Chinook catch off to good start | Fishing report

Northern Puget Sound and the east side of Whidbey Island up into Saratoga Passage opened last week.

By Mark Yuasa

Seattle Times staff reporter

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The catch on the local fishing scene will hook anglers into a wide variety of fall fish in the days ahead.

Northern Puget Sound and the east side of Whidbey Island up into Saratoga Passage opened last week with decent action for hatchery chinook at Possession Bar, Jefferson Head, Point No Point, Camano Head, Elger Bay and Double Bluff off Whidbey Island.

"Fishing is off to a pretty good start in (northern Puget Sound), and we've seen lots of chinook in the 6- to 8-pound range, and enough over 10 pounds to make it interesting," said Mike Chamberlain, owner of Ted's Sports Center in Lynnwood. "There are also lots of chum moving through, and a few late coho."

Three major derbies were held last weekend, and the Bayside Marine Salmon Derby in Everett sold 250 tickets with 83 fish caught.

Scott Bumstad caught the winning chinook with a 14.4-pounder Saturday and took home $2,000, followed by Wayne Brem with a 14.2-pound chinook. The boat team of Derek Floyd had the most weight with a total of 86.83 pounds caught during the two-day derby.

The Jacobsen's Marine Grady White Invitational lured 70 anglers in 28 boats with eight chinook. Tom Regney of Snohomish took first with a 7.06-pound chinook, and Kris Bundy of Bellingham was second with a 7.02 fish.

The Tengu Derby in Elliott Bay on Sunday had 33 anglers with just one hatchery chinook that weighed 4 pounds, 12 ounces caught by Justin Wong of Seattle off Duwamish Head.

The season leader is Steve Nitta with an 8-pound, 2-ounce chinook. The derby meets at daybreak to 11 a.m. every Sunday through Dec. 30 at the Seacrest Boathouse in West Seattle. Cost is $15. Details: 206-324-7600.

The marine salmon fishery is open along the southeast side of Whidbey Island (Catch Areas 8-1 and 8-2), Puget Sound (9, 10, 11 and 13) and Hood Canal (12). Port Angeles and San Juan Islands reopen Dec. 1.

On the local freshwater scene, a plant of 2,000 rainbow trout averaging 2 to 3 pounds went into Beaver Lake near Issaquah this week, and should offer good fishing in the weeks ahead. Daily limit is five fish, only two of which can exceed 15 inches in length.

Lone Lake on Whidbey Island is producing some good fall trout fishing, and other year-round lakes worth a try are Goodwin, Blackmans and Ballinger.

Lake Washington remains decent for perch off Kenmore, Madison Park to Mount Baker, Seward Park and Coulon Park in Renton.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com


Fishing report
Location	Comment
Coastal razor clams	The next scheduled digs are Tuesday and Wednesday at Twin Harbors only; Nov. 15 at Long Beach and Twin Harbors; and Nov. 16 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks. More digs also are scheduled around Thanksgiving and in December. Digging is allowed after noon each day.
Digging: Yes Rating:
Statewide rivers	Reiter Ponds on Skykomish is fair for late summer steelhead. Slowed down for coho in Cascade, Skykomish and Skagit. Fair for coho on northern coast in Bogachiel, Clearwater and Hoh, and fair for a mix of chum, coho and kings in Humptulips. Fair for coho and chinook in Cowlitz near the salmon hatchery. Lewis North Fork, Washougal and Klickitat are fair to good for coho. Fair for steelhead in Upper Columbia, Wenatchee, Icicle, Entiat, Methow and Okanogan.
Biting: Yes/no Rating:
Marine areas	Chum fishing action was very good at Hoodsport in Hood Canal with a check last Saturday showed 71 anglers with 97 chum, and Sunday 38 caught 85. Other good chum spots are the Kennedy Creek estuary in Totten Inlet, Johns Creek estuary in Oakland Bay, McLane Creek estuary near Olympia, Dyes Inlet; Chico Creek near Bremerton, North Bay near Allyn and Perry Creek in Eld Inlet. Good squid jigging at night off Edmonds Pier and Pier 86 on the Seattle waterfront. Good crabbing in open areas of Puget Sound and Hood Canal, but closed in central and south central Puget Sound. A few coho, early steelhead and chum caught off the beaches on the west side of Whidbey Island.
Biting: Yes Rating: