Stay off my lawn...
Puget Sound
- Thread starter Stonedfish
- Start date
With 8-1 being open I decided to hit up my local beach last night to see if there was anything going on. Wasn't expecting much and wasn't surprised, but just wanted to try and get a better understanding of the timings up here.
What I did find was the joy of people who don't really get the whole 'social interaction' thing. I'd found a spot and had been fishing a while, had some of the normal interactions "Seen anything? Nope. Good luck" etc. Saw a guy walking down the beach, he stopped to talk to a group that had been fishing near the 'best spot' on this beach, he must be friends with them. Looked down again, no, he was talking to the next guy on the beach closer to me, maybe he knows that guy? Couple more casts and I notice he's still walking towards me. Guy stops right on my right shoulder, gear guy, starts off with "Whats that? Is that new?" After a ton of confusion I finally figure out he's talking about my stripping basket. This establishes in my head the guy doesn't know fly fishing, which is fine, but then he goes on to start lecturing my choice of fly, clearly can't be fishing for pinks unless my fly is an all pink small fly because thats what he caught pinks on two years ago when he wasn't fly fishing except he was somehow. At this point I'm trying to indicate that I don't care what this guy's opinion is but he is not picking up what I'm putting down. After moving on to lecture me about there not being cutts out right now, he proceeded to insist that there are no bull trout in the skagit, only dollies. And that you absolutely must be able to tell the difference (his method of telling the difference is, to be clear, stupid and doesn't work, but he worked for the state so he knows). After about five minutes of this he's at least moved a little down the beach and I can start casting again and I've moved on to just replying "OK Dude," and he is unhappy with this and huffs off grumpily. At this point I'm happy to be back to peace and quiet and decide that maybe I've earned the beer I've stashed in my kill bag (I haven't been using it for fish
). Decided to tie on a new fly at the same time and hadn't even gotten it done when this guy comes BACK. "Not to be rude but . . . " another lecture about bull trout (sorry about dolly varden, we don't have bull trout). I manage to tell him "Thats great, glad you think that" and get him to leave, to go bother the guy down the beach that he already bothered, I can clearly hear him talking about bull trout to that guy and gesturing at me. I finished my beer and got back to the quiet absence of humpies.
What I did find was the joy of people who don't really get the whole 'social interaction' thing. I'd found a spot and had been fishing a while, had some of the normal interactions "Seen anything? Nope. Good luck" etc. Saw a guy walking down the beach, he stopped to talk to a group that had been fishing near the 'best spot' on this beach, he must be friends with them. Looked down again, no, he was talking to the next guy on the beach closer to me, maybe he knows that guy? Couple more casts and I notice he's still walking towards me. Guy stops right on my right shoulder, gear guy, starts off with "Whats that? Is that new?" After a ton of confusion I finally figure out he's talking about my stripping basket. This establishes in my head the guy doesn't know fly fishing, which is fine, but then he goes on to start lecturing my choice of fly, clearly can't be fishing for pinks unless my fly is an all pink small fly because thats what he caught pinks on two years ago when he wasn't fly fishing except he was somehow. At this point I'm trying to indicate that I don't care what this guy's opinion is but he is not picking up what I'm putting down. After moving on to lecture me about there not being cutts out right now, he proceeded to insist that there are no bull trout in the skagit, only dollies. And that you absolutely must be able to tell the difference (his method of telling the difference is, to be clear, stupid and doesn't work, but he worked for the state so he knows). After about five minutes of this he's at least moved a little down the beach and I can start casting again and I've moved on to just replying "OK Dude," and he is unhappy with this and huffs off grumpily. At this point I'm happy to be back to peace and quiet and decide that maybe I've earned the beer I've stashed in my kill bag (I haven't been using it for fish
). Decided to tie on a new fly at the same time and hadn't even gotten it done when this guy comes BACK. "Not to be rude but . . . " another lecture about bull trout (sorry about dolly varden, we don't have bull trout). I manage to tell him "Thats great, glad you think that" and get him to leave, to go bother the guy down the beach that he already bothered, I can clearly hear him talking about bull trout to that guy and gesturing at me. I finished my beer and got back to the quiet absence of humpies.
I can relate. In perhaps a sadistic way, I like to fish our beaches for peace of mind and a form of meditation. I generally enjoy the local crowd on the beaches I fish, even if I’m the oddball in the bunch and have little to say to most of them. It’s a different social interaction than I get on a regular daily basis.With 8-1 being open I decided to hit up my local beach last night to see if there was anything going on. Wasn't expecting much and wasn't surprised, but just wanted to try and get a better understanding of the timings up here.
