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Will be in Seattle - any ideas were I can cast a fly while there?

2K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  steeliesonafly 
#1 ·
Hi,

My home waters are the "Right Coast" - fish the salt along NH and MA shores for Stripers and Blues. I will be in Seattle from June 3 through June 7 and would like to do some Salmon fishing while there. Any tips would be appreciated. Will probably be able to do a half day some time over the four days.

Thanks,

Dave
 
#2 ·
Dave,

If you are looking for steelhead opportunities, your options are limited by freshet. The rivers are close to coming into marginal shape but with the weather forcast for the next few days they are likely to go back up.

Still there should be a few places with high water lies where one could wet a line.

Feel free to e-mail me once you get into town and I can try and point you in the right direction.

sinktip

dharman@seattleschools.org
 
#3 ·
Hi Dave -

Half day is a little tight but you might consider hooking up with the cohofly gang on the north sound if they are available. Leland, Sean, DoubleSpey, et. al. are into the local scene from Whidbey to Point No Point to Narrows etc. And since you are going to leave they can show you all the primo holes ;)

If you could manage, get yer' butt out to Sekiu and do a half day kicker boat rental. With all your standard striper gear you can kick some serious coho butt in a half day. Make it the first half of the day - motor out there the night before, crash, wake up and go hit the morning bite. The June fish are going to be 5-7 pounds on the high end of the scale with a few big king salmon lurking around reaching the 20# class or more. Although I've fished out there in June often you'd be best off to check the regs on the straits; they change a lot.

A half day of steelheading would be pretty tight and a little costly license wise but the SW Columbia tribs would be a great bet for some action. If the Elwha is open it's a sweetie to fish down to the mouth where it meets the sea. The lower section holds some fish in the early summer. Sol Duc is another.

Thanks for sending the waders BTW.
 
#4 ·
Hi Juro,

What is Seiku - hell I haven't even figured out the spots you guys throw around on the "home" board. Is this a river or a "spot"? I'll do some searching, but will look for your reply on Wednesday. It looks like I'm going to have to blow off Thursday and do some fishing.

TL,

Dave
 
#5 ·
Dave-
Sekiu is a small town out on the Straight of Juan De Fuca, not far from the Pacific Ocean.

If I were you, I would plan on spending a day chasing after summer-run steelhead. It is much closer and thus would be no problem to do in half-day.

The Snoqualmie, Skykomish and NF Stilly all offer summer-runs and all will have fish in them when you arrive in town.
 
#6 ·
unfortunetely, during that time frame sekiu is CLOSED for salmon.

you can go to neah bay, which is open for chinook salmon only. much tougher to catch than coho, but worth a shot if you have to fish the salt for salmon and the black rockfish are easy to catch along the kelp beds. there should be some resident coho inside the sound along with sea-run cutthroat if you want to stay close to the seattle-tacoma area.

it is still way too early for coho inside the strait. i've been seeing large numbers offshore... but very few inside the strait (and those are 2-3 lbs.)

the best salmon opportunities are later in the summer... july-october on the coast... august-october in the strait.

good luck,

chris
 
#7 ·
topwater said:
unfortunetely, during that time frame sekiu is CLOSED for salmon.

you can go to neah bay, which is open for chinook salmon only. much tougher to catch than coho, but worth a shot if you have to fish the salt for salmon and the black rockfish are easy to catch along the kelp beds. there should be some resident coho inside the sound along with sea-run cutthroat if you want to stay close to the seattle-tacoma area.
chris,
What flies are you using in the Straits for the Salmon and Rockfish? I am coming up there in July for my granddaughters conference on a rare skin disorder she has, and I am going to try for some fly fishing while I am up there!
 
#8 ·
the best fly for both the offshore coho and the black rockfish along the kelp beds is a chartreuse/white flashtail clouser. i tie mine on #1 hooks and they range in length from 4-5". make sure the flashabou extends at least 1/4 inch behind the bucktail.

of course, lots of other flies work (deceivers, etc.) but the clouser will typically outfish all the others.

have fun at neah bay,

chris
 
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