PNW Fishing

  Once upon a time, fly fishing was a simple task. If an angler wanted a fly rod outfit, it was obtained by going to a fly/tackle shop, selecting a rod that had a number written on it, and then selecting a fly line that had the that same number written on it. Said fly line was then spooled up on a fly reel. The angler bought some monofilament tapers leaders that had a weird number with an X and that was it. (We will cover what that X means later.) Off we went into the great beyond in search of stupid fish that willingly ate our artificial offerings. Simple. Those were the days of blissful ignorance, both the anglers and the fish. 

In these modern times of technically specific fly rods and fly lines, there are so many choices. What used to be a simple task now resembles an act of faith to get the right set up. No matter if you shop online or in a local fly shop, the fly line choices are are plentiful. Fortunately, all the major manufacturers of fly lines have done a very good job at trying to make a complicated task as simple as possible. Rio, Scientific Anglers, Cortland, and Airflo have application specific fly lines that are easy to navigate on their websites as well as in a fly shop. Plus, it never hurts to have personal input from a bona fide fly shop employee that has actually used the fly line. Hands on experience will never be replaced by the typing of letters on the interweb by someone who has never even touched a fly rod. Keep that in mind when you decide where your money will be spent.

Methods

I am going to try to explain the method behind the madness of what makes a fly/line a certain weight. Also, I am going to attempt to do this without upsetting any manufacturers of fly tackle products. It’s not my intention to ruffle feathers, only to convey the truth as I know it. So, let’s just say your fly rod is labeled as a “7wt or 7 weight”. In theory, this means that the rod blank needs 7 ounces of weight to make the rod load and unload. In theory, that means your rod needs a “7wt or 7 weight” fly line to make the rod do work. What makes a 7 weight fly line a 7 weight? It should be a simple question with a simple answer. Originally, fly lines were manufactured so that the weight of the “head” determined the fly line weight. Meaning that a 7 weight fly line had a head that weighed 7 ounces. At that time, the head was the first 35 feet of the fly line. Life was simple then.

Real Questions

Now that we understand the theory behind the rod/line weights, let’s discuss how to decide the right fly line to select. First - What species am I using this line to fish for? Second - How much money am I willing to spend? Let’s use my favorite single hand steelhead rod, Sage Z Axis 10’ 7wt. Yeah, I know it’s old, but it’s still an awesome rod. I only use this rod for steelheading in smaller rivers, or larger creeks casting heavy flies. Either way, I need a 7wt line. Remember when I said that the fly line head was 35 feet and weighed 7 ounces for a 7 wt line? Now is the tricky part but, not really. My rod needs a fly line head weight of 7 ounces to make it work. If I am trying to cast heavy flies or nymph rigs, it’s easier to do that with a shorter piece of line beyond the rod tip. At least that is our brain’s message to us. Anyone that has ever tried to fly fish knows that our brain says “use less line, it will be easier.” However, this works totally against everything that makes the fly rod/line work as a team. The rod needs 7 ounces to load and unload. However, picking up 35 feet of fly line with a heavy indicator rig on the fishing end is near impossible. OK, maybe not impossible, but it’s hard. Fishing is hard enough, why make it harder? It would be easier to use a fly line that had head weight of 7 ounces that was 20’ instead of 35. The rod gets the line weight it needs and the angler gets the casting performance needed to deliver the cast without having to pick up 35’ of fly line in a small space. On my last trip to the Anchor River in Alaska, I chose the Scientific Anglers Anadro fly line. It has a shorter tapered, more aggressive head that checks the box on what I need to deliver for steelhead flies and rigs. This also works well for skating mice to Bristol Bay rainbows. It is not a good choice for dry fly fishing. Yet, therein lies the conundrum.

Some of you reading this have already thought “I just need one fly line that will do everything I want it to do.” In my three decades of guiding fly fishing, hanging out in fly shops, hosting trips and just generally being in the business, I have never once seen one fly line that will do everything you need it to do. It doesn't exist unless all you are going to do is fish one way, using one technique for the rest of your life. Even though that sounds completely and ridiculously boring, I guess it does happen. Point being, I don’t use my steelhead line when I go bass fishing. Even though the head taper would be great for turning over big poppers, the fly line core in the steelhead line is designed for cooler or cold temps. Bass fishing is typically warm water which requires a stiffer fly line core so that your fly line doesn't feel like you are trying to cast a spaghetti noodle with half a deer on the end of it. There is not a one size fits all when it comes to fly lines, not even one size fits most. There are some crossovers, but not many, and not enough for me to write about. Plus, the controversial arguments that would ensue would only be a recompense of opinion.

Finale

 Last and certainly not least is the second part of the selection. How much money am I willing to spend on a fly line? Fly lines are expensive. Crazy expensive. I remember the first time I saw a fly line for $25. I thought the shop manager had gone mad. No way was anyone going to pay $25 when we had all been paying $18. Then I cast a rod with the $25 line on it and immediately purchased one for myself. That was more than 30 years ago. Today’s fly lines are light years ahead of what they were then. By today’s standards it isn’t even fair to call those old lines fly lines. They were more of just a suggestion of what fly lines should and could be. My advice is to spend as much on a fly line as you can possibly afford to do. The fly line represents the tires on an automobile. If you take an old Cadillac El Dorado that rides like a dream and put cheap tires on it, it rides like a Cadillac with cheap tires. Consequently, you can put the finest Pirelli racing tires on a Saturn and It will handle like a plastic race car. The tires change every aspect of how the car rides and handles. The fly line does the same thing to a fly rod. Spend the money, you will be happy you did.

  In closing, when selecting fly tackle, or any tackle for that matter, I can't emphasize enough how important it is to collect your information from reliable sources. I find that privately owned fly shops are the utmost in providing genuine hands-on knowledge. Go to a shop that specializes in what you want to do. I have a good friend and colleague that owns a shop in the Rockies. He and his staff are some of the most skilled and knowledgeable people when it comes to their water. Yet when those guys go saltwater fishing, they call another friend and colleague that owns a saltwater fly shop for input on what to buy and use. Don’t be afraid to make a financial commitment. It could be the difference in catching the fish that you want to catch and standing around watching everyone else catch fish. Don’t be that person....

Are you in need of outdoor activity ideas for the days ahead? Here, you'll find seven suggestions that offer you the chance to embrace the outdoors and partake in fresh experiences this spring season.

Wildflower Hikes

The wildflowers are blooming around Eastern Washington and now is a great time to go on a hike and immerse yourself in their presence! A few of my favorite places to go include Columbia Hills State Park in Klickitat County, Hay Canyon and Nahahum Canyon near Cashmere, Ingalls Creek south of Peshastin, the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge south of Cheney, and the area around Palouse Falls State Park.

