Whidbey Coho?

My first salt kayaking fishing experience was catching pinks off Whidbey last year.

How are the coho out there? Any suggestions on depth/ technique?

Also, I fished the pinks off the west side, from Bush point. My understanding was you need to stick to the west side for migrating salmon. But what about resident coho? Any chance on hitting them on the east side of Whidbey? Definitely seems like the paddling would be nicer on that side.

Thanks.

They migrate close to shore, there will be guys casting Buzz Bombs when they're in.

I am going to Whidbey this weekend and was also wondering is anyone has any tips on where to put in. I was thinking the east side would be easier to paddle, but I would go out on the west if anyone has any good ideas of spots to hit.

 Don't bother with salmon fishing on the east side of Whidby. Crabbing can be very good, but not much salmon action until you get north up to Ala Spit and then the tide really rips there, both in and out. You can launch at Coronet Bay and ride the incoming tide towards the Skagit flats and then the ebb back to Coronet. Don't miss Coronet bay on the ebb otherwise you'll get a good view of the bottom of the Deception Pass bridge as you get swept out. You can also drag a yak over the beach logs at the Ala Spit public access.
 The best place to yak launch is at Bush pt on the west side and fish north towards Lagoon Pt. Much better fishing (catching) than the east side.

Yep, what Wolverine said--west side the side to fish.  Wolverine---my mom ent me a newspaper clipping, there was a wolverine found dead (old age) in Sanilac county in Mich, first verified wolverine in 200 years.  (Except for Bo Schembechler, of course...)

 Rezzies have been scarce this summer. They might have just moved out of the sound rather than staying around to feed, or? Ocean run fish are finally starting to trickle into Admiralty inlet and the sound. I'll be up at Ft Casey tomorrow fishing float/herring from the beach there as its way more productive than fishing from anything that floats. Once it gets past Labor Day I'll split my time between beach fishing and camping at Ft Casey, and trolling the rip lines between Bush Pt and Lagoon Pt. Gear for trolling? 6 to 8 oz wt - large white dodger - and a plug cut herring early in the AM. Once it gets 8 AM or so the down rigger goes into action with dodger/whole herring in a helmet, or a 8" white/glow flasher with a glow green mini squid with a herring strip teaser. Work the rip lines. If they aren't there, work the back eddy in front of big rock.
 Kal, didn't old Bo go down 4 or 5 times before he finally stayed down? He definitely was a wolverine. I still remember the Bo and Woody battles when Michigan played Ohio State. Don't miss the pastings that he gave my Spartans though.

Yep, that was my experience last summer. Put in at Bush, fish towards Lagoon. What can you do on kings fishing that area right now? Seems like it'd be worth trying.

Kallitype and Wolverine, I grew up in Iowa City and thus am a die hard Hawkeye fan. Look out - this is our year.

Thinking about Bush point reminds me of last year when i went to visit my sister in Langley we fished Bush point off the beach for pinks (no
luck, was too late in the season). These two guys were launching a tiny boat, it was really rough as anyone who fishes there knows it can get. The one guy that owned the boat was a total moron, waves were slamming the back of the boat the motor was flopping around as he tried to get it off the trailer. and his friend had a look of terror as he waved goodbye, to him semmingly for maybe the last time ever... I felt sorry for the poor sucker.

I wish i was there a couple weeks earlier, i've never caught a pink before. If you fish there alot i'm sure you've seen my Sister and Brother in law.

 King fishing has really slowed down at Bush Pt this week. The 2 weeks prior a LOT of kings were taken around low slack in the mornings. We'd launch the boats at Ft Casey and run down rather than using that abomination of a launch at Bush. Besides being wide open to the wind, and the tide can really run through there, the worst is the concrete blocks that are partially filled with cement that line the edges of the ramp. It's easier to launch/retrieve a yak there than a boat. But hey, its better than nothing.
 Bush Pt is an ebb tide, low slack show. Kings tend to stack along the shore rip and wait for the tide to ease before they round the point. It's really an easy mooch or jig fishery. Rigger trollers have to stay too far outside to get much action. Basically its just run the boat up the outside of the rip to where it starts at the beach. Yaks paddle/pedal up the inside eddy. Drop the bait/jig as the tide pulls you down the rip line. If you set up too far outside you won't get bit. Too far inside the seam and its instant dogfish on. Wierd having dogfish stacked up a stones throw from the beach, but they can't hold in the heavier water and they lay in there feeding on whatever is  swept around the point. Even being careful to ride the line, I plan on using 18+ herring and nearly that many leaders for a tides fishing there.
 Last year the pinks were so thick for 6 weeks that they were a pain at the tail of the king season and the start of the coho season. I didn't even bother launching the boat as I was able to amuse myself with nearly 400 slimers fishing the beaches at Lagoon and Bush. I often put my pontoon boat in at Bush for the evening bite. Just stayed out of shore casters range, and would cast pink rotators for a couple of hours. Hey, being retired is a tough job, and fishing where there's fish is just part of it.

 Iowa has a football team? 

Ha - thanks Wolverine.

Any updates on the salmon off Whidbey this week?