Chinook in the Nisqually

I'm headed to the Nisqually early in the am. My neighbor hooked a few Chinook while I was stuck in Tomms River NJ for the last 10 days. He saw me get back from the airport, and was bursting with excitement to invite me out with him tomorrow. What fly/color would you recommend out there. I would really like to land one on the fly, but I am taking a casting rod with me for a back up. I will be wading if that makes a difference.

What fly/color would you recommend out there. I would really like to land one on the fly, but I am taking a casting rod with me for a back up. I will be wading if that makes a difference.

Any color as long as it's green.

Z

Will a king bite an Ace Hi Fly on a plunker line? 

Well, the fish are there, I just didn't catch any. I threw virtually every fly I thought could possibly entice a king. No go. I also tried corkies on casting gear to no avail. My neighbor threw everything in his tackle box with the same results. The only things we didn't try were egg sacks, and herring. Unless there is another method we don't know. The Nisqually natives were having no trouble filling their nets. We talked to two different boats, and they both showed us a couple of fish over 40lbs out of their 20+ fish flopping around in the bottom. I still had a great morning on the water up until I fell in filling my waders to the top. At any rate I will be after them again very soon, so if anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated. I'm not sure what day I'm heading back out, but if anyone would like to join me, just shoot me a PM.

I have only hooked one good King on a fly, a few years back in the Satsop. The fly was a #2 Black and Purple Egg Sucking Leech, tied with black rabbit and purple marabou, with hot orange chenille wrapped behind the eye (for the "egg"). After a few violent head shakes, the beast (at least 25 lbs) busted me off within 7 seconds as it roared upstream.
I need to tie up some more of those flies!
12# test Maxima is kinda light for the 8 wt when going after Kings, although I once landed a 31.5# Willapa hen on 12# Maxima with spinning gear, and a few in the low 20's on 10#.

I usually cast or troll spinners for Kings in the lower rivers, although a black corky with purple or black or chartreuse yarn works. You never floss 'em trolling spinners though. They come up from behind and inhale 'em.

Kings like to travel up the deepest part of the river, just off the bottom, so I use weighted spinners. I'll use lighter or even unweighted spinners for Coho, at times.

Big glob of roe under a bobber right next to a cutbank in a slower, deep run! Or next to pilings in frog water if you know they're holding in there. Logjams and snags hold fish and also give them places to bust you off.

I use Flash'nGlows (nickle blades on bright days, and brass on cloudy days and before the sun hits the water). Silver bladed Vibrax's can be good any time (body color varies). Green, chartreuse, or hot orange beads on the spinner body all work.
Always wash your hands and mask your human scent with something.
I also wash my spinners and my tackle box to get old smells cleaned away.
When trolling a spinner, I use a hot pink trolling rudder, to prevent line twist. Leader is 30" to 36".
Some people troll herring in the rivers, too, but I don't.

These methods work for me, in their appropriate situations. Hope this info helps. Its just what I do, not necessarily the best methods.

That's a great write up. Thanks!!

I was back at them again today. I was going to try the Skokomish, but got out of work a bit later than I would have liked. At any rate, skunked again. I was throwing a true giant of a black egg sucking leach with a transparent red egg head. Two of my buddies were drifting black or purple corkies on casting gear. We all were skunked. I did not see even 1/3 of the fish I saw on Tue. However, the natives nets were out. I heard of one angler foul hooking one, and another lost two. I didn't see anyone with fish either alive or dead. We fished most of the riffles and pools that we could access from the first bridge on old mounds rd, all the way to I-5. I'll be back at them again soon. It has become a quest now. I will at least hook a king on the Nisqually. More to come on this saga. As always the invite is extended to anyone that may want to partake in my misery.

Thanks. Got my own misery goin' on 'round heah!    Good luck. Fish where there are fish!

Dick,
try contacting hooknose via PM. as i told you on the way to hoodsport that early morning, i think the two of you would make a great team to work that water.

careful while on "The Nasty". some of the locals will throw rocks and lead at you just because you showed up!.
[WR]

Wow, thanks for the warning. Nothing Hostile yet thank god. I really hope I don't run into this problem. I have no room for that kind of intolerance in my life and I would have no problem expressing that. So far I just avoid the crowded banks, and put in a little extra leg work to find more secluded spots. Except for the lack of hook-ups, and the unexpected river bath, all has been positive.

Ravdakot, I might be interested in hooking up for a go-out if you are headed up 101 on the Canal or headed out my way. I'm just not so fired up about heading into I-5 corridor, or fishing really crowded places. I don't do the lower Skok, and no longer endure the crowds on the Quilcene. I try to enforce the "20 foot rule" in that I ask people to not get any closer than 20 feet from me when I'm fishing, and thats in a meat hole fishery. Wade-fishing on a river, I'd make that at least 200 feet. Would that be feasible on the Nisqually?

It is if you are willing to walk. I have not been crowded what so ever yet. I work overnight, so I have been going out strait from work on weekday mornings. I found once you have moved a 1/4 mile or so down from the main turn off the people thin out quite a bit. I don't know what It looks like on the weekends though. I have never fished the Skok, but I have heard the crowds are tremendous. I was invited by a coworker to go Fri morning, but we were over two hours late getting out of work that morning. He was there this last Tue and claims to have banked over 30 fish in 2 1/2 hours on black corkies and yarn. I didn't see it myself, but he has never given me reason to doubt him either. I'll definitely be headed canal ways sometime in the near future, and over in your direction as well. I hear good things about lings and rock fish in Gray's Harbor. I have never hung into either, but I am looking to soon. I'll be sure to let you know as things pan out. If you want to venture over this far to try your hand on the Nis, just shoot me a PM and we can figure out a time. I plan to spend some time on the water with Em7b5, and cobrakak76 soon as well. Schedules permitting maybe we could all meet up to beat up a few pinks while the getting is still good. I plan to get at the Nis again Mon, unless my buddy drags me out to the Skok. More to come.

  I'd be up for some fishing with the south sound crew sometime.  Although I'm really no fan of the crowds either and do most of my fishing during the week, I think a crowd of yaks would be pretty cool just about anytime. Anybody got any ideas on a when and a where?
 Chris

Are we wanting to do fresh or salt water fishing?  and i am up for mid week early morning if ya all are.


Marilyn

One day next week would most likely fit right into my sched. I have a few things going on this week, so I will only be good for one maybe two outings on foot tops. I am going to try to clear some time for next week though. Let me know what/where you all are thinking.

i am up for any day but the 28th. i have a appointment that day.