Non-Fly First dirt bag trip of the year.

[Salmo_g]

I went dirt bagging in Grays Harbor for a couple days for the first time in what must be eight years. Not really sure why, other than there are way too many things to do in Sept. and Oct. Looking for silvers and got a nice one right off the bat Thursday morning. I thought, "This is gonna' be good!" Scratch fishing the rest of the day and the next day as well, but ended up with a couple limits. It's comforting to have some fish on hand. Fresh coho off the BBQ last night and we'll have some again tonight. Even with the vacuum packer, fresh is invariably better than frozen. The fish hit spinners, anchovies, and one of those Brad's clam shell do-hickies that you stuff with tuna guts. I imagine they would have hit herring, but we didn't have any. I hope to get out again, but there's so many places to fish and so little of Oct. left.

 

[Shad]

Ever tried trolling a Clouser out in the bay, @Salmo_g ? I have never tried it (not sure the captains who are sometimes kind enough to take me out in the bay would be willing to try it), but I've often thought that might work there....

 

[Evan B]

Ever tried trolling a Clouser out in the bay, @Salmo_g ? I have never tried it (not sure the captains who are sometimes kind enough to take me out in the bay would be willing to try it), but I've often thought that might work there....

I do it out in the ocean often. Very effective out there. Once those fish get inside bays, though, they're a different beast. Definitely tried it inside buoy 10 with zero success.

 

[Shad]

Oops... accidentally hi-jacked a dirt bag thread with fly fishing talk. Apologies....

I bet it's been good out there. Rivers dropped back to nothing again last week, and that really slowed the upstream migration that was going strong the week before. Rain's a comin', but the nets will be in, and I bet they will absolutely clean house. So be it. Seems like everyone's had at least a brief opportunity for really good fishing so far this season, which is cool! Hope it keeps going.

Chums will probably show up with this next rain event. Just sayin', and I'm not sure why LOL.

 

[Shad]

I do it out in the ocean often. Very effective out there. Once those fish get inside bays, though, they're a different beast. Definitely tried it inside buoy 10 with zero success.

Zero success sounds discouraging.

I guess my takeaway from the big estuary fisheries has been that we spend a lot of rod hours per bite most days, even using bait, and I know sometimes hardware works better, so why the heck not troll something you don't have to re-bait all day and fishes well clear of the bait setups and prevents tangles? That it doesn't catch shit would be a pretty good reason why not, I suppose .

 

[Evan B]

Zero success sounds discouraging.

I guess my takeaway from the big estuary fisheries has been that we spend a lot of rod hours per bite most days, even using bait, and I know sometimes hardware works better, so why the heck not troll something you don't have to re-bait all day and fishes well clear of the bait setups and prevents tangles? That it doesn't catch shit would be a pretty good reason why not, I suppose .

Spinners are a good compromise

 

[Divad]

It’s a good time of year! Haven’t tried anchovies or tuna stuffing, might give the former a try after watch cormorants come up every time with baitfish.

I was out there Friday night and got one on a spinner. Just got back today from doing some bushwhacking post lake fishing, caught 3 jacks on the fly. Then decided to switch to gear with a white and red jig, long distance released a nice big ho. Will be back this week after work

 

[Salmo_g]

I've never tried any fly gear in the Harbor Shad. My saltwater and lower Columbia fishing trips are the meat fishing breaks I take from my fly fishing habit. Besides, I was fishing with Cap't. Bligh whose salmon fishing M.O. is all about bloody decks.

 

[Shad]

I've never tried any fly gear in the Harbor Shad. My saltwater and lower Columbia fishing trips are the meat fishing breaks I take from my fly fishing habit. Besides, I was fishing with Cap't. Bligh whose salmon fishing M.O. is all about bloody decks.

LOL... same reason I've never tried it... I might have been thrown overboard!