Finally after 5 trips out there this past week with nothing but big kings to C&R, I caught a 7 lb coho this AM. Also released a king that was pushing 30 Total for the week, fishing a couple hours around high tide each day, 9 kings released, 1 coho kept, lots of kings lost. Real foggy out there in the AM, had to run out on GPS, always kind of spooky in an estuary that is about 90% intertidal. Keeps the crowds down though

I noticed a lot of nice kings caught and released in the Chehalis. Sure doesn't seem to be the shortage that would warrant the release of all kings.

Don't know what the "official" reason is, but it looks to me like they gave away the Chehalis to the tribe in exchange for season long ocean fishing for us, those with ocean boats anyway. Catching and releasing kings is a blast, but the enjoyment is tempered somewhat by knowing that they will all get netted and egged in a few weeks

A guy from the Chehalis River Fisheries Taskforce told me he attended all the meetings on setting the seasons and pushed for the king closure and delay of opening for coho. He also told me he once seen about fifty dead kings floating around the Johns River area because of hooking mortality. I have fished the harbor quite alot and have never seen a dead floating king.

Fishing report for my boat last week. Four trips with a total of 9 silvers and 6 kings caught.

Does anyone have or know where to find the documentation for a net fishery in Grays Harbor this fall? If it happens I know I will be really pissed.

I have two trips under my belt. I have seen some very ugly releases. A few boats were netting the kings putting the fish on the floor of the boat to wrestle the hooks out, then snapping a pic before chucking the fish overboard like a piece of firewood Our problem friday was the seals. They were nailng the kings as soon as we hooked up. It sure sucks releasing dead fish. In two trips my boat had 8 kings released and 6 coho including a 12 and a 16 last trip. We were really trying to target coho but the kings were hittng our baits which were less than 10 feet down. Ive been fishing there for a decade and have never seen so many kings. The strang thing is that they are alll very close to the same size. In years past the kings have usually ranged from 15 to 50 and everywhere in between. This Year every one has been 25 to 35.

Never seen so many kings...............but no retention.

Just like clockwork, isn't it?

I have not been able to find the tribal schedule but I called the Monte office for the commercial schedule. The first season starts on October 7 and lasts until the 10th with another later in October and another in November.

It's always been like that. Have fished that area all my life (relatives and parents have had property in the area since the 30's). It seems that since they've put "species select" fisheries, I've always had an ABUNDANCE of the fish we are supposed to release. It always works that way. I remember one year on some of the Chehalis tribs that no matter what we did, we couldn't get away from catching kings when it was closed for them. But was having a hard time catching coho's and chum. Same thing happened on chum closure years, etc, etc. So, will be a tremendous king fishing year for me. LOL.

If there really is a net fishery in Grays Harbor I'm sure the officials will say it is late so as not to catch Kings. I wish someone could observe what goes on. I understand that the Chinook run is the lowest in years..or atleast it was predicted to be so. Maybe it is stronger than expected. Sports fishers only caught about 50% of our quota and therefore the trollers weree given another 5,000 Kings so maybe because of that there is a loophole to allow mass netting. Grays Harbor on the inside is like a fish bowl for the netters. Really sad.

This is the kind of thing I would think Washington Trout would jump all over if they are really concerned about "wild" fish.

Fished 28th street on Sunday and did see some ugly releases. I also saw one dead small king float by. Some people really don't get it when it comes to a fish friendly release. Leave the sucker it the water and cut your leader if you have to. The number of fish was not to impressive but the majority of them were bonked. I managed a hatchery hooknose about 13#. Spawnout is right on when talking about their fate!!! Especially with the no rain for a week forecast.

I fished in front of the John's river last year for kings but did not pick up any silvers. It was probably due to the fact that it was so early. Do you fish for silvers there the same way with a cut plug, fish flash and dropper? Been trying to figure out a place to catch some silvers in the salt for saturday morning. Would love to go to the Reach but thats too far. does it matter how deep?

50 dead floating kings? What a bunch of BS I fished there every day last week and never saw one. I also never had any problems with seals, but I have been getting them played out quick, netting them so they won't be so worn out, and unhooking them quickly in the water - most of them throw the barbless hooks in the net. When I let them go they tear off at high speed. These kings are pretty mature and their scales are well embedded, so they do not suffer any damage from being netted. I know a lot of you don't approve of using the net, but I have netted literally tens of thousands of fish in saltwater terminal areas over many years in many jobs - jaw tagging, radio tagging, broodstock sorting, and the like - and mortality is negligeble. Playing them out until you can safely unhook them in the water is a lot harder on them, as they can build up lethal levels of lactic acid in their system if played too long, and the seal will get them every time if they are too worn out to get away from him. Never take them out of the water and put them in the boat, you will get a ticket for that and you will deserve it

After all that, they are still all going to get netted after the first week of October anyway