Puget Sound
- Thread starter Stonedfish
- Start date
Coho
Steelhead
Question about MA13. Is it true that it catch and release for Chums? it’s been a few years since I fished down there. Was going to try to get some eggs if it was legal to keep one.
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Coho
Steelhead
That is so interesting. I used to fish there a lot and always lots of people killing fish. Have the chum runs become endangered or gotten smaller?
I’m totally good with catch & release that’s almost all I do. Just wanted to get some eggs if possible, but I will be respectful of the rules.!
Super fun morning for sure. I hope chum runs in other spots around the sound are as solid as they seem to be where we were today. Lots of fish around.
This pic pretty much sums up chum fishing. Mean chum and a broken rod tip
. Actually, this was user error. Chum when hooked in the mouth are actually very manageable. When foul hooked, they become the Incredible Hulk of salmon though. Luckily today, only one foul hooked fish.
No worries, did not feel like heading back to the truck for a replacement so just kept fishing it. 9 footer became an 8-6 and performed flawlessly!
Plenty of fish for the the giant sea lion who had an interest in getting too close, seals and this guy who seemed unbothered by me or other fisherman..
Some of the fish from the last couple of days. I fished a few hours yesterday as well..
This pic pretty much sums up chum fishing. Mean chum and a broken rod tip
. Actually, this was user error. Chum when hooked in the mouth are actually very manageable. When foul hooked, they become the Incredible Hulk of salmon though. Luckily today, only one foul hooked fish.No worries, did not feel like heading back to the truck for a replacement so just kept fishing it. 9 footer became an 8-6 and performed flawlessly!
Plenty of fish for the the giant sea lion who had an interest in getting too close, seals and this guy who seemed unbothered by me or other fisherman..
Some of the fish from the last couple of days. I fished a few hours yesterday as well..
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This is only my opinion, which probably makes it meaningless, but I think Chum Salmon deserve a little more respect than what is shown above.Super fun morning for sure. I hope chum runs in other spots around the sound are as solid as they seem to be where we were today. Lots of fish around.
This pic pretty much sums up chum fishing. Mean chum and a broken rod tip
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No worries, did not feel like heading back to the truck for a replacement so just kept fishing it. 9 footer became an 8-6 and performed flawlessly!
Plenty of fish for the the giant sea lion who had an interest in getting too close, seals and this guy who seemed unbothered by me or other fisherman..
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Some of the fish from the last couple of days. I fished a few hours yesterday as well..
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Bonefish Jack
Steelhead
I think Chum Salmon are the saltwater carp 
I agree with what you’re saying, but there isn’t a realistic way to hand net them solo in the water without breaking your rod besides playing them to absolute exhaustion.
They are strong and more hardy than other salmonids, I don’t see much of a problem beaching and releasing them quickly. They literally “crawl” upstream on their bellies in a few inches of water and this is not much different than that.
Sorry about the broken fly rod, not the first one and not the last rod to die on chums! Chums can be hard in close quarters, I have seen some close calls and rod tip snaps from leader tip wraps or just a knot stuck on a rod guide. I fly fish for them from kayaks in the salt or kayak/wading near estuary areas.
I do not use a landing net for chums, I see no problem in keeping them in shallow water or beach them to remove the hook. It may look dirty with the mud on them but that is just some of the habitat where you find them and they quickly swim back not worse for wear.
At least for me, the quickest way to release them with less risk to fish, rod, leader or fingers (nasty, big, pointy teeth on those bucks!) without beaching them is to use a short stick with a hook screwed in one end (see below), you just run the stick hook on the leader till you reach the barbless fish hook bend and a little pull is all it takes. I use a similar but longer stick for the boat and the short one for kayak/wading.
I do not use a landing net for chums, I see no problem in keeping them in shallow water or beach them to remove the hook. It may look dirty with the mud on them but that is just some of the habitat where you find them and they quickly swim back not worse for wear.
At least for me, the quickest way to release them with less risk to fish, rod, leader or fingers (nasty, big, pointy teeth on those bucks!) without beaching them is to use a short stick with a hook screwed in one end (see below), you just run the stick hook on the leader till you reach the barbless fish hook bend and a little pull is all it takes. I use a similar but longer stick for the boat and the short one for kayak/wading.
