Non-Fly 2024 Summer Salmon

Anybody got an ear to the ground about more openings for Area 10 and Elliott bay? There should be plenty of quota left for both areas after the relatively low catches last weekend. Peak time is right about now.
 
Chucker said:
Anybody got an ear to the ground about more openings for Area 10 and Elliott bay? There should be plenty of quota left for both areas after the relatively low catches last weekend. Peak time is right about now.
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On Bloodydecks someone in the know (Advisory council) claims that WDFW doesn't have enough quota for 10 to open on two weekends again, so they are debating between opening for one weekend now and one weekday and allowing more time later in the season, opening 10 only on weekdays to let the season draw out, or just waiting entirely.

The new derby system is a shame IMO, hope coho can be spared from it into my kids lifetime
 
Chucker said:
Anybody got an ear to the ground about more openings for Area 10 and Elliott bay? There should be plenty of quota left for both areas after the relatively low catches last weekend. Peak time is right about now.
Click to expand...
WDFW just released their updated Summer Chinook harvest/encounter estimates up to Aug 4. Of note, MA9 is at 97% of harvest quota, MA10 at 76% quota and 68% sublegal encounters (seems enough for another opener/s, but who knows!), MA11 has a lot of % harvest and sublegal encounters left. Complete info here:

wdfw.wa.gov

Seasonal Puget Sound salmon fishery guidelines and quotas

Check the most recent Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet and the latest emergency rules for up-to-date regulations.
wdfw.wa.gov wdfw.wa.gov
 
VMP said:
WDFW just released their updated Summer Chinook harvest/encounter estimates up to Aug 4. Of note, MA9 is at 97% of harvest quota, MA10 at 76% quota and 68% sublegal encounters (seems enough for another opener/s, but who knows!), MA11 has a lot of % harvest and sublegal encounters left. Complete info here:

wdfw.wa.gov

Seasonal Puget Sound salmon fishery guidelines and quotas

Check the most recent Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet and the latest emergency rules for up-to-date regulations.
wdfw.wa.gov wdfw.wa.gov
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Interesting to see the different constraints with which fisheries are managed, I assumed all fisheries had wild/sublegal encounter caps


Different note, I wonder how a Puget Sound Chinook endorsement stamp could potentially reduce or control fishing for them, allowing the quota to go by slower. Probably not by much
 
Anyone get out for the last 2 days of the extended seaon?
I had planed on fishing Sunday but came down with the flue on Friday and couldn't go 🤮
 
Supposedly WDFW planned more days for the end of August past the peak of the run, likely weekdays only, but who knows with these catch rates
 
Paige said:
Anyone get out for the last 2 days of the extended seaon?
I had planed on fishing Sunday but came down with the flue on Friday and couldn't go 🤮
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Mooched and jigged king limits on Sunday (had to work Monday), released a couple coho (too few and too small so far this year, except a 4lb and 5lb kept last month). This Sunday was probably the busiest I have ever seen it out there, no surprise given this opener was so close to the peak in Central Puget Sound and this year's derby limited openers. Of note, some "exotics" on the creel reports: the second even year pink I see reported this year (see other thread on them) and an even weirder sockeye report, more so given the late date and tiny run size on the Lake Washington run (~23K, see here).

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If we receive more Chinook openers I am hoping to mooch and jig this time around. I tried it before at the end of Blackmouth season this Spring at a well known north Area 10 spot, but couldn't get my herring down to the bottom even with an 8oz sinker, and even 4oz jigs were too light. This was just fishing 60-90 feet of water too.

Any tips? I plan to fish that hole again, but also some spots near Edmonds that look like good drifts on my charts and I have been advised by the gentleman with a mullet at Avid Angler are great holes to jig and mooch. Also thinking about sitting right in front of the structure by the oil docks but anticipate being run over by plenty of clueless captains on autopilot. Should I wait for the current to slow down before getting the mooching leaders out, and just concentrate on trolling plugs or casting flies for coho for the stronger portion of the tide cycle? Is there a trick I am missing in positioning my boat or letting the line out to get it to hit the bottom?
 
Has been a good mooching year with some really nice fish (lower to upper teens) in both MA 9 and MA 10

Looking at the MA 10 checks for the 8/`11 and 8/12 I don't see any additional Chinook days. Expect the quota has been exceeded.

Curt
 
speedbird said:
If we receive more Chinook openers I am hoping to mooch and jig this time around. I tried it before at the end of Blackmouth season this Spring at a well known north Area 10 spot, but couldn't get my herring down to the bottom even with an 8oz sinker, and even 4oz jigs were too light. This was just fishing 60-90 feet of water too.

Any tips? I plan to fish that hole again, but also some spots near Edmonds that look like good drifts on my charts and I have been advised by the gentleman with a mullet at Avid Angler are great holes to jig and mooch. Also thinking about sitting right in front of the structure by the oil docks but anticipate being run over by plenty of clueless captains on autopilot. Should I wait for the current to slow down before getting the mooching leaders out, and just concentrate on trolling plugs or casting flies for coho for the stronger portion of the tide cycle? Is there a trick I am missing in positioning my boat or letting the line out to get it to hit the bottom?
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I only mooch, only jigged a couple of times. I don't own downriggers. I use 2 1/2-4oz and can usually touch bottom in 225'. I would guess you just need to let it down faster. If that doesn't work I would back in to it or drag a bucket or something. 8oz isn't much fun to hang on to with a 10-12' rod. I would go the other way with trolling if you're gonna do it. When the current dies and the fish scatter then troll. If you're serious though I wouldn't bring the downriggers then you have no choice but to get better at mooching or jigging.
 
