Slaying Chum

Since Duty will keep me from fishing with you all  on the 10th for our "Salmon Slay Ride", I figured I should head out to Oakland Bay and check out this fishery.  I timed my launch around high tide as there are some pretty big mud flats that looked like they could be a nightmare around low tide. Arrived about an hour before the high and headed straight out to the deep channel on the east shoreline. I was pretty stoked to see Salmon (Chum and Silver) splashing and jumping clear out of the water all around me. For the next hour or so, I threw jigs, spinners, hot shots, herring/bobber rigs but I could not get any bites in spite of fish nearly jumping into my boat...very frustrating...nearly gave up and packed it in!
As if by magic, about 15 mins after the tide changed, my bobber plunged out of sight and the fight was on. Several minutes later, I coaxed a nice 28" Chum hen into the net and gently released her to spawn. I baited up and cast out again and within 30 seconds the bobber disappeared again and fish #2 was racing away from the boat...too cool! This one was a pretty good size buck which would later measure at 32.25".  Over the next hour or so I boated and released another half dozen fish between 28" and 32"...last fish was a drag peeling, toothy old buck that taped at 34.25" ...my personal best Chum! About this time an nice old gentleman in a small aluminum boat trolled close by and asked me what my secret was...I told him I was simply floating herring under a bobber and even offered up my last remaining brined herring...which he gladly accepted. I called it a day and packed up with a huge smile on my face...hope that old guy had half as much fun as I did!

What a great fishery...sure wish I could fish it with you all on the 10th...catch a monster for me!

NICE!!!  Sadly, I too won't be able to make the derby on the 10th, but I think I need to get up there and give this a shot soon! 

Nice work!

Very cool.  Hopefully they are still in the bay come the 10th

Thanks for the report!  I'm looking forward to seeing if the action is as hot this weekend.  What sort of condition were the hens you caught in?  Did you stick pretty exclusively to the channel east of the golf course?

What sort of condition were the hens you caught in?  Did you stick pretty exclusively to the channel east of the golf course?

All the fish were in very good shape...I only kept the biggest buck, as I needed the AOTY points and he was bigger than my Hawg Trough (good problem to have). His meat was quite firm and smoked up surprisingly well...not quite like a Coho or 'Nook but I have a really good dark rum based brine that would make a shoe taste great...guys at work loved it.

That channel east of the Golf Course was the only water I fished...They were jumping all along the shoreline there so that's where I concentrated.

Good luck to all, wish I could be there!

NICE!!!!  Sad you cannot make it.  At least you had fun

This is amazing!!! I'll be forgiven all kayak related expenses if I can come home with 2 such fish...

All that action, did you get seasick at all?
Great fish, and a great story

did you get seasick at all?

I don't get seasick!...and I've only huli'd twice!

What sort of condition were the hens you caught in?

Expect all the fish to be dark with little to no meat color. Hens will likely have loose roe.
There may be a few non boots mixed in but those will be the exception rather than the norm.
Sent from my Motorola Flip phone.

I was doing some research on Oakland Bay and saw in your report about the mud...I was thinking about driving down from Tacoma on Saturday morning to give it a shot. High tide is at 9:30 AM so I thought that would be perfect for launching...Which is my question...Where did you put in again? I didn't want to drive down there only to have to hunt for a good, public place to put in. Any input on that? Also, if anyone else would like to join me, that would be awesome. Looks like the weather is going to break a little.

THANKS for your great report!

There is a WDFW site.  It's mapped in the slayride tournament thread.

I put in at the small turnout on your left before you get to the golf course...it's not very big and gets really small at high tide! The WDFW is much better suited for the tournament as it can accommodate more than a couple vehicles. Both sites are pretty shallow at low tide

I was doing some research on Oakland Bay and saw in your report about the mud...I was thinking about driving down from Tacoma on Saturday morning to give it a shot. High tide is at 9:30 AM so I thought that would be perfect for launching...Which is my question...Where did you put in again? I didn't want to drive down there only to have to hunt for a good, public place to put in. Any input on that? Also, if anyone else would like to join me, that would be awesome. Looks like the weather is going to break a little.

THANKS for your great report!

I have high tide for Saturday at 11:22 and  sunday at 12:30.  Unless I'm missing something (which isn't hard for me).  See you out there Day        High      Tide  Height   Sunrise    Moon  Time      % Moon
           /Low      Time    Feet   

Sa   9      Low   4:41 AM    -0.7   7:08 AM    Rise 12:44 PM      34
     9     High  11:22 AM    14.9   4:44 PM     Set 11:27 PM
     9      Low   6:13 PM     5.4
     9     High  10:28 PM    11.0

Su  10      Low   5:41 AM     0.5   7:10 AM    Rise  1:17 PM      45
    10     High  12:20 PM    14.9   4:43 PM
    10      Low   7:33 PM     4.5
    10     High  11:59 PM    10.3

M   11      Low   6:46 AM     1.6   7:11 AM     Set 12:39 AM      56
    11     High   1:14 PM    14.7   4:41 PM    Rise  1:46 PM
    11      Low   8:41 PM     3.3

Tu  12     High   1:36 AM    10.5   7:13 AM     Set  1:49 AM      67
    12      Low   7:57 AM     2.7   4:40 PM    Rise  2:14 PM
    12     High   2:02 PM    14.9
    12      Low   9:35 PM     2.0