Hi, moving back west, what's around Tacoma?

[AKMonzter]

Hi, all, new here.  Headed to the Tacoma area about the first of the year. Starting to do some research. Im interested to know what's popular (not where necessarily, don't want to bogart your hole).  Lived in Alaska for almost ten years, born on Lake Michigan (literally), live in the White Trash Death Star for the next couple months (Kentucky, no offense, lol).  Salmon obviously- boat, rivers, shore, creeks?  Flys, spawn bags, piers with herring?  Walleye?  What is common fair on the piers etc?  Inland lakes, bass, pike, walleye?  I'm a little burned out on inland lake planted 10-14" rainbows...Alaska is to thank for that.  Only slightly off topic- but I'm looking at locales in which to rest my head for the next 3-5 years. Looked at Lacey, Lakewood, Olympia...kind of have the option to live where I want. What's going to put me closer to more water?  As for boats- what do you all run?  I'm looking at 18-20' deep V's with 60 ish Outboard. Enough or too much to run rivers, lakes?  Maybe some small open water...So a million questions, I don't expect a million direct answers, just some conversation. Thanks a ton.

[7mmfan]

Well if you're living in Tacoma, you have the Sound right there. Good beach fishing for cutthroat and resident coho salmon. Awesome fly fishing if you're into it. Lots of other opportunities for bottom fish, crabbing, salmon at different times of the year.

You're just a hop and skip from the Olympic Peninsula and awesome steelhead/salmon fishing throughout the year. This is a river game and people are very tight lipped about places. A little bit of research and gas money and you can find some great places to fish over there.

Most of the lakes in western WA are planted with the same trout you talk about, but most have bass, perch, etc... You need to need to head to eastern WA to get into any Walleye.

There are a few lakes with Tiger Musky, do a quick search and you can find them as they are highly publicized. No established Pike fisheries...yet.

Overall thats a good central location for traveling to the rest of the state. There is a ton of opportunity hear and very diverse opportunities as well.

Welcome!

[Bullkllr]

Hi, all, new here.  Headed to the Tacoma area about the first of the year..kind of have the option to live where I want.

Having lived in Tacoma for most of my life I find choosing to move there interesting and more than a little humorous. Always thought it was funny that Toyota named their trucks Tacoma also. I still live in the are, but out in the country aways.

Ever been there? I suppose its much like any other medium sized city in that it has good and bad areas. Whole Puget Sound area has gotten way too crowded for my liking; my quality of life has gone down pretty much as population has shot up.

I would say Tacoma is in a decent central location for fishing and hunting. That said, fishing and hunting in the immediate area has taken a huge nose-dive. Best thing it has going is easy access to Puget Sound, which can still be decent/even good for salmon at times. Seasons and limits are not what they used to be either. Rivers within about 50 miles are pretty much done-except for strong runs of pink salmon in odd years. So basically, if you want good fishing for the majority of the year, plan on traveling/multiple day trips. There is not much opportunity close by for a day trip for salmon/steelhead (either closed/ very few fish or very crowded conditions).
Not trying to talk you out of it...just keeping it real. I'd choose Olympia area over T-Town in a heartbeat. Closer to all the good stuff except some of the better areas in Puget Sound. And nicer.

[Mfowl]

Welcome to the site! If your looking at 18-20' boat you might consider a bigger outboard, 90-125hp. You can fish many of the lakes and still cover a ton of water on the sound with a boat like that. Most of the river fishing would require a jet sled with exception of the lower Columbia which isn't a far drive from the Olympia area and a top spot for salmon/steelhead depending on the time of year. There is fishing all year round from the salt to the lakes/rivers whether your from shore or boat. Pier fishing is not my thing but people do catch salmon casting buzz bombs and darts off the piers and from shore in places, depending on the time of year, summer being the best. For salmon in the salt run flashers w/hoochies or spoons off a down rigger, no dr's, mooch cut plug herring or jig buzzbombs and darts. Plenty of salmon opps in the rivers as well, drifting corky/yarn or jig/bait under a float. Bass, trout and panfish in virtually all of the lakes. You should have no trouble finding decent water to fish in the south sound area, if your willing to travel a bit the opps are even better. Good luck!

