JoshH
9/14/2018 10:40:04 AMIll be out at North Beach saturday. They should start cruising by there now, and the tides are getting more favorable for the morning fishing there. Otherwise, no, the North end Whidbey beaches have been slow, but they are always 1-2 weeks behind the south end beaches.
BigBadBri
9/15/2018 12:04:47 AMWhat do you throw from the beach?
I hit the small north beach for a bit once last week at lunch. Haven’t been there for a while. The boats were all gone and most beach guys had quit. I have never landed a silver there , but have hooked up a few times. I kind of want to try it from a boat...
I hit the small north beach for a bit once last week at lunch. Haven’t been there for a while. The boats were all gone and most beach guys had quit. I have never landed a silver there , but have hooked up a few times. I kind of want to try it from a boat...
jproutytech
9/15/2018 12:01:03 PMPossession Point Bait Co. , you can fish on their beach and they have live herring for sale. (6 herring for 3 bucks and they give em to you in a bucket) I've been 5 times so far this year and caught 1 each time. Folks on this beach fish mostly slip bobber and mooching rig and you hook the herring in a nose down orientation. My last fish was my biggest this year at 6 pounds but i have lost bigger fish. The herring are cheap and a live one gets hit way better than a dead one so make sure to change your herring if it ain't kickin.
Mike Carey
9/15/2018 7:40:38 PMI'll second the Possession Point Bait Co recommendation. Fun, relaxing time and effective.
JoshH
9/16/2018 10:00:54 PMBigBadBri - I landed one Saturday from North Beach. Possession Point is a much further drive, south end of Whidbey vs north end. I've found over time, not worth the drive for me, I do just as well on the North end. 2.5 oz chartreuse rotator. I run out 3 feet leader off the hook, run a small bead down the line to the hook, then a 1.75 inch pink squid over top of the bead, shove the bead into the squid skirt all the way to its head. Then run a bumper down the line to the squid, then run your rotator down the line, attach to a swivel. Cast out, and real in fast. Don't jig it at all. Coho like to chase. I do much better with a straight fast retrieve than I do jigging, and I always seem to do better than those that are jigging. Fish all the way back on your retrieve. Coho will follow sometimes all the way to your feet almost. Half the fish I've caught have come within 2o feet of my feet. Last thing is I keep herring oil on the lure. It's the last piece that can get the fish to commit before turning around at the beach. The other method I've found successful is fishing a herring under a float. I brine the herring over night. I rig the herring mooching style, size 3 hook on top, 2 on bottom. About 3 foot leader on the mooching rig to a swivel, then tie a bobber stop 1-2 feet above the swivel. Works great when the current in flowing at North Beach, which is 90% of the time. Cast out left or right a bit depending on the current and how many people are around you. Once it's drifted to the end, reel in, and re-cast. Fishing from a boat at deception pass is much different than fishing anywhere else on the sound with how much current runs through there. When there are lots of boats there, it's a real mess and I hear guys lose patience with others around them all of the time.
BigBadBri
9/17/2018 7:15:15 AMThanks for sharing info, very nice of you. Good gear info too, I have been meaning to try herring under a float.
I have never been much of a jigger, just never fish that way, so I find it awkward. Maybe that is why I have never done well with buzz bombs.
I will try the more basic fast retrieve next time. Do you pause at all for the flutter/fall effect from the rotator?
One more question to toss out there...what is an ideal tide setup? I have been told outgoing tide best.
I have never been much of a jigger, just never fish that way, so I find it awkward. Maybe that is why I have never done well with buzz bombs.
I will try the more basic fast retrieve next time. Do you pause at all for the flutter/fall effect from the rotator?
One more question to toss out there...what is an ideal tide setup? I have been told outgoing tide best.
JoshH
9/17/2018 9:46:12 AMIf I see a fish surface behind the lure, I may do a quick pause. Otherwise just a fast retrieve all the way in. As far as tides, 1 hour before through 1 hour after tide changes, prefer just before and after high, but have acutally done well before at all times. It can be a patience game waiting for fish to come by.