Puget Sound

Squid fishing in the Puget Sound is becoming an increasingly popular resource for anglers of all ages and skill levels. Squid are a relaxing, low-pressure fishery and can be targeted successfully on nearly any budget. And you don’t even need a boat; in fact, some of the most successful squid fishermen only fish from shore. This piece will give you some understanding of where, when, and how to fish squid in the Puget Sound.

We will start with the rules and regulations for squid. You will need a shellfish license. I always recommend that everyone just get the Fish WA license, because with that, you are covered for everything, but squid can be covered simply under shellfish. The season and bag limits for squid are very simple. 

Squid is open year-round, and the bag limit is 10 pounds per person. This is a lot of squid. I rarely stay and fish out a whole limit, but I always make sure to have a scale handy to make sure I don’t overfish! The only other relevant rule is that you can fish with a maximum of 4 squid jigs on your line at a time. I typically use two. If you are within these rules, you should be all good to get out there!

Next, let’s talk about where. Squid can be found in nearly all waters of the Puget Sound, from the Strait of Juan de Fuca, all the way to Tacoma. Depending on the time of year, they will be more prevalent than others. The general rule is that squid start showing up in the Port Angeles area around September and migrate down to Tacoma through January and February. This is not a hard and fast rule, but they generally follow that pattern. 

There are people who catch squid every single day from the Les Davis pier in Tacoma. I, however, do not have that expertise. Some hot spots to check out are the Port Angeles City Pier, the Edmonds Pier, Pier 70 area in Seattle, Seacrest Marina Pier, and Les David Pier in Tacoma. There are several Facebook groups dedicated to squid fishing, and you can usually find out where the squid are from the number of success posts.

When to fish for squid is fairly widespread. There are some people that find success all year long from the same pier. But in general, squid fishing is best, and the squid themselves are largest, in the winter months. I usually start fishing for squid in about November and will fish regularly through February. Earlier in the season, I will usually fish closer to Edmonds, and then the deeper we go into winter, I will move further south and usually end my season closer to Tacoma. If I intend to fish from the pier, I will almost always fish at night. Sometimes I will arrive at 1 or 2 in the morning and fish until sunrise. If I am fishing from a boat, I will often fish in the morning or evening, but almost never at night. 

Lastly, how do we fish for squid? Squid can be caught from shore or from a boat, so we will break down how, based on this distinction. Fishing from shore is the most popular and simplest method. You will need your own bucket and a long, sensitive rod (I would say no less than 9’). 9-foot, 5-weight fly rods are growing in popularity due to their sensitivity, and you can rest your arms on the pier and not have a long butt section getting in the way of your jigging action. 

Generally, people will set up their rods with braided line about 20–30-pound test, with a corky on the mainline to act as an indicator so you can tell where your line is in relation to others. You will also want to have your squid jigs tied on with monofilament that is about 12-15-pound test. I really like to use one weighted Fisherman’s Gold squid jig in green or pink with another unweighted Fisherman’s Gold jig above that. 

The current and tide will impact whether I am going to use half, three-quarter, or one-ounce jigs. The optional part of your kit is a light. There will generally be people on the dock who have lights. If you don’t have a light, you can try to get close to them, but be respectful of their space and bring your own if you want to fish right under a light for your whole session. When you are all rigged up, you will want to cast out and let your jig sink. I usually let mine go to the bottom to start, and I will slowly work the jig back towards me and up the water column using slow jigs with pauses at the top.

To detect a strike, you can usually feel either an increase or a decrease in the weight on your line. A big hookset isn’t required, but a fast set and an increase in your retrieve are enough to keep them pinned on the jig. Strike detection will take some time. If you see someone on the dock really crushing them, be nice and try to learn what they are doing, and maybe ask some questions. My experience has been that if you treat people with respect, they will treat you with respect and usually give you some pointers on how to do better.

If you are going to fish from a boat, the kit is mostly the same, but I usually use a 9’ or 9’6” spinning rod instead of a fly rod. Because you are not limited to how far you can cast from the pier, I will typically drive around slowly and look for a haze near the bottom on my fish finder in roughly 80-120 feet of water. I will then drop my anchor and fish on top of the squid. Because it is light out, they are almost always on the bottom. I will use the same jigging technique, but in a more vertical motion.      

So, now you have the what, when, and how of catching squid in the Puget Sound. Give it a try this winter, and instead of waiting for calamari at a restaurant, you’ll be able to serve it up right in your own home.

As we head into September, the color of salmon switches from pink to silver around Puget Sound.

The front end of the migratory coho run – also known as silvers for their shiny silvery-colored body – began to filter into the western Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound in August, and are expected to peak throughout September and early October.

Coho aren’t large – usually averaging 4 to 15 pounds, with some exceeding the 20-plus pounds – but they often put up a good tussle. Young coho spend a year in rivers and estuaries and then migrate out to the Pacific Ocean to feed and grow. They spend about 1½ years in the ocean, then return to spawn as three and four-year-old fish, generally in fall or early winter.

Puget Sound coho returns have gradually made a comeback from a downtrend that began in 2015 and 2016. This was due to negative environmental factors like drought, flooding, and warm water temperatures in their freshwater habitat as juveniles and then in the Ocean from a condition known as El Niño, when surface water becomes warmer than average.

The combined 2025 Puget Sound hatchery and wild coho forecast is 727,490 compared to 722,134 in 2024; 760,029 in 2023; 666,317 in 2022; 614,948 in 2021; and 504,604 in 2020.

Coho fill the air with enthusiasm for their leaping abilities when hooked, and unpredictable movements across the water’s surface.

A positive signal of 2025 expectations began with the good fishing for resident coho, who mainly spend their entire life feeding and growing in local waters – 

caught in Marine Area 10 (Seattle and Bremerton Area) from June to early August. Many of these coho have grown since then and will join their larger migratory coho relatives during the late summer and fall marine fisheries.

Knowing when it is “go fishing time” for migrating coho in Puget Sound is to monitor catch rates in the Strait of Juan de Fuca at Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) and Marine Area 6 (East Strait of Juan de Fuca).

The Marine Area 5 salmon fishery is open daily through Sept. 26 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook, chum, sockeye, and wild coho. The area is then open daily for coho from Sept. 27 to Oct. 9 with a two salmon daily limit, release Chinook, chum, and sockeye.

