Aloha and hello, I'm new here...

Aloha! I'm new to the board and new to Washington. I'm from Hawaii and I'm moving to Tacoma in a few days for work (I plan to be here for 2-3 years). I've kayak fished in Hawaii since '93 and have never kayak fished anywhere else. I was hoping that someone could give me a few pointers on where/when to fish, setups etc. for the Tacoma area? I guess I'll travel to wherever the fish are- I'm just new to driving more than an hour and not go in a circle I hope that I can contribute to the forum and thanks for having me. Mahalo for any info- Randy

Mahalo bro!  I get to say it first....welcome to the cure!!!  You will get all the info you want here.   
Tight lines my friend,
-Scott

Welcome. Look forward to fishing w/ ya when you hit the mainland.

Z

Eh bra, bring me some Surfah slippahs size 10, a bag of poi, some red hawaiian salt and I'll show you how for catch your own salmon for lomi.  I get the sweet onions in my garden and stay ready! 

Nah, just joking.  Welcome!  The Northwest doesn't have all the pelagics that Hawaii does but we've got plenty of fun fish to catch.

One thing that you'll want to check out 1st is dressing for immersion.  Lakes and most rivers are OK for shorts in the summer but come fall or if you hit the ocean, you're going to need something that'll keep you alive....

-Spot-

welcome to Washington.. depending on if you want Salt or Fresh. you have a few options around you. and in at least a hours driving distance both south and north. I live southeast of tacoma in Graham and can show you a few lakes when you get here.

Marilyn

Aloha!  What island are you from?  I've spent some time in the islands.  Have done a bit of shore fishing there and keep a little gear on Maui.  Seeing the kayak fishing and reading HFN is what got me into kayak fishing here.

Ditto what Spot said.  The water is COLD here, really cold, particularly the salt water.  I got a dry suit from the get go and have yet to be chilled.  Bottom fishing for flounder is easy, a hoot, and they are good eating.  Crab are plentiful.  We mooch, jig, and troll for salmon.  There are various rock fish including ling cod.  Sturgeon in selected locations.  In freshwater we have bass, trout, salmon, steelhead, carp, crappie, bluegill, perch, walleye, and more. 

You are arriving in what is forecast to be a great year for salmon. 

Do you already have a kayak?  If not, you might consider getting to the REI Seattle store for the Ocean Kayak factory closing sale, this Friday through Sunday.

Welcome.  Also bring a barrel of Zippy's chili, big box of okazuya from Mitsuken (extra garlic chicken), and new low G tenor ukulele strings by Worth.

Anyway, you'll dig it here.  Lots of cool people and good info..

Aloha...

Aloha, Randy. Welcome to the other contender for the best place to live and play. Don't forget to bring your surfboards! We have surf! Mainly small-to-medium stuff. Sometimes it even gets good. Sept and Oct can be awesome, and we get offshore winds as storm systems are approaching the coast (before the fronts move onshore) all throughout Fall, Winter, and early Spring. Summer waves are usually smaller and mushier.

I moved back here from Oahu in '79, after 12 1/2 years there. Best years of my life, I have to say.

'68 Kalani grad.
'78 U of H Manoa grad.

Randy..

Forgot to mention. i have a OK Trident 13 and i love it. and i am on the short heavy side and its perfect for me and i can move all around on it and not tip it so far.

Mahalo and thankyou all for the welcome! I'm from Kaimuki,Oahu- a short walk to Waikiki. I just sold my FND and a circa '93 Scupper Pro- seeing as I'm on the short heavy side too- I guess I'll get another FND or something similar for crabbing-whatever will fit in the 1 bdrm apartment. Surfing?!? Yikes, I think I'll pass for now...Thanks for the heads up on the dry suit. I've never fished in anything but shorts and t-shirt (slippahs too!) so this will take some getting used to... No island food here? Someone told me there was an L&L around...Oh, I forgot to ask- any sharks here? Aggressive seals/sea lions? Just wondering what I might have to deal with....
Thanks again for the welcome-Randy

Oh, I forgot to ask- any sharks here?

Just dem big white ones...
http://www.dailyastorian.info/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398&ArticleID=30071&TM=22778.4

Z

No island food here? Someone told me there was an L&L around..

I think Spot is going to be your new best friend.  From talking to him and some of his posts here it seems he's figured out where all the "ono kine grindz" can be found in the Portland area.  In particular he seems to recommend the Kauai Island Grill.

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,3154.msg30307.html#msg30307

http://www.kauaiislandgrill.com/

Oh, there's no shortage of grindz here, man.  Some better than others.  But I'm in PDX, so I'm clueless about Tacoma.  I know that the Uwajimaya store has a pretty kick azz deli, complete with plate lunch.  It's south of dowtown Seattle, by the stadiums.  L&L is up there as well.  No Zippy's though.  There's a big island contingent in the SeaTac metro area, though, so you'll find something.

Hawai'i General Store & Gallery
258 NE 45th Street
Seattle, WA 98105
206-633-5233
[email protected]
http://www.hawaiigeneralstore.net/

Aloha Oasis Hawaiian Store
www.alohaoasis.com
3011 6th Ave
Tacoma, WA 98406-6202
(253) 272-3189

L&L Hawaiian BBQ Federal Way
(Pacific Highway South & S. 320th St.)
32225 Pacific Highway South, Suite 105
Federal Way, WA 98003
Phone: (253) 946-0788
http://www.hawaiianbarbecue.com/washington.html

L&L Hawaiian BBQ Lakewood
(Gravelly Lake Dr. & Avondale Rd.)
10417 Gravelly Lake Drive, #E
Lakewood, WA 98499
Phone: (253) 588-8296

Seattle Uwajimaya
600 5th Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: (206) 624-6248
http://www.uwajimaya.com/

Bellevue Uwajimaya
15555 NE 24th St. & Bel Red Rd.
Bellevue, WA 98007
Phone: (425)747-9012

Renton Uwajimaya
501 South Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057

No shark issues in Puget Sound except you will eventually catch our small bottom feeding sharks, DogFish.  I used to dive and the seals and sea lions were curious, not aggressive, but they can still surprise the crap outta you.  

Oops, I guess I missed the Tacoma bit.  Looks like demonick has you covered.