West side of Whidbey for pinks

Hi all,

I've done well for pinks in past years by launching at Bush Point on Whidbey and paddling around there and generally up towards the state park.

A couple things make it challenging though. If it is a weekend, the beach fisherman are elbow to elbow at Bush. You kind of have to squeeze past them and hope you don't get a buzz bomb in the head as you paddle out. Not a huge deal, but a little awkward.

Also, if it isn't slack tide, there is some solid current there. Again, not a huge deal, but in the past, I've basically paddled "upstream" looking for jumpers, found a school, hooked one, fight it back to the kayak, try to get it bled out and into the catch cooler, and then quickly pick up a paddle and start paddling to avoid getting swept around the corner at the point. Then it can be a long paddle back "upstream" again.

I'm guessing the current there is what brings in the fish and holds them there, so maybe it's not worth trying somewhere else.

Just curious if anyone kayak fishes off Whidbey for pinks/coho in other spots?

Any spots you recommend launching that are a little less busy and perhaps a little lighter on the current?

Thanks in advance!
John

Nice post....offer some intel, ask for some intel.
Wish I could help ya. ...love that area though!

I spent a good part of last week throwing buzzbombs and trolling around West Beach. I had a few strikes here and there, but no fish. I did land a couple of searun cuts just before sunset on Tuesday, and they were killing them on the beach Wednesday.

Thursday I caught the smallest pink in the ocean out at Washington Park. I can't even figured out how he swallowed the hook.

I dropped crab pots off West Beach Monday and Thursday. No keepers.

Kyle

Lagoon point just up the way from bush point has some beach access and softer current/wind/swells.  It can be windy and choppy at bush point and it's glass just up the way.  Watch out for the houses to the right of the parking lot, the owners there are real pricks and get aggressive quick.  One guy was freaking out at us so bad that my friend told him to draw a line in the sand.  He didn't understand why we were laughing so hard when he actually did.

There's also two fishing holes off the south end of whidbey on the east side.  One is the bait box hole and the other is humpy hollow, google them for the details.

I got my first salmon from a kayak yesterday, first coho ever!  Went off of bush point in around south whidbey state park.  I was tossing out a green and blue rotator with a pink hoochie skirt every time I came across surfacing bait fish and it worked great.  Unfortunately I let myself get carried a bit far in the excitement and ended up paddling a mile against the current.  Had a blast!