It's getting that time of the year for fishing off of the beach and yes this why I refer to myself as Bobber Down because bobber/herring is my #1 method of attack.

My question is besides the piers is there any other beaches in the south Sound & San Juan Island areas that you guys have had luck hooking chinook and cohos off of?

As far as Chinook goes, I did C&R two kings last year off of the beach at Bush Pt. while fishing for ho's. I hooked into a nasty nook off of the North Jetty in Ilwaco last summer that broke me off (I still hurt from that one!). I've tried for kings off the beach on San Juan Island over the last few summers with basically nothing more than seaweed to report.

I don't need your secret spots if you don't want to reaveal them to the board, general geographical area and time of year will do.

Thanks in advance, see you all on Lk. WA over the next few weeks, Fish On!

I would try the jetty at Westport, Neah Bay (need Tribal license), and I love the Hook at PA. Ediz Hook. I have landed bunches there when open.

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Just because I look big, dumb, and ugly, doesn't mean I am. It means I can stomp you for calling me it!

Big JIM:

Ediz Hook, ahhh! the memories, I remember back in the 70's when I was a kid and watching guys on the beach catch big chrome king slabs. No floats herring back then just big spoons and the early days of the buzz bomb. I don't think we'll ever see a king fishery off the hook in August again

I've been meaning to try the westport jetty just haven't got around to it.

BD, if/when(?)it opens Lincoln Park is a potential spot. Also, when Elliot bay has its weekend openers in August, be there at the concrete slab next to the left of the riprap at Don Armeni with bobber and herring or live squid. Should be a quick day!

I've done the buzz bomb thing for silvers, but have never fished with a herring and a float...how exactly do you rig that? Six foot leader and a few split shot? Since I'm stuck on Orcas (riverless) and living on the North Shore, if there's an opener I'd like to soak a line without enlessly retrieving...thanks!

Bobber down? Chi-nookie? Ho's at Bush Pt.? Guy's gettin chromers on the beach? What kinda subliminal message are trying to pull off here BD? I'm suprised you didn't tell us you got your spoon polished! (Edit: Please excuse. It's been one of those party nights. Btw, my wife doesn't read the fishing BB's, fortunately for me ).




[This message has been edited by Reel Truth (edited 07-03-2000).]

Ho ho ho. Good one!

The last few years here in the south sound Oly- tacoma area I have experimented with herring under bobbers for chums and silvers ...hey it works...ever try any other baits under you're floats?

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Row Quietly and fish a Cataraft }<<(('>----<'))>>{
Release all Wild Fish

Fishkisser99:

Here is how you set up the bobber/float herring rig. I usually use my 8-1/2 foot Lamiglass steelhead rod (Med. Hvy) with an Ambassador reel spooled with 15# test for Coho fisheries that don't have an opportunity for me to keep Chinnook.

You'll need the following:

* A large slip float (I usually use the large oval shaped styrofoam bobbers that come with a central "straw-like" hollow core shaft in the middle. These bobbers are capable of holding up a 2 oz. bannana(mooching) sinker.)
Note: sometimes these floats have a small ring weight at the bottom, I usually remove it.

* A 1-1/2 - 2 oz standard mooching lead.

* A solid tie double hook mooching leader. I usually tie up two 2/0 or 3/0 saltwater Mustads on 12# test. (You can use Gamakatsu, but I find that the points rust in the salt after you sharpen them, which creates dull hook problems.)

O.K. here we go thread the slip bobber onto your mainline,thread on a large bead, next tie on your mooching lead and then of course tie on your double-hook leader to the weight. I usually vary between a 2-1/2 -3 foot leader length. (remember you don't want to have to long of a leader otherwise casting can be difficult).
Finally, now you need a bobber stopper, take a small rubber band (the blue or green ones you find around your daily paper are the best) and tie one with a simple-half inch about 2-6 feet (depending on water depth)above your mooching lead. The idea is that
your only casting your leader length even though you maybe fishing 3-5 ft. below the surface due to the slidding bobber. The trick is the ability to zing this rig out there a ways without your herring falling off!

If your using a small spinning setup and want to go small, no problem just go to a 1-ounce mooching lead and a smaller slip float. If your after kings with this rig, "beef up" to a 17-20# mainline and 20-25# leader.

In the summer of 94 I worked for WDFW as a fish checker at Ilwaco. I fished the jetty every night after work and mastered the bobber/herring quite well. Upon examining the catch data over the summer, believe it or not, more coho were caught of the jetty per angler than on the Buoy 10 boat line. Recent years though the jetty has really been a big dissapointment.

The bobber/herring can be deadly, in the Sound in the summer of 97 I hooked into at least 30 ho's with this rig off of the beach (no, I'm not bragging, just simply stating a fact!!). I have to admit my usual hot spots have been sporadic at best over the last couple of seasons. I have high hopes this September though.

One last note either cast the rig out and let it sit or slowly reel it in. Most of the fish will hit on the reel in 10 feet from the beach. I use to be a die hard buzz bomber, haven't casted one in years.

P.S. Reel Truth, I wish my fishing was that exciting!

There's been some beach waders tossing herring just north of the Narrows Bridge on the Gig Harbor side and on the south side there's a fishing park (fairly new) that I've seen shore fisherpeople tossing various incentives from! Mostly herring though!

The park can be reached by crossing the Narrows into Gig Harbor and taking the first exit...go back UNDER the bridge (this is where you'd park for the NORTH beach fishing!) and follow the road around...there's a little road that gets you to the Park...not marked well...you MAY have to ask for some help from people around there! There's a bakery called Elana's that may be able to help you find it!

Good luck!

L

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"Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds!" Albert Einstein

Bobber Down;
I've been doing some really succesful slip bobber fishing in eastern washington. RB's to 20" plus. Only difference in tackle set up is instead of those little bobberstops, we like to use a blood knot with a couple square knots extra to stop the bead. And of course big slimy nightcrawlers as opposed to herring.
Fishguts

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Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will spend the rest of his life drinking beer on a boat.

I forgot one great spot for those fish. The Westport boat basin. I have had a ball fishing from the boat floats there. May want to try that if you fish the jetty. Check the regs for open times.

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Just because I look big, dumb, and ugly, doesn't mean I am. It means I can stomp you for calling me it!

Yeah, I remember back when i use to go out fishing with my Dad, when we came back we always saw nice salmon swimming in and around the floatilla dock's.
use to try little bits of bait fish to see if they would take it. Never got one to bite if it had a hook in it, but they sure chewed a lot of old herring whenit free floated.

Always thought that it would be fun to try to hold a good fish in between the floats and boats.

elmtree (woody)

Hey BobberDown-

Thanks for the rig info. I am a riverfisherman with driftboat, but am tempted to try the bobber setup off Mukilteo, where I live. I could put the driftboat in or my canoe-into some calm waters and scope out the action. I should probably check the regs, if I can make some sense out of the river regs I should be able to figure out the salt regs.

Hey Bobberdown,

Have you ever tried the live herring/float fishery on the SE tip of Whidbey at the "Bait Box"? You buy your live herring and fish right in front of the bait house. It's common to see 5 fish being landed at one time on the tide bites. These are mostly hatchery coho, BTW, raised and planted.

Out of a boat I fish for them with spinning gear; no weight, just swivel, hook, and herring. Also use a sinking flyline and "mooch" with the live stuff. Very, very, fun.

TK