The Marine Area 6 salmon fishery is open daily through Sept. 26 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook, chum, sockeye, and wild coho. The area is then open daily for coho from Sept. 27 to Oct. 15 with a two salmon daily limit, release Chinook, chum, and sockeye.

Oftentimes, the best coho fishing in the Strait of Juan de Fuca occurs offshore in the shipping lanes, which is the main migration path. These deep-water areas are about one to 10 miles out in 200 to 500 feet of water and sometimes even deeper off the edge of the main shipping channels. Remember to stay within the U.S. side of the shipping lane. Look for tide rips and current breaks where krill and schools of baitfish attract coho, and watch for coho jumping and rolling on the surface.

In the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Dungeness Bay hatchery coho fishery is open from Oct. 1 to 31. The 2025 Dungeness River coho forecast is 13,328, down slightly from 14,305 in 2024 and 14,654 in 2023.

The Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands) coho season is open daily through Sept. 6 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook, chum, sockeye, and wild coho. The area is then open daily for coho from Sept. 7 to 30 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook, chum, and sockeye. In Marine Area 7, look for coho staging along the western and southern portions of the island chain.

Coho fishing in Marine Area 8–1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island, and Skagit Bay) is open daily, Sept. 30, with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook and chum. Coho fishing is then open daily Oct. 1 to 12 with a daily two salmon catch limit, and release Chinook and chum.

In Marine Area 8–2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner), coho fishing is open daily through Sept. 24 with a two salmon daily limit, and release Chinook, chum, and pink. The Tulalip Bay Terminal Area Fishery has rules that differ from Marine Area 8-2. For details, check the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) fishing regulations webpage at https://wdfw.wa.gov/.

In Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2, anglers should find coho along the entire eastern side of Whidbey Island, Possession Point, off the Clinton Ferry Terminal, the Langley/Sandy Point area, Shipwreck to Mukilteo, Hat Island, Camano Head, the entire west side of Camano Island, and outside of Oak Harbor. West Beach at Deception Pass State Park, located north of Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island, provides excellent shore fishing access.

Moving further into Puget Sound, Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) is another decent fishing location for hatchery-marked coho, which is open daily through Sept. 30. It has a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook, chum, and wild coho.

In Marine Area 9, focus your fishing time in the unmarked shipping lanes where tide rips and current breaks are commonly found. Try Midchannel Bank off Port Townsend; Point Wilson north of Port Townsend (good public shore access); east side of Marrowstone Island (some shore access); Fort Casey to Bush Point and Lagoon Point (some public shore access); Double Bluff off the west side of Whidbey Island; Point No Point (excellent public shore spot); Possession Bar; Scatchet Head; and Pilot Point.

In Marine Area 10 (Seattle and Bremerton Area), coho fishing is open daily through Sept. 30 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook and chum. Fishing is also open daily from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15 with a two salmon daily limit, and release Chinook.

In Marine Area 11 (Tacoma and Vashon Island), coho fishing is open daily through Sept. 30 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release chum and wild Chinook (note, the Chinook fishery may close sooner so check the WDFW fishing regulations webpage for updates. Fishing is also open daily from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15 with a two salmon daily limit, and release Chinook.

Look for coho in the deep-water shipping lanes off Jefferson Head to Kingston, Richmond Beach to Meadow Point near Shilshole Bay, Point Monroe, Shilshole Bay south to West Point, Elliott Bay, the Fauntleroy Ferry area southeast to Dolphin Point, both sides of Vashon Island, Redondo Beach to Dash Point and the Tacoma area of Commencement Bay, Browns Point, and Point Defiance Park from the Slag Pile to the Clay Banks.

Two popular events tied to the arrival of coho are the Edmonds Coho Derby on Sept. 6. For details, go to http://edmondscohoderby.com/. That will be followed by the Everett Coho Derby on Sept. 20-21. For details, go to https://everettcohoderby.com/.

Marine Area 13 (South Puget Sound) is open daily for hatchery-marked coho through Sept. 30 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release chum, wild coho, and wild Chinook. Fishing remains open daily beginning Oct. 1 with a two salmon daily limit, and release chum, wild coho and wild Chinook.

In Marine Area 13, look for coho from the Narrows Bridge south to Anderson Island. The Squaxin Island area has become popular area for those targeting coho. The 2024 Squaxin Island net pens coho forecast is 59,596 up from 48,081 in 2024 and 45,417 in 2023.

If you’re looking for a Chinook and coho option try the Bellingham Bay Terminal Fishery open daily through Sept. 30 with a daily limit of four salmon.

Sinclair Inlet and Port Orchard are open daily through Sept. 30 with a three salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release chum and wild Chinook. Fishing is then open daily from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15 with a two salmon daily limit, and release Chinook.

Lastly, a freshwater coho fishing option in Seattle’s backyard is Lake Washington north of the Highway 520 Bridge, which is open daily from Sept. 16 to Oct. 31 with a daily limit of four coho only, and release all other salmon species. The Lake Washington coho forecast is 28,112 up from 24,090 in 2024 and 21,554 in 2023.

In the October issue, we’ll switch gears and take a look at proposed fall and winter coastal razor clam digging opportunities.

I’ll see you on the water very soon!

By Mike Carey

September is a special time for me. Like the change in the weather, I can feel a change in myself, a pent up anticipation that has slowly been building over the summer and like clockwork bursts forth in full bloom. It’s coho time in Puget Sound!

Yes, this is a great time of the year to be a salmon angler in Puget Sound, if the runs are strong and the fishing is open. Last year was unique in that we had closures in the ocean and straits. The coho arrived to Puget Sound in good numbers and virtually unmolested.

This year was questionable what kind of a season we would be given. As of this date, coho is open in areas 8.2, 9, and 10. Check the regs and emergency closures for updates of course. As it stands the daily limit is two coho.

Looking at my fishing reports data from trips going back twenty years, it becomes pretty obvious that September is the time to put away freshwater gear and focus on salmon. August can be productive, but September can be (and often is) lights out.

My reports show multiple trips with limits by 9am, red hot fishing, and lots of pictures of shiny chrome coho. As the season progresses into later September, the fish show a steady increase in size.

By late September to early October, the 6-8 pound coho are replaced by beautiful 10-14 pound hooknose monsters. It’s the time of year to stock up the freezer on tasty coho!

For those new to the fishery, you’ll find a wealth of information on techniques and locations scattered on the web. I've broken down some of my thoughts on coho trolling into Ten Rules of Coho Trolling.

