Ocean salmon 2021

Relented today and hopped on a buddy’s dory.  Conditions remain so good for salmon fishing in the ocean at PC.  Whacked 3 solid keeper nooks and released a few shorts.
Water was slightly cooler but still in the good range.  Lots of sand lance around like last year. 

Late post, got these 2 Friday at PC. 25.25” and 6.2 lb, 24.25” and a whole pound less.

Nice work HH, way to get on them before the ocean turned to washing machine conditions!

Clayman and I went out off Fogarty Creek last Friday (7/23).  Coho were scattered from 120 to 200 FOW with no discernable pattern to when and where they would bite.  The water was a slightly turbid brownish color with about 4 to 5 ft of visibility.  We paddled like crazy, zig zagging between depth contours to find salmon and also to fight the strong current pushing from north to south.  We ended up with 1 keeper coho each.  I also released two small wild chinook and caught my limit of black rockfish in about 10 minutes flat.

Tight lines all.

Clayman and I went out off Fogarty Creek last Friday (7/23).  Coho were scattered from 120 to 200 FOW with no discernable pattern to when and where they would bite.  The water was a slightly turbid brownish color with about 4 to 5 ft of visibility.  We paddled like crazy, zig zagging between depth contours to find salmon and also to fight the strong current pushing from north to south.  We ended up with 1 keeper coho each.  I also released two small wild chinook and caught my limit of black rockfish in about 10 minutes flat.

Tight lines all.

I also noticed on Friday at PC that the north south current was much stronger than normal.

Saturday at PC was a total bust. Water temp dropped to 46 degrees near shore. The dory boats struggled to find the coho.

Clayman and I went out off Fogarty Creek last Friday (7/23).  Coho were scattered from 120 to 200 FOW with no discernable pattern to when and where they would bite.  The water was a slightly turbid brownish color with about 4 to 5 ft of visibility.  We paddled like crazy, zig zagging between depth contours to find salmon and also to fight the strong current pushing from north to south.  We ended up with 1 keeper coho each.  I also released two small wild chinook and caught my limit of black rockfish in about 10 minutes flat.

Tight lines all.

I also noticed on Friday at PC that the north south current was much stronger than normal.

Saturday at PC was a total bust. Water temp dropped to 46 degrees near shore. The dory boats struggled to find the coho.

My buddy and I ended up going on Saturday hoping to catch a short window before deteriorating weather and got some schooling from the ocean. We trolled at 110 FOW and I picked up a nice coho after about an hour. We were a bit surprised not to see any kayakers trolling for salmon, most of them (around 10) were hanging by the NW reef bottom fishing. At around 9:30 we decided to head back in as the forecast predicted wind picking up earlier than usual. By the time I got to my crab pot (which took a long time) the wind was howling so I sorted crabs asap and headed back in. What I noticed is the wind and current drifted us very far south while we were dealing with crab pot. It was also foggy the whole morning and waves picked up to some serious heights. It was a looong time before we reached the shore. Things got a bit better once we approached the rock from south side and landing was smooth. So yes I can confirm the current was very strong. Seeing how dory boats were struggling in those 6-7ft rollers I am very confident in how the Outback handled. I was never at a point where I felt it would flip. Nevertheless, it was a long and wet pedal to the shore.
Moral of the story if the weather is ideal drop everything and go fishing. (which was Wednesday)
Now, you guys mention the water temperature factor for salmon fishing. Can someone explain it to me please as I am a relative newb.

I'm loving all the fish porn!  I've been too busy to fish much this summer so I'm relying on y'all to keep me sane.

-Mark-

Easy limits out of Fogarty this morning. We got into a few fish really quick at 60 FOW, but had the most action at the 130 foot contour. Brad's Cut Plug in your favorite color with 15 to 30 feet of line out made for easy fishing. Seemed like a 50-50 split of wild to hatchery fish. Water ranged from 50 to 52 degrees at the surface. Not much bait on the sonar, but both of my fish were stuffed with crab larvae. My friend James and his 14 year old daughter even scored limits from their tandem Hobie.

What an amazing coho season!

Easy limits out of Fogarty this morning. We got into a few fish really quick at 60 FOW, but had the most action at the 130 foot contour. Brad's Cut Plug in your favorite color with 15 to 30 feet of line out made for easy fishing. Seemed like a 50-50 split of wild to hatchery fish. Water ranged from 50 to 52 degrees at the surface. Not much bait on the sonar, but both of my fish were stuffed with crab larvae. My friend James and his 14 year old daughter even scored limits from their tandem Hobie.

What an amazing coho season!

I love when pics that get posted take me right back out there. Great photo.

Easy limits out of Fogarty this morning. We got into a few fish really quick at 60 FOW, but had the most action at the 130 foot contour. Brad's Cut Plug in your favorite color with 15 to 30 feet of line out made for easy fishing. Seemed like a 50-50 split of wild to hatchery fish. Water ranged from 50 to 52 degrees at the surface. Not much bait on the sonar, but both of my fish were stuffed with crab larvae. My friend James and his 14 year old daughter even scored limits from their tandem Hobie.

What an amazing coho season!

Nice fish. Cute stringer.

Easy limits out of Fogarty this morning. We got into a few fish really quick at 60 FOW, but had the most action at the 130 foot contour. Brad's Cut Plug in your favorite color with 15 to 30 feet of line out made for easy fishing. Seemed like a 50-50 split of wild to hatchery fish. Water ranged from 50 to 52 degrees at the surface. Not much bait on the sonar, but both of my fish were stuffed with crab larvae. My friend James and his 14 year old daughter even scored limits from their tandem Hobie.

What an amazing coho season!

Nice fish. Cute stringer.

Gotta keep these monsters from escaping  .

My two keepers were the typical hatchery coho size, but a buddy fishing with me landed a 12 pound hatchery fish. And my other friend and his daughter both landed 9-10 pound keepers.

Late report for Sat and Sunday at PC-  Saturday was sporty at the launch and landing, lots of surfers in the cove and super foggy coming in.  But water had warmed up to around 57, and there was a decent salmon bite.  Landed a few larger native coho, and a 12 lb Hatchery hen nook and called it a day.

Sunday was a better launch, with smaller surf.  Ocean cooled to about 54 and fewer salmon in the normal trolling areas near shore.  Headed west to look for some fishy water and with the fog fished the gear fairly shallow.  Got in to a few coho out near 140-150 ft. Had a violent takedown in 150 fow, and battled a large chinook for about 20 minutes after she proceeded to go straight down to the bottom.  Seems the bigger fish love the more vertical fight.  After pulling the beast up from the depths it was pretty gassed and not difficult to net.  29 lb hen with serious girth!  Had  a huge horse herring in its gut.

Awesome fish, that herring is bigger than some of the early Coho caught in June and July

Hot damn! Awesome fish Onefish!

Guess I should start making cut-plug black label herring  .

Quick report from yesterday the 21st at PC - a bit of a late launch after watching the break for a bit, waves were stacked up at low tide with not much of a break and looked a bit stormy.  But, the forecast called for light winds, and the recent fog was not a factor.  Decided to go for it and just plowed through the break to find gorgeous glassy conditions just outside the cape and 53 degree water.  The coho were all over north and south  of the rock, 50 - 80 fow.  Most dorys based on radio chatter were out at 200 with scratchy fishing.  Picked up bonus 20 lb chinook while sorting through the coho.  Just using my standard flasher n plug cut setup.  Did not have a lot of bait so I did switch to a hoochie after a while.  This week ahead should be good fishing!