Great weather on Saturday greeted just under 1,000 participants in the Edmonds Coho Derby, which turned out to be quite similar to the 2013 event. The number of tickets sold was comparable; the total fish weighed in, 331, was in the same ballpark as last year’s 395; and the first-place coho, at 11.15 pounds (dressed weight), was very close to the 11-pound, 8-ounce 2013 winner.
Knowledgeable Puget Sound salmon fishermen have been saying the in-Sound coho run so far is not up to expectations, and that the fish are smaller than usual. Local anglers have been reporting a lot of coho in the 3- to 4-pound range, certainly, a little smaller than expected, but the run size seems to be reasonably close to 2012 and 2013, which were widely said to be good coho years.
State Fish and Wildlife Department creel checks at the Port of Everett ramp have been pretty positive the past several days. Some 167 anglers were tallied Friday with 150 coho; on Saturday, 227 with 119 fish; and Sunday, 425 with 197 coho. Those aren’t bad numbers for the local fishery, outpaced only by parts of the Strait of Juan de Fuca where, for instance, 99 anglers on Saturday had 150 coho at the Ediz Hook, Port Angeles public ramp.
At the Edmonds Derby, first place and $5,000 went to Daniel Lejnieks, with the above-mentioned 11.15-pounder; second and $2,000 to Mike Bachtel at 8.8 pounds, and third, worth $1,000, to Kari Ross at 8.7 pounds, all dressed weights.
Alex Johnson won the youth division, at 6.59 pounds; second went to Hunter Don Holscher, at 6.06 pounds; and third went to Justin Long at 5.64 pounds.
Information on where the fish were taken is sketchy, but the shipwreck appeared to be a popular and productive area.
Gary Krein of All Star Charters in Everett didn’t fish the derby, but he said action has been pretty good right in front of Edmonds and from about two miles north of town to two miles south, for the last week and a half. “Pretty good numbers but quite a few smaller fish,” he said.
Krein recommends glow green/white hoochies or Coho Killer spoons, and said some fishermen were doing well going down 70 to 90 feet, or even deeper, instead of the usual 30 to 40 feet.
Mike Chamberlain at Ted’s Sport Center in Lynnwood said coho fishing has been fairly good for beach anglers at Bush and Lagoon points, and Fort Casey on the west side of Whidbey Island, and at West Beach near Deception Pass. Most folks in that fishery are tossing Buzz Bombs, Chamberlain said, in chartreuse or green, or fishing a float/herring rig. The outgoing tide is best, he said.
There are also a few early coho being caught in the Snohomish and Skagit rivers, Chamberlain said, mostly in the lower-end tidal water and mostly on trolled plugs. Action should continue to build through about mid-October.
Everett coho
Next up is the 21st running of the Everett Coho Derby on Sept. 20-21, with headquarters at Everett Bayside Marine. This one’s starting to be known as a big-money event, with the 2014 grand prize standing at $10,000 and donated by Bayside Marine, Harbor Marine, John’s Sporting Goods and Silver Horde. Prize money for second through fourth places has also been significantly increased, and everyone buying a derby ticket will be entered in a raffle for an Alaskan fishing adventure, presented by King Salmon Adventures and Three Rivers Marine.
Additionally, two boat packages will be awarded at the derby — one adult and one youth — through the Northwest Marine Trade Association’s Salmon Derby Series. Derby tickets go for $30, on sale at most local marinas and tackle outlets, and youth under 12 fish free and vie for separate cash prizes.
John Martinis of John’s Sporting Goods in Everett will once again present his popular coho fishing seminar on Friday evening, Sept. 19, at Bayside Marine, 1111 Craftsman Way, Everett, just south of the Port of Everett ramp. The seminar is free and starts at 7 p.m.
The Everett Coho Derby is presented by the Everett Salmon Association and supported by the Snohomish sportsmen’s Club and the Everett Salmon and Steelhead Club. Derby proceeds go to kids’ fishing programs, trout stocking of area lakes, fishing events for disabled veterans and service personnel, and contributions to local high school programs.
Complete information on the derby can be found at www.everettcohoderby.com.
Cabela’s seminars
Upcoming free seminars at Tulalip Cabela’s include: Sept. 13-14, waterfowl classic and NRA weekend, with presentations on duck and goose calling, women’s intro to waterfowl, Waterfowl University, and more. Plus NRA classes on personal protection, concealed carry Q&A, and situational awareness.
Sept. 27-28, big game camp, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with free classes and activities to get you ready for your big game hunt. For more info visit www.cabelas.com/tulalip.
Oct. 4, ladies’ day out; free classes taught for women by women which cover hunting, fishing, shooting, camping, hiking and more, plus the first 100 ladies to check in at 10:00 will receive a free gift. All participants will get special shopping discounts, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more info go to www.Cabelas.com/tulalip.
Oct. 5, field dressing and processing big game, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jon Blank, expert certified meat cutter brings over 25 years experience to this presentation as he demonstrates how to properly field dress and debone your big game animal for maximum success. The class and live demonstration are free, but Cabela’s asks that you RSVP by calling 360-474-4880.
For more information go to the website above.
Bits and pieces
Hanford Reach is picking up for fall chinook, and fishing should get better between now and the end of October. This could be a blue ribbon year for the Reach, with a record run of fall kings coming up the Columbia. But get on ‘em quickly, as they tend to darken rapidly.
Perch fishing is good in Lake Washington.
Kevin John at Holiday Sports in Burlington says the Samish has been pretty good for chinook since the last rain, casting spinners on a high tide, or eggs and other bait on a low tide, for kings to 25 or 30 pounds.
The lower Skagit has also been a possibility for coho lately, John said, from Sedro-Woolley upstream, casting plugs such as Brad’s Wigglers, and Vibrax spinners, in green or chartreuse.
Coastal salmon
Salmon regulations in Marine Area 1, Ilwaco, have been changed to allow up to two chinook in the daily bag limit, and retention of either hatchery or wild coho, effective since Sept. 6.
Anglers have a two-salmon daily limit in all four marine areas off the coast, and now may retain hatchery or wild coho in all four areas, which are all open daily.
The new regulations change the previous rules, which allowed only one chinook and a hatchery coho. Those rules were deliberately conservative, said Doug Milward, WDFW ocean salmon manager, to ensure that the fishery would remain open for the entire season.
Ocean salmon fisheries are currently scheduled to continue through Sept. 21 in marine areas 3 and 4 (LaPush and north coast) and through Sept. 30 in marine areas 1 and 2 (Ilwaco and Westport). A portion of Marine Area 3 will reopen Sept. 27 through Oct. 12.
For more outdoor news, read Wayne Kruse’s blog at www.heraldnet.com/huntingandfishing.
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