I want to catch a salmon...

As I have mentioned in other posts, I grew up in the southeastern U.S. and can't remember a time when I didn't go fishing with my dad/uncles/grandpa and others. I was pretty decent at catching everything from bass to crappie to catfish, with a fair amount of every other type of fish that lived in those waters. That got reduced a lot when I went off to college and had full time classes and a full time job, and then I moved up here to western Washington in 1998. I went fishing a few times with others within the first couple years after I moved here, including twice for salmon, but didn't catch anything as I knew nothing about salmon fishing and those I was with weren't exactly experts either. Now to fast forward to a couple months ago, I picked up a kayak and decided that I'd like to also fish from it. That has gotten me started on fishing again, and I've been out several times on small local lakes, catching rainbow trout fairly readily and a couple bass. That's the extent of my kayak fishing experience and my salmon fishing experience.

Now I want to catch a salmon, mostly because I never have caught one because they didn't exist where I've fished before. I know basically nothing about catching salmon, and the whole concept of migrating more than to a different water depth within the same body of water to spawn is different than any type of fishing that I've done before. I don't have any preconceived bigotry against certain species and the best salmon that I've ever tasted happened to be pink salmon, so I'm fine with catching those "trash fish" as others call them, especially if they're easier to catch. I'd prefer to catch a salmon from a kayak, but that's not a requirement (heresy, I know) and I don't have a dry suit or the experience to just take off into salt water alone. I have practiced turning my kayak over and getting back into it, but haven't ever had to do it unexpectedly.

That leads me to what got my mind churning on catching a salmon. I live just east of Snohomish/north of Monroe and noticed that salmon opens on the Snohomish River from the mouth to highway 9 today. That gets one hurdle out of the way, as it's often hard for me as a non-native Washingtonian to even understand where some of the landmarks mentioned in the regulations are. Those landmarks are both easy enough to understand. I have also seen a fair number of boats, including some kayaks, fishing along the river and it didn't seem nearly as intimidating as salt water with its more confusing tides/currents and waves. My kayak is a Third Coast Avalon 120, similar to older-style Tarpon 120, which is a 12 foot long, 30 inch wide kayak that is relatively fast and tracks well but isn't the most stable for standing or rough water.

Now, for those who have read through and gotten to this point, what would your advice be for a newbie salmon fisherman who really just wants to catch a salmon and isn't picky about species? As I write this, it occurs to me that I should also drop by Triangle Tackle there in Snohomish and ask for advice, but I would trust advice from those here more than someone selling fishing gear. I would also appreciate advice on whether or not I should even consider kayak fishing for salmon in the river with my current kayak, minimal kayak fishing experience and minimal salmon fishing experience.

I assume it goes without saying here that if someone is willing to have me tag along and learn by watching I'd jump at the chance to do so. I'll even bring any necessary bait/food/beverages.

Check out the Humpy Classic tourney coming up on the 19th.  Should be lots of folks around to emulate.  I haven't fished for pinks before so I can't tell you what's needed but a quick google search should get you started.  Plus it benefits the Heroes On the Water Northwest Chapter.

https://www.facebook.com/NWKAHumpyKayakClassicBenefitTournament/

Thanks, Ray. I saw that, but it specifically mentions wearing immersion gear (which I don't have) unless the weather is really hot and I assume that in a tournament most experienced fisherman will be concentrating on maximizing their own chances of putting fish in the boat. I'd prefer not to take up anyone's time, even only with questions, during an event like that. That day is also the same day as a rifle competition that I help the match director run, so another day would be better.

The salt water is cold, get yourself a farmer john wetsuit if you want immersion gear on the cheap.

I'm probably heading out to the same park that the Humpy Classic is being held this weekend to check it out and see what the park and launch are like. I'm not familiar with the area, so I want to see what it's like. If you have a long rod and a half-decent reel, you should be good to go to at least jig for salmon. You might want to start there. Feel free to PM me if you're free this weekend.