Waterfalls

Speaking of Palouse Falls, this is the best time of year to visit this state park near Starbuck in Southeast Washington. The spring runoff on the Palouse River sends a voluminous amount of water crashing into the 198-feet deep basalt basin below the falls. Other waterfalls worth checking out right now include Rainbow Falls near Stehekin, Silver Falls west of Entiat, and Periwee (also known as Peewee) Falls in Pend Oreille County, which cascades 233 feet into Boundary Lake.

Bass Fishing

The bass are in the shallows and getting ready to spawn. This is arguably the easiest time of year to sight fish for bass. Casting finesse rigs like senkos, jigs or Texas rigged worms and lizards can readily draw strikes. Look for these bass in thick cover and be prepared to scratch up the boat a bit to get at them.

Trout Fishing

Most of those trout planted prior to the lowland lakes opener are still there, and this is a great time to go fishing for them. If you are looking for places to go, check out the WDFW derby lakes where trout with blue tags have been planted. If you catch one of these trout, they are worth a prize, which could be anything from a gift card to a canoe!

Catfish Fishing

Another option for anglers right now is to go after catfish. You can find them in the lower John Day River between the mouth and the falls as well as the mouth of the Palouse River near Lyons Ferry State Park. Channel catfish are also plentiful in the Snake River.

Desert Hikes

As the weather warms, desert hikes become a lot less enjoyable, but if you go now, you can still take advantage of the great scenery and some of the lakes found in these regions. Some of my favorite desert hikes are the lower route to the Ancient Lakes, Dusty Lake, (1.5 and 3 mike one-way hikes respectively), and near Frenchman or Winchester Wasteway in the Desert Wildlife Area in Grant County. If you go, check yourself for ticks at the conclusion of your excursion.

The Washington lowland lakes opener is in the history books, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still catch fish from them. Here’s a report on some favorites and how angler did: 

Steve Caromile, the Inland Fish Program Manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said, “The lowland lake trout season, Washington’s single biggest fishing season, opened April 22nd with decent weather and catch rates. It is still one of the best bargains in local family recreation. The 22nd was also the first day of our annual trout derby, and we are already seeing catches of tagged trout!”

Caromile continued saying, “With typical springtime weather, angler catch and effort at our lakes was comparable to prior seasons, with catch averaging just about three fish per angler. The air temperatures weren’t bad, but water temperatures are still on the cool side. But with better weather in the forecast, the catch will be heating up as well.”

If you are wondering how Central and Eastern Washington lakes fished on opening day, here are reports from WDFW staff who visited various waters in the region:

Klickitat County

Horsethief Lake was fishing pretty slow on the opener. Individuals averaged two trout each. However, things were very different at Rowland Lake. 29 anglers were checked, and although there were not many people fishing, creel checkers noted they harvested lot of fish. Eight trout were caught per angler, and on average they kept 3.24 fish. The largest trout seen? A 21-incher!

Chelan County

Clear Lake was frozen over and Beehive Reservoir was not accessible to vehicular traffic due to snow at this lake located near the Mission Ridge Ski Area, south of Wenatchee. However, Wapato Lake, near Manson, was open for fishing, and anglers caught and kept around 3.5 trout apiece.

Douglas County

The crowds were out at Jameson Lake on opening morning. Creel checkers counted 234 anglers fishing for trout at 8 AM. Just under 3 trout per angler were caught here, the average fish measuring 11-inches long. The largest fish seen by WDFW staff was a 16-inch rainbow.

Grant County

The crowds were also out for the opener at Blue Lake, with nearly 300 individuals counted, and a lot of these anglers were kids. The average catch was only 1.5 trout each, but the size of the trout was a healthy 14 inches. Park Lake, south of Coulee City, was also crowded, and the catching was about the same as Blue Lake. There was far better fishing at nearby Deep Lake, in Sun Lakes State Park. Anglers there were catching five fish limits of rainbow trout averaging 13 inches.

Okanogan Country

Okanogan County is a popular destination for the lowland lakes opener and for good reason: the fishing can be very good here and the scenery is nice. Creel checkers did not make it out to any of the lakes here for the opener but I called Gene Bussell at Liars Cove Resort, who said anglers did pretty good for both bass and trout. However, the lake is really low right now, and according to Bussell, “it’s not easy to launch boats at the moment.” The good news is the lake is starting to fill and boat access is getting better. Check with Bussell for exactly where to launch so you don’t get stuck in the mud.

Pend Oreille Country

At Diamond Lake, the crowds were low and the fishing was slow, due primarily to cold water temperatures. Of the anglers checked, on average they only harvested a rainbow apiece, though most of them were 13-inches long, and the largest checked was a respectable 19-inch trout.

Stevens County

Waitts Lake had more anglers than any other body of water in Stevens County on opening day. Creel checkers noted the fishing was best in the morning before the winds kicked up. The anglers checked averaged 2.4 trout apiece, but the fish were large, with the rainbows going nearly 14 inches and the brown trout 16. There were not many anglers seen at the other Stevens County lakes. At Starvation Lake, anglers were indeed starving for trout and the fishing was slow. The same scenario played out at Rocky and Mudgett Lake. The few trout checked averaged 12 inches in length.

Last but not least, if you catch a trout with a blue tag on it, don’t throw it back. That’s a WDFW trout derby fish and it’s worth a prize. Go to https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/contests/trout-derby for details about where these fish have been stocked and how to claim your prize if you catch one.

John Kruse – www.northwesternoutdoors.com and www.americaoutdoorsradio.com

Most folks think of the S &P 500 as a stock market index, but on a recent trip to the Columbia River Gorge, I realized it had a fishing meaning as well. Namely, the opportunity to catch 500 shad and pikeminnow over the course of a week! My friend Rusty Johnston and I spent a couple of days fishing on the Columbia River between Rufus and The Dalles. Our first goal was to catch a bunch of shad, not just for fun, but also to use for crab bait this summer. Our second goal was to catch some pikeminnow and turn them in for money through the Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Fishery Program.

This program is administered by the Bonneville Power Administration along with both the Washington and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The northern pikeminnow is a native fish, but fish nine inches and longer feed on outgoing salmon and steelhead smolt, impacting the survival of both species.

In this program, anglers are paid anywhere from $6 to $10 a fish for any pikeminnow turned into a designated station along the Columbia or Snake River. The more fish you catch, the more they are worth and if you catch a tagged fish, it is worth $500. You can find out more about this program, designed not to eliminate, but control the population of pikeminnow, at www.pikeminnow.org.