Coho tend to be a pretty cooperative salmon when it comes to catching them. As these fish stream in from the ocean, heading through the Strait of Juan De Fuca and into Puget Sound, they are putting on the feed in preparation for their runs up to the spawning grounds.

It’s not unusual to find coho stuffed with herring. Don’t get me wrong, there are days they, like other salmon, will have lock-jaw. But that truly is the exception, not the rule. Speaking of rules, I offer a list of rules I’ve developed over the years to catch more coho.

You’ll likely have your rules to add to this list. Or you may disagree with some of them. But hopefully it will give you some additional ideas when targeting coho in the Sound.

Rule #1

As Russell Wilson would say, “Separation is in the preparation”. - When you put your boat in the water, you should have everything ready to go. No fiddling around with gear or bait the morning of a trip. My fishing ritual is to have everything ready to go the night before.

It’s like a general planning for battle. My rods are ready and geared up. My bait has been cut and cured. My boat is prepped and clean, batteries are charged, gas tank is full, snacks are bought, there’s ice in the coolers for the fish.

This evening before prep time is actually a ritual I cherish because like Russ, I’m visualizing success and making a plan in my head. I try to never go fishing without a plan.

Rule #2

Start early, go shallow. - I try to be on the water as early as possible. Ideally, that means running lights on and gear going in the water while it’s still dark or just turning light. I will run my gear in the top 10-30 feet of water to start.

This is the time of day when a salmon fly in the prop wash can be deadly. I like Artic Fox Trolling Flies. Denis Peirce ties a nice fly in a variety of effective salmon colors. Try running the fly back 40-50 feet and troll fast (more on that later) with the fly practically skipping on the surface.

Just be sure to have the clicker on the reel because these strikes can be vicious. I love the sound of a clicker going off in the morning!

Rule #3

Watch your fish finder, drop your depth – As the morning progresses, drop your downriggers down. I’ve read the “rule of thumb” is ten feet every hour until you’re trolling your gear around 40-60 feet. That’s fine, I guess, but I also use my fish finder.

If I see bait and fish marks down 50-70 feet, I’ll drop down to those fish even if it’s early in the morning. As the day goes on I may even drop my downrigger ball down to 110-120 feet deep.

Depth can be a tricky thing because when coho fishing I troll fast, which leads us to the next rule.

Rule #4

Troll fast! - In my experience, coho love a fast troll. I have an itroll throttle control and will set it on “hunt” mode to keep my boat going fast, around 3.3 to 3.9 mph. A few years back I did a lot of underwater filming and noticed a distinct increase in salmon aggression when the flasher was whipping around in a complete rotation.

If it was only doing a lazy rotation, or not doing a full rotation, coho would tend to swim behind the gear, just watching. But speeding up and getting that flasher fully spinning would elicit vicious strikes. I will troll both with and against the tide and catch fish going both ways.

Just be sure to increase your throttle going into the tide to maintain that 3.5 mph speed. I’ll also program my itroll to give a periodic 3-5 second slow down and then speed back up to “wake up” coho that may be lazily following but not biting.

It can often trigger a bite. Oh, another thing that will often trigger a bite – if you’re checking gear, pop your line off the release and set the rod in the rod holder. Let the gear come up on its own. I have caught a lot of coho that will chase the gear as it ascends to the surface.

Don’t reel your gear in until it hits the surface.

Rule #5

Coho are hungry, feed them! - Coho love a strip of herring on just about any lure. I will add strips to hoochies, flies, and even a small strip on the hook of a spoon (but not too much, you don’t want to kill the spoon’s action).

Be sure to brine the herring strips a day ahead of time in rock salt and/or commercial herring brine. Add scents and bite enhancers as well. Check your gear every 20-30 minutes and freshen up with a new herring strip. If you get a bite but no release, bring it in and check it!

The one exception to this rule I have is if the dogfish are in thick, I will go without bait.

Rule #6

Experiment – My “go to” set up is a magnum green splatter glow hoochie, herring strips, 26-30” leader, and an 11” dodger (pick your color…). I always start with this set up. On a second rod I may run a different color and smaller hoochie.

If there is no action and I am seeing fish on the fish finder I will start trying spoons and plastic lures like the old Big Al’s Cripple Herring. Sometimes the coho just want something with more action. This year I’m going to be trying the new Old Goat OG2 5” salmon lure.

The Old Goats have been awesome on kokanee and I think they will be deadly on coho. They have an amazing action that I think coho will love.

Rule #7

Fish Where They Ain’t (anglers that is) – coho in Puget Sound can be found pretty much anywhere. We all have favorite starting locations and it’s human nature to follow the crowds of boats because “hey, they must know something I don’t”.

Maybe…and maybe not. I try to start my troll away from clusters of boats. Why be surrounded by additional lures in the water? You want to troll over fish that aren’t seeing offerings non-stop. So, move away from everyone else – and if you take my advice and troll fast you will, very quickly.

You’ll still find the fish if they are there, and cover more water to find the biters. When you do, don’t be afraid to mark the fish on your fish finder and troll around and right back over the same spot. Again, in viewing underwater footage, I invariably see groups of 4-6 coho following my gear.

A solo fish is very rare. So, work over those spots when you pick up a fish.

Rule #8

Mid day and tide changes are good – I know I said earlier I like to hit the water at daybreak, but there are days when that just doesn’t happen. The good news with coho is that it doesn’t matter. You can (and will) catch coho all morning and into midday.

Tide bites are the period before and after a low or high tide, and these times can be very productive. My favorite tide sequence is a high tide at around 9-10am. The flood tide pushes fish and as the tide slows down it triggers a feeding opportunity below for the coho salmon.

Bait becomes easier to pick off without a steady flow of water and the coho bite often turns on. If you miss that crack of dawn bite, fear not, the coho will cooperate. I’ve caught my biggest hooknose fish from 11am to 1pm.

Rule #9

Playing and netting your fish – OK, you have a big fish on and are trolling at 3.5 mph. What do anglers often do? Why, slow down the of course. Bad move. In today’s age of barbless hooks, slowing down is an invitation to let the fish go. The second there is slack in that line the hook can slip out.

Trolling for coho is not a fishery that is about the fight, it’s about catching fish. If you want an epic battle against coho (and they are a hoot), catch them in rivers, or mooch for them. Trolling with an 11” flasher gives these fish a focal point with which they can get slack line.

