Orcas Island Trip

Once I decided that I was going to get a Kayak for fishing, I purchased an OK P15 and much of the gear to outfit it as quickly as possible.  From the date I ‘pulled the trigger’ I was able to rig my little Cee Cee and head out for my first trip in a little over two weeks.  (Paddled around on Elger Bay a little, but I wanted to catch salmon and go camping!!!) I set out for Orcas Island from Washington Park in Anacortes heading toward the southwestern point of Cypress Island on the last day of June (day before salmon opening.) As I left the sheltered areas close to Washington Park, before the first navigation buoy directly off shore from the launch ramp, I quickly saw signs of bait balls and larger fish…salmon!?..

It was a fantastic paddle over to Orcas Island!!  Much easier and enjoyable than I thought the passage would be…, though I was really ready to give my butt a break and stretch my legs after two hours in the saddle.  (By the end of the trip these two hours, which seemed like forever for my body initially, would fly by while fishing.  Even still, I am looking to upgrade my seat.) 

I tried to jig for some small bait, catching only small (really small!!) rockfish and a tiny lingcod. 

While paddling in Doe Bay, I heard a splash along my port after quarter.  I looked over and saw the beautiful spotted green back of a small Chinook (3-5 lbs) slicing through the water in a startled dash away from my kayak.  Is this a sign of things to come!!??  Surface Chinook in the late afternoon!!?? 

After staying the night at a friends’ house, I quickly realized that I needed to enjoy visiting my friend and not get antsy about fishing…I couldn’t get to the water without a ride anyway!!  We leisurely got his kayak together and headed down for Obstruction Pass.  There was a large cluster of boats, twenty plus, packed into the small hole on the eastern side of Obstruction Pass.  As we approached the hole I put my line out using my little downrigger.  As I was getting close to the hole...too late!!  Realizing that the currents were pulling me to a shallow underwater shelf off Obstruction Point, I tried to hoist the downrigger, but it was too late as I snagged on the bottom.  So within twenty minutes I lost my only 3# weight.  Working out the bugs… After that we paddled around for a while before heading in.

The next morning, Monday, I got dropped off at Deception Pass boat launch around 8:30 am.  I tested Cee Cee and myself in the Ebb current and eddies along the shore of the pass, including some standing waves around one small rock outcropping.  The boat handled extremely well!  For a few seconds water was pouring into the cockpit, but with a few hard paddle strokes I was out and heading toward the calm of the next eddy. 

I trolled around and through the fleet in the main hole without success. Seeking to find my rhythm as a kayak fisherman, rather than power along back and forth, I ventured away from the pack to try working a current line inside the pass along the bank of Obstruction Island.  I paddled back and forth from the ‘slack’, eddy filled water along the bank into the current, each time allowing my “junk” to straighten out behind me.  During one pass out into the current, I got a strike.  I imagined that the lure was just about to enter the current when the fish hit, in a very natural presentation as the trolling speed changed as Cee Cee was caught in the current and the lure was pulled toward the current more by line drag than boat speed.  A theory anyway…..

It was a fun fight.  After several short runs, I brought the small, though legal, Chinook along side.  I decided to release the beautiful creature, since I had seen several mid 20 # fish being landed and I had just started fishing.  I spent several more hours trolling around, catching a dogfish.  Many times I was drawn to check out what was happening in the fleet, before remembering that I wanted to focus on learning how to take advantage of fishing form a kayak rather than force myself to fish like a Stink Pot.

I camped on Doe Island and headed up to try Lawrence Point early Tuesday.  I trolled for many hours catching another dogfish.  Even though I caught no salmon, I learned a great deal about how to troll from a kayak.  Hopefully time-well-spent in the whole scheme of things.

On the way back to camp I had to hug the shoreline as I was working against the current.  Along each little point, where the current gained speed, I saw fish positioned along the bottom and mid water.  Interested to find out what was there, I paddled up current and then dropped a Candlefish jig to the depth I had seen fish.  I quickly caught two Kelp Greenlings and a Quillback Rockfish.  (After scouring over the Regulations I concluded that Kelp Greenlings are considered Bottomfish and not Rockfish, which have hugely different catch limits…any feedback?)

It was a fun trip.  Breaking off some of the fishing rust while learning a lot about kayaking, and camping and currents in the San Juans.  I saw where I could improve my gear, primarily in the culinary arts…spices, recipes, better pots and other accessories.  I was extremely happy with the boat and the various accessories I purchased.  I look forward to learning how to fish these waters…. lots to learn.  I saw lots of fish sign as I paddled around; both bait balls (though I couldn’t catch any.) and individual fish. 

I am excited to explore these waters!!  We have such incredible kayaking, camping and fishing in this area, and then there is BC also!!??...Nice!

Thank you.  Anyone want to go fishing?

Nice report and pic. Sounds like a great time! I'm always out fishing so gimme a holler when you're headed out and let's fish!

Z 

Thank you.

I was thinking about fishing Wednedsday or Thursday maybe both. It would be fun to get in an overnighter. I would be stoked to fish with someone.

I'm open to anywhere you are familiure with or would like to explore.  I live on Camano Island, with easy access to MA8, but it's still awhile before salmon season opens here.  I haven't looked at the tides/currents for this week, but I've been thinking that camping on James Island might be fun.  It sounds like there are some good spots in close by.

If interested let me know your thoughts.

Jesse

Espiga!  That's a fine report.  Thanks for sharing.  Would love to make it up to fish the SJI's.  Too much to do, not enough weekends.

What's "cee cee"?

-Allen

The name of my kayak 

An excellent report! I especially like the adventurous, multi-day aspect. I'd love to do such a trip off the N. end of Orcas, during ling season.