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Not meaningless. It’s an opinion and not necessarily a wrong one. You may or may not no where I was fishing. If not, I know you’ve lived here a bit and know the types of saltwater environs we target them in. I wish there was a better way to land them in shallow water like that but IMO there isn’t. Potentially a long handle net..really long handle. Bringing them into a couple of inches of water, enough that they cannot right themselves and swim away is the best way to handle them IMO. If a net seemed like a feasible option, trust me, I’d use one. Walking a big chum back through 75 yards of muck and is not exactly enjoyable for the angler. All ears though if you or others have thoughts on better ways to land chum in estuaries.
Fishing was great again today btw.
At least one fish definitely thought their treatment by my hand was disrespectful as well
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Ideas? I fall in with these two.Not meaningless. It’s an opinion and not necessarily a wrong one. You may or may not no where I was fishing. If not, I know you’ve lived here a bit and know the types of saltwater environs we target them in. I wish there was a better way to land them in shallow water like that but IMO there isn’t. Potentially a long handle net..really long handle. Bringing them into a couple of inches of water, enough that they cannot right themselves and swim away is the best way to handle them IMO. If a net seemed like a feasible option, trust me, I’d use one. Walking a big chum back through 75 yards of muck and is not exactly enjoyable for the angler. All ears though if you or others have thoughts on better ways to land chum in estuaries.
Fishing was great again today btw.
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At least one fish definitely thought their treatment by my hand was disrespectful as well
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I like this idea. I’d probably go a little longer than 10 inches but can see how that could work really well.
Another option is to work with a fishing buddy. @Kfish and I fished together yesterday and Lou foul hooked a fish at one point. He handed me his rod which I pointed directly at the fish while he worked his way down the line to unhook. Did the same maneuver today with another board member. Could do the same netting fish as well but need a fishing buddy every time which doesn’t always work out. Could be a solid solution a good chunk of the time though.
I think another president said it best…
I kid. It’s a great topic. Not just for chum but all salmon. I am amazed watching @Stonedfish solo net hooked coho on the beach. I’ve tried it and it’s been a disaster every time. I think chum are different than coho but similar problem. All good. Topics like this are what this forum is great for.
Pink Nighty
Legend
I solo net chums with a 36" handle net.... its kind of a pain in the ass, j hear you. It usually takes a few cracks and come cooperation, but it's the same idea of get the fish coming towards you under pull, and then drop slack line and scoop. I do it because many of my runs are high bank river runs or have large cobble instead of gravel. But I've played some long enough trying to net to question whether a quick semi beaching wouldnt be better.
Buddy system is always best, quicker with better landing ratios.
Buddy system is always best, quicker with better landing ratios.
Fun afternoon fishing chums in the Deep South sound. First cast with a new salty 8 weight rod, line, and freshly tied fly landed a fish (location not skill). Some more after that.
As far as landing these beasts, I try to get them close, pull slack off the reel, release the slack and catch the line in my left hand, then hand line to the fly and unhook. This only works well for me with leaders under say 5’. Otherwise back up to the beach.
As far as landing these beasts, I try to get them close, pull slack off the reel, release the slack and catch the line in my left hand, then hand line to the fly and unhook. This only works well for me with leaders under say 5’. Otherwise back up to the beach.
speedbird
Life of the Party
Are landing nets practical?
I think so. I just don’t have one with a large enough hoop and short enough handle for salmon. I can do it solo from a boat, but the beach? I’m not there yet. I do net SRC and small coho with a floating net off the beach.
It must be or you wouldn't be doing it.
And I have no idea where you are fishing, all I know about you is that you are from WA.
Back when the Skagit had a massive run of Chum I would stay in knee deep, grab my line as mentioned above and reach down with pliers or cut the leader, whichever the situation called for. I tied all my flies to ride upside down as hooking them in the kype seemed to produce more fight.
Having them scream across the river and watching $100 worth of line go through the rod soured the experience for me and I gave it up.