We don’t want to do anything to help them out, like slowing down. Once they are on the surface, do your best to keep the flasher out of the water. This will help prevent the fish getting slack line between the hook and the flasher. Make sure you have a net with a long handle and big opening.

This will help as the netter reaches out. Remember, the netter scoops as the angler guides the fish into the net. Don’t make the mistake of the netter reaching to net the fish! Once the fish is close to the boat slowing down a bit is OK, by the way- just keep that flasher out of the water.

Rule #10

Take good care of your fish – Non-anglers have no idea what a freshly caught salmon tastes like. As anglers we are blessed to be able to have the freshest salmon on the planet. So, take good care of your caught fish. Bonk the fish enough to stun it, then cut a gill and bleed the fish out for a few minutes.

After that, into the ice cooler it goes. Don’t hang it off the side of the boat to bake in the sun. At the end of the day, gut and cut into steaks, or filet the fish out. If possible, vacuum-seal whatever fillets you don’t eat for dinner.

Properly cared for, you’ll have tasty fish until the next season, when you get to do it all over again!

There you have it. Ten “Rules” that will help increase your odds of success this coho season. Have fun out there and remember to be safe, have life jackets and all the safety equipment required and needed in case something goes sideways.

Good luck fishing and I’ll see you on the water.

HUMPIES, LAWSUITS AND TROUT

 PINK SALMON NUMBERS ARE LOOKING GOOD

Odd numbered years are pink salmon years here in Washington State and 2023 is lining up to be a good one for anglers fishing for them in Puget Sound and its tributary streams. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is forecasting a return of nearly four million of these smaller salmon, nicknamed “humpies”, for the hump the males develop on their back after entering fresh water to spawn.

The pinks show up in the Strait of Juan De Fuca as early as June and can be caught by both boat and shore anglers in Puget Sound throughout the month of August. By September, most of the pink salmon are entering tributary streams like the Skagit, Snohomish, Skykomish, Green and Puyallup Rivers, providing additional opportunities for anglers who target them with Buzz Bomb lures, jigs with squid bodies and spoons, the key to all of them is that they must be pink in color if you want to catch pinks with them!

Humpies are a fun fish to cut your teeth on as a first-time salmon angler and it’s not uncommon to catch a good number of them in a day of fishing. While many anglers save them for the smoker, they do taste very good when fresh, especially when grilled over a BBQ or pellet smoker.

 LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST WDFW COMMISSIONER

On March 6^th the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, which is a pro-hunting and fishing organization, filed a lawsuit in Thurston County to prohibit WDFW Commissioner Lorna Smith from participating as a member of the Commission.

The basis for the lawsuit is that state law prohibits anyone from holding an additional elected or appointed office while serving on the commission. Smith currently serves on the Jefferson County Planning Commission which the Sportsman’s Alliance says is in direct violation of Washington Law.

Todd Adkins with the Sportsman’s Alliance says, "We view this lawsuit as the initial step of a long but important process to bring sanity and decency back to wildlife decision-making in Washington. It all starts here, but trust me, it won’t end here. The animal extremists are going to see a lot of the same in the coming weeks and months."

Lorna Smith is a controversial appointee to the Fish and Wildlife Commission. Since being appointed in 2021 by Governor Jay Inslee she was an instrumental voice in shutting down Washington’s long running spring bear hunt, despite the recommendation of WDFW staff members that it be allowed to take place.

When the Blue Mountain elk heard declined (primarily due to cougar predation), Smith suggested managing the herd as a smaller one instead of addressing the predation issues. She has also introduced the framework of a plan that would limit hunting as a management tool by the agency.

It is worth noting that Smith is not the only commissioner serving in another appointed or elected position. Commissioner Molly Linville (who generally sides with hunters in her decision making), serves on her local school board in Douglas County.

Eli Francovich, writing for the Spokesman Review, contacted both commissioners. Linville told Francovich that she was advised by legal counsel that serving on the school board was not a conflict of interest. Commissioner Smith told Francovich she was serving on the Jefferson County Planning Commission on a volunteer basis and in an advisory role when appointed to the Fish and Wildlife Commission. Smith continued stating she does not believe the statute does not preclude individuals serving in a volunteer position like she has been in Jefferson County.

 LAKE LENORE FISHING TRIP

Last but not least, I made it up to Lake Lenore this past week after WDFW fisheries biologist Mike Schmuck told me the fishing there was very good last year and he expected similar results this season. I picked a cold, cloudy day to visit the north end of the lake which is where many of the Lahontan cutthroat trout tend to mill around in the spring prior to spawning.

Unfortunately, the trout were not yet in this part of the lake in good numbers. Two anglers who were leaving as I arrived said they each only caught one fish that day. While fishing, I did see one angler catch one trout and while I did get one good strike, I was unable to hook up and didn’t have any more bites that afternoon.

Lake Lenore is a selective regulation fishery and is primarily a catch and release destination where the trout average two to three pounds and can get up to six pound in size. Fly anglers in pontoon boats favor fishing chironomids under strike indicators while spin anglers can do well fishing spoons with single, barbless hooks.

The fishing at this scenic, desert lake north of Soap Lake should get better towards the end of March and peak in April. I plan to return to try again and will let you know how I do.

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

PHOTO CREDITS:

Pink salmon caught on the Snohomish River – Courtesy Brianna Bruce, Livin’ Life Adventures

With the arrival of each new season here in the Northwest, it’s hard not to feel like a kid in a candy store. Whether it's fall, winter, spring, or summer, these annual intervals of changing weather and day length always seem to provide new opportunities for the men and women who choose to reap the spoils of the outdoors. If the desire is there, the fun and the food is at our doorsteps. 

A commonly overlooked opportunity that starts up in Neah Bay during late August and ends down in the south Puget Sound towards the end of winter, is the squid fishery, specifically the Pacific coast squid, also known as the California market squid.

The Pacific coast squid are relatively small, averaging about 8 inches. They have short lifespans and spend most of their time in the Eastern Pacific Ocean—between Baja California and Southeastern Alaska. They move into the straights of Juan De Fuca during late summer and their numbers tend to peak in the Puget Sound around December and January.

The fishery is often fickle, with some years falling short of anglers’ expectations, while other years the fishery can prove to be quite robust. On these years when the squid are plentiful, the hardest working anglers can find themselves heading home with their limits, which, as of January of 2023, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has set at 10 lbs or a five-gallon bucket filled to the halfway point. Now that is a lot of calamari!

