Willapa Bay September kings

Anybody been fishing in the Bay?   Any reports??  Anybody going in the next week or 2?

KT, I didn't make it out. Either it was too foggy early in the mornings for my liking (no gps), too breezy in the afternoons, or I was out of town helping my Dad and brother get my parent's house set up for taking care of my Mom, who had another stroke a couple of months ago. Her right side is now paralyzed. She wasn't "improving" in the care facility she was in, and Medicare won't pay for that after so many days if the patient continues to show no improvement. So we had to have their house ready by Sept 1st. We poured a sidewalk around their house, built a wheelchair ramp, etc, and my Dad hired some in-home care givers. Mom seems happier to be home. Now things have stabilized, I am caught up on all my work locally (except my own home improvement stuff), and I can fish more again.

The Bay was very good over Labor Day weekend, according to reports. This may be the last week, since its open concurrent with the ocean season this year. Kings are thinning out, but the Coho were in thick last week. Closes after the 18th I think.
***Nope! Scratch that. Just checked for any emergency closures on the WDFW website, and there aren't any emergency closures. The guy who told me that was wrong! Or lying, considering he fishes, therefore.... 

Larger tide swings this week make it harder to fish, so I don't want to head out alone in my john boat, as I have no one who can fish with me during the week days. Reports I have heard indicate that he Coho fishing had been hot, with a few Kings in the mix, still. 

I have a house guest showing up this Thurs night, staying thru the weekend. I'll be giving her a ride back to Portland on Sunday, and lucky to get back here by Monday evening.

So today I am paddling up a creek or back in the Elk estuary somewhere today to fly fish for searun cutts. We have a nice overcast today. Heading in on the afternoon high tide and fishing /paddling until dusk.

Starting next week, T or W, I will be paddling up in the Willapa River, and maybe back in the Elk estuary. Its been too sunny and hot for my liking upstream of Raymond so far this year. Relief is on the way, though. I just heard the 10-14 day outlook: predicts more precip than normal for the period.  Today's overcast might still hold out thru tomorrow, with even a chance of drizzle in the morning! Only thing better than that would be some real rain, but that is coming. Can't get here too soon.

I went surfing yesterday, since it got sunny and warm here, and the surf was excellent and uncrowded. Water a little chilly though, in the low 50's.

Heard the Bay was lights out over the weekend - sadly MA 11 where I ended up wasn't!

Thinking of fishing out of Tokeland on Sunday. Any interest?

Looks like it is open:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/commercial/salmon/wb_map_2010.pdf

Looks like it is open:http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/commercial/salmon/wb_map_2010.pdf

Is this 2010 map?

yes---areas have not changed, just dates of openings.  I have that data somewhere....looking, looking...

Here's a link to the 2011 map---large scale.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/commercial/salmon/2011_wb_map.pdf

and the dates of netting:

he following are in full force and effect for ALL commercial openers from September 13
through October:

 Drift gill net gear only. It is unlawful to use set net gear.
 All non-legal white sturgeon and ALL steelhead must be handled with care to minimize injury and released immediately to the river/bay.
 Live boxes required. Soak times are limited to 45 minutes (timed from when net enters the water until complete net removal from water).
 RELEASE WILD (UNMARKED) CHINOOK!
 Retention of Green Sturgeon Prohibited.  Please report any encounters through the Quick Reporting phone, fax, or email.
 Quick Reporting REQUIRED, by 10 am the day following landing; 220-69-240 paragraph 12(c).
 All participants MUST have attended a "Fish Friendly" best fishing practices workshop and have in their immediate possession a department-issued certification card.
Date and Time Area Miscellaneous requirements and gear restrictions:
6:00 PM, Sept. 13 through 6:00 PM, Sept. 22, 2011 Areas 2M, 2N, 2R, 2T, and 2U ● 6-inch maximum mesh
6:00 PM, Sept 21 through 6:00 PM Sept. 22, 2011 Area 2K ● 6-inch maximum mesh
6:00 PM, Sept. 24 through 6:00 PM, Sept. 30, 2011 Areas 2M, 2N, 2R, 2T, and 2U ● 6 ½ -inch maximum mesh
6:00 PM, Sept. 28 through 6:00 PM, Sept. 29, 2011 Area 2K ● 6 ½ -inch maximum mesh
6:00 PM, Oct. 2 through 6:00 PM, Oct. 7, 2011 Areas 2M, 2N, 2R, 2T, and 2U ● 6 ½ -inch maximum mesh
● RELEASE ALL CHUM and wild(unmarked) CHINOOK
6:00 PM, Oct. 10 through 6:00 PM, Oct. 14, 2011 Areas 2M, 2N, 2R, 2T, and 2U ● 6 ½ -inch maximum mesh
● RELEASE ALL CHUM and wild(unmarked) CHINOOK

***********what a joke!  release wild chinook from a gillnet?  That's like fillet and release.

Thanks for putting up the schdule, KT. I won't be going out in the Bay now. Too late for me. Looks like some fish may be allowed to get upriver after 6pm on the 22nd. I'll be trolling upstream on the mornings of the 23d and 24th. Yesterday morning might have been good. Now the wall of nets is in.  That always puts a major dent in any sport fishing that was happening upstream...  its like somebody flicked a switch... to "OFF."

Got an e-mail from a guy who volunteers at the Forks Creek hatchery. He said that as of Wed evening, only one Coho had made it to the hatchery so far, and that he didn't know how it got up there "with no water in the river." He didn't say anything about the Kings.

The Harbor opens today, though. S channel of the Chehalis might be worth a check.  Gives us more options. I won't be able to go fishing until Wed morning here anyway, due to prior commitments.

I've been torn about whether to give WIllapa Bay a try, or go up to the Strait for silvers.  With the commercials in force in the Bay, looks like the Strait is the answer.
Will call the Marina at Tokeland just to make sure, tho.

Dang, I just saw the article in Salmon, Trout Steelheader mag about Tilllamook.  Damn!!   Now I'm hot to go to tillamook!!  Fished in Quartermaster with
NU2Kayaks yesterday, nuttin but a couple pinks jumping-----no love from the silvers!   We pedaled/paddled around the  outer QM, nice day and nice company but fishless on Vashon.....