Salmon fishing has picked up in the San Juans for Chinook and Coho. Hootchies, spoons and bait all seem to be drawing strikes. Fish the tide changes for Kings, and haunt the tide rips out deeper for Silvers. The fish in Marine Area 7 will either be East, looking to head up the Samish, Skagit or Nooksack, or West, headed for the Fraser. Prawns are now closed, but crab remains open. Remember to get those crab catch record cards in after Oct. 1st.
Let me tell you about these pictures:
1. This large hatchery silver hit a Silver Horde Kingfisher Lite spoon in Irish Cream. I marked fish around a big bait ball at 160′ down in 240′ of water. Figured there were some big Kangs down thar. Dropped one side down to 175′ on the ‘rigger, and Bam! Coho show! They are where you find ’em. These silvers are really pounding the lure or bait off the ‘rigger. I sink my line deep in the Scotty downrigger clip, and the fish are just ripping it off. No doubts.
2. Erol Turanciol with a couple nice white kings. We are seeing more Chinook show up for sure. From now until the end of September, some bigger fish may come cruisin’ through. It was 2004 that the top ten fish in the now defunct Nielsen Derby were all over 30 lbs, with a 38 taking top honors by mere ounces. That tournament was usually the third week in September. Sometimes the run is just late. This may be due to higher water temps. It would be interesting to go back and look at ocean conditions from ten years ago. Good reason to keep a journal…and/or just Google it!
3. Peter Schmidt holds an upper 20’s King. He knows that the fishing can be good in latter September. It was his daughter that landed the 38 to take that 2004 Derby. The story of Einar Nielsen is awesome.
4. Joe Crisanti landed this 12-lber for the BBQ. Perfect size to cut into steaks, which you don’t see much anymore.
5. “Turn out the lights, the party’s over!” Matt Minnis holds up a dandy 26-lber at sunset.
Kevin Klein bio
Born and raised in Washington, Kevin Klein has been fishing since childhood. From the rivers and lakes of Washington, Idaho and Oregon to Alaska and Mexico, you will find Kevin chasing everything from salmon, trout and steelhead to halibut, lingcod, and sturgeon.
A writer for many media outlets around the Northwest, Kevin loves to share his lifelong passion with everyone from novice to expert anglers in hopes of drawing more people into this great outdoor pastime.
Since 2004, Kevin has made his home in Friday Harbor in the beautiful San Juan Islands. When he is not busy with his daily job of barging propane gas to the islands, you’ll find him advocating for salmon enhancement and sport fishing issues around the Northwest.
Kevin is a regular salmon fishing competitor, who founded the popular Resurrection Salmon Derby in the San Juans. Most weekends he can be found on his boat with friends and family, looking for a big king salmon and a good story to tell about it…with pictures of course!
