Aloha and hello, I'm new here...

Holy crap, thanks for the info!!! I didn't know there was so much "local kine grindz" here! Looks like I won't be missing home so much after all...I was hoping to fit into a smaller 'yak eventually but after this info,well.... Just arrived in Seattle today- a bit nippy for me, guess I need to start wearing warmer clothes now...and this is summer!Hopefully I'll get my act together and start fishing soon (and keep an eye out for those stray gw's!).
Mahalo again, Randy

Holy crap, thanks for the info!!! I didn't know there was so much "local kine grindz" here! Looks like I won't be missing home so much after all...I was hoping to fit into a smaller 'yak eventually but after this info,well.... Just arrived in Seattle today- a bit nippy for me, guess I need to start wearing warmer clothes now...and this is summer!Hopefully I'll get my act together and start fishing soon (and keep an eye out for those stray gw's!).
Mahalo again, Randy

The good news is you have arrived during weather that is 10F cooler than average for this time of year.  The bad news is December and January.

So I've been checking out the Tacoma fishing scene- pretty interesting! Stopped by Les Davis Pier- lots of crab rings in the water and tons of big jellyfish but no salmon came up. Next moved to the ferry area/Pt Defiance tackle store/boat house- more fishing behind the store but just "bullheads" and the occasional "sole(?)". One boat fisherman came back (cool boat lift to the boat house!) with a 12lb er (Chinook?), said it bit a blue and pink Dart(?). Jigging? Said it bit right near the Point.
Next went to Owens beach- looks like a prime launching location-soft sand, calm waters, no waves, right next to the parking lot. Also I drove to see the Pacific ocean at Ocean Shores(96 miles one way-most I ever drove without stopping)- the    water     was  freaking    cold!!!! I didn't think it was that cold till I nearly ran in....My balls retreated upwards into a warm spot... hope they come back out.... Yup, done with that....
So where does everyone launch out in the Tacoma area? I'm still researching on what to use- down riggers, flashers, spoons, jigs- kinda confusing. Any fave techniques?

Randy, Check out salmonuniversity.com for a wealth of info on salmon angling techniques, etc. Then you just have to figure out how to adapt some of them to yak fishing.

When I moved up here from Oahu in '79, I had to get used to the long driving distances again. Everything is either local (I have 3 good boat launches and some throw-in spots within 4 to 18 miles of my driveway, and live less than 1/2 mile from the ocean), or anywhere from 40 to 150+ miles away. 

No moah "rock fever" though.