New to the PNW

I'm new to the PNW, and an amateur paddler. I spent the last seven years in NM, and I am overwhelmed with joy to be surrounded by this much water again. I purchased a new Cobra Fish 'n' dive last week, and I managed to cash in on a couple of kitchen passes with the wife and got out on the sound. The first day I took my 5 year old daughter north of Olympia to bottom bounce for flounder, but all she caught was a few sculpins, and a female Dungeness crab. My second outing I went alone and managed to pick up an 18" sea run cut on my 5 wt fly rod. While I was out I noticed a few hundred pylons sticking out of the water. Do these types of structure hold fish in the sound? Back in Cocoa Beach FL that would be a guaranteed place to find sheephead, and mangrove snapper. And if they would hold say rock fish or pile perch, how should I rig up to catch them? Any other tips for catching any species of fish I can find in the south sound would be appreciated. Also if any of you are fishing down Olympia/Lacey ways and wouldn't mind showing a nub around, please PM me.

By the way that's not my daughter int he front seat.

Ravdakot,

Welcome to the NWKA. I am sure you will find all the info you need for yak fishing in Washington here at our forum. Most of our members are in your neck of the woods. I live down in the lower PNW, so can't be of much help for fishing in your area! However, I could use an 18in Cutt about now! You are off to a good start!

Dave

Your timing is very good, at least for me!  I'll be in your area from this Wednesday through Sunday working with the Heroes on the Water event.  I hadn't planned on bringing the salty gear, but I may just have to do that now.  There are a few threads about this event, this being one of them http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,2939.msg27882.html#msg27882 .  Feel free to PM me and we'll see how the schedules work out!

Hey ravdakot,

I live in Lacey and judging by the front of your house, probably your neighbor!  (edgewater) I'm a Cobra guy too.  FND, Tourer, Navigator although, my new OK T-15 is giving them a run for their money...
A bunch of guys on this site will be at Lake St. Clair on the 20th for the Heroes on the Water kayak fishing event. (heroesonthewater.org)  Bring the family out if you want were going to have a big BBQ at the lake after fishing..
Hope to see you there neighbor,
Brian

I would love to attend the HOW event, but unfortunately I am working 11am-11pm every Sat and Sun in June. The nice part about this schedule is I get three days off during the week when there is far less traffic on the water. At least that's my theory.

Not in Edgewater; I'm down in Summerwalk Village. Lacey isn't that big though so we are still pretty much neighbors. Nice to see another FND out there. I don't have a lot to compare it to, but I really like it thus far.

Welcome to the madness ravdakot!

Z