Rusty and I decided to start our trip fishing for shad below the John Day Dam. You can fish below the dam on both the Washington and Oregon side of the river, but we decided to buy a non-resident license at Gorge Outfitters Supply in Rufus and fish the Oregon side at Giles French Park.

Shad Killers

We were using Shad Killers, a local jig sold at Gorge Outfitters Supply, and the hot color for us was red and white. The Shad Killer is a 1/16-ounce jig with a bit of flashabou on it. We tied the jig onto a two-to-three-foot leader which we tied to a barrel swivel. Above the swivel we had another swivel which held a ½ ounce lead weight. Other lures that work well with this set up are shad darts and Dick Nite spoons.

We cast our offering from the bank, let it sink a few seconds, and the reeled in with a slow to moderate retrieve as the lure drifted downstream. We were soon rewarded by hook ups with a whole bunch of shad. The American Shad averages one to three pounds in size. They are scrappy fighters and up to six million of them make their way over Bonneville Dam between the end of May and mid-July, all heading up the Columbia to spawn. I have enjoyed good days on the water catching shad before, but this day was epic! Rusty and I hooked into some 50 shad in just two hours of fishing. We lost a few (they have a nasty habit of throwing the hook) but reeled in some three-dozen fish, getting more than enough crab bait for the summer.

Speaking of uses for shad, the oily fish is also a favorite bait for sturgeon, and some even cut them up into chunks to use for catfish bait. Still others will eat them. We met one angler at a cleaning station at Maryhill State Park who carefully filleted out the shad he caught. He told me he brines them and puts them in a pressure cooker (which gets rid of the bones) before canning them. He said the fish taste very good. I will have to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Finished with shad, we next registered at a check station and fished around The Dalles for pikeminnow. We only caught four keeper pikeminnow (worth $6 each) but since this was our first time participating, we also each got to turn in a coupon worth $10 each after checking in our first fish. Better still, three anglers from Idaho were desperate for sturgeon bait and paid us $20 for a single shad which they promptly put to use, casting their lines out at The Dalles marina, hoping to hook into a monster fish. Altogether, we made $64. That covered a good portion of our gas money getting back home.

One other fun thing about fishing for pikeminnow are the other fish you catch. I ended up catching eight perch, and we both also caught smallmouth bass on the nightcrawlers we were using for pikeminnow bait, fished just off the bottom of the river with a two-ounce sliding weight. Rusty caught the most interesting bycatch of the day though, a 30-to-33-inch sturgeon on a bass rod that was spooled with braided line and just a 10-lb leader. It took him 15 minutes to get that prehistoric looking fish to shore, at which point I snapped a photo of the fish and he released it. It made for the end of a perfect day of fishing!

John Kruse – www.northwesternoutdoors.com and www.americaoutdoorsradio.com

Coho are one of the most sought-after salmon in the Pacific Northwest. For the saltwater angler, the coho bite can be a bit chaotic, with the fish running in large schools and being active biters when the conditions are right. They can also be a bit frustrating if you are not using the right gear or fishing the right presentation. By keying in on techniques that work the topwater and get the coho to bite, you can increase your catch rate and fill the coolers with great eating, hard fighting silver salmon. 

Silver Salmon

Silver salmon like to swim fast and attack their prey. Known for their topwater action, coho tend to be close to the surface. This makes for a great fishery because you are not constantly trying to work the bottom and worrying about losing a downrigger ball like you are when chasing after chinook that are on a sandlance bite. When it comes to catching coho, there are few things you can do to increase your catch rates. 

Lose the bait to catch more fish. It might seem like using a fresh anchovy or a perfectly plug cut herring would lead to more fish but rigging these baits takes time. When you get into the schools of coho, the action can be fast, which means you will catch more fish if you can keep your gear in the water longer. Same with getting it back into the water faster, and anyone who has rigged an anchovy hood knows that you need to set it correctly and that takes valuable time. 

Spoons

Spoons are one of the more popular lures because they are simple and are always working even if you miss a bite. Keep the spoons small such as the Coho Killer or a 3.0 or 3.5 Coyote spoon in sardine or rainbow trout patterns. The rainbow trout spoon looks more like a herring or mackerel and it has a glow back to it for low light such as cloudy days. Another spoon that is popular with coho fishing is the Skinny Gee in Herring Aide color. When running a spoon behind a flasher, it is best to go a bit longer on the leader such as 42” as this allows the spoon to flutter. 

Sometimes spoons don’t draw the fish to strike. Give tube flies a try. This is a technique often used in the Great Lakes by salmon fishermen and by fly anglers chasing after fall coho along the shoreline. The ocean angler can take advantage of these lightweight lures that mimic baitfish. One of the best things about a tube fly is that they can be fished behind a dodger or a flasher or all alone, since they have low drag and are lightweight. Tube flies tend to have an erratic action that coho can’t resist, especially if you put a Mack’s wiggle bill in front of them. Bechhold and Son’s make a unique flasher with offset holes to add extra action. They have teamed up with Rapture Trolling Flies, a Great Lakes company, and offer a combo set matched together and ready to fish. If you already tie your own flies, you can pick up a tube fly adapter and tie your own easily.

Tricking The Salmon

Add flash and movement to your squids. When rigging a squid skirt with an insert or a tube fly, such as the Luhr Jensen Flash Fly (unrigged version, as they are smaller than the pre-rigged Flash Fly) to be fished behind a dodger or flasher, be sure to use a short and stout leader. Try using 30 or even 40-pound test as the stiff leader will give the lure more action. The idea is to get the lure to move in an erratic motion and make the dodger look like a feeding salmon with the lure being a wounded baitfish. It creates the “bite now” instinct of the feeding coho and tricks it into thinking the other salmon, which is the dodger, missed the baitfish and now it’s there for a free meal. 

Using an insert into a hoochie or squid skirt adds attraction and can turn on a bite. The past few years we have been using the Luhr Jensen Flash Fly inserts and putting them into a squid skirt. By doing this you can make several different combinations of colors to attract the fish or add some extra UV flash for those cloudy days. You can also add a Mack’s Lure Wiggle Bill to the front to add extra movement. 

Artificial Bait

Try using an artificial wounded baitfish lure. Lures that mimic a wounded baitfish are the SpinFish by Yakima Bait Company, Brad’s Super Bait Cut Plug, and the new Spin Dawg by Simon, who also makes a Spin Cut Plug that has a hole at the tip of the lure making rigging much easier with no rubber bands or chance of it coming apart. The Simon products are solid and have a scent chamber. Each of these lures is made of hard plastic and has a hollow cavity inside where you can stuff them with scent or minced-up baitfish such as anchovies or herring. For these lures, use a longer leader with a bead chain swivel in the middle since the lure provides the action that creates that need to bite reaction by rotating and spinning. 

