Wayne Kruse’s Pick of the Week: Bubble kings

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 14, 2017

By Wayne Kruse

For The Herald

The Tulalip “bubble” terminal fishery off Tulalip Bay is having a pretty good season for chinook. State Department of Fish and Wildlife samplers at the Port of Everett ramp are seeing a not-overwhelming but steady trickle of fish coming in. “It’s been better than last year,” said All Star Charters skipper/owner in Everett.

Rumors have it that a 26-pound king came in Saturday, and four other chinook were checked, along with two lings. Krein said bubble chinook generally are suspended at 70 to 90 feet over deep water, or on the bottom in 40- to 50-foot water. The fish usually aren’t schooled, so it’s necessary to cover a lot of water to find loners.

One good spot is right outside the bay on an incoming tide, Krein said.

“A flood tide will sometimes bring chinook in toward the bay and you can find them along the outer edge of the bar in shallow water,” he said

The usual chinook gear works in the bubble: Gibbs green flasher with red stripe, and a Kingfisher Lite spoon in black and white, or a green squid, Krein said.