Elliott Bay 8/6/06 ... no joy

Hit Elliott Bay this morning at the crack of dawn.  There was a good bite in the bay on Friday although it slowed down on Saturday and the checker at the ramp said it was just as slow today.  Slow trolled to the west waterway, around there, and back for nothing except dogfish.  I was marking some small scattered schools between the west and east waterways and saw a couple of small kings landed.  On the way back to the ramp I ran into a couple of guys (Hunter and Pete) fishing from some sit insides.  They hadn't caught any salmon either.  Nice to meet you guys, I hope you find your way here.

-Allen

Hi Alllen,

I've heard good things about Elliott bay this year.  Sorry to hear about the slowdown.  Where is the ramp where you put in? And what about industrial shipping traffic? 

Good to see some new guys out on the water.  From what I have been seeing, this kayak fishing thing is catching on fast.  Some guys at my work are fairly disgusted with the boat ramp traffic and of course there is the maintenance and the price of fuel (the pics I show them doesn't help either).

The only thing stopping a lot of folks is the safety and navagation thing.  Which brings me to my other point.  REI is having a basic navagation class on Aug. 23 at 6:30 PM (Seattle store).
The description is just the basics.  Planning a route, tide and current tables, how to use nautical charts, how to use a compass to plot courses across shipping lanes, around islands and points, and how to get back home again.
$20 for members/$35 for non-members.
All proceeds will benefit the Seattle Audubon and the Washington Water Trails association.

Sounds like a god investment,

Kurt

Hey Kurt,

I  put in at Armeni Ramp, just park on the street and wheel the yak down to the gravel/rock side of the ramp.  I was eyeing some of the other beaches there, like where you see a lot of scuba divers.  They look decent too.  They are a little closer to the waterways and will help getting to them quicker shortly after dawn.  I mark more fish at the entrace to the waterways then I do in transit.  I like to be out on the water as soon as safe, and with the amount of fishing boats out, I get a little nervous in the dim light in a small kayak, so a launch that is a little closer will help.

Industrial traffic is not really that bad.  They move slow and blow their horns a lot because of all the other fishing boats out there.  They are so slow that there isn't even much of a wake problem from them.

I also saw a canoe out there fishing.  Didn't get a chance to pull up and say hi though as I was on a troll sandwiched between 2 boats and by the time I was able to turn, he had turned too and was heading away from me.

I'm 0 for 2 on trips to Elliot Bay this year.  That has got to change.  Thinking about heading out Friday morning.  Depends on whether I dial in the sockeyes this week ... heading out in the morning to give it a go.

-Allen