Jigging from a boat or a pier is the most common way to procure these saltwater delicacies, and during the winter you will often find the docks from Everett down to the south Puget Sound alive with folks chasing the Pacific squid. Squidding is a minimalistic endeavor. A fishing rod, a spinning reel, and a squid jig are essentially all that is needed. Squid jigs find their origins in Japan.

They are usually torpedo or bullet-shaped jigs with several spines at the bottom that point upright. These spines don't serve the same purpose as a typical fishing hook. Instead of puncturing or penetrating the squid, they create a bit of a platform for the squid to become entangled in as they latch onto the colorful plastic body portion of the jig.

Many squid jigging enthusiasts swear that nighttime is the best time to catch squid. By in large this holds true, but it’s also important to put some focus on the tides and water clarity. A high tide with decent water clarity can produce squid even during the daytime.

At night, squid are attracted to the lights illuminating off of the piers. The general belief around this is that light attracts phytoplankton, the phytoplankton then attracts zooplankton, and zooplankton attract the fish and other critters that squid like to feed on. Piers already come equipped with their own lights and these typically do a decent job of providing the needed illumination to bring in the squid.

With that being said, the chances of bringing in larger amounts of squid become increased when a more powerful and concentrated light is introduced. Folks will often bring battery or generator-powered lights to shine into the water. Check with local rules to find out if generators are allowed.

While on the topic of rules, it’s important to note that there is a fair amount of pier fishing etiquette to consider while navigating the pier. It’s best to speak with folks who are using lights and ask them if it’s ok to post up next to them. There’s a good chance they might be saving these spots for friends or family and It’s not uncommon for conflict to occur on the pier if people aren’t using common courtesy while acquiring their jigging spots.

Just as the gear is minimalistic, the technique is simple as well. Folks will work their jigs in a variety of ways, but sticking to the basics is what generally will get you on the squid. When casting, you should allow your jig to drop to a depth where squid are holding, lift the tip of your rod and slowly retrieve as you lower the rod tip back down, then repeat the process.

Once you have a squid on your jig, keep tension on the line and the squid should remain there as you retrieve. The method is similar while jigging directly beneath you, though you won’t be doing any reeling in of the line until a squid has attached itself. Some people like to do a few quick and hard lifts of the rod and then let it sit near the bottom for a few moments. Though you might not feel the squid strike your jig, the difference of weight at the end of your line once you lift again, will be your indicator that you have a squid on.

So, if you’re anything like me, and consider the sound of a bubbling deep fryer to be just as much of a winter staple as holiday tunes or roasted turkeys, then put on your winter jacket and head to a local pier for your shot at getting that bucket up to its halfway point with these great tasting cephalopods. And remember, there’s no such thing as bad weather, there’s only such a thing as bad gear!

2023/2024 Blackmouth Prospects

With the exception of a few laggard B-run coho in the rivers, our PNW salmon focus should be shifting to the 2023-2024 Puget Sound winter blackmouth fishery. Typically, winter blackmouth is one of my favorite local fishing opportunities. Going back to my mid-teens winter blackmouth fishing has always been one of my very favorite ways to grow snotsicles. 

Because recent conservation measures have severely reduced our opportunity to drag downrigger balls in the gravel, many of us will be considering putting the salmon gear away and winterizing the boat. You may want to hold off a bit, break out a wool hat, hoodie, and your cold weather friend Mr Heater. it’s almost blackmouth season. But, what’s a blackmouth?

Blackmouth are chinook salmon that have decided not to migrate to the usual feeding grounds in the Gulf of Alaska. Instead, they tend to remain in Puget Sound and the Straights to feed on local schools of herring, candlefish, other forage fish, and squid. 

Back in the 1960s, WDFW decided to duplicate the natural tendency of a small percentage of chinook to remain in Puget Sound and create a year-round sports fishery. The WDFW established a team led by Frank Shaw and got to work. It was determined that if you held the usual hatchery release at 3 months for an additional year, or 15-18 months total, the chinook would forage locally. 

The original releases were made in Capital Lake in Olympia. The program moved to net pens by Squaxin Island but the WDFW determined that the salt-reared fish tended to migrate. The program was shifted to several local hatcheries. They are for the most part clipped, but there are certain releases where the co-manager agreements do not allow the fish to be clipped.

Over the years we have seen a reduction in opportunity; a few years back we lost the winter blackmouth fishery in Marine Area 7, 8-1, 8-2, and MA 9. They were closed to preserve or extend some of the summer chinook fisheries while still supporting federal and co-manager escapement goals. 

Reduced opportunity, well maybe, but there are still a few areas that will host a blackmouth fishery this winter. That said; chip the ice out of your bilge, gas up the boat, and read on.

But first, no boat? While most of our winter blackmouth fishing will be from a boat, there is also an opportunity for a limited shore-based fishery. More on that later, if you do have a boat here is a breakdown of the 2023/2024 Puget Sound winter blackmouth fishery.  

• MA 5 will be open 4/1/2024-4/30/2024 with a 22” minimum and a 2 fish limit, (1 chinook may be retained). 
• MA 5 Management Criteria – Sublegal Encounters; the encounters guideline is 3,707 fish.
• MA 10 will be open 3/1/2024-4/15/2024 with a 22” minimum and a 2 fish limit, (1 chinook may be retained). 
• MA 10 Management Criteria – Total Encounters; the encounters guideline is 4,953 fish. Unmarked Encounters; the encounters guideline is 953 fish. Sublegal Encounters; the encounters guideline is 4,181 fish.
• MA 11 will be open 3/1/2024-4/15/2024 with a 22” minimum and a 2 fish limit, (1 chinook may be retained).  
• MA 11 Management Criteria – Total Encounters, the encounters guideline is 1,191 fish. Unmarked Encounters; the encounters guideline is 259 fish. Sublegal Encounters; the encounters guideline is 816 fish.
• MA 13 will be open 10/1/2021-5/14/2021 with a 2 fish limit and a 22” minimum size. Management Criteria do not currently apply. 
• MA 6, 7, 8-1, 8-2, 9 and both North/South MA 12 will be closed for the 2023/2024 winter blackmouth fishery.

The above information was extracted for the 2023 North of Falcon data and may be subject to additional closures. Consult the WDFW App, or website for the current regulations and emergency closures.

