We plan on heading over to the San Juans on Monday. Any advice on where to launch and whether there is any good fishing to be had while we are sight-seeing?

Sean

A lot of people these days are launching under the "Twin Bridges" (Hyw 20 bridge over the Swinomish Channel) to avoid long lines and higher fees at the marinas in Anacortes. Pans out about the same as far as time goes when you're heading out into the islands.

No fishing report

.02

Washinton Park (Sunset Beach) is on the northwest tip of Fidalgo Island and is by far the closest launch site to the islands.

I don't have a clue about conditions of the launch, parking, fees, lines, or other because I don't use the launch, I just used to live there.

Hopefully someone else can chime in and give you more details.

The Washington Park ramp is decent, but ...

1. it is somewhat exposed, and the water can pick up and tows your boat around

2. the end of the floating dock is shallow, I pranged a propeller crossing from one side of the dock to the other

3. IIR, they charge you parking per day, so if you launch on a Friday and return on a Sunday, I think you have to pay 3 day's parking, which was $5/day last time I was up there

I prefer the ramp under the highway bridge near the Twin Bridges storage facility. I don't recall the fee structure for that one though.

The ramp is decent, but ...

1. it is somewhat exposed
2. the end of the floating dock is shallow, I pranged up a prop crossing from one side of the dock to the other
3. parking is charged per calender day, and was $5/day last time I was up there

I prefer the ramp into the river, under the highway bridge, near Twin Bridges storage facility.