Where are we on the Quota?
Are we going to be fishing until the 15th?
I think someone made a reference as to how the State calculates catch. Can someone provide that again?

I feel like last year I was catching fresh ocean fish already.. maybe I was wrong tho. Each time I catch a fish I journal it for future reference.. either way waiting for that beach fishing to kick up!

GTutz -
Believe that the following links will answer your questions.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01580/wdfw01580.pdf

http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01618/wdfw01618.pdf

Curt

John Martinis posted on his Facebook page that A9 was at 50% quota as of July 30.

I'm guessing A9 / A10 will stay open up to the 15th closure and that our full quota will not be reached. Of course, all of those "extra" fish will show on the 16th or shortly thereafter and bump the tribal share past its current 70% take. Our season could be extended until our quota is met, but that would be too generous and asking for too much. The WDFW certainly doesn't have an issue closing it early when quota met. But to do the opposite....."Oh no, that would be impossible!”.

The bait's been deep this year. Fish deep with 5 - 7" plugs. East A10 has finally started to pump out some fish this past weekend.

CJ - It's still 2 - 3 weeks early for sizable Ocean Ho's. Give it some time.

Oooh. Plugs? Did someone say plugs? I'm glad I got my order in from Tomic last week! But I had no takers the other day on the couple I tried. I'm going to give it another go this weekend.

Correct me if I'm wrong but are you supposed to troll plugs a bit faster than flasher gear? I mean, based on my downrigger cable I was trolling at a good pace, but I dont really know if I'm achieving the correct action on the plug.

Are there any seasoned pluggers out there who can chime in or PM me!?!?! Thanks fellas!

I troll plugs and flasher gear together all the time.

But then, I troll faster than most. I rarely troll less than 3 mph and am usually running about 3.5

Fished 7/31-8/2

I broke away from bass fishing this summer to do some Chinook fishing in area 9 with my bass partner and also salmon fisherman Chris Ferry from Limit Out Marine and Tackle.

7/31; 1st fish not even 10 minutes into the day and 2nd at 7:58am and on our way home.
8/1; Similar to 7/31. 2 fish and done by 8:10am. Also pulled our crab pots and had over 20 keepers, we left some to pull for the next day and kept our 10.
8/2; Got me a solid keeper at 4:45am! I proposed to my girl friend of 8 years and she said yes. Then went fishing where our crew of 5+1 kid, went 3/4 on the morning flood and then got our 30 crab.

All but 1 of our fish came on flasher and a spoon tailwagger and one on a 4" tomic plug. We had to maintain a tight course with the bottom and the downrigger, constantly making sure it was very close. No giant fish but a few pushing the upper teens. I probably don't need to mention where we were other than follow the other 100-200+ boats and we were right in the middle doing our damage!

Day 1; 7/31






Day 2

Day 3; 8/2

Nice few days, Nick...and congrats on getting engaged while you were out there

Fish on...

Todd

+1

Tan - put the flasher on the rigger cable above your ball or just run your plugs without (flashers aren't needed...at all). Troll about the same speed you normally do or roughly 3 knots. Also test your plug at the surface along the boat at the speed you like. You'll know if its moving right. Keep it on the bottom as Berto stated (work your rigger depth constantly). Baits all out in 200' + pinned to the floor. Good luck,

PnP -

Thursday 4 for 4 w a double header.
Friday 3 for 4 one wild released.
Sunday 4 for 4 all keepers.

Biggest was 19, several small 5 lb "blackmouth" in the mix.

The fish finally showed up, and so did the fleet. It was a fvcking ZOO on Sunday. Holy hell.

Saturday was a zoo as well, lost a nice one to a blue yacht.

I was able to get my friend his first salmon.





There was bait everywhere, and this greedy guy already had a couple in his mouth

Thanks for the info NickD.

I was watching my plugs on the side of the boat for a little bit but I dont know if it was wiggling like it should. I know they're supposed to wiggle then dart around or something along those lines. But maybe I have that wrong. I put the plug out about 50-75 feet off the clip so I think I have that part right. I also tie my line as high up on the tow bar as I can. The plug I ran with the tow bar removed was acting the same as the one with the tow bar intact. And all the plugs I ran were 4", 4" tubby and 5".

Whatever the case, I'm going to give them their due time in the water. I know I'll accidentally hook one on a plug one of these days.

The plugs should run side to side with a big dart every few seconds. 50 - 75 feet is WAY back there. You'll get wrapped lines with two rods working at that distance. That's also a lot farther from your ball so the plug will ride higher in the water column and not at the depth you think yer' fishing. I'd keep em' in a bit closer (15 - 30 feet). Also, pull the tow bar out of your Tomics and turn it em' a 'slip' plug. Feed your line through the hole, add a small single bead to protect the knot and then a 6 ball chain to your standard stainless hook. If you are getting short strikers, you can add a small dental rubber band in the last slot between the 5 and 6th ball in your chain near your hook. This "holds" the hook up tight to the body resulting in more hookups. However, when doing this you have to continually check the chain and hook placement for proper running. Grass and jellies can throw it off. Do this for direct contact with your fish. The slip plug will float up your line and offer zero resistance for a better fight. If you get cut off, it'll also separate from the hook and float up to the surface for a recovery.

But I have been reading about some Tomic plugs leaking when people pull the pin.

Thank you again for the instruction!

I've fished with guides in Canada that use Tomics and they were all pin pullers. But the folks that make the plugs.. on their website they do not recommend that you do that. I have some that I've pulled and some that I still use the towbar, I don't know if it makes all that big a dif. I usually put them back about 30 feet behind the cable.

The other big problem with running your gear back 100 feet is getting tangled up with other boats in the fleet.

I prefer to run all my stuff in pretty tight that way when Joe Blow with a 30 foot Grady doesn't pay attention and runs over my stern I don't lose half my chit.

That's what you get for trolling sideways through everyone else

Thank you so much everyone! I really appreciate all the tips! I will use them this Sunday when I get on the water again.