Gig Harbor
Our original plan was to be Tuna fishing the entire month of August out of Westport. This was killing me because I know this is the best time of year to fish Salmon in Gig Harbor (my home base). I have often said that August is the reward God gives us for making it through the rest of the year here. I have so many friends and supporters in this area that I just had to make it happen.
So, We have decided to take two weeks in August and run as many trips as we can. From August 5th through the 15th Offshore Northwest Charters and Gig Harbor fishing will be one and the same with daily Salmon Charters twice daily from 6:00am to noon and from 4:00pm till dark. I expect these to fill up fast so check out Offshore Northwest and get hold of me as soon as possible.
Good Fishin' To Ya'
Kerry W Allen
I have been fishing salmon all my life. I have been fishing Puget Sound Blackmouth for about 20 years. I know a little about how to fish but one of the most important lessons I have learned during this time is how to take information from several sources to create a style of fishing that I can use. This is one of the themes I have tried to apply to this site and everything I write whether it be on-line or in print. My goal is not to teach people how to fish but to share information so that my readers can create their own technique.
To that end when I find something on-line or in print that can add to the conversation I like to share it here. This is an incredible collection of videos by my friend Mike Jamboretz of Jambo’s Sport Fishing explaining in great detail how he fishes Blackmouth in Puget Sound. These videos were created by Mike and Doug Saint-Denis of Ridge to River Outdoors. There are four videos in all. Try to watch them in order. I did but I have been back through them several times as they are packed with information.
Enjoy!!
Good Fishin' To Ya'
Kerry W Allen
If you have fished around the Gig Harbor area for very long you know about Chambers Creek Hatchery. August is by far the best month to fish salmon around here and most of those fish come from Chambers Creek hatchery.
There is a dam at Chambers that was built a long time ago to provide water for the old paper mill that was closed in 2000. In the last couple years Pierce County and the Puyallup Tribe have spent over $13 million on upstream habitat restoration but as I have said a million times habitat means nothing if the fish can’t get to it. There has been one fish ladder in operation and the other was abandoned thirty years ago.
Enter the Chambers Creek Restoration Team. This is a group of volunteers that, with grant funding and technical assistance from the Puyallup tribe, have restored the second fish ladder and christened it on September 27th. While the hatchery kings will still be intercepted and the eggs used to replenish the hatchery, the new ladder will assist runs of coho and chum to get upstream to the habitat that has been restored. Which should mean increased runs of these species and that is great news for those of us that like to fish them in September and October.
Good Fishin' To Ya'
Kerry W Allen
While many of you have been enjoying some great Salmon fishing in the South Sound I have been trying to concentrate on my Tuna education and getting offshore Tuna fishing as dialed in as I can.
I have also had some other issues that have made writing difficult in the last few weeks but these things are just about all worked out so we will have more articles coming soon.
Right now everyone should be out with coho killer and coyote spoons fishing the rips for coho. this is a great year and people are really killing them. There are also still some kings around. I hope to get out in the next week or so to try to catch some of these feisty fish.
Tuna fishing offshore has been great and we really seem to be getting good at it. I went out at the beginning of the season with my friend Hawaiian Tom and he taught me a lot about organization and preparation. The big difference in my opinion is that Tuna fishing is a team sport while salmon fishing is more about individual accomplishment. Salmon fishing is often about catching the biggest fish. When your catching 30 fish for 4 or 5 guys all that stuff has to go out the window. The most important thing in tuna fishing is to keep the feed going, whatever that takes.
Good Fishin' To Ya'
Kerry W Allen
Well it is late but I here that guys are catching kings right now in front of the Harbor. Usually when they are late like this they are running by so it may not last long. Get your green gear, find something that floats and get on it!!!
Read up on how to rig stuff on the where and how page here
Good Fishin' To Ya'
Kerry W Allen
Yes boys and girls it’s that time of year again. The time when everyone with anything that can float gets out there and catches a few king salmon as they come by on their way to the river. Some guys will catch these in 60 or 8- feet of water and with anything from a 4 oz. banana weight and a herring to downriggers and hoochies.
I like to fish these in about 90 to 100 feet of water. There is a run that comes through at 75 feet and another around 90. My favorite is to run a green sonic edge spoon 56 inches behind a green hotspot flasher, 100 feet on the downrigger in 90 feet of water. I also go a little faster than some at 2.5 to 3 mph through the water. Recently the cookies and cream kingfisher spoon has worked very well for all these fish. I like to run this 35 inches behind a green flasher. These are especially deadly in the morning.
Plea for help:
If anything I have shared here has helped you, or entertained you, in some small way please consider donating a couple dollars to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Everyone knows someone with diabetes. If you don’t your kids certainly do. Donating is easier than catching local kings. you just click on the link and enter your info. you can even give anonymously if you want.
Thanks you and Good Fishin’ To Ya’
Capt. Kerry
Good Fishin' To Ya'
Kerry W Allen
I commissioned my friend Tammy Derwick, the mermaid expert, to make me an image. My original goal was to make a graphic for the boat “Three Ladies” but as it evolved it became much more than that. What we have ended up with is a beautiful hand drawn portrait of my wife and daughters in mermaid form that we have framed and hung in a place of honor in our home.
I think you will agree Tammy does fine work. You can contact her and see more of her work at bethemyth.com.
Next we will start to work on a nice wrap.
Good Fishin' To Ya'
Kerry W Allen
Yes boys and girls it’s time t o go a hunting the elusive wild dungeness crab. I get asked a lot where to go for dungees in this area. Here’s the deal. If you check out this map on Google maps you will see an area in Quartermaster Harbor that I like to crab but people crab all over that area. there are also crab in several other areas like Olalla, Ruston and north of Point Richmond. Use some kind of oily bait like cat food or Tuna. Turkey legs work well but I like to use my Salmon carcasses from the fish I catch. This keeps me from buying bait and allows me to transform more of the salmon into an edible form.
You also want to make sure you only keep legal crab.
For Dungeness it is males only and 6.25 inches inside the points. Males have a narrow triangle on their belly. like this:
Here is a helpful guide in the Reg book:
I’ll be out first thing in the AM. good Luck and Good Fishin’
Good Fishin' To Ya'
Kerry W Allen
The WDFW has seen fit to give us two more days to fish offshore for Halibut. May 31 and June 2. I can’t wait.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/may2312d/
Good Fishin' To Ya'
Kerry W Allen
Well it’s been a long cold winter but spring has sprung and it’s time to get ready for LaPush Halibut.
I took a trip up recently to fish lings and rockfish just to get back out on the big ocean. It was a great day. Got our lings and a couple seabass, had great ocean conditions and even saw some transient Orca whales. I am including the video link, even though it is crappy, because these big guys were running and you don’t see that all the time.
I spent the winter upgrading the boat, pics to follow, and taking classes for my OUPV (captain) license. Exams were successful and I am now officially Captain Kerry W Allen. I am a Navy veteran, I have worked for the federal government for 25 years and I finally have a marketable skill. The jury is still out as to whether I will start chartering this year or next. Oh, and no I can’t marry people.
The new regs are out. Area 11 will be closed for Salmon during May but Lings will be open May 1st through June 15th. 26 to 36 inches.
We are planning several Ocean trips this year for Halibut, Tuna and maybe even a Salmon trip or two out of Westport. I will start sending the newsletter again soon to keep everyone up to date on what’s Happening.
Good Fishin' To Ya'
Kerry W Allen
Gig Harbor Fly Shop
Gig Harbor.com