Orcas Island & SRC? Am I wishful thinking?

Aleforme · Dec 12, 2022

So I'll be up on Orcas Island for new years and we're gong to hike and fish a couple lakes but wondering if it's even worth trying for some SRC? I know this is way north but I know they can be caught off Vancouver Island so, maybe? Not the best time of year but easy enough to throw a line on some beaches.

Just curious if anyone has fished Orcas for SRC and how did it work out? Not asking for spots but just the Island in general? Like I said, easy to throw and line and see but if it's just not going to happen and some of you are thinking, oh that poor stupid bastard, we should save him from himself..... maybe someone can clue me in and I can focus my limited fishing time on the lakes.

Thanks in advance,

Jim

Wanative · Dec 12, 2022

This question has been asked before, at least on the old other site.
Success was very low if not zero.
Maybe you can show us how.

Josh · Dec 12, 2022

I've not heard of it being a hot spot. But I've also often wondered why not. There are enough currents ripping around that you'd think a few spots would feel fishy.

But then again, north sound cutts have always been a much much harder game than in the south sound.

Leland Miyawaki · Dec 12, 2022

Searuns feed inshore off shallow sloping beaches with basketball/softball size rocks . . .

Leland

Smalma · Dec 13, 2022

Even though the north Sound has lots of sea-run cutthroat there is little (no?) sea-run fishing in the San Juan. Likely this due to the fact the Islands are 10 to 20 miles across open water from the major sea-run rivers and the near complete lack of year-round streams that could potentially support a wild cutthroat or salmon populations. The mostly likely stream to support a cutthroat population would be Cascade Creek on Orcas Island. That creek drains Cascade and Mountain lakes. Mountain has a natural reproducing cutthroat population (spawning above the lake) that maybe of interest. Even though the creek is approximately 7 miles long only the lower 1/2 or less is accessible to anadromous salmonids with limited spawning and rearing potential.

Curt

Aleforme · Dec 13, 2022

Wanative said:
This question has been asked before, at least on the old other site.
Success was very low if not zero.
Maybe you can show us how.

Ha, if anyone can catch them there, it's definitely NOT me!

Aleforme · Dec 13, 2022

Josh said:
I've not heard of it being a hot spot. But I've also often wondered why not. There are enough currents ripping around that you'd think a few spots would feel fishy.

But then again, north sound cutts have always been a much much harder game than in the south sound.

There are definitely a few spots that look really fishy but I doubt there are in reality.

Aleforme · Dec 13, 2022

Leland Miyawaki said:
Searuns feed inshore off shallow sloping beaches with basketball/softball size rocks . . .

Leland

That's what I have been learning. We'll see what it looks like up there.

Aleforme · Dec 13, 2022

Smalma said:
Even though the north Sound has lots of sea-run cutthroat there is little (no?) sea-run fishing in the San Juan. Likely this due to the fact the Islands are 10 to 20 miles across open water from the major sea-run rivers and the near complete lake of year-round streams that could potentially support a wild cutthroat or salmon populations. The mostly likely stream to support a cutthroat population would be Cascade Creek on Orcas Island. That creek drains Cascade and Mountain lakes. Mountain has a natural reproducing cutthroat population (spawning above the lake) that maybe of interest. Even though the creek is approximately 7 miles long only the lower 1/2 or less is accessible to anadromous salmonids with limited spawning and rearing potential.

Curt

That makes a lot of sense. I definitely plan on hitting the lake while I'm there. I've read that Twin Lakes hold some trout as well. Not as accessible though.

Josh · Dec 13, 2022

Aleforme said:
There are definitely a few spots that look really fishy but I doubt there are in reality.

Honestly, that's north sound sea run cutts in a nutshell.

speedbird · Dec 14, 2022

Josh said:
Honestly, that's north sound sea run cutts in a nutshell.

See I have to disagree. I caught my first cutty by finding my closest fishy looking beach, and consistently caught fish there (albeit on spinners and spoons) until late November. I haven't caught fish at any other north sound beach but have absolutely seen them jumping. My best day had 4 landed and 6 hooked up. Meanwhile in south sound despite hitting up the well known beaches I have somehow avoided every single fish. It's probably poor timing on my part, but I know for a fact that between August and November, north sound has enough cutthroat that you will run into some after putting in some time. I think my local cutthroat beaches being a ten minute drive instead of a 2 hour drive also makes it easier for me to learn the beach, leading to higher catch rates despite fewer fish

Josh · Dec 14, 2022

Kashf said:
See I have to disagree. I caught my first cutty by finding my closest fishy looking beach

How far "north" is northsound in this instance?

I mean, I'm very happy to be proven wrong here. I just don't know that I am.

speedbird · Dec 14, 2022

Josh said:
How far "north" is northsound in this instance?

I mean, I'm very happy to be proven wrong here. I just don't know that I am.

Area 10. 9. 8-2

mickey rat · Dec 14, 2022

north sound has enough cutthroat that you will run into some after putting in some time. I think my local cutthroat beaches being a ten minute drive instead of a 2 hour drive also makes it easier for me to learn the beach, leading to higher catch rates despite fewer fish

This ^

Pink Nighty · Dec 14, 2022

Josh said:
How far "north" is northsound in this instance?

I mean, I'm very happy to be proven wrong here. I just don't know that I am.

Not north enough brother

Josh · Dec 14, 2022

Kashf said:
Area 10. 9. 8-2

I guess it depends on what you think of as "north sound. For me, that's area 7 more than anything. But I admit that there is a lot more SRC action in 8-2 and 9. 10 feels too far south to be considered anything be central/south sound. But again, it's all how you look at it, I suppose.

Kudos to you for getting out and finding them.

Wanative · Dec 14, 2022

@Kashf the area in question is in the San Juan Islands and known as Orcas island.
It is in marine area 7.
It is much further north than the areas you referred to. Actually it is not part of Puget Sound but a part of the Salish Sea
of which Puget Sound is also a part.
I don't think anyone would question that SRC can be and frequently are caught in the areas you mentioned.
The in shore waters of MA 7 are not so generous with their significantly smaller population of SRC, though on occasion they can be encountered from the area 7 beaches.
A couple small Area 7 SRC.

speedbird · Dec 14, 2022

Josh said:
I guess it depends on what you think of as "north sound. For me, that's area 7 more than anything. But I admit that there is a lot more SRC action in 8-2 and 9. 10 feels too far south to be considered anything be central/south sound. But again, it's all how you look at it, I suppose.

Kudos to you for getting out and finding them.

Fair enough! I always assumed that when people say "North Sound cutthroat" they meant the neck of the woods I was fishing, I am sure that area is gonna be a lot tougher