Wayne Kruse’s Pick of the Week

Thatcher Pass Winter Blackmouth

The last two weeks of October generally offer good blackmouth fishing in much of the San Juan Islands, and this year seems to be no exception. Kevin John at Holiday Sports in Burlington (360-757-4361) said pretty fair numbers of fish to 10 or 11 pounds are being taken at such spots as Thatcher Pass, Lopez Flats and Eagle Bluff/Tide Point. Thatcher Pass would be a good place to start, being close to home, easy to find and easy to fish.

Bait in a helmet behind a flasher — either a strip or a whole small herring — has been popular, John said. Flasher/squid will also work, or spoons such as the Coho Killer or “Hoochie Hook,” a 31/2-inch Kingfisher Lite/hoochie combo.

State checks at the Washington Park ramp west of Anacortes on Sunday counted seven fishermen with two blackmouth, while at the Bellingham ramp off Glenn Street, it was 12 anglers with five fish.

— Wayne Kruse