When using artificial lures such as spoons, squid skirts, and the hollow cavity lures, scent is crucial. Unlike when you use a real baitfish that has oils being released and the fish know it is an actual herring, the use of artificial lures is only a visual attraction unless you scent it up. The cavity lures like the SpinFish offer a way to fill them with various baits to create a scent trail. One common bait is to mix canned tuna fish with your favorite scents. Because the lure holds the minced-up bait, one of the better scent mediums to use is one of the many water-soluble scents from Pro-Cure. When the scent leaks out of the lure, it mixes with the water and stays at the same depth as the lure, creating a large scent trail for the fish.

Oil Based Scents

Oil-based scents such as Pro-Cure's super sauces, gels, and oils hold a scent well and last a long time, but the scent will not mix well with water. This means when it is washed off the scent trail starts to float. Water-soluble oils wash off lures and squid skirts too quickly which is why you should use oil-based scents for these lures, but it will not gum up or ruin the action of a tube fly, just be sure to apply frequently. Knowing which scent to use is more than just the baitfish it is made from, but also which ones are best to stay on the lures you are fishing. 

Downsize the dodgers and flashers. The idea behind using a dodger or flasher is to create a feeding salmon scenario as well as add action to your lure. Since you are fishing for coho, be sure to match the dodger and flasher to the size of the fish. Most use the standard 11-inch flasher but the 8-inch flasher is a better choice. Instead of the attacking salmon looking like a chinook with the 11-inch, the 8-inch reflects light more to the natural size of a coho. It is also less drag and that means you can fight the fish better. The smaller dodgers and flashers also work well at faster trolling speeds. The Sling Blade dodger from Mack’s lure is a very universal dodger that is designed to work well at fast speeds. Since it is a long teardrop design you can bend it to create a more dramatic dodge or side-to-side action, or you can keep it straight and troll it fast. This design also cuts through the water well and allows you to fight the fish and not the dodger, even when using the larger 9-inch version. The dodger comes with UV-treated colors and is offered in many sizes, which allows you to change it up to the varied sizes of lures you are using. 

Coho

Since coho are often found actively feeding near the surface, you do not always need to use downriggers. Instead, trolling with a mooching weight that cuts through the water easily and a simple lure behind can be a way to either add an extra rod out of the back of the boat or not deal with the downriggers altogether. Again, the more you can keep your lines in the water, the more fish you will catch. When rigging this outfit, use a longer leader around 48 inches with a bead chain swivel in the middle and a lure that imparts action such as the SpinFish, Brad’s Cut Plug, or Simon Spin Dawg. But do not overlook the tube fly or even the squid skirt with the addition of a Wiggle Hoochie Bill. These small plastic bills from Mack’s Lure are simple to use, just slide it down the leader to the head of the squid skirt and push it into the collar. If using a tube fly then adding a bobber stop knot or rubber bobber stop to the front of the bill will keep it tight to the fly. The Wiggle Hoochie Bill act much like the bill on a plug, but instead of creating a diving motion, it moves the lure in side to side in and erratic motion. They also come in an assortment of colors and are UV treated to add even more visual attraction. 

Coho are known for their acrobatic fights, often coming right up to the surface and jumping, but a dodger or flasher can take away from the fight and even become a problem when the fish jumps. The attractor breaks the surface of the water pulling in an opposite direction and taking the hooks with it. When using downriggers, you can rig in a way that the dodger or flasher stays with the downrigger ball and you get to fight the fish without any extra drag on the line. To do this, either use one of the lures with action or the added Wiggle Hoochie Bill and then a downrigger clip that is above the ball. Use a short section of cord or very stout mono line such as 50-pound test from the flasher or dodger attached to the downrigger ball, and then set the downrigger clip twice the length of the cord above the ball.

Furthermore, If you run the dodger or flasher behind the downrigger ball 36-inches, then set the downrigger clip 72-inches, or 6 feet, above the downrigger ball. Then run your lure back just a few feet from the clip. This will keep your lure from tangling with the flasher or dodger, and yet when the salmon sees the attractor, it will look like the baitfish got away and they will grab the lure. This works really well with plug cut herring or an anchovy with a bait hood, as well as lures that don’t need the imparted action of a dodger or flasher. One other great trick when using this way of fishing is to use the Scent Flash triangle flasher from Mack’s Lure, as these flashers are designed to hold scents inside of them. As the triangle flasher spins, it creates a very large scent cone out of it as it disperses the scent. When using these, you don’t need to use a leader or cord, but instead you can attach it directly to the downrigger ball, which means you can also keep your lure a lot closer to it as well. 

Run timing and knowing which fish you are targeting will lead to more fish. Ocean coho are found all along the coastlines from Oregon to Alaska, and the feeding fish will often work along the shoreline, feeding on herring, candlefish, anchovies, and various other prey in the kelp beds and protected waters around islands. Look to the rocky breaks often found just offshore and find the coho. Even when out in the open ocean, where the fish will form large schools to travel from their feeding grounds to the rivers each fall, the fish will still be “shallow”. Not the depth of the water but where they are in the water column, meaning closer to the top. 

When it becomes prime time for ocean coho but weather and fishing seasons keep you away from the open seas, resident coho fishing can produce a fishery for the avid angler. Puget Sound and the various inlets around Vancouver Island offer coho that do not head out too far away feeding grounds but instead live “inside”. Starting in May and all through the summer, resident coho fishing is good. Using the same techniques as fall fish, the angler can perfect their coho set-ups. Look for points along the shoreline as silvers tend to use them as tide breaks that will harbor baitfish. Where you find resident coho you will also find ocean-bound fish once they return. This is where you want to be when the runs start to show up in August and continue to flood through October. 

In the previous year, Rob and I had the chance to connect with Toby Wyatt, the Northwest Guide from Reel Time Fishing, along with his wife Cindy, while we were in Cabo San Lucas. We eagerly seized the opportunity to escape the chilly season and head down to Mexico to explore the exciting developments of Reel Time Fishing in Cabo.

Toby, an experienced PNW guide renowned for fishing from Buoy 10 to the Clearwater River, has devoted several years to developing his Mexico venture. He has fine-tuned the guest experience down to a science, curating everything from local captains and upscale resorts to luxurious transportation and diverse vacation possibilities beyond fishing. Upon our arrival, his team was readily available to steer us in the right direction and acquaint us with the intricacies of Cabo. Having Toby's steadfast support provided us with a reassuring sense of security and tranquility as we ventured abroad.

