Snohomish for Pinks

I hit the Snohomish today (Saturday) mid-afternoon to fish the incoming tide.  Launched at Rotary Park near Everett and trolling towards City of Snohomish.  I didn't catch any pinks, and only saw one roll.  The folks I talked to didn't catch any either.  Maybe the rains that brought in some from last weekend have moved up already.

Only my third time out for salmon in the new kayak...still waiting to land my first salmon. I had a good time and it was a beautiful day to be out.

Commencement Bay report, also chasing after these alleged pink salmon...

Beautiful day, check.
No salmon seen, or caught, check.
The sound of fish laughing, check.
No salmon from kayak, check.  And it's been a lot more than 3 tries.  :-(

Jim

I have yet to launch my Hobie PA in a river even though I have had my PA for 3 years.  You river folks make it sound so easy so I will have to try it this year.  I have caught 7 Pinks and 2 Silvers all between Mukilteo to Point Wells since mid August.  I like to try the Snohomish especially when they have small craft warnings for the Sound.  I hope that there are no big waves in the Snohomish River when wind kicks up.  You river kayakers feel free to chime in and tell me about the hazards of kayak river fishing. 

I had caught a lot of Pinks (24) in 2013 in the Sound in a matter of a week without trying, but this year has not been as easy so I will have to chase them into the rivers.  Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks.

I've done pretty well on the Snohomish this year with every trip out yielding a limit or close to it.  The river is literally paved with logs so be prepared to get your gear hung up.  I've had success freeing my rig by holding tension on the line and popping the bail on the reel.  Saved quite a few lures that way.  At least with a kayak you can maneuver around and get free.  The river is tidally influenced quite a bit upriver from where the Pilchuck comes in.  Navigating up  that far is definitely easier when the tide is up.  With no tide pushing in there are places where I couldn't overcome the current.  I have successfully used a small inner tube filled with rocks for an anchor in calm waters.  Anchor cautiously.  I've done well with good quality pink maribou jigs worked as close to the bottom as the terrain allows.  I've also heard of great success using pink jigs under a float and various Dick Nite set ups. 

The boat launch in Snohomish has what's left of a concrete ramp.  Beware of the circus resulting from very little parking and a lot of people (some of them idiots) wanting to launch.  They usually have a police presence on the busy days.  I'm not sure it's even worth trying on a weekend during humpy season.

As far as waves go the river is pretty protected but most of the waves come from PBs.  I've heard of some coho being caught so that should be heating up in the next week or so.  Good luck out there.

Thanks for the helpful river info.  I was out on the Sound today and only caught some shakers.  I launched at 3pm from Edmonds next to the pier and it was very calm until I got to Pt Wells.  I went inside the oil dock and beach where I caught a Silver 2weeks ago for about an hour and saw the ugly clouds coming in from the peninsula and headed back as the waves got bigger and bigger.  It was like being in a washing machine.  Made me think how it would be much better to start fishing in the Snohomish.  So thanks again for info.

I was looking at Google Maps and found a bout launch by Rotory Park near Everett and East of I-5.  I will launch from there instead of driving all the way to Cady Park in Snohomish.  I will take your advise and launch just before the tide comes in and go up stream and let the river take me back to Rotory Park and hope the current is not too strong where I might pass the park.

I got tossed around a few weeks ago down at Mukilteo.  I picked up one pink.  The next week I put in at Snohomish and got three chrome pinks.  Next time I went down I limited in 2 hrs.  All fresh out of the salt with sea lice still attached.  A lot less effort and more fish.  This time of year the lower river is pretty lazy.  You shouldn't have any serious issues with current down there. 

I remember bank fishing up from Rotary just upstream from where Ebey Slough comes in and getting skunked along with many other combat fishermen.  But just 100' upstream was a guy in a kayak anchored and just killin' 'em.  One after the other.  It was then that I knew where I was going to be the next year.

  just 100' upstream was a guy in a kayak anchored and just killin' 'em.  One after the other.  It was then that I knew where I was going to be the next year.

I would say it was probably Rudy and I haven't had the honor to meet him yet. But know from reading he's always killing them somewhere.