With the limited blackmouth opportunity for the 2023/2024 winter season, the open areas will likely be busy. Instead of detailing each area, I’ll try to break down the different Marine Areas into a few general options for starting your adventure. 

Before that though; think of points, banks, and flats. Look for areas where the currents will collect bait. Keep a constant eye on your fishfinder and look for schools of bait. Although forage fish populations change from year to year, candle fish and herring are the primary forage fish for Puget Sound blackmouth. That said, because of a general crash in the Puget Sound herring populations, candlefish are currently the major blackmouth food source. 

Candlefish show as a cloud of bait right on the bottom. Find candlefish and you significantly improve your odds, find arches and candlefish on the deck and it will be hammer time! Candlefish spawn in the gravel and are rarely found above that. I have caught many blackmouth where their gill plates and bellies were all scraped up. I have even cleaned fish and found gravel in their stomachs. So, where does one target gravel filled salmon? 

Marine Area 5

Or basically the Sekiu/Pillar Point area has a few notable blackmouth areas to target. The Caves, Clallam Bay, and then Slip Point to Pillar Point can all be awesome blackmouth fisheries. All can be very exposed to winter weather so know your limitations. Help is a longways off if you get in trouble so always err on the cautious side.

Marine Area 10

Is the Seattle/Bremerton area and includes a number of well known, semi-protected blackmouth fisheries. Kingston, Jeff Head, West Point, Elliot Bay, Alki Point, Point Monroe, Skiff Point, Manchester, and different banks or points around Blake Island consistently produce blackmouth. Look at the weather, choose a launch and learn a given area to feed your winter addiction.

Marine Area 11

Or the Tacoma area is one of the best small-boat blackmouth fisheries on Puget Sound. The Slag Pile, Owens Beach, and Clay Banks are all easily accessible and just minutes from the Point Defiance launch. With the proper boat for the conditions, Dalco Point, the Beach just north of Gig Harbor, Point Robinson, Browns Point and Dash Point all offer solid blackmouth fishing as well.

Marine Area 13

Is an interesting fishery. It is the area south of The Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The whole area is fairly protected from winter weather but the better fishing areas are a bit of a run from any of the all-tide metropolitan ramps. With that said, MA 13 is kind of a local’s fishery, with smaller boats launching into open water from a handful of unimproved county ramps. A few areas stand out; including Point Fosdick, various areas around Fox Island, Lyle Point, Oro Bay, and Johnson Point all hold fishable numbers of blackmouth. Depending on the tide there are many less known points that disrupt the tidal flow and hold bait. Be that guy, maybe more so than any other area in Puget Sound, MA 13 has many 1 fish spots. Review both your charts and tidal information and know where to fish during the different tidal phases.

Blackmouth fishing is a planning and patience game. Choose a ramp, select a handful of areas you want to fish, and understand how the tide will impact them. Independent from the tide often the best fishing will be at first light. From there follow your plan, if you make a pass on your initial stop and there are no signs of life move on to plan B and C as required. Depending on the tidal conditions don’t be afraid to revisit plan B! I know that I mentioned patience but if you’re not seeing bait on the meter move on. Typically boat limits will be hard to come by, but put a couple of nice blackmouth on ice and you’ve had a good day. 

My general blackmouth drill includes trolling with the downriggers or motor mooching cut plug herring. If dogfish are in the area, skip the cut plug plan and stick to trolling. Run 11” flashers ahead of spoons, trolling flies, or hoochies. Spice up the trolling flies and hoochies with salted herring strips. Target schools of bait along the bottom in 90-140’ of water while keeping your gear within 5’ of the bottom. I troll 2.5-about 3.5 mph for blackmouth and all my blackmouth leaders are tied on 42” of 30# fluorocarbon. 

Earlier I mentioned a shore-based opportunity to catch blackmouth. No really, I’m not nuts. Well, OK maybe I am a little nuts but there are many piers and boardwalks that are open to salmon fishing year-round. Study the WDFW Sport Fishing Rules and check the Emergency Rules as they supersede the general sport fishing rules. When I was a kid, well before cell phones and computers I used to frequently fish the piers and caught a lot of blackmouth. I didn’t chase reports to fish a hot bite. I had to put in the time while experimenting my way through the gear and presentation until I caught fish. 

I usually carried two rods, a dozen small herring (fresh or frozen, back then fresh herring was the norm), and a small handful of gear. My go-to rig was a level wind steelhead rod rigged with a large sliding float and a hand-tied mooching leader. I would nose hook the herring, leaving the trailing hook free, and gently cast it off the down current corner of the pier. I would free spool, letting the rig drift until I was down the last few wraps of line on the spool and then put it in gear. Recovering a crank or two every few minutes, it would take forever to reset. The process was deadly and accounted for many salmon dinners.

I also fished hardware. A double hooked Colorado spinner with a herring strip will catch anything in the sound. I’d rig them on a 24-30” leader behind a piece of pencil lead. Easy-peazy; just cast, let sink and slowly wind it back in. Where most fish would hammer it, salmon seemed to cause the retrieve to hesitate then go in for the kill. The other method was to use flutter spoons. This was pre-buzzbomb/rotators and involved casting heavy spoons or Swedish Pimple type lures and letting them sink for a bit. The process was similar to twitching jigs, slowly lifting your rod tip, and then picking up a crank of two while you quickly tower the rod. Between the 3 methods, most of my pier fishing excursions were a success.  

This should get you started in your quest to extend your local salmon fishing opportunities while you freeze your keister off. The when, where, and how are baselined but I suggest choosing an area and learning it. As a boater or pier-ite, become the local expert! Please remember that our winter weather can be unpredictable. Make sure your boat is seaworthy, full of fuel, fuel conditioner and you are dressed for the weather. A little upfront planning will help to ensure that you and your crew have a safe and productive blackmouth adventure.

By Randy Castello

With improving ocean conditions, the Puget Sound 2022 fall coho season could be the best in recent history. 666,648 coho are forecasted to return to the Puget Sound basin. With a few exceptions our local coho fisheries (Marine Area 5-13) will open August 16th.

Following is a quick breakdown of our inside coho fisheries. Make sure to review the WDFW Fish Washington App, WDFW Washington Sports Fishing Rules pamphlet and the emergency (https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/emergency-rules) for current daily limits and emergency closures.