Scudley Do Right said:
I only mooch, only jigged a couple of times. I don't own downriggers. I use 2 1/2-4oz and can usually touch bottom in 225'. I would guess you just need to let it down faster. If that doesn't work I would back in to it or drag a bucket or something. 8oz isn't much fun to hang on to with a 10-12' rod. I would go the other way with trolling if you're gonna do it. When the current dies and the fish scatter then troll. If you're serious though I wouldn't bring the downriggers then you have no choice but to get better at mooching or jigging.
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I have been letting my mooching gear out a little slow to avoid tangles on the leader, but I assume then the solution is lighter rather than heavier weight to keep the herring in front of the weight, right?
 
speedbird said:
If we receive more Chinook openers I am hoping to mooch and jig this time around. I tried it before at the end of Blackmouth season this Spring at a well known north Area 10 spot, but couldn't get my herring down to the bottom even with an 8oz sinker, and even 4oz jigs were too light. This was just fishing 60-90 feet of water too.

Any tips? I plan to fish that hole again, but also some spots near Edmonds that look like good drifts on my charts and I have been advised by the gentleman with a mullet at Avid Angler are great holes to jig and mooch. Also thinking about sitting right in front of the structure by the oil docks but anticipate being run over by plenty of clueless captains on autopilot. Should I wait for the current to slow down before getting the mooching leaders out, and just concentrate on trolling plugs or casting flies for coho for the stronger portion of the tide cycle? Is there a trick I am missing in positioning my boat or letting the line out to get it to hit the bottom?
Click to expand...

You should be able to touch bottom in 60-90' with much less than 8 oz. How were the conditions that day? Its possible with a fast drift and choppy water that your sinker hit bottom without you feeling it and you were just feeding line while the boat drifts and sinker rests on the bottom.

I mooch more than I jig and use 2-4 oz sinkers while mooching. I use the metzler quick change sinkers so that I can change weights easily. I agree with Scudley on leaving the rest of the gear at home if you really want to do it. Get a reel with a line counter and quick retrieve. I have caught a lot more fish since making that switch. The quick retrieve helps to catch up on slack line bites, and the line counter can be invaluable in dialing in on where the fish are located and avoiding dogfish. I cast out my gear to create line angle and avoid tangles on the drop. Paying attention to the direction of tide, drift, and wind can also help with tangles. You want to avoid dropping at an angle or direction such that your herring will blow back on your mainline and tangle.

Jigging can be fun but I don't find the conditions to be good for it as often. I've caught some nice fish jigging though and the bite can be just as fun as mooching.

Mooching for coho can be very productive and fun.

My wife had our first child this May so I haven't been able to get out this summer for salmon. I am living vicariously through you all!
 
SeaRunner said:
You should be able to touch bottom in 60-90' with much less than 8 oz. How were the conditions that day? Its possible with a fast drift and choppy water that your sinker hit bottom without you feeling it and you were just feeding line while the boat drifts and sinker rests on the bottom.

I mooch more than I jig and use 2-4 oz sinkers while mooching. I use the metzler quick change sinkers so that I can change weights easily. I agree with Scudley on leaving the rest of the gear at home if you really want to do it. Get a reel with a line counter and quick retrieve. I have caught a lot more fish since making that switch. The quick retrieve helps to catch up on slack line bites, and the line counter can be invaluable in dialing in on where the fish are located and avoiding dogfish. I cast out my gear to create line angle and avoid tangles on the drop. Paying attention to the direction of tide, drift, and wind can also help with tangles. You want to avoid dropping at an angle or direction such that your herring will blow back on your mainline and tangle.

Jigging can be fun but I don't find the conditions to be good for it as often. I've caught some nice fish jigging though and the bite can be just as fun as mooching.

Mooching for coho can be very productive and fun.

My wife had our first child this May so I haven't been able to get out this summer for salmon. I am living vicariously through you all!
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Congratulations SeaRunner!
 
Just in case some of you have not seen it already...WDFW released yesterday updated king salmon estimates (updated estimates here) and it's a wrap for most of Puget Sound, except MA11 with 40% of harvest quota taken and at 12% of sublegal encounters and MA13. Other Puget Sound areas are very near or slightly above harvest quotas (e.g. MA10 at 109%). Still some opportunities on the open ocean. Good year on DR, mooch and jigs, no king on flies for me this year. I personally do not like this version of derby openers, it has been nuts at times out there even on weekdays or days with marginal conditions, but it may be the harbinger of things to come.
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IMG_4010.jpegI went back on my promise to mooch coho, got all my leaders nice and prepped, only open the freezer the night before I fished and find no herring. Found a really nice mix of fish today in area 10 though! Possession yesterday was slow, lots of fish in the finder but no biters besides a small resi. Started off today at oil docks similar with a 2ish lber. Second fish was this gorgeous 7.7 buck. After him, hooked into a 10-12lb King. Didn’t take any drag but really muscled me around. Something to be said for how strong these chinook are, even small 3-5lb fish seem to always choose the side of the boat by themselves, and there isn’t much you can do about it. I think Kings specialty is muscling you around while coho specialize in making your rod dance, going limp for the whole fight and then becoming world class hook shaking acrobats as they see your boat.

IMG_9106.jpeg

Hooked into an even bigger coho but lost at the net, but ended the day with a decent couple resi

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After coming into port at Edmonds the southern residents decided to pay us a visit

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Not sure what inspired the guy in the trophy to drive himself directly in their path, he deliberately moved the boat to be there
 
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