Golden Gardens

One takedown, one fish in about 3 hours this morning. Deep six/red racer/purple haze hootchie@75' on the line counter in 300FOW.

Marked a lot of fish, but they didn't wanna go.

Yay fish!  Folks I was talking with at the dock said they've been deep....>100'

Nice fish.

Speaking of deep, is using a diver the best way to go deep short of using a downrigger? What about flashers, can you run a full or mini size flasher with a diver or lead? I've been running lead with a fish flash type spinning flasher with the thinking that it creates less drag and will rotate and any speed. Currently I've been running 12 oz of lead, but would much prefer a lighter setup if I can get away with it.

I consider somewhere around 45' to be my limit as far as fishing depth with the deep six. I have a double deep six, but I don't really use it, as the standard model already pulls like crazy.

I peddle over a whole lot of fish that I can't reach.

I use lead in the Columbia and Willamette, but I haven't tried it in the sound for a few years, because it's harder to reliably track my depth in the constantly changing current.

I use the 8" pro troll style flashers with the diver. I tried an 11" this weekend and it just creates too much drag. If I'm trying to go as deep as possible I usually use a Kone Zone or other inline flasher, but that means using something other than a hootchie, such as a Brad's or a spoon, because the inline flasher style doesn't add any action to the lure.

Fishing divers from a kayak is a lot of work, and my left shoulder is pretty beat up from yanking on the rod (phrasing!) every ten minutes to trip the diver for a bait check.

henney, sorry I missed your post about going out yesterday.  Saw it too late to be able to go.

I'm sure I see a lot of you guys out there, probably time I join the conversation on here.

I've been fishing GG just about every Saturday and Sunday since resi coho opened up back in June, it been a good summer.

This past Saturday was just nutty, had two fish in the boat by 7:30am or so. Sunday was equally fishy, but I didn't notice the posted SCA until I was already committed. The conditions definitely upped the challenge, and I was drenched to the bone before I even had a line in the water, but wrapped up the day with two fish.

I've been pulling a Double Deep Six, full 11" flasher, and going back and forth mostly between hoochies and Brad's Superbait Minis. Always cured herring strips on everything. The rig definitely takes some legwork to keep moving through the water, pretty much all-out effort the entire time. As far as depth, I've been getting down to about 40' from what I can tell, and that has been enough early in the day. If the sun comes up and they drop down below 60' I usually just call it for the day. I've managed a couple deep mooching, but its hit or miss.

I'll be out again Friday - Sun this coming weekend.

The one with me is Saturday, the yak photo is Sunday, didn't find a willing photographer that day.

Nice fatties! I think I'm going to give the Double Deep Six with a full size 11" flasher a try the next time I go out as it seems the hoochies are killing it out there. What is the minimum for leader length between the diver and the flasher to get good rotation and action from the flasher? Netting from a yak is challenging enough without adding extra length to the setup.

-Aaron

Nice fish!

I fish with 24" between diver and flasher. Rather short, but I try to shave off as much leader length as I can, totally agree about the landing thing. I still have to reel the diver all the way up to my last eyelet, reach way out with the net, and swing the rod overhead to slide the fish in.

Getting the diver release adjusted is really important. Between 11" flasher, current, and the kayak lifting in swells, it needs to be pretty tight to ensure its not releasing while trolling, which can waste a lot of time cranking in and resetting constantly.

That double deep six also needs a pretty stout rod and a rock-solid rod holder mount, it pulls like a train.

Is anyone interested in meeting up tomorrow morning 9/21 for the morning bite around Shilshole? I'm trying to convince myself to skip class and go take the new boat on the water, but it would be much easier to go with someone else.

EOD I was planning on yakking GG tomorrow but I've got a race Saturday so I'm saving the legs and going gas powered in the morning instead, still Golden Gardens, otherwise I'd totally take you up on it. I'll be back out Sunday if you're interested.

I'll be heading to Moses Lake this weekend, but I would be more than happy to try and get out at some point next week, or weekend. I might just live out there next weekend if the weather holds and the fish stay around. Anybody can feel free to PM me if you want to go out somewhere. I can usually do Fri, Sat, and Sun, but can fish afternoons on Tues and Thurs.

Likely heading for Golden Gardens Saturday early AM with another shot at the downrigger in a little safer spot   Orange Hobie

Shilshole ramp fee...

I talked with parks and rec and the fee only applies if you're using a trailer.  So, no fee just to use the ramp for kayak...just don't park in a trailer spot

You all might already be aware, but it wasn't clear to me, so I called to check.  The sand was a total PITA last time I went.

Shilshole ramp fee...

I talked with parks and rec and the fee only applies if you're using a trailer.  So, no fee just to use the ramp for kayak...just don't park in a trailer spot

You all might already be aware, but it wasn't clear to me, so I called to check.  The sand was a total PITA last time I went.

Yep.. Same happened to me. That's why I park in the car parking spots closest to the ramp and ramp parking lot. If you get there early, you can park in that spot on the sidewalk on the water side of the lot right beside the handicapped spots. It's very convenient, is a lot less effort than dragging the kayak through the sand both directions, and you don't get any sand on your or the kayak. It's altogether pleasant.