Hood Canal Sea-Run Cutthroat

Bonefish Jack · Sep 23, 2023

I will be moving to Union WA in a couple of months, and realize that there is a great SRC fishery in Hood Canal. I have never really fished for SRC, and hope to do a lot of this after the move.

Any thoughts, suggestions, or hotspot sharing (

) will be appreciated. Anybody in the area looking for a fishing partner, please hit me up. Also, please feel free to send a private message.

Ernie · Sep 23, 2023

Bonefish Jack said:
I will be moving to Union WA in a couple of months, and realize that there is a great SRC fishery in Hood Canal. I have never really fished for SRC, and hope to do a lot of this after the move.

Any thoughts, suggestions, or hotspot sharing () will be appreciated. Anybody in the area looking for a fishing partner, please hit me up. Also, please feel free to send a private message.

Go to the Gig Harbor Fly Shop’d website under “Learn”. drop down to “where to fish” drop down to Puget Sound. Hot spotting for SRC is not really shared. The bad news is that if you did get a certain beach location, the SRC may not be there when you go.

Stonedfish · Sep 23, 2023

Lots of great cutt fishing on the canal.
Burning a bunch of gas learning it will be part of the fun once you get settled in. The best fishing is coming up. Just my opinion, but if I only had one month to fish the canal, it would be November, followed closely by October and December.
Have fun and good luck.
SF

Ron McNeal · Sep 23, 2023

Ensuring your wading footwear is well-soled should be on your list of things to do.

skyriver · Sep 23, 2023

Hi Jack, PM sent.

BTW, listen to Stonedfish.

Stonedfish · Sep 24, 2023

Ernie said:
Go to the Gig Harbor Fly Shop’d website under “Learn”. drop down to “where to fish” drop down to Puget Sound. Hot spotting for SRC is not really shared. The bad news is that if you did get a certain beach location, the SRC may not be there when you go.

I actually wish they didn’t do that on their website. Many of those places aren’t secrets, but they sure as hell don’t need anymore pressure either.
To me at least, it’s just too much of a layup for folks too lazy to get out and explore on their own. People would be surprised what can be found and learned besides those spots if they get out there and just do it.
Exploring is just as fun as fishing in my opinion. That exploring may not be fruitful every time but can payoff in spades at later dates.
SF

Grandpa Jim · Sep 24, 2023

Exploring is all part of the fishing game for me...but maybe not for others.

I must confess that I will check out YouTube OP steelhead videos looking for new bank spots or to glean information on what to look for in a productive run. A couple years ago I watched an OP steelhead video that ended up showing how to get to one of my favorite runs, a run where I once landed a 38"x20" steelhead on a jig under a float. Seeing that video on the internet gave me a sick feeling... But that is now what it is in the information age and social media.

You never know what will happen when you explore. I went out to the OP in early June to recon for winter steelhead spots. I camped and then hiked all over. A wonderful time! Rivers often change so much out there that I would rather explore in "off season" rather than within season when I want to be fishing hard. Since it was legal to fish at the time and there was the possibility of salmon or maybe a summer steelhead I took along a spinning rod and some spoons & spinners. Much to my surprise I swung up 2 smaller down river winter run male steelhead. Both of which I landed and released quickly. I found 2 new spots that I will put in the memory bank for next winter.