If you’ve never doodled around in a boat in the San Juan Islands — even a small boat — you’ve missed a major and very unique Northwest attraction.
The islands are gorgeous. You can see remnants of the Pig War, the historic lime kiln, orcas and other wildlife, and a lot of old hippies in various stages of molt.
Add to this the fact that the islands are arguably the best winter Chinook fishery in Western Washington, and it becomes a mystery why more anglers from this area don’t make the relatively short run to Anacortes to fish the islands on a regular basis.
It probably has a lot to do with the staggering amount of fishing water available. If you’re unfamiliar with the area and have no one to show you the better spots, learning the islands can be a daunting prospect.
But well worth it, which brings up next weekend’s Anacortes Salmon Derby.
The derby is long sold-out, but even if you don’t have a ticket you’re welcome to attend the comprehensive, free, seminar on Friday, starting at 6 p.m., on how and where to fish winter Chinook in the islands. The seminar takes place in the derby tent at Cap Sante Marina, down at the north end of the main Anacortes business district and over to the right, and features a pair of experts in Jim Aggergaard and John Keizer.
No one knows fishing in the San Juans like Aggergaard, a retired fish cop now chartering in the islands, who will provide a Power Point presentation on where you might find cooperative Chinook, for the derby or any other time. Keizer is also a charter skipper of huge experience, and he’ll offer solid, useable tips on downriggers, electronics, finding fish, and more.
“Last year the seminar drew more than 350 fishermen,” said derby coordinator Jay Field, “and we got a lot of positive feedback about helping folks find the best water and how to work the tides and wind.”
Field, an avid island angler and local businessman, suggested the following three places as good spots to start for fishermen without a lot of San Juan experience:
1. POINT LAWRENCE, on the east side of Orcas Island, should fish well on the big ebb tides derby weekend, but produces Chinook every month during the season, is easy to fish, and offers a forgiving bottom. Troll southwest from the point to the small Sea Acre resort, on bottom in 80 to 120 feet of water. Field said you can troll it both directions, but don’t bother to fish it on the flood (after low slack, move to Eagle Bluff, below). “And don’t get hung up in the big rip that forms off the point,” he added.
2. LOPEZ FLATS comprise a big area with lots of elbow room and a sandy bottom, very popular, only four miles west of the Washington Park ramp and on the west side of Rosario Strait. Start just south of James Island and troll south for a mile, down to Lopez Pass, or even south of there, in 70 to 120 feet of water, a fair distance offshore. On a big ebb, pick up and run back north; on a big flood, reverse the procedure. It’s a forgiving bottom, Field said, and close to the park ramp, but exposed to southeasterlies.
3. EAGLE BLUFF (sometimes “Eagle Cliff” on maps and charts) lies on the northwest corner of Cypress Island, and fishes well on both ebb and flood. On the ebb, Field said, troll the whole shoreline from Strawberry Island north to Eagle Bluff, especially around Tide Point. On the flood, hit the north end of Strawberry Island, and then run up and fish between Tide Point and Eagle Bluff, again close to bottom in 70 or 80 to 120 feet of water. This spot is also easy to learn and with a forgiving bottom, and it offers some protection from southeasterly winds, Field said. He also warned anglers to avoid the rip which will form off Tide Point on the big ebb tides derby weekend.
Some other popular spots worth learning for the inexperienced San Juan fisherman , Field said, might include THATCHER PASS, including the southeast side of Blakely Island, a relatively short run from the Washington Park ramp; LOPEZ PASS, under certain conditions; POINT THOMPSON/PARKER REEF, on the flood only, and a long run to the north side of Orcas Island; and SPRING PASS, on the southwest corner of Orcas Island, roughly a 45-minute run from Cap Sante.
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