Planning Ahead

In early December, we strategically planned our journey to Cabo, a prime period for sport fishing, especially with favorable Marlin-catching opportunities (which both Rob and I were enthusiastic about). Our airfare was secured, and our dates with Reel Time were locked in, thanks to arrangements made half a year prior with a cohort of industry friends from Spokane. We also ensured our passports were up to date. Accompanying us on this adventure were the renowned Chef and Restaurateur Adam Hegsted, Chef Aaron Fish and his wife Miranda, Creative Director Jason Olsen and his wife Heather, as well as Rob and myself. Embarking on this expedition as a group added an enjoyable dimension, and thanks to Toby's recommendations, we were able to shape the ideal trip we had envisioned.

As a united group, we touched down in Cabo and navigated customs, proceeding to the transportation meticulously coordinated by Reel Time Fishing. Awaiting us was a sleek black Escalade, and our designated driver, "Eddie," who could only be likened to our personal guide – Toby's trusted on-site emissary. Our airport pickup was characterized by sophistication, and we were subsequently transported to our lavish all-inclusive abode, the Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas. Throughout our journey, Eddie remained at the wheel, chauffeuring us to the docks, an exciting ATV escapade, and any destination of our choosing, ensuring a seamless and convenient experience.

Our Stay

The resort proved to be an absolute marvel. Our desires were not only met but effortlessly anticipated. Our all-inclusive package encompassed both beverages and cuisine, with a plethora of restaurants, entertainment options, and pools that catered to every whim. Our refrigerator remained abundantly stocked, and a continuous flow of tequila was readily available, satisfying our every indulgence. 

The primary motivation behind our trip revolved around the fishing prospects, and we were not disappointed – they were exceptional! Rob and I both achieved the thrilling feat of reeling in our first Marlin, an experience that will forever stand out in our memories. Across two days of deep-sea angling, we hauled in Ahi Tuna and Mahi Mahi as well. The intense battles Rob and I waged against our Marlin catches surged with an adrenaline rush unparalleled in the waters of the Northwest. The sensation was beyond expectation; truly an extraordinary encounter worthy of being on anyone's bucket list. Our cooler brimmed with the bounties of Mahi Mahi and Tuna, all set to journey home with us. Following the local custom, we released the Marlin back to the sea. The crew adeptly managed the cleaning process and even connected us with a processor to ensure our catch was expertly prepared for transport on our flight back.

Crave TV

We embarked on a Crave TV episode alongside Chef Adam Hegsted and Chef Aaron Fish, capturing the awe-inspiring sight of Northwest culinary experts skillfully crafting fish dishes infused with the vibrant flavors of Cabo's ingredients. Our poolside relaxation day proved refreshing, and we delved into the local shopping scene, exploring charming boutiques. A leisurely boat taxi ride across the bay allowed us to embrace the coastal charm. Venturing into the countryside, we engaged in an exhilarating desert off-road adventure, navigating the terrain with four-wheelers.

"It's an incredible way to punctuate the time spent on the water. There's something invigorating about cruising through the Mexican desert that truly makes you feel alive." - Jason Olsen

I had the opportunity to sit down with Jason Olsen and discuss his firsthand experience in Cabo with Reel Time Fishing.

Jason:

How was your fishing experience with Toby's team?

"Second to none! Nothing compares to that whole trip. It’s a lot of buildup. And it doesn’t disappoint. As far as going out on the boat with Pepe, knowing he was linked to Toby, I felt comfortable and safe knowing I was in good hands. Toby has seasoned dudes, and he has a standard for bringing people on. I would definitely go again at the drop of a dime. I was impressed with Pepe. He knew exactly what to do and where to go. He had an innate instinct on where to go to catch the fish and had electronics to get us on the fish. Also, having someone to show us around and be our wheels on the ground, saved us money and we did it in style."

What kinds of fish did you reel in?

"Yellow Tin Tuna, mostly. We went out from about 5 am and by 11 am we caught 10 Tuna."

What was the battle like?

"A lot harder than freshwater fish. High energy. At one point I had to strap myself into the chair."

Can you tell me about the flags?

"So the whole experience coming back to the dock was pretty great. After we caught the fish, Pepe had me hang up these flags I wasn’t sure what for. The minute we pulled into the marina, It was a bit of a parade. A bragging parade. Everyone could see what kind of fish we caught and how many from the amount of flags that were flying on our boat. It was pretty great to showboat our way into the Marina."

How was the dining experience?

"The resort accommodations and restaurants were amazing! The experience of going out in the morning and coming back and having my fish prepared by a local chef, was like no other. My liver hurt when I came home."

Jason's Wise Words:

"Take the seasickness patch, don’t be a hero! Go with a guide that is credible. Toby’s network takes the worry out of travel. Listen to Toby and you will do just fine. Use his knowledge and connections. The culture and being able to start my fishing endeavors at such a high caliber was an amazing opportunity."

Toby:

"One thing we do is we babysit our guests. We transport them from the airport to the resort to fishing and back. “We are like a coach in your corner.”

"We have a full service-all Baja Peninsula tour company that specializes in sport fishing. We help keep you safe and save you money. We have 4 captains in Cabo and packages with many of the Cabo Resorts. We can accommodate Groups of up to 40 people and have access to a 45 ft boat and 90 ft yacht. "

As outdoorsmen, we have a duty to continue to cultivate the resources that are our land and water. How many times have you pulled into a boat launch and seen it torn to shreds? Concrete half off the ramp, rope handrails cut and laying lifeless, no longer serving their purpose. What about the campsite with half ripped apart beer cases, food scattered around, and dog poop on walking paths? One of my personal favorites is seeing trash thrown in the firepit. It’s one thing if the stuff thrown into the firepit can burn up (I’m plenty guilty of that), it’s another when the material should’ve been disposed of properly. The old adage of “pack it in and pack it out” is simple in speech and at times aggravating in action. My college football coach had a saying, “do what you are supposed to do, when you are supposed to do it, and do it that way every time”. The lens in which that quote was said was more along the lines of eat right, study your playbook, and lift hard, but the message applies across the board. Leave it better than you found it.

This isn’t meant to be a tirade against littering (not that I’m pro-littering - there is a Seinfeld skit somewhere about this I’m sure) or some kind of political statement. Rather, just an observation from a summer that I’m sure many of you shared. Time with friends and family outside. Some of us are lucky enough to have boats to get out on the water. Others may hike up into the mountains for some serenity and isolation. Then, for a brief moment, you realize the person there before didn’t care enough to keep the place clean. It probably doesn’t consume much of your brainpower or ruin the weekend, but it’s enough to make you roll your eyes and sigh. Those are the kind of simple things we can all do to help one another continue to enjoy these shared spaces. 

