Puget Sound
- Thread starter Stonedfish
- Start date
Cool to see so many chum pics coming from the salt. Granted, we'd all rather be catching bright coho, but absent those, some hard-pulling, wicked-looking chums keep things fun out there. I've been seeing them flipping around in the South Sound quite a bit more than usual. I haven't gotten any of them to bite (I've been fishing for cutthroat, so I'm not really trying, but when a school swims by, it's hard to resist casting to them), but it's clear there are a bunch more around than any year in recent memory.
This is a huge chum run. Even in Grays Harbor, where coho and kings have come in well below predictions, the chums have been numerous enough to provide good action for anyone who gives them a try. I learned this season that they (like seemingly everything else that swims) eat beads pretty well.
Incidentally, the other species that has quietly had a great year in the Harbor is summer steelhead. I've personally caught a handful in a river where I've never encountered one before, and I've seen several others caught by other anglers. Apparently, a bunch of them showed up (very) late this season, as the steelhead fishing was very slow all summer, but people were catching fairly bright steelhead all October. I most recently got one last Tuesday that was barely developing a red stripe, and if I hadn't known better (even December would be considered early for a Grays Harbor winter run), I would have sworn it was a winter run.
The coho run in the Harbor has been absolute crap since the early fish moved through the Satsop in late September-early October. Thankfully, some other species have been around to make the fishing fun. Here's hoping the winter steelhead run is strong (and that we are allowed to fish for them).
This is a huge chum run. Even in Grays Harbor, where coho and kings have come in well below predictions, the chums have been numerous enough to provide good action for anyone who gives them a try. I learned this season that they (like seemingly everything else that swims) eat beads pretty well.
Incidentally, the other species that has quietly had a great year in the Harbor is summer steelhead. I've personally caught a handful in a river where I've never encountered one before, and I've seen several others caught by other anglers. Apparently, a bunch of them showed up (very) late this season, as the steelhead fishing was very slow all summer, but people were catching fairly bright steelhead all October. I most recently got one last Tuesday that was barely developing a red stripe, and if I hadn't known better (even December would be considered early for a Grays Harbor winter run), I would have sworn it was a winter run.
The coho run in the Harbor has been absolute crap since the early fish moved through the Satsop in late September-early October. Thankfully, some other species have been around to make the fishing fun. Here's hoping the winter steelhead run is strong (and that we are allowed to fish for them).
skyrise
Steelhead
Glad for you guys down there around the grays harbor area. Have noticed the better returns for summer fish and the chum run. Better forecast for winter fish this year and hope that holds for all areas. We still have a NS river trying to make a comeback with chums and thankfully one of the sportsman’s club and some guides and regular fishers have been collecting them and getting them to the hatchery for spawning. I think it’s making a difference but seems like a long haul. Coho runs have been wow up here. Surprised your returns down there aren’t as good as should be.
Rainforest Gump
Life of the Party
Nice! Great pics. Of the super rare lavender variant of src.
Thank you. One thing I am exceedingly proud of is my ability to take shitty fish pics.
Can confirm haha
Overall fall cutt fishing hasn’t been very good and today was more of the same.
Fished from 8:30 until 1:30 for five bites, with only one fish to hand. The very first fish I hooked and lost after a nice fight was a very nice sized fish. Only fly that got action today was an olive marine worm.
Lots of litter on the beach from all the recent wind.
SF
Fished from 8:30 until 1:30 for five bites, with only one fish to hand. The very first fish I hooked and lost after a nice fight was a very nice sized fish. Only fly that got action today was an olive marine worm.
Lots of litter on the beach from all the recent wind.
SF
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All of my "go to" fall season beaches have been a complete failure this year. All day trips, different tides...didn't matter. Its like the fish just disappeared. These beaches for years, have always been killer in September , October and November. Not sure what's going on....very disappointing !!!
Did they follow the big chum run into the creeks to eat eggs?
It has been interesting. There definitely has been a lack of fish showing. Yesterday was perfect conditions for seeing fish. Rain with just a bit of wind chop. I only saw one fish jump all day. I’ve only had one day so far this year where I’ve seen a decent number of fish show themselves.
With the big chum runs, perhaps some as in the creeks eating eggs as @Tallguy mentioned, but that wouldn’t explain why September and October were also slow.
We also haven’t had any cold weather yet. It’s almost December and we haven’t had a frost yet, at least not at my place and where I like to fish. My buddy mentioned that yesterday as well when we were discussing the fishing lately. Could it also be the water temps are a bit warmer than usual?
Every year is different and hopefully things will pick up. Last fall was good but February was outstanding and it has normally been a rather slow month for me over the years.
SF
yea... I'm baffled. I was skunked several times without even a bump except for the small sculpins or flounders !!!. Probably total of 6-8 fish in the net over the September, October season and all smallish fish, nothing bigger than 12-13 inches, and i'm in a boat and covering a lot of water and tides on 4-7 hour outings . Even trolling after casting for hours without even a bump was unproductive in searching out fish. Dang, its been tough fish'n for me.
Hit a local MA 10 beach this morning from 7 till noon. Wasn’t expecting much and that is exactly what I got. It turned out to be a really nice day and people were out enjoying themselves.
One fish to hand but not photo worthy.
A couple equipment failures. Lace loop pulled off my boot getting ready. About halfway through fishing my line snapped in half while casting. Knotted it together and ended up being able to fish 45’ or so casts the rest of the day. I could get longer casts if the knot went through the guides, which happened about 15.3% of the time.
I was due for a new line anyways as this one was pretty much toast.
SF
One fish to hand but not photo worthy.
A couple equipment failures. Lace loop pulled off my boot getting ready. About halfway through fishing my line snapped in half while casting. Knotted it together and ended up being able to fish 45’ or so casts the rest of the day. I could get longer casts if the knot went through the guides, which happened about 15.3% of the time.
I was due for a new line anyways as this one was pretty much toast.
SF
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What was the line? Did it show signs or cracking or crazing prior to today?Hit a local MA 10 beach this morning from 7 till noon. Wasn’t expecting much and that is exactly what I got. It turned out to be a really nice day and people were out enjoying themselves.
One fish to hand but not photo worthy.
A couple equipment failures. Lace loop pulled off my boot getting ready. About halfway through fishing my line snapped in half while casting. Knotted it together and ended up being able to fish 45’ or so casts the rest of the day. I could get longer casts if the knot went through the guides, which happened about 15.3% of the time.
I was due for a new line anyways as this one was pretty much toast.
SF
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Good job salvaging the outing though with the knot-job!
That once happened to me with an old version of a 40+. The whole head went flying, and flying, and flying. What a cast! Luckily I was in a canoe and went and got it. I stripped enough coating off to knot the core and keep fishing like you. Okay casts about 15.3% of the time.
Ah, good ol’ 40+ I miss you
I’ll have to remember that tying the core only tip.
With the knot, I figured it was just a matter of time before I ripped a guide off or the tip section of the rod would fly off while casting.
SF