I've always wondered why the regulations have albacore tuna listed as open year around in areas 7-13. Why not sailfish and marlin? I'm not intending to bash WDFW about this, just think it's kind of funny.
Thank you for your e-mail correspondence to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) regarding albacore tuna.

We have no record of albacore tuna being caught in Areas 7-13 at any time. The albacore remain well offshore. However, the areas are open to albacore tuna fishing and so are listed in the booklet, just to minimize confusion, and in case an albacore or two enters the Puget Sound.

If you have further questions, please email again or call (360) 902-2700. Our Customer Service hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Sincerely,
Fish Program

Back in the early/mid 80's I saw a tuna about 10lbs caught off of the Edmonds Pier.

It created quite a stir for sure. Not sure what kind of tuna it was. A fish cop that came down said he could keep it and it was there do to an El Nino(sic?).

The guy caught it on a Buzz Bomb. But again, back then 95 out of 100 guys were throwing Buzz Bombs so go figure. Even seen an Octopus caught with one.

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"Just Say No To Sovereign Nations!"

About the same time ('82, I think) I was seining in SE Alaska (please, I'm pretty much reformed, OK?) and we caught quite a few albacore and bonita that season. Also saw sea turtles, and sunfish in the 250+ lb. vicinity released (now THAT'S a weird lookin' fish). El Nino for sure.

Speaking of odd fish caught in the Sound, back in the early 70's I saw a thirty-five pound striped bass caught by a salmon fisherman in Holmes Harbor.

I also heard about the Pacific Barracuda caught in the Duwamish Waterway (green river)
back in the 80's , and a Marlin hooked by a commercial Salmon Troller off of Oregon.

Fuzzy
www.silentapproach.com

I caught a 10", bright red sea cucumber off the south end of Hat Island last year. I dunno if it was in season. ;-)

I too remember the Oregon Marlin....thanks to that damn El Nino.....

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"Just Say No To Sovereign Nations!"

Preston.
The striper should not surprise you at all. Stripers range from southern Mexico all the way into southern B.C.
Iread a story where some retired guy from back east came out to the west coast and fished from Mexico to Canada. He fished in the surf and caught Stripers almost everywhere he fished.
I love fishing for stripers. The regs here in Oregon are screwed. You are allowed 1 fish over 30 inches in a 24 hour period. Personally I think the limit on them should be as many as you can carry plus one. They are not native and they eat a hell of a lot of smolts.

Willierower,
Maybe so, but I can't recall ever hearing a report of a striper being caught in Puget Sound or on the coast before or since then. If they range as far north as southern BC I would think that they would have been fairly commonly caught in the coastal charter boat fishery of years past.

WR,where in OR are you fishing for the stripers? When are they available? I have a freind in boston that has been trying to get me out for couple of years. It's just an expensive fishing trip.

Thickline,
The Coquille system, Coos Bay and The Umpqua and Smith river estuaries have Stripers. The Best times are late spring through the summer.

cool,

I might be able to get out and give it a shot without spending $$$ other than gas. Any insight on catching them with a fly rod?

Hey Thickline,

We might have the same friend in Boston! If he wanted to take you flyfishing on Cape Cod for Stripahs, I'd say DO IT!

I went a couple years ago and had a great time catching Stripers and Blues. Those Blues are incredibly strong for their size, and flats fishing for big Stripers is a blast.

My Oregon friends tell me the Striper fishing is good down there, but you definitely need a boat to do it effectively.

later,

Brian

I don't know if this is normal or what, but last season i caught a octopus or some other type of bottom creature that was a dark purple color. He probally weighed about 3lbs. I just cut the line

HI my first post here just wanted to say howdy and to reply to the comment above on the marlin yes that was weird I was there!.This marlin came swimming into the Boat basin at Winchester bay the bait dealer and some others freaked they thought it was a Great white for a second.the marlin swam back out of the basin into the umpqua bay by then the word was spreading and a charter boat ran out into the bay and dragged some gear by it and hooked the crazy thing.I was on the mud flats at this time striper fishing when I noticed this charter boat going backwards against the current thought to my self what the? anyway made sense when I got back and found out the whole story.RJ

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