Posts: 1,319
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2007
Reputation:
0
First, thanks to Idaho Griz for his post wishing us good fishing. We just returned from our yearly trip to Sekiu, Washington for some salmon fishing in the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Fished it Monday through Thursday, and had great fishing and terrific weather. Almost no swells, no wind at all, and blue skies after patchy early morning fog. We started each morning fishing the shoreline for kings, and caught an average of 6 kings each morning. Largest was 32, and average was 15-16. Kali hooked the 32, and wow, what a fight. He made a 275' initial run, and she would have been easily spooled if we hadn't chased it all over the ocean! A 20 minute fight ensued. There were two other boats fishing the same area, and they both had big kings on at the same time. About half the kings were missing their adipose fins, and the others were released. We would then head out to deeper waters, and target coho and pinks. This fishing was nothing less than insane. We rarely got the second downrigger in the water, because they were hitting so fast. When we would bring a fish to the boat, he would often be followed by as many as 10 others. Both the pinks and coho were nice-sized this year. Our timing was great, because the pinks showed up in force the day of our arrival. It didn't seem to matter what depth you were fishing. Some of the guys out there were fishing for kings at the 120-140 depth, and catching pinks that deep! We found it unnecessary to go deeper than 35'. With a limit of four fish a day we brought home enough salmon to fill our nearly empty freezer. A pod of killer whales and a large group of grey whales kept the fishermen entertained the last two days. It just doesn't get any better.
[signature]
Posts: 5,277
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2009
Reputation:
0
Dang, much as I like Idaho, your pictures and report sure do make me homesick for Washington! Congratulations on an exceptional trip. You sure had great fishing conditions and fish. Jealous!
[signature]
Posts: 191
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2009
Reputation:
0
I miss our annual fall fishing trips to Sekiu. The group that used to do it with has pretty much gone in their own ways and I sold my boat last year. That was always a great time. If the salmon weren't performing up to expectations we could always move over toward Neah Bay and catch a bunch of bottom fish. [fishon]
[signature]
Posts: 1,319
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2007
Reputation:
0
Dean,
You should get together with Lunddude (Mike) who was looking for someone to share expenses to get over to Sekiu this year, and I am sure would be interested in a trip next year. He has a great, fish-killing boat and he knows the ropes out there, as I am sure you do. By the way, they have been hammering them at Neah Bay, both inside and especially outside, at the 250' mark. I personally like the more protected waters of Sekiu with my 16' Hewescraft. The place is addictive for sure. Nothing like catching salmon who are still sporting sea lice!! Mike
[signature]
Posts: 191
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2009
Reputation:
0
Thanks for the suggestion Mike, that might be do-able next year but got too much going this time around...couple days at Bouy 10 this coming week; some night time steelhead fishing at Lewiston over the Labor Day weekend, and then a week later in September at Newport OR with a couple days salmon fishing in the Columbia River Gorge on the way home. Trying to make up for time lost due to health issues and other distractions during the past couple years.
During our previous treks to Sekiu we pretty much did the same as everyone else. As for the bottom fish we never went out in the ocean but rather went up west of the mouth of the Sekiu River which put us into a different "Zone" where the bag limits were more generous. I'm kind of conservative in terms of being comfortable in small boats out on the ocean so when I get the urge I usually hook up with a 6-pack charter boat [don't like the larger capacity "party boats."
[signature]
Posts: 44
Threads: 0
Joined: Jan 2012
Reputation:
0
Kodiak
That sounds like a awesome trip. I just got home from kodiak. I was sent there to work but the crew I was sent to support was delayed and it turned into a month paid vacation instead. A lot of red, king, pink, and halibut fishing. I hooked up with a local that took me out. There they wouldn't keep the pinks. They said the meat was softer than the other ones after it got froze. Their attitude about pinks was about like our attitude towards carp. Kind of interesting I thought. All I know is to me it dosnt matter if they are pinks or not I am hooked on the salmon fishing.
[signature]
Posts: 1,319
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2007
Reputation:
0
People are changing their minds about pinks. The Wash. Fish and Wildlife have done a lot of research on pinks and "eatability" in the last ten years, and found that it has everything to do with how you take care of your catch. Pink meat degrades much faster than other salmon, but if you take the F and W's suggestions and bleed them immediately, (some suggest to gut them also), and then keep them in a lot of ice, they are terrific eating. We usually serve one fillet of pink and one fillet of either coho or king when we have company over for salmon. We don't tell them which is which, and virtually every time they will pick the pinks over the coho; if king and either coho or pink, they tend to pick the king. I am amazed by some of the boats that come in with their salmon, incl. pinks, scattered all over the floor of the boat. I have no doubt that those fish might be rather nasty on the dining room table!! Mike
[signature]
Posts: 44
Threads: 0
Joined: Jan 2012
Reputation:
0
Ya I agree with taking care of the fish we always cut the gills as soon as we got them. To me I was happy to catch any salmon. I guess when you live in an area where they are so abundant you can be picky. Us land locked guys are just happy to take some filets home it doesn't matter what kind of salmon.
[signature]
]
]