The 2011 Salmon Forecasts!!!

February 28, 2011

I know, I've got it bad… I await the salmon forecast numbers like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. Hello, my name is Tom and I am a "salmon sicko". After watching the numbers for a number of years (never mind how many…) I've found that you can "call some shots" by digging into the forecast […]

2011 Columbia River Fall Chinook Preseason Forecasts!!

February 23, 2011

This is just a preseason forecast but if they are as accurate as they were last year then we are in for another great year of chinook salmon fishing in the ocean and on the Columbia.  I can't wait to get this season started.  COLUMBIA RIVER FALL CHINOOK 2011 PRESEASON FORECASTS Stock Group                            2011 February Forecasts    […]

Roche Harbor Rundown!

February 6, 2011

The third stop on the 2011 Northwest Salmon Derby Series was the Roche Harbor Invitational and I have to say that it is one of the best run events that I have ever had the pleasure of participating in! Start to finish from the location, to the wonderful Roche Harbor facilities, the fishing and the […]

Hookin’ up on the “Hoochie Hook”!

January 20, 2011

Marine Area 9 opened up on Sunday January 16th and the weather forecast was calling for south winds 10-20kts. Instead of pushing the forecast I decided to stay home and watch the Seahawks playoff game. In retrospect, it would have been less painful to ride whitecaps in a cartopper. Monday was a national holiday and […]

Marine Area 8-2: Home Water

November 22, 2010

The first place I ever used a downrigger was here in Possession Sound. Having grown up in this area, I've spent more than my fair share of time fishing these waters. Although portions of 8-2 are open during the summer, most notably the Tulalip "bubble" fishery outside of Tulalip Bay, the longest opportunity we have […]

Marine Area 8.1: “Inside” Information

October 28, 2010

Way back when I was a young fisherman, the waters of Puget Sound to the east of Whidbey Island were referred to by my saltwater mentors as the “inside”. Once one ventured to the west of the largest island in the continental United States you were said to be “outside”. These days in my way […]

Twitching Jigs for Fall Salmon

October 1, 2010

Guide Bill Meyer with a dime brite silver salmon caught on a twitched jig. Twitching marabou, zonker strip, and hoochie-skirted jigs for fall coho has proven to be a deadly technique on the rivers of Western Washington for fickle, lock-jawed silvers. 1/8 to as large as 1/2 ounce jigs in sizes 1/0 and 2/0 are […]

Low Tech Silvers

August 25, 2010

With a silver run that's triggered more than a few suicide watches here in Craig the past few weeks the phrases "You can't miss!", and "They were everywhere!" more than jossled my interest when I heard them. Two of the fishing nuts that stay in the RV park that we call home during our Southeast […]

A new Downrigger “Spin” on Herring!

May 31, 2010

With chinook fisheries opening up in Puget Sound, out on the coast and going strong in British Columbia and Alaska, a technique refresher is definitely in order. Known as the "remote" or "dummy flasher" rig, this downrigger setup is a great way to reap all the fish attraction benefits of a flasher while enjoying the […]

Spicy Salmon Sandwiches

July 26, 2009

Every time I cook fish there is invariably some leftovers that go in the fridge and no matter how well the Zip Loc bag or Tupperware container is sealed it's nearly impossible to keep the fish from drying out. That fresh-from-the-grill taste is only attainable, well, when it's fresh-from-the-grill. With fishery closures up and down […]