Cutthroat from kayak in sound?

[No More Ice Fishin]

Most of my fishing in the sound from the kayak has been limited to trolling or occasional casting for pinks and cohos in early fall.

It seems like a lot of people consider the most consistent action to be the cutthroat. I like the sound of it. Fishing close to shore, lots of casting...with a mixed bag of cutthroat and some juvenile blackmouth and resident coho.

Anyone fish 'em? Anything you are willing to share? Sounds like there is a certain type of beach to look for.  Without knowing more, I'd probably check out the east side of Whidbey sometime.

Would love to hear any tips.

[fishnut]

Try Picnic Point south of Mukilteo. If fishing from your yak you'll need some wheels to get to the beach or waders to fish off the waters edge. Good luck. PM me if you need more info.

[No More Ice Fishin]

Yep, thanks, hit that before with the kayak for pinks. I don't recall the beach looking great for cutts there, but I probably wasn't really looking for that. Is there a lot of beach you can access by paddling up a couple miles up or down from there? What structure do you look for?

What's the technique? Cast small spinners and spoons along the first break into slightly deeper water?

[polepole]

Yep, thanks, hit that before with the kayak for pinks. I don't recall the beach looking great for cutts there, but I probably wasn't really looking for that. Is there a lot of beach you can access by paddling up a couple miles up or down from there? What structure do you look for?

What's the technique? Cast small spinners and spoons along the first break into slightly deeper water?

Look for cobblestone sized rocks.  If you're searching an area, try trolling parallel to the beach at a depth where you can see the rocks on the shore side of the kayak, but not on the other.

-Allen

[ravdakot]

I love fishing SRC!! Not done much of since I've started competing in AOTY though since they don't count for points. I like a 6wt fly rod loaded with clear intermediate sinking line. The fly patterns vary from shrimp, pile worms, and wolly buggers, to clouser minnows, shock and awes, to top water poppers. Small spinners and soft plastic swimbaits on light spinning gear will take them too. Use small single point barbless hooks (#6 or smaller) and knotless or rubber nets for landing them. They are fairly delicate, so be gentle and release them quickly. Look for shore line with large rocks that drop off fairly quickly. Typically wont be found in frog water either. Look for a swift flood or ebb current. I will typically hang offshore far enough that I can just cast to right where the water meets dry land. If fishing baitfish pattern flies I strip pretty damn fast. The critters I'll let it drift while  giving short strips. for spinning gear reel quickly and give it short pauses and quick jerks.

[fishnut]

Polepole is right. Most of the guys i've seen fish from shore and are casting flies into just the area he mentioned. Sounds like Ravdakot has the techniques wired.

[No More Ice Fishin]

Thanks guys. Great info. I fly fish a little, but will probably start out trying to find them with spinning gear.

For soft plastic swimbaits, are you talking like 2 inch Berkley minnows? On a 1/16th oz size jighead or so?

Any other launch spots you'd be willing to share with me? Still learning my way around the sound. I'm open to exploring, just nice to have a point in the right direction for a few areas.

[C_Run]

I love fishing SRC!! Not done much of since I've started competing in AOTY though since they don't count for points.

What? Why not? Isn't a searun cutthroat not a cutthroat in AOTY? I was counting on targeting them for points later on.

[polepole]

What? Why not? Isn't a searun cutthroat not a cutthroat in AOTY? I was counting on targeting them for points later on.

Only if fishing waters that you can keep and eat them from.  Cutties from Puget Sound are CNR only so don't count towards AOTY.

-Allen

[C_Run]

I forgot that Washington might be different. Got it. Thanks.

Chris

[ravdakot]

Thanks guys. Great info. I fly fish a little, but will probably start out trying to find them with spinning gear.

For soft plastic swimbaits, are you talking like 2 inch Berkley minnows? On a 1/16th oz size jighead or so?

Any other launch spots you'd be willing to share with me? Still learning my way around the sound. I'm open to exploring, just nice to have a point in the right direction for a few areas.

Exactly. I have caught them on gulp jerk shad with no weight too. I have a really great launch in north Olympia, but it wont be open until the end of may. I don't really know anywhere up in your neck of the woods. All my SRC fishing has been further south. photosenior is a big SRC fisher too. He's all about the fly though.

[ravdakot]

I was wrong, not the jerkshad. It was the 3" baitfish. The jerkshad is way too big. I had to go look it up after I posted it.

http://www.berkley-fishing.com/products/soft-bait/gulp/baitfish

[sumpnz]

SRC is open in year round in all MA's in WA AFAIK.  At least the Puget Sound MA's.  The Cutts are C&R only, but if you luck into a fin clipped steelhead or resident coho or a blackmouth you can keep them, depending the area and time of year.  Right now I'm pretty sure blackmouth are legal to keep in some areas.  Not sure on the silvers though.  Check the regs for the MA and dates you're fishing.  Make sure you also check online as WDFW lurves to change regs all the time.

If you want to keep SRC and have them count for AOTY you need to find a river that's open to retention and catch them in the fresh water.

[islandson671]

I think I need to take up fly fishing this year. Rav you're gonna have to teach me to fly fish this year

[sumpnz]

I think I need to take up fly fishing this year. Rav you're gonna have to teach me to fly fish this year

Dino - I've got a spare 5wt.  It needs fresh line as what's on the reel right now is probably 15 years old, but it would be plenty for SRC's.  I suck in general as a fisherman, but I'm OK at casting fly's.  It might be the visually impared leading the blind, but I'd be happy to teach you what I know.