MA 5 8/16-9/28 Hatchery Only

MA 6 8/16-9/28 Hatchery Only

Dungeness Bay fishery 10/1-10/31 Hatchery Only

MA 7 8/16-8/30 Hatchery Only

Bellingham Bay 8/16-9/30 Hatchery and Wild 

MA 8-1 8/1-10/1 Hatchery and Wild

MA 8-2 South and West of the Line Defined by the Mukilteo and Clinton Ferry Docks 8/13-9/19 Hatchery Only

MA 9 8/16-9/25 Hatchery Only

MA 10 Through 10/31 Hatchery and Wild

The Sinclair Inlet Fishery Through 9/30 Hatchery and Wild

MA 11 Through 10/31 Hatchery and Wild

MA 12 North Through 10/31 Hatchery and Wild

MA 12 South Through 11/30 Hatchery and Wild

MA 13 Year-round Hatchery Only

What, somebody said coho? Break out the gear, check the trailer lights and move the garbage cans out of the way. It’s time to go fishing. I think that more than any other Western Washington fishery, our local coho opportunity is an eagerly anticipated family event.

Where there are many commonly known “stock” coho fisheries, this article will focus on a few of our out of the way opportunities.

Although areas like Eagle Point off San Juan Island, Point No Point, Possession Bar, the Edmonds Oil Docks, Meadowdale Point, Jeff Head, Kingston, Des Moines, Three Tree Point, Point Robinson, and the Slag Pile off Point Defiance are all solid coho fisheries, they can get crowded.

Are there other coho opportunities? The answer is affirmative, and even better, finding off the radar coho is pretty rewarding.

For me, pulling up on a spot and being the only boat in sight is magical. A quick look at the meter confirming there is bait and individual coho on the prowl gets my old ticker going. In general, coho are a very worthy opponent. Being on a school of them without another boat in sight could be the highlight of your summer. 

Finding off the radar coho starts at home. Sit down with a digital chart, preferably one that will give you current arrows, and develop your game plan. Your game plan should include a few layers of back up plans.

If you use your phone, screenshot the areas you want to fish. In doing your research, consider the tides and how they will be flowing or interacting with adjacent structure or opposing tidal flows.

A few examples to get you started: 

Eagle Point on the south side of San Juan Island is an option. Most people set up along the pronounced rips just off Eagle Point. The reality is that those rips will concentrate bait much further offshore than you would expect.

At the surface, the current break is very subtle, but at depth the current forms a hard wall trapping bait that the coho are feeding on.

Double Bluff is another sleeper and rarely has more than a few boats on it. I really like Double Bluff; on the right day you can fish the general area and never have to fire up the main and go on the hunt.

Depending on the tides you can drag gear, mooch cut-plug herring, and even fish jigs. On the flood tide you want to fish the rips south of the bluff, and on the ebb, fish from the buoy north. You will need to keep an eye on the fish finder, but many of the early season coho will be suspended in less than 150’ of water. If you’re not seeing anything on the meter, move around.

More than any other place on the Sound, there will be coho holding somewhere at Double Bluff.

Another out of the way and often overlooked coho spot is Partridge Bank. That said, Partridge bank is one of my go-to coho spots. Depending on the given tide series, it typically fishes well on any tide. Fish along the edge of the shipping lane on the west side of the bank.

A couple things to note regarding the Partridge Bank fishery: sometimes there is a big swell that fractures as it approaches the bank. The resulting chop can be unpredictable and you need to be alert to changing sea conditions.

Secondly, you may stray into the shipping lane so keep your radio on and give any passing ships the right of way. Consider setting your VHF up on Tri-Watch, monitor 16, 13 (Bridge to Bridge, commercial traffic) and a floating channel. I have mine on 22 but many recreational boaters monitor channel 68.

The previous three examples are just a few of the areas to find off the radar coho. Again, sit down with some form of chart and current table and do your homework.

There are many other locations in MA 5-11 where you won’t be necessarily be chasing coho with a fleet of like-minded friends. Look for points, underwater structure, and areas where opposing currents will concentrate bait and you’ll find coho.

Now that you have identified your coho hidey-hole, what’s next? The coho drill on my boat is pretty basic. Although I have a couple jigging and/or mooching rods ready to go it’s mostly a trolling show. I pull 11” flashers and flies, hoochies or spoons.

Coho Killers, Silver Horde 3.5” Kingfisher Lite spoons and Gibbs G-Force spoons are my go-to spoon offering. I run 36” of 30# fluorocarbon between the flasher and the spoon. Regarding color; you can’t go wrong with any combination of green or chartreuse but a Purple Haze flasher and a clear hoochie with a green insert can be deadly.

Always head out with an assortment of flies, hoochies, or spoons and cycle through gear until you find the magic combination for the day. Also, use scent on your spoons. Try a sticky Bloody Tuna, Herring, or Anchovy goo and re-scent often. Add a salted herring strip to the leading hook on all your flies and hoochies.

At the butt-crack of dawn, fast trolling cut plug herring in the top 30’ of water is a solid option, but after first light it will be a downrigger show. Use 12 pound or heavier downrigger weights and troll 3.5 to 4 mph.

At the speed you’ll be trolling for coho it is likely that you will not see your downrigger balls on the meter and remember that with the blowback you will need additional cable out for a given depth. Especially for coho, I chase meter marks, so keep an eye on the meter.

Be ready for action, we have had every rod on the boat go off at once when trolling for early AM coho. Have a game plan, net ready, and a bleed bucket to assure that your silvery opponent makes its way into the fish box in the best possible condition.

Good luck and remember that our fall coho fishery is an ideal family fishery. They are relatively easy to find, usually hungry, and have some serious shoulders. As a last thought, I want to address the weather. I work 5 to 6 days a week on the water.

While in the San Juans today I encountered a significant squall line of thunderstorms. Basically, the weather went from summer boating weather to “what the heck” in minutes. It was windy, pouring and very dark. Then the thunder was relentless and deafening. Since I had not hit send for the article yet, I figured that a quick note about coho weather was in order.

Coho season falls while our summer boating weather is transitioning to an unsettled weather pattern. Most of the time the pond will be very pleasant. Be aware of and prepared for changing conditions. If the forecast is questionable, don’t go, or at least proceed with caution.

A 15-mph wind against a running tide can be uncomfortable or even dangerous. Know the limits of both your boat and crew, then always error on the cautious side.