Hunting Season

Another element that should be considered, particularly for those hunters among us, is the consideration of land water access. Familiarizing yourself with the public vs private land, access points, and limits on how many people can utilize certain access points are all equally important and part of our duty as conservationists. I remember during the last hunting season being continuously peppered by advertisements from Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP) about the importance of seeking permission for type II block management access (BMA). It certainly didn’t hurt that the advertisement featured a cameo from MeatEater star Ryan Callaghan. A quick sidebar for those who aren’t in the know - Block Management in the state of Montana is a partnership between private land owners and FWP to grant access to hunters on private land, sometimes adjacent to public land.

Type I BMA allows hunters to sign in on a card for hunting permission on private lands; you simply show up, fill out a card, and go hunt. Type II BMA often requires a reservation and is subject to availability from the land owner. Examples might be limiting the number of hunters in a day, hunting parties in a day, or what type of game is being hunted. The word partnership isn’t used by mistake. It takes action on all parties involved to maintain access to these hunting areas. The land owner to continue to be willing to allow hunters on the land, MT FWP to facilitate the opportunity for hunters, and hunters to respect the land and do their part to make sure their presence is continually welcomed. Leaving behind shell casings, wrappers from eaten protein bars, or other garbage is a quick way to find our access to otherwise great areas suddenly restricted. Maybe you don’t own 1,500 acres of land but instead a 1,500 square foot home. Would you be willing to invite back a stranger who tracked mud all along your carpets? Even worse, how about a buddy watching some football at your place who stains your couch with buffalo chicken wing fingers rather than wiping his hands. Why would we expect those land owners to welcome us back if we’re doing the equivalent?

Let’s continue to work together to make sure we can enjoy the outdoors we all know and love. It doesn’t take much to clean up that last bit of trash, keep debris and clutter out of the community that should be enjoyed by all and keep shared areas like boat launches in working condition. If not for you and I, how about for our kids who hopefully enjoy these hobbies, and sometimes obsessions, as much as us. 

Whoo-hoo! The long-coveted Baker Lake sockeye season is in progress! The 2023 Baker Lake sockeye season is proving to be an interesting one. Through the North of Falcon process, the planned opener was scheduled to be Saturday July 15^th. Because record numbers of sockeye have signed up for a ride in the fish taxi, the WDFW decided to open the fishery 1 week earlier. The opener was July 8^th and the action has been on fire. It was reported that boat limits were the norm and many ice chests were full just a few hours or so after splashing the boat. In fact, on opening day one of the fishing specialists at Holiday Sports in Burlington, Philip Chuprinov, his wife Alexus and gang got their 12 fish boat limits in in less time than it took to drive to the lake and back.

OK, the fishing is good, but what is a “fish taxi” and why the early opener? Sockeye in Baker Lake are native to the system. After the Upper Baker Dam was constructed in 1959, sockeye were cut off from access to the natural Baker Lake. With limited success, various methods were used to trap and transport returning adult sockeye to the newly formed Baker Lake, while smolts were left to out migrate via controlled spillway releases. By 1985 the population crashed, and the trap count was only 99 fish. As a component of PSE’s permit to generate power, PSE developed a mitigation plan for sockeye recovery.

Long story short; both Baker Lake and now Lake Shannon have a surface to lake bed “gulper” net that funnels out-migrating sockeye smolts into a collection facility where they are processed, counted, and then transported for release at a trap facility on the Baker River in Concrete. The returning adult fish are trapped analyzed and then loaded into live transport trucks, AKA “fish taxis”, and transported up the hill. Some sockeye are placed in artificial spawning bed runs while others are held as hatchery broodstock. The rest are released into Baker Lake.

Historically, the Baker Lake sockeye run slowly ramps up, then spikes during the second week in July. This year, after a very short ramp up of 200-400 fish a day, on June 27^th the fish counts absolutely exploded. For the next 10 days, the daily trap count was running from 1,200-3,000 fish. With agreement of the North of Falcon team, the WDFW made the decision to maximize the fishing opportunity and open the fishery 1 week early.

The 2023 Baker Lake sockeye season is July 8^th – August 31^st but may close early to assure that 1,500 fish are able to spawn naturally in the lake. There is a 3 fish daily limit for adult sockeye. With the two-pole endorsement, two poles are allowed and all anglers onboard a boat may deploy gear until each angler onboard has caught their daily limit. Because Baker Lake is actively monitored for regulation compliance, make sure to record your catch before you redeploy the gear. The Baker Lake catch code is 825. Are you jonesing for a grilled sockeye fillet or a bowl of fresh sockeye poke yet? If so, read on, if not there’s always a Safeway seafood counter nearby (it’s probably cheaper).

There are 5 launch ramps on Baker Lake. They are as follows.

PSE Baker Lake (Kulshan) Launch

The boat ramp has a moderate grade. Concrete blocks have been placed along the side of the ramp for protection from erosion. No designated disabled parking. The parking lot slopes slightly. Nearby, Kulshan Campground offers campsites, a RV dump station, and both restrooms and porta potties. Overnight parking is discouraged within the boat ramp parking area but is available just down the hill from the ramp. Kulshan is typically my go to launch ramp.

Horseshoe Cove

The boat ramp has a gentle grade. Launching and load occur on both sides of the gravel and sand bar. The surface is uneven from wave erosion and vehicle use. No designated disabled parking. Horseshoe Cove Campground also offers campsites, drinking water, picnic area, group camp area, and vault toilets. Overnight parking is available. 4-wheel drive is advisable.

Panorama Point

The boat ramp has a gentle to moderate grade, lots of parking and a vault toilet. The Panorama Point Campground is separate from the launch. Depending on lake level, the asphalt ramp approach stops short of the shoreline. Additionally, a drop off has been created by wave action and the gravel is becoming rutted from parking lot run-off. With the uncertain ramp conditions, 4-wheel drive is advisable.

Swift Creek

The Swift Creek launch is paved or concrete and is usable at all lake levels. There is a tall bulkhead wall on one side with a short log boom on the other side of the ramp. There is also a small marina adjacent to the ramp. The marina has limited non-reservable short term tie up but no services or fuel. Swift Creek Campground offers campsites, drinking water, picnic shelters, a group camp area, and vault toilets. Overnight parking is available. I advise that you have a capable mate at this ramp. If solo, there are no provision to tie up your boat right at the ramp. Solo, you’ll have to deal with your boat after launching and you’ll be holding up traffic. Unless you’re offering free coffee and doughnuts, generally not a good thing at 2:30 in the morning when there is a long line of headlights glaring at you... Having somebody run the boat while you go park is a solid community-based plan.

