I stopped by the Shilshole ramp this morning around 8:30 am. Out of 14 boats, 12 had boat limits and lots of big ones too.

Most were caught off West Pt. and Meadow Pt. clear out in the shipping lanes with riggers set at 80 feet. Appears to be the best bite so far this season.

Cigar

Sweet... Thanks for the report.

I've not fished in Shishole bay before, where's the best launch? And what's the water like off the points that you mentioned? I'd love to give it a go but I've got a small boat and rough water can be an issue.

Thanks,

Aaron

Nice report Cigar, wish I could get back out this week.

Best launch is at Shilshole or the Don Armeni ramp in West Seattle (near Alki). Water is as rough as the wind makes it. Check the wind speed here:

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=wpow1

Thanks for the report Cigar...........man it's going to be a long week!!

Talked to a fishing buddy who is retired so he can go whenever and he was out in that area this morning. Fishing near the midchannel buoy straight west from West point. They didn't get anything huge but got a boat limit for 2 guys in a little over an hour and a half . Mostly 7 to 10 lbs. 90 feet down, 11" Hotspot with green squid 32" behind in 500 to 600 feet of water. Couple of cautions in that area; watch out for the fog, boat wakes from tugs/barges combos, freighters, and that damn Victoria Clipper. Last year that thing decided to take a shortcut just outside the green buoy at West Point and came pretty close to hitting a couple of boats. Qualifies as operating vessel in an unsafe manner but when I called in to the Coast Guard, the guy on the desk sounded like he really didn't want to be bothered. I digress, Sorry but it is a concern. Anyway it is good as it's gonna get out there now so good luck. I will probably be out on Saturday to start winding up while they are still available.

You guys are killing me. I knew after fishing Sunday it was going to be smokin' this week.

Only 30 more years till retirement!

Edit: I've got a buddy who works on the Clipper boats and can tell you most the captains running the boats are considerate of other boaters/fisherman, but there are 1 or 2 who are clowns. For them I reserve my special 5oz hookless mooching rig (this is a joke)

I fished West Pt. this AM and got skunked. Had one decent hit, but nothing there when I got to the rod. Several shakers. I heard about a few getting caught on the radio. The fish checker at Armeni said it was slower than usual.

West point slow. Meadow point slow. MidChannel buoy very good. As of 1100, 21 fish for 14 boats. Several boats had limits for both anglers on board.

I was out at Medow Pt on Sunday. I had a really big one on and the hook popped out while I was trying to avoid some moochers. Anyone notice how many fish are stacked up in that area (via your depth sounder)? After the morning tide, the bite just turned off though.

Fishing was fair for us today. We brought home 2 and lost 3. On one of the three the line broke at the flasher and we chased the fish for five minutes on the surface trying to net it. That was my lucky flasher!

Anyway, that was Meadow Pt and West Pt. Sounds like we should have been farther out to the midchannel buoy. I've not fished out that far before - guess I'll have to give it a try.

Fished mid channel buoy tonight from 4:00-7:00. Not red hot but did pick up three fish. 5lb, 7lb, 9lb. All fish caught between 65ft and 90 ft. Didn't see any other nets out. Fish caught on old coho fly's and one on a cop car squid and cop car flasher.

I was on the water at 7:00 this morning and had limited out by 8:30.

I got both of my fish quite a ways out between the two points w/ a flasher and a hoochie at 60'.

Thanks Cigar

Fished the shipping lanes off West Point this morning from 7 to 9:30. We got one 7 and one 10 both on green flasher white squid, one 150' on the downrigger cable, one 80'. Not "hot" but this thread helped put me on the spot. Thanks Cigar!

Fished the center channel bouy this am (9-11). Limited out and back home by 1pm. 60 feet down, green flasher, glow hoochie. One was 8 and the other was 10lbs. See you out there tomorrow!

Here's a pic from today 9/22

Hi Guys < Any good reports from this area , I was thinking about giving it a shot Monday morning, or I'm I wasting my time ? Never fished this area ,so it will be my first time. I fished the slag pile at point defiance Saturday,it was dead saw one silver caught. Lots of small shakers everywhere had a hard time keeping them off the hook all the time

The whole area from Shilshoe down to Alki is kicking out fish this weekend. You can get them in the shipping lanes or in close to shore.

I was out at Shilshole yesterday morning, caught my first fish by 8:00, got smelly jelly on my downrigger clip, and spent the next hour and a half messing around trying to get it 'off' the clip before finally deciding to go home for the day.

Lesson learned...

Aaron

Two of us fished from 0630 to just after 1200 and got one 10lb hen. Most of our time was spent between Meadow Pt and the ship canal and out as deep as 300 feet. Got it on a coyote spoon behind a fish flash.

We didn't see many nets out and by 1pm the WDFW checker had about 0.5/boat with most of the successful trips coming from those who went north towards Edmonds.