By Randy Castello

Drift boats, once unique to the Pacific Northwest rivers, are now standard river boats all over the country. A drift boat is designed with a flat bottom chine to chine, a pronounced bow to stern rocker, high sharp angled bow, and a raised flat stern.

The design is purposeful in that the flat bottom will allow the boat to float in very little water. The bow to stern rocker makes the boat very maneuverable. The sharp bow will cut through standing waves and whitewater, while the flat stern provides a place to mount a kicker or electric motor and/or an anchor bracket.

Drift boats are amazingly maneuverable and, with an experienced oarsman, very seaworthy. I think that we all envision or maybe even have experienced the thrill of sliding down a narrow canyon while punching through standing waves and maneuvering around boulders, with the oarsman feverously working the oars.

I will admit that the thrill of running white water is infectious, but drift boats are also very versatile.

With a motor, a drift boat can be used to crab and fish estuaries. They are an excellent platform for flyfishing, photography, camping, lake fishing, and just taking a leisurely float down some river. Drift boats are an excellent all-around low maintenance boat.

They are easy to launch, economical to tow, and towable with a smaller vehicle. Our drift boat has been towed all around California, Oregon, and Washington with no impact on our miles per gallon.

My drift boating experience has kind of looped back to where it started. I started with an old wooden pig of a craft that floated but was less than maneuverable. I/we typically would launch and drift from one gravel bar to the next.

At each gravel bar we would anchor, get out of the boat and drift fish or throw spoons, then move on to the next bar, repeating the process until the takeout.

With experience, I started exploring different techniques to fish from the drift boat. Pulling plugs quickly became my favorite, and accounted for many Skagit River salmon and steelhead. About the time I really had our local Puget Sound rivers dialed in, I accepted a position in Southern California and thought that my drift boating days were over. 

Eventually, I met a guy with a contagious sense of adventure and more passion for running the rivers than common sense. We fished the Sacramento River and other northern California rivers from his drift boat, and racked up huge numbers of chinook.

He had a 16/54 Willie, and that boat could punch through anything and bounce off boulders like no other. While I have since decided that boulders are to be avoided, I learned a lot in that little drift boat. Sadly, my crazy waterman friend passed and, not really thinking about it, so did my days in a drift boat.

Some years later, I transferred back up to the PNW and my interest in drift boating was reignited. We bought a well-used 16/54 Willie drift boat and have since upgraded to a custom 17/60 Willie drift boat. The boat is our “everything else” boat. We have a bay boat, so our drift boat is our all around nonpowered adventure boat. 

I typically don’t do white water anymore, but enjoy the heck out of a chute or otherwise technical patch of water, and most of our fishing is spent anchoring along a hole or drifting from one gravel bar to the next to drift fish. Unfortunately, my spontaneous days of drift boating the rivers seem to be a relic. 

Between our limited fisheries, time constraints, and lack of security at the ramps, it’s hard to work in a float. Unfortunately, leaving two rigs at a remote launch and takeout for 6-8 hours is asking for trouble these days.

We try to arrange for a pick up at the bottom of the drift, but the security of your vehicle at the launch is still an issue. That said, our drift boat spends less time on the river now, but is still a great platform for lake fishing and just spending tranquil time on the water.

Safely spending time on a river in a drift boat takes a little preplanning and experience. Make sure you have properly fitting PFDs for everybody onboard. The inflatable PFDs are very comfortable and great for river time. An inflatable PFD must be worn in order to be considered readily accessible, and are only Coast Guard approved for ages 16 and older. 

Don’t just splash your boat at the top of a drift and hope for the best. Review satellite photos of the drift and/or talk to someone familiar with your planned drift. Ask about blocking snags and overhangs, waterfalls or weirs, dead-end channels, or skinny water, and ask about your setup for the planned takeout. 

A couple key elements to safe drift boating are knowing a few basic oar strokes and having experience with your boat. Typically, you’ll be drifting bow with the current while pulling on the oars.

When you see a boulder, tree or other hazard, point the bow towards it with the stern about 45 degrees to the current, and pull on the oars to avoid the obstacle. Once you’re past it, turn the bow downstream and continue the float.

There will be times where you need to speed up. The speed may be required to punch through a wave or to get through a long, slow patch of water. You will need to smoothly push on the oars. There are also times where you will need to either spin the boat or move it sideways.

You can scull the oar on one side or the other to move sideways and to spin the boat, or pull one oar and push the other, depending on your need. Except when sculling, always row with the oar tips, don’t bury the oar blade.

Using more than a third of the oar blade is inefficient, and if gets caught on the bottom or in a snag, you could bend an oarlock, break the oar, or even flip your drift boat.

Experience as the oarsman on your boat is critical in safely running a river. Take your boat out on a slow-moving river or lake and practice, practice, and practice some more. Learn your boat, become one with it, and know what your capabilities and limitations are before you try shooting a boulder garden somewhere. 

Personally, I think everyone needs a drift boat. There is nothing like the zen of a float trip. Everybody’s will be set up differently, but there are a few things to consider when purchasing and setting up a drift boat:

Size; is it just you and a fishing buddy, or will the whole family and dog be onboard? A 16’ boat is great for a couple guys, but you may need a longer, wider boat if the whole gang is joining you. Generally, the wider the boat is for a given length, the higher it will float. 

Use; will you primarily be pulling plugs, side drifting, flyfishing, or sightseeing? Will the passengers all be on the front bench, or ahead of and behind the oarsman? Either way, you should be able to balance the boat front to back and side to side. 

Storage; rod management is critical. Rods should always travel with the rod tips upstream, and the rods should be secured if possible. You need to plan for fish and secure gear storage to avoid any loose items from shifting around during a tense moment or two.   

You will want rod holders, an extra oar, a hand bilge pump, a whistle, and some form of dry storage for personal items and phones. 

Fresh or salt? Add an appropriate size kicker or electric motor and batteries, a fish finder, a roller crab pot puller, and a light(s), and you have a great boat for crabbing or fishing the estuaries.

The versatility a drift boat provides is unmatched in the boating world, they are kind of a jack of all trades boat. I am sure that drift boat’n as a subject deserves a book. This was a very high-level introduction to either get you started as an oarsman, or a quick look at other ways to utilize the drift boat you already have.

There is nothing more peaceful than becoming one with nature as your boat slides down a river in the early morning mist, or silently glides across your favorite trout lake. Add a motor, and your drift boat makes a formidable estuary crabbing and salmon fishing machine.

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.