Where and when to fish for Summer Chinook in Puget Sound

I was planning to head to Edmonds (our front, N &/or S of the ferry dock) tomorrow. Did an early GG session yesterday morning, was very slow (got one 20” blackmouth over the low tide phase).

Any thoughts from the group? I’ve seen a lot of positive reports from MA9 but workhard’s note gives me something to chew on. Edmonds will still be plan A but open to other ideas if anyone has them? Early start, am going to need to stick to E side (i.e. no ferries) due to time constraints. Ideal options include quick access and non-dodgy parking.

Thanks!

I found out where they were not yesterday. 7 hrs in the kayak and I'm taking today off!

Yeah I did ~12 hours for a shaker in 9. The fish are at possession bar which might be impossible to fish at in a kayak. After a lot of experimenting I was able to get a diver to work at near 100ft, so that's a decent consolation prize.

I don't feel so bad now that I know you pro's didn't catch either hehe. Launched from GG around 6:30 this morning (finally got off my computer and fished - woohoo!). Only spent 2.5 hours out there before I started cooking in my shorty and decided to call it a morning. Lots of PB's coming and going for a week day. Marked a lot of fish on my CV4 as I trolled around a small flotilla near the buoy off Meadow Point. Didn't see any of their nets fly. Did see another kayaker out there in what looked like a Hobie Outback - one of our guys maybe?

Actually caught a fish though - a shaker not much bigger than the bait he tried to eat lol. Didn't even notice him on my line. Poor lil guy was almost dead by the time I reeled him in. Wish I was able to share a photo of Serenty's first fish but I lost my camera over the side about a half hour later.   
Glad it was a cheapo and not a GoPro. Still a little bummed I'm out $60 and the pics/vids on it. It was another perfect morning with glassy conditions so they would have turned out nice.

I'll be at Edmonds tomorrow. Caught (and released) a BIG pink there Thursday morning. Thought it was a nook until I saw it.

I've caught a couple of chinook over the years trolling shallow right by the ferry dock, but that only seems to work within an hour of sunrise.

I'll be at Edmonds tomorrow. Caught (and released) a BIG pink there Thursday morning. Thought it was a nook until I saw it.

I'm curious as to why you released it.

I've caught a couple of chinook over the years trolling shallow right by the ferry dock, but that only seems to work within an hour of sunrise.

Cool! I've heard the oil docks (further South of the marina) are a pretty good place to fish for Chinook. Ever try there?

Cool! I've heard the oil docks (further South of the marina) are a pretty good place to fish for Chinook. Ever try there?

I caught them jigging there last year. Yeah, it's a good spot.

I'll be at Edmonds tomorrow. Caught (and released) a BIG pink there Thursday morning. Thought it was a nook until I saw it.

I'm curious as to why you released it.

Didn't have any ice. The plan was to kill a chinook, get some ice and then go to work. Pinks absolutely have to be iced right after they're caught and I didn't want to quit fishing.

I've caught a couple of chinook over the years trolling shallow right by the ferry dock, but that only seems to work within an hour of sunrise.

Cool! I've heard the oil docks (further South of the marina) are a pretty good place to fish for Chinook. Ever try there?

I've caught lots of coho there. Lost a chinook last year.

Not sure if it helps anyone but yesterday I was out with several other kayakers off Fort Flagler and we got on some coho in the shallows. One of the guys even pulled in a legal chinook out of 5ft of water. Here's the coho I caught

Hit point edwards and the ferry dock area for 3 hours Sunday morning but nothing to show for it, nor did I see any nets fly on the PBs out there. Wasn't really marking anything either other than the seaweed balls and one bait school.

Might try concentrating more on the oil dock/richmond beach area in the coming weeks for that zone.

Area 9 will reopen, probably midweek for another short opener.

That’s good news, timing should be better with the return. I logged a weak session Sat, had one in for a few seconds but due to the fact that I forgot my mirage drive I stuck close to pier, slim pickings, saw no nets anywhere. People were coming in early on PB’s so some were catching, seems like Possession was the zone.

That’s good news, timing should be better with the return. I logged a weak session Sat, had one in for a few seconds but due to the fact that I forgot my mirage drive I stuck close to pier, slim pickings, saw no nets anywhere. People were coming in early on PB’s so some were catching, seems like Possession was the zone.

With the bigger tides in the morning I bet the west side will be real good.

Thanks for the early info workhard.  I made  3 trips to PNP,  and put in a pretty max effort (4-4:30am launch).  I often used to launch my PB in the dark,  but  in a yak it's a bit spooky-scary. 

Thus far I've only caught one small keeper (King-released).  Still learning to adapt to the limitations of yak-fishing (versus PB).  Paddling back after a drift can be tiring.  I'm thinking about mooching on the drift,  and switching to a diver on the paddle back. 

Here's the news release reopening Area 9 Wednesday - Saturday.

https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/erule.jsp?id=2374

Thus far I've only caught one small keeper (King-released).  Still learning to adapt to the limitations of yak-fishing (versus PB).  Paddling back after a drift can be tiring.  I'm thinking about mooching on the drift,  and switching to a diver on the paddle back.

I like that plan - also need to work on my efficiency out there as I waste a lot of time just cruising around and not getting actual line-in-the-water time in.

I'm going one step further.  I bought a 1.5m sail from JNR Sails ($150).  The masts and rigging are all hardware store stuff ($50).  I've already done a few successful sea trials, and I've even made a leeboard (detachable). 


Since the ebb tide is generally towards the north,  and the summer prevailing wind is north to south,  I may be able to make a long ebb tide drift (mooching)  and return to my start point by sailing.  This is all experimental,  but the sailing is doable.