The last day of 2011 was a party from the get go, with an easy limit of Blackmouth close to Friday Harbor. Still not a lot of bait around, and some of what is out there is suspended "fire cracker" herring. This season has been different in that fish are being caught 10' to 20' off the bottom, and above. Without the huge schools of candlefish, the salmon are spending more time looking up for feed. New Years day brought another quick limit of Chinook.
Karen Rhinehart with a standard size Blackmouth. A fishbox full of these scrappy 7-10 lbers is a good cure for the New Years hangover.
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This 14 lb Winter Chinook fell to a Berkley Gulp! baitfish imitation trolled a long ways behind an Oki flasher.
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I've been experimenting with these scent infused soft baits as an alternative to herring and anchovies. After some time spent dialing in this untried method, I can say it has been productive, and has some advantages over bait.
The Gulp's stay on the hook very well, and don't deteriorate as they are being trolled. this cuts down on the time spent checking real bait, and maximizes time in the water actively fishing. They must look and smell pretty realistic too, as the salmon really inhale them, and the Sea gulls dive on them when trying to deploy off the 'riggers. This is a great time to experiment with new methods, and you just might put a unique weapon in your arsenal for the next tournament.
