M12 - Hood Canal Salmon Tactics

[SlumRunner]

Hi All,

With the closing of most of our local Salmon Options - opportunities are dwindling down to MA7 and MA12. I've heard of decent returns to the Skokomish, yet no way to fish them this year without a boat. For those of us fortunate enough to have a boat, was curious any input (locations and tactics) for targeting salmon in MA12. Especially around the Seabeck Area. I've been able to find a couple articles online (http://www.pugetsoundanglers.org/fishin ... hinook.htm)

I think I'm going to transition from hardcore salmon fishing trips to Westport and Sekiu, to staying more local trying to learn to salmon fish in the canal and also drop crab pots with all the salmon carcass' in the freezer. I might even spend some time fishing for Sea Run Cutthroat while my pots soak.

One of the things that stood out to me in the article were fishing higher up in the water column due to lack of oxygen in the water.

Feel free to use this topic to share any recommendations or experiences you've had in Hood Canal that might be able to help out an angler new to the area.

Thanks Gents,
Sam Rutledge

[SlumRunner]

Well I promised Tom to report how my trip went good or bad. I would say I would rate the day a 7 our of 10. Went down to the launch at Misery Point, right around Seabeck. The ramp is in good shape, goes out quite a bit which is nice for the low tide (I launch mid morning and the tide was fairly low). The downside about this location is that there is no dock, and not much protection against the wind. Getting the boat off the trailer was no problem, pulled it up to the beach as I parked the rig. There is ample parking there, but you do need a discover pass.

Headed out around Dabob bay and set the crab pots in about 60ft and one deeper in 120 ft. Loaded the pots with salmon scraps out of the freezer. Made the trip down to Ayock Point and started to troll in the bay south of there. Saw a couple other boats. Mostly tried flasher and hoochies down 60-100 ft on the wire. Picked up a sub-legal backmouth about 20 inches. Let him go and tried again for a couple hours. Explored around the rest of the day and didn't pick anything else up, except 1 dog fish. Went back to pick up the pots and the deeper pot was loaded with 8 keeper dungies. The shallow pot had a starfish in it which seemed to have scared everything else off.

Getting the boat back on the trailer wasn't fun, but wasn't too bad either. It definitely helps to have someone else there with you to help. All and all it was a good day, I haven't given up on the salmon fishing, but it will just take some more practice and patience. I'll plan another trip a little later in the fall to try for the coho around Daboob Bay and the bridge.

Thanks to Tom for covering this topic in this weeks broadcast. If you haven't listened to it, I recommend you check out the podcast on this website. Some great information in that segment.

Tight lines everyone,

Sam

[Nelly]

Thanks for the kind words Sam and thanks also for scouting out Hood Canal for us!
I'm planning on hitting the south end of the canal down off the mouth of the Skokomish for those "off-limits" chinook and Dabob Bay for coho in September.
Good job Sam and thanks for the report!!!

[billm]

Went out Tuesday. Launched at the Potlatch ramp and went north towards Ayock pt. I dropped a line just north of Hoodsport, trolling north with the tide. I was marking fish so I tried varying my depth accordingly. Had two strikes, but nothing stuck. Fished for a couple hours when the wind came up, so I headed back. Heard of only one small coho caught by that time.

There were about 15+ tribal gillnetting boats at the Hoodsport hatchery. I kept my distance, but it appeared their nets were full, fish jumping all over the place. So, the fish are showing up.