•visit multiple local beaches at low tide and find one with large eel grass beds...most likely on one or both sides of a point of some sort
•launch your kayak at ~4:30 in the morning...later is fine if there is cloud cover or fog
•drag a cut plug herring next to or, if the tide is high enough, above the eel grass

If you do this you will hook up.  Set your drag just tight enough so the herring alone does pull out line.  Tighten the drag only when the fish is running away with your herring or slapping around on the surface.  Bait fish concentrate over night in the shallows among the eel grass.  Coho start chasing the bait around the same time as you can just see your hand in front of your face.  The bite may only last for an hour but will last longer if the shallows aren't hit by direct sunlight.  After that, finding fish is a matter of finding current and current seams where bait fish congregate.  Target coho.  Pinks are bycatch.

You can rent immersion gear at kayak and scuba shops.

Good advice from all.  I'd suggest you do some research on what a cutthroat trout looks like as well.  That fishery is catch and release only in salt water.

In our current weather you do not need immersion gear, just a life jacket. (Above 80 or so in the sound you'll be fine).

Get this stuff:

Deep six diver
Flasher
Coyote spoon 5.0 in copcar
And a brads superbait in silver/ black

Troll with 20 to 40 feet of line out in 20 to 140 feet of water.

Go at LEAST 2.0 mph WATER speed. Not Edgar your gps says, the actual speed you're going relative to the current.

It WILL produce Coho, which are pretty much the best grilling salmon there are.

I recommend area 11 as you can keep wild and hatchery Coho there right now.  Coho have teeth, a black mouth, and a WHITE gun line.  If it has teeth and an all black mouth, it's a Chinook.  No teeth and it's a pink.  Huge nasty teeth and it's a chum.

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In our current weather you do not need immersion gear, just a life jacket. (Above 80 or so in the sound you'll be fine)

   Great advice on the gear Lee. Lots of great potential out there now.

   I do have to disagree with one thing. The water in Puget Sound is not 80 degrees. The air temperatures are hot now but the water can still incapacitate you if you find yourself flipped and swimming for any amount of time.

   Dress for the water --- not the air.

Puget Sound isn't the ocean, Columbia river, grays harbor, etc.  You'll be hard pressed to find anyone wearing a drysuit this time of year. It's impractical and unnecessary unless weather gets rough or we have an unusual temperature drop.

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I wore my drysuit out last weekend and I was hot in here for sure. I like not getting soaked getting in and out of the yak, but I'm contemplating not going drysuit this weekend in the sound to try it out. When I get hot with the drysuit I just get the suit wet and the evaporative cooling makes a massive difference.

Puget Sound isn't the ocean, Columbia river, grays harbor, etc.  You'll be hard pressed to find anyone wearing a drysuit this time of year. It's impractical and unnecessary unless weather gets rough or we have an unusual temperature drop.

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What is the water temp in the area you are fishing in the sound?

Thanks for all the replies, everyone. I'm starting to realize just how much stuff and experience I'm going to need to fish in the saltwater. Stuff came up both days this weekend to prevent me from even going out to watch others kayak fishing in the saltwater. Both the expense and first-hand reports of how hot it was or would have been in a drysuit this past weekend are making me think that I might just go for a 3mm farmer john wetsuit and/or keep my fishing pursuits in freshwater for now.

Puget Sound isn't the ocean, Columbia river, grays harbor, etc.  You'll be hard pressed to find anyone wearing a drysuit this time of year. It's impractical and unnecessary unless weather gets rough or we have an unusual temperature drop.

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What is the water temp in the area you are fishing in the sound?

Around 55, normal summertime temps.  I confess to wearing just drypants and cinching the band tight around my waist, and the top half is layered for air temps.  At least on nice days.  Just out and around near shore in the Gig Harbor area.

Jim

Thanks for all the replies, everyone. I'm starting to realize just how much stuff and experience I'm going to need to fish in the saltwater. Stuff came up both days this weekend to prevent me from even going out to watch others kayak fishing in the saltwater. Both the expense and first-hand reports of how hot it was or would have been in a drysuit this past weekend are making me think that I might just go for a 3mm farmer john wetsuit and/or keep my fishing pursuits in freshwater for now.

I wear a 3/4mil surfing full wetsuit, if you get hot pour water over your suit or practice re-entry. Just my $0.02