Freshwater Bay 7/22-24

   I camped at Salt Creek, noisy and crowded with lots of little kids and families having summer fun, but relatively quiet after 10 pm.   Thursday was gale warning in the Strait, with 4-6 foot waves in Crescent Bay, making the surfers happy, but too lumpy to fish.  Arranged to meet up with Sequim Salty and his buddy on Saturday, overslept Friday but the day was gorgeous, flat water and sun!  Put in at Freshwater Bay mud flats, lots of small PB's in the 12-16 foot range were launching as I did, I trolled along the 90 foot depth, did not get a hit on my Brad's Bait cutplug.  I came in at 1, as I was meeting an old friend from the VA who now lives in Port Angeles.   Most of the PB's coming in had fish, nice ones in the mid-teen to mid-20 pound mark.  One guy had a 46-inch king that had not been  weighed, but looked to be over 40#---he said he thought it was an Elwha River king, they tend to be long and slim----and big!!
   Got out early on Saturday as the fog receded, SSalty and his buddy launched 1/2 hour or so after I did and we met up in front of Bachelor Rock.  It seems that most of the fish caught were caught by mooching, so I had brined some herring and fished much closer to shore than I had Friday---in fact, folks were tying up to the kelp in 20-30 feet of water, and catching fish.  How did it work??  Well, about 7:30 I got snagged on the bottom----or so I thought.  I pedaled upstream in the 2 mph current to get "upstream" of my sinker, and was very dismayed  when I tightened down the drag and yanked hard, only to see a 25# or so king salmon make 2 jumps toward deeper water, spitting the hook on the second jump.  BooHoo!!  Would have been my first really big king in the Hobie !!   
   Fished hard until 1 pm, as I pulled up to shore a woman was having her pic taken with a shiny bright 22# king she had caught on a badly mangled herring, the last herring in the package. Some people have all the luck!!
  But a great time time, and nice to hook up  with Sequim Salty.  I'll be going up there again this week, better tides and maybe more fish coming in !!  Anybody else interested in fishing the Strait??

I enjoyed the time and meeting you as well. You sure made me look like a snail with those pedals.  It was the first time i have made a connection with anyone on the forum. I wish i had taken a pic of the cabezon i caught for AOTY.  For some reason i thought they were considered rockfish. found out otherwise when i got home. Maybe some others will give freshwater a try next time you are up here. It was a beautiful day on the water.
Doug in sequim

Sorry you didn't get a look at the beautiful yellow rockfish I caught near the kelp at Bachelor rock---very bright, fortunately only lightly hooked.

Sounds like a great place for kayak salmon fishing. Thanks for the report... but no pics?

Z

KT,  I might be heading up that way this week but not sure which day- hope it will be a weekday rather than Sat. or Sun.  How bout you?
Rob.

Looks like Weds, out into the Bay 05:30 Thurs.

Heading over on Wednesday probably get there late in the afternoon--fishing Thurs and Fri morning.  Hope to see you there.
Rob.

My cellfone is 206  852-4372, give me a ring Weds---I'll be at Salt Creek Weds PM,setting up camp around noonish, assuming vacancy.  Will be at the Bay around 5-5:30 Thurs AM.  Red Hobie Revolution.

Fish on!!

If I wasn't shackled to my local area with some work (and jetty fishing ) commitments, I'd be really interested in meeting you guys up there. That sounds like a good yak-fishing trip to me.  
Early morning show up in the Strait, eh? Done and back in before the wind kicks up.

Have to get my work done, though, as my customers are already expecting it. I try to keep 'em happy. If I had a real job, I could just call in sick.  But being self-employed, I can't do that...I'd be lying to myself!

Hope you guys get some sleigh rides!

 Next week I'd like to give Freshwater a shot.

Skunked again, dammit, saw one 30# king come in Weds PM, caught on a little black/yellow Coho Killer.  Had 2 good sized fish roll in front of me while I was fastened to the kelp bed at Bachelor Rock, west edge of the Bay.  The gig there, as I was shown by Bob from Port Angeles, is to tie up to the kelp at tide change, and jig Point Wilson (candlefish) darts, he caught a 12 # king while he was showing me how it is done!!  And if you stay at the Rock, you don't have to worry about fog or surf...

  Nice to meet and fish with Yakker (Rob).  We'll do better next time!  It appears that the kings are just starting to come into the Strait.

Hi Terry, Do you happen to know what color and size the darts were? thanks, doug in sequim

1 1/2 ounce or 2 oz, white with a little green, and one all silvery-looking.