Shannon Creek Campground

The boat ramp has a gentle to moderate grade. Ruts are developing around the ramp due to the runoff from the parking lot drainage. Waves have been creating some erosion along the shoreline. No designated disabled parking. Shannon Creek Campground also offers campsites, drinking water, picnic sites and a vault toilet. This varies year to year, but they may be limiting launch access to campers registered at Shannon Creek Campground. 4-wheel drive is advisable, and this is the best launch for hand launch boats and inflatables. With just a short run you’re in Grand Central Sock-station.

Maybe a few words regarding the logistics and fishing Baker Lake. Once you turn onto Baker Lake Road there will be no services, fuel, food, or camping supplies available. Make sure your pre-trip planning includes extra fuel, ice, propane or whatever you’ll need for your trip. Early morning, evening and anytime you’re in the shade there will be mosquitos. Not a few pesky mosquitos but a large squadron of blood thirsty flying vampires, I think they even have radar, night vision, and little stick figures drawn on their blood engorged bodies. As a bonus, I even stepped on a yellow jacket nest last year, be aware. Above all, this is a true combat fishery. Patience and ramp courtesy will assure everyone enjoys the experience.

After some deep thought I think that the biggest thing I can say about late season Baker Lake sockeye fishing is patience. The fishing can be very hot or very cold. Whereas the day before, limits may have been the rule, it is not always, and fishing may be dead. Slow fishing or otherwise, there are a few things you can do to improve your odds and put a few late season fish in the box.

As mentioned, patience (theme) will be the name of the game, and trust your electronics. Especially during your pursuit of late season sockeye, you will see the fish on the meter before they chase down your offering. When chasing late season sockeye, the more flash the better. Some people run 2 attractors and/or run a dummy off their downrigger ball. Other people bend their flashers to give them more wiggle and flash. Make sure you keep your gear clean; I don’t think that the late season sockeye like the scent of yesterday’s bait or scent oils. That said, make sure to use fresh bait. The 2013 sockeye bait you found in the back of the bait/beer fridge is not going to cut it.

Location is important in your pursuit of late season Baker Lake sockeye, although there are stock areas of the lake that consistently fish well. Areas like the Kulshan Loop, Maple Grove, Silver Creek, Noisy Creek and the Race Track along Baker Lake Road all reliably produce fish. The problem is each of those areas will also have a healthy aluminum hatch. With all the gear dangling in front of their noses, the fish may just ignore it. In my experience it pays to go look for fish. Many times, I find schools of willing biters in shallow water. Often, after a slow morning I have just flatlined gear in shallower areas of the lake and picked off limits in one or two passes.

FISH ON THE METER! Now what? Typically, a “0” size 50/50, chrome or pearl dodger is the backbone of the setup. While you can catch fish on tandem red, black or blue hooks the fishiest gear includes small spinner blades, Smiley Blades or Wiggle Hoochie inserts. Thinking outside of the box also has advantages. Sometimes the fish just don’t want the standard gear. We have had success using the kokanee size Brad’s Cut Plug lures, Coho Killers with an extra bend in them, kokanee/sockeye flies, and Brad’s Wee Warts. Start with the basics, a “0” dodger and a bare 3/0 red hook, and then be prepared to make changes until you are consistently catching fish.

Downriggers are the way to go with this fishery, but dropper rigs rack up many of the fish caught at Baker Lake. When running downriggers, beware, the lake is uncharted and there are many stumps, old structures and who knows what else to snag you downrigger ball on. If using downriggers, be alert and be prepared to part company with your downrigger ball (does your pre-trip planning include an extra downrigger ball?). Safety first, especially if fishing out of a shallow freeboard skiff, kayak, or inflatable. A 10-pound hunk of lead is not worth losing your boat or giving your boat mate unexpected swim lessons. Try to maintain your trolling speed at .8-1.2 MPH, and we have found that 5-10’ setbacks from your downrigger clip are all that are required.

Another thought and in my mind a gem of an opportunity. Late in the season these fish form tight schools and cruise around on the flats where the Baker River flows into Baker Lake. There are several underwater springs in the area and the fish seem to be staging for the spawn. With caution you can slowly motor (or row) into the area, find a pocket of fish and drop a dead weight anchor. There will be a ton of logs and woody debris so don’t use any kind of pronged or claw anchor. An old pile of chain or bucket of cement is perfect. Caution: do not come into this area of the lake on plane or even any faster than at idle. Depending on lake level there are numerous stumps and trees just waiting to meet your prop. Why go to all this effort? Glad that you asked…

With a little luck and an adventurous spirit, you can set yourself up to sight fish sockeye with a fly rod. Let me tell you it is an absolute hoot, and once you have it dialed in, you’ll be a serf to the great sockeye gods. You’ll go to sleep dreaming about watching your line snap tight as the water seems to boil around it and wake up in a sweat still dreaming about your airborne quarry.

I’ve said this before; Baker Lake sockeye are the best eating fish in the state. To preserve their quality, bleed and ice your catch immediately. If you’re camping, gut the fish and pack the body cavity with ice, layer the fish in ice with a handful of rock salt evenly scattered around on top of the ice. It is best to use an ice chest that is dedicated to your prize catch. Leave the ice chest drain plugs out. This will prevent your catch from sitting in an ice chest ½ full of cold, very slimy sockeye sludge.

So, those are the late season basics; I wish you luck and an enjoyable trip to Baker Lake. Please be respectful of the opportunity to fish Baker System sockeye. This fishery is closely monitored and there will be multiple game wardens, WDFW, and Sheriff Department personnel conducting on the water checks. If there is widespread abuse, they will close the fishery. Be courteous, know the regulations, limits, and gently release any Dolly Varden trout caught.

We slid down out of a tail-out and into the next riffle. I was in the bow, tilted into the front brace, rod up. "Cast left, this side has the fast water." Twenty-three-year-old Cole McAuliffe, of Chrome Tales Guide Service, was on the sticks, his curly hair around his shoulders. McAuliffe flicked the right oar and lifted the left. Water ran down off the blade and the boat caught in the current. I flopped an inelegant short cast, looped an upstream mend, and watched the two-fly rig catch the foam line past a jagged submerged rock. Sloppy but perfect. The float plunged and I lifted the rod into a summer steelhead that rocketed out of the shallow slot and into the air, twisting three feet above the water.

Oh, there is something about hooking a summer steelhead on a fly when you know the leader is 10-pound test and you have a lot of river!  

