Fly Fishing for Coho/Carr Inlet and Fox Island

I am visiting from Austin TX and brought my Wilderness Ride SOT and fishing gear.  I will be in the South and North Puget Sound area from 6/25/2007 until 7/14/2007.  What are my chances of catching a Coho in Carr inlet?  Is Kopachuck State Park a good launch point?  What direction do I head after launch?  Where is the best place to purchase a liscense and suitable flies?  I have been a bass and blue gill fisherman sinse childhood but have never seen a salmon in the water.  I have studyied a copy of the Marine Area Rules.  I have a conversion van and my wife and I love to camp.  We can dry camp or use full hookups.
Do I need a guide for my first trip out or would one of your group be willing to be my mentor?
Regards,
Alan

I'd say you have a decent chance of catching a resident coho down there.  This time of year they'll run about 2-4 pounds.  In that area you can get into sea run cutthroat as well (catch and release only).

I don't fish down there much and I don't fly fish much, so perhaps one of the other guys can help you out with more specifics.

Also, you're not too far from some possible king salmon action, but I don't know how well you'd do on the fly.  If you're have conventional gear I can give you pointers on this.

There are no kayak fishing guides here.

-Allen

There are no kayak fishing guides here.

I've checked out the regs, carefully, and they are not written with kayak fishing in mind. Also, the state hasn't given out any new salmon charter licenses (saltwater) in nearly 30 years.

I fly fish, including saltwater and the S.Sound. Unfortunately, I live over in Eastern Washington and won't be in Wetter Washington for a while.

I've fished the area around Fox Island, and on the other side of Kopachuck, near Purdy. The whole S. Sound area is a hotbed for saltwater flyfishing. MA11 is currently open for clipped kings, and I've heard of PBers hooking up with with fish to 30#. Besides Kopachuck and Purdy, there is also a usable launch on the causeway out to Fox Island. If you want a chance at a king, go at first light, and stay near the deeper water. Look for setting up downstream of points and reefs, which will change with the tides. The east end of Fox is known for kings.

For currents and tides I use http://www.dairiki.org/tides/daily.php/nar

For navigation http://mapper.acme.com

Here's the nearest flyshop, which I've never used. http://www.morninghatchflyfishing.com/

The next- http://www.pugetsoundflyco.com/

I'm familiar with http://www.creeksideangling.com/home.htm

Pisco, if you are ever heading to the sound after salmon the fly and need a wing man, keep me in mind   I'd love to learn.

Will do; trips to the wet side will become more common in the fall.

I've never fished that area, but you can't go too far wrong by launching at first light and paddling around looking for surface activity.  Throw pink or olive Clousers (#2-#8) at them on an intermediate line.