Good job on the Smack Down!!!! Take Matt's advice to heart, not many of the guides come close the hours he's put in on the water.

Nice job Looks like you got it dialed in.....

just an FYI, Possession has a ton of bait and fish marks, we fished it a bit yesterday, pretty chopped in the mid day wind, but no one around. Got oine there and missed two. Sounds like we should have fished deeper though.