We were only 20 minutes off the launch and no one on the water ahead of us or behind us. Is this not the great Rogue River? Where is everybody? But then I remembered, it was the hottest week of the summer and the rafts and tubes would hit the river about 11 in the morning. And I would be with them, except I'm older and smarter. We met each other earlier this summer when I helped McAuliffe find a highly efficient German shorthair chukar dog, and after the deal was done we both saw a drift-boat shaped hole in our August calendars.

Out of the launch with the sun just breaking over the Cascades, McAuliffe charged the boat straight across the river to a favorite run where a fat sea-run cutthroat waited for us. Now, barely ten minutes later, we had a steelhead on the line, on 10-pound Maxima, charging downstream. 

Down through the tailout of the next riffle we followed it, and before I could get the fish's head up, it tail-walked again. Moments later, McAuliffe grabbed the net and made one stab for it when the fish was close, as if we had been fishing together for years instead of just the last 20 minutes. I jumped over the side into the shallows and lifted the wild fish out of the net and showed it to the young guide with the Wild Bill Hickock haircut, shooting my camera. But the fish was done with handshakes and flipped out of my grasp. Five pounds of shiny summer steel, back into the water from whence she came. 

There are not as many good summer run rivers in Oregon as there used to be, as hatchery managers have ratcheted back on the good times we enjoyed in the '80s and '90s. Did we have too much fun then and now we have to work harder for our fish? Guess so. McAuliffe, by my calculations, was born at the end of that era and, as fishing guide is his chosen profession in the 2020’s, he is probably going to hear from a lot of middle-aged clients about how it used to be. Today a fishing guide has to work harder. And get up earlier in the morning.

Now I had steelhead lenses on, reading water left and right, with Cole sliding the boat from one good slot to the other. Depending on the water, I used my fiberglass 5-weight to swing a fly or his 6-weight TFO with the float and two-fly rig. McAuliffe said the summer run steelhead season has started stronger than last year and while a lot of guides are using spinning gear, he prefers to stick with the fly rod.

At the business end is a No. 10 beadhead with a heavily weighted stonefly nymph to get to the bottom fast. We adjusted the float to run about 2X the depth of each run. We looked back upstream. Still no one behind us. Still no one ahead. We had first water all the way to the takeout. And trout in every drift. A few were hatchery rainbows and a few were smolts, and they beat the steelhead to the fly.

Trout chased the float, they chased the stonefly out of the water on the retrieves and swiped at the point fly, and I expected a fish on every drift. Get up early in the morning to beat the floaters and the cone-lickers. Go for the trout fishing and let the steelhead surprise you.

With Puget Sound crab season right around the corner, let’s briefly discuss an unfortunate aspect of the sport; lost or stolen crab gear. While fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, most missing crab gear is actually lost, there is still a high incidence of theft associated with recreational crabbing. There are a few things we can do to reduce lost crab gear.  

Much of the time, missing crab gear is due to operator error. Things like short crab pot lines, pots not properly weighted, and set location are often the reason a recreational crabber can’t find their gear. Admittingly, crab gear can be the victim of theft. Either way, how do we reduce lost crab gear?

Crabbers

Crabbers can significantly reduce the amount of gear lost due to operator error by taking a solid look at their gear and where they plan to drop the pots. Always ensure that you have adequate line for the area that you are crabbing. Think depth of the water + 50%. Most of the time recreational crabbing is done in 60’ or less of water so for most crabbers 100’ of lead line is adequate. 

Weight

Weighting your pots for the location that you plan to crab is critical. The current can easily move your crab gear and I swear that sometimes a pot full of crab can walk as the crabs migrate with the tides. Puget Sound, many coastal bays, and estuaries are subject to strong tidal currents. Use weighted pots or make sure that you add weight as appropriate. Most missing pots often walk away because they are not properly weighted.

Location

Location is important. Many of us crab where we crab because that is where we crab. In that case, you probably already know the drill, but for new crabbers or when crabbing in a new area it is a great idea to study a chart before sending your gear over the side. Make sure you have adequate line for the area and be aware of any drop-offs and strong current seams. If you have charting capabilities, mark your drop point for painless retrieval later. If you are missing a crab pot, wait for slack tide to look again before you report it as a missing pot.

Sadly, our crab gear or even crabs can be the subject of theft. While crabbing at various popular Puget Sound crabbing areas, we have caught people picking our pots several times. Per the WDFW regulations, it is illegal to set or pull unattended shellfish gear with a buoy that does not have your name on it. Despite the regulations, there are people that disregard the law and selfishly steal our gear and crabs. 

I am fortunate that during crab season I can keep a crab pot in the water on the days that crabbing is open. I just collect the crabs and rebait as required as I make my rounds. All too often when I pull the pot, the bait cage or bag is wide open with both the crab and bait missing. I use cheap chicken hindquarters for bait. Most of the time I tie wrap both the pot and bait container, but bait theft is a persistent problem (I should always have chicken bones left). In my case, theft is probably not preventable because the pot is out overnight, but there are things we can do to reduce theft. 

Probably the best way to reduce theft is to plan day crabbing trips. If your pot is in the right location, it only needs to soak for 20-30 minutes. Set your pot or string and just hang out in the area until it is time to collect your hard-shelled booty. You can also use tie wraps, but it seems that the crab thieves are wise to that one. 

A few years back we were crabbing at Yokeko Point inside Deception Pass. We set a string of pots and went for a quick cruise around Hope Island and back, maybe 20 minutes total. Returning to our pots and coming off plane, we saw a 24-26’ sun cruiser type boat with a group of yahoos pulling a crab pot line. As we got closer, we realized it was our pot and expressed our displeasure with the situation. They were very apologetic and said they thought it was their pot. Oh OK… Anyway, a couple pictures later we went on to check our string. 

Identify Floats

One way to reduce theft is to uniquely identify your floats. You still must use a red and white float with your name and address on it, but don’t be afraid to add a personal touch. Flags, additional floats, or rubber duckies can be added to make it clear that it is not someone else’s gear. If you do encounter some scumbag stealing your gear or crab, do not confront them. Be polite in communicating with them and get pictures. Share the pictures with the WDFW, they may increase surveillance in that area.  

PNW recreational crabbing is a gift from Poseidon and his Tritons. While catching crab, cleaning, cooking, and (best of all) eating them is an enjoyable family activity, occasionally a pot or 2 disappears. If so, don’t let it ruin the experience. Take precautions to reduce pots lost due to “that’s crabbing” issues and/or gear theft, and crabbing season will be your favorite time of the year. As a final thought: with the possibility of a lost pot, always use “rot cord” to allow crab to escape freely if the pot is lost. A derelict crab pot without a proper escape can attract and kill crabs for years after the pot is lost.