What I did find was the joy of people who don't really get the whole 'social interaction' thing. I'd found a spot and had been fishing a while, had some of the normal interactions "Seen anything? Nope. Good luck" etc. Saw a guy walking down the beach, he stopped to talk to a group that had been fishing near the 'best spot' on this beach, he must be friends with them. Looked down again, no, he was talking to the next guy on the beach closer to me, maybe he knows that guy? Couple more casts and I notice he's still walking towards me. Guy stops right on my right shoulder, gear guy, starts off with "Whats that? Is that new?" After a ton of confusion I finally figure out he's talking about my stripping basket. This establishes in my head the guy doesn't know fly fishing, which is fine, but then he goes on to start lecturing my choice of fly, clearly can't be fishing for pinks unless my fly is an all pink small fly because thats what he caught pinks on two years ago when he wasn't fly fishing except he was somehow. At this point I'm trying to indicate that I don't care what this guy's opinion is but he is not picking up what I'm putting down. After moving on to lecture me about there not being cutts out right now, he proceeded to insist that there are no bull trout in the skagit, only dollies. And that you absolutely must be able to tell the difference (his method of telling the difference is, to be clear, stupid and doesn't work, but he worked for the state so he knows). After about five minutes of this he's at least moved a little down the beach and I can start casting again and I've moved on to just replying "OK Dude," and he is unhappy with this and huffs off grumpily. At this point I'm happy to be back to peace and quiet and decide that maybe I've earned the beer I've stashed in my kill bag (I haven't been using it for fish
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This year the people have been getting to me and I’m starting to dislike a lot of the people around me on the beach. It’s a pink year and I’m playing a competitive game. I get that but give me my space and leave me the fuck alone!
(not talking about fellow fly fishers)On any year there are always the ladies looking for beach rocks right behind you. Or that posse of three kids deciding to play right behind you, parents totally unaware of the situation. Or that person posting up right next to you on your casting side. That same person casts their buzz bomb at a 45 degree angle over and over again, constantly crossing your line and the next 3 people’s lines and never attempts to correct their casting direction. Or the spot jockeys that try to take your spot after landing a fish. Or the dude that can’t shut the fuck up about this and that and wants to tell you all about it (this most likely includes stories about his limited fly fishing experiences).
It’s all good though, it’s relaxing….
Humpy years are some of the worst on the beaches. Pink years are even worse.
There are definitely some interesting folks out on the beaches. Some make having gotten cussed out by Herring Dan seem somewhat enjoyable.
SF
There are definitely some interesting folks out on the beaches. Some make having gotten cussed out by Herring Dan seem somewhat enjoyable.
SF
The influx of the toothless and the wannabe toothless has begun out here. Every snagger south of the Samish makes the yearly pilgrimage to ply their trade with 4/0 hooks and Bud Ice. It's sort of like MoronCon with fishing poles, not rods.
The 4 fish limit can exceed both the IQ and total number of felony warrants out combined. Throw in some child day care and associated dirty diapers and it can make the beaches look absolutely bucolic.
The 4 fish limit can exceed both the IQ and total number of felony warrants out combined. Throw in some child day care and associated dirty diapers and it can make the beaches look absolutely bucolic.
I look forward to your Humpy report...
the_chemist
Life of the Party
Y use BIG canoe when little tube work?
Excellent point!
TBH that "conversation" sounds like hell. A couple of coughs and an admission to being "probably (cough cough, hack up and then huck a loogie) not infectious from COVID" may still be an effective out...
Initially I wondered why the battery wasn’t centered, then I realized the 18 pack sits under the right hand side.
This is true....
Semper_Fly
Steelhead
Had a fun day in MA11 yesterday fishing for pinks. Went out on a buddies boat and fished from 11-3. Landed around twelve, kept two and lost a handful. Setup was an 8wt Redington predator paired with a new-to-me Rio Outbound Custom T-11 line that was pretty fun to cast. Watching a school of pinks follow your fly to the boat, pause, slow strip then hook up was pretty fun the few times it happened.
Best part of the day was coming home to my four year old very excited to see some fish. We processed the fish together so she can see the whole process. She was enthusiastically all in and even thanked the fish. Proud dad.
Pink Salmon box checked for the year. I'll be turning my attention back to SRC's for the most part.
Three year plan: get a boat!
Best part of the day was coming home to my four year old very excited to see some fish. We processed the fish together so she can see the whole process. She was enthusiastically all in and even thanked the fish. Proud dad.
Pink Salmon box checked for the year. I'll be turning my attention back to SRC's for the most part.
Three year plan: get a boat!
Hopefully these fly fisherman had some luck today.
Nothing from the beach.
speedbird
Life of the Party
I ran into them too! Are y'all forum members? How did you do? Had no luck fly casting from the boat either but a couple schools passed and went 2/4 on the Buzz bomb. Spent the earlier morning trolling for Kings out by Jeff head until I birdsnested one of my downriggers, attempted to run a dipsy and downriggers side by side, tangled my gear, and decided to finish the day on a good note. Interesting enough vertical jigging didn't work today even though there were plenty within reach of a 1-2oz jig. Had to really chuck the buzzbomb far. I saw surprisingly few fish hookup and not a single pink at Jeff head. I am a little worried the run may be smaller than predicted.
I also wonder if this has to do with the Purse Seine fleet netting like crazy a couple days back. How do those guys even make a profit? I never see them out on even years. My buddy's dad Seines up in Alaska and maintinence even at dock is not cheap at all.
Ran into a smallish "wild". I've caught 5 legal sized Kings this year and 4 were unclipped. With one exception I don't think any were large enough to possibly be 5 year fish from 2020. Alarmingly, basically every undersized yearling I have hooked is unclipped too.
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