[Austrian Hunter]

I would look at Yelm, it has grown a lot but still has a small town feel with lot of outdoor activity close by!!!! 

[yorketransport]

Tacoma? Don't do it!

I lived in Tacoma up until 5 years ago, but I still work in South Tacoma every day as a FedEx driver. Depending on what part of town you're in it can either be beautiful and quiet (University Place and Fircrest on the west side and Summit Waller on the East) or a complete dump (anywhere withing 10 miles of Tacoma General Hospital) .

If I were moving back up there, I'd end up in University Place again. I lived there for 5 years and loved it. The problem is that houses and rent are just too high in that area. When we bought our house we ended up out in Yelm. Not real close to the water, but I can have the boat in Commencement Bay within about 1 hour. A little quicker to launch in Olympia. There are lakes and rivers to fish but you'll probably be rubbing elbows with other people most of the time. Beautiful area, houses are reasonably priced, close enough to Tacoma/Olympia that you don't feel too cut off. Pretty much anywhere off of the I-5 corridor will give you the same feel though.

Andrew

[Sportfury]

Head a little east... Puyallup, Sumner, Bonney Lake, Buckley. A lot better than the places you listed to live. I live in Graham (south of Puyallup) and can be on a lake fishing within  a few minutes. The cities I listed you can be to the bay in an hour or less, lakes about the same, and over the moutains and on the eastside within a couple of hours.

Are you military?

[AKMonzter]

Hi folks, thanks for all the input. Yeah, I'm military and I have lived significant distances away from posts for a long time. Try to keep work and play separate...heh...Tacoma was just kind of a central location to give folks a jump off point for conversation. I've looked at Yelm a bit, Lacey, Olympia, etc...kind of all over to be honest. I'm in the first couple days of research really. I understand the crowded/population expanding kind of thing too.  I like my privacy and space and so forth. Hard to find. I'm also a Hell of a road warrior. I have no problem driving 12 hours in the pursuit of putting some stank on my hands and scales, feathers, or fur in my truck. Lol!!!!  Either way, I'm excited to come out and see what kind of places I can explore. I've never been out there specifically so this is a grand adventure!

[sirmissalot]

I agree with heading east a little. I'm from Shelton and love it here but I have some friends in enumclaw and i really enjoy that area. It's not far at all from Tacoma/puyallup area, but has plenty of recreational stuff to do nearby. You are surrounded by mountains and plenty of public as well as accessible private ground, pretty good hunting and some decent fishing nearby too. If you're a single man, whatever is in the dirt grows a lot better looking woman than what I'm use to!

But I wouldn't be getting your hopes up too much on the fishing and hunting, I'm gonna take a wild guess that it will be nothing like what you had in Alaska. Competition is ridiculous here and often times its pretty tough hunting and fishing.

[nwwanderer]

Twelve hour travel time gives you range for everything you mentioned and more.  From some of the wettest places on the planet to total desert, all in Washington.  Hundreds of great flood lakes, alpine glacial lakes, major river systems, inland salt and open ocean.  You may need to pick your poison, more possibilities than time.

[Bullkllr]

Twelve hour travel time gives you range for everything you mentioned and more.  From some of the wettest places on the planet to total desert, all in Washington.  Hundreds of great flood lakes, alpine glacial lakes, major river systems, inland salt and open ocean.  You may need to pick your poison, more possibilities than time.

12 hours! Who has time to travel 12 hours very often? (or were you joking?) 12 hour travel time from darn near anywhere should get a person many outdoor opportunities. Not sure a 12 hour drive makes it worth living in Tacoma. Bad thing is, almost everything on the list was available within an hour drive of Tacoma not so long ago

[Button Nubbs]

Hi, all, new here.  Headed to the Tacoma area about the first of the year..kind of have the option to live where I want.

Having lived in Tacoma for most of my life I find choosing to move there interesting and more than a little humorous. Always thought it was funny that Toyota named their trucks Tacoma also. I still live in the are, but out in the country aways.

Ever been there? I suppose its much like any other medium sized city in that it has good and bad areas. Whole Puget Sound area has gotten way too crowded for my liking; my quality of life has gone down pretty much as population has shot up.

I would say Tacoma is in a decent central location for fishing and hunting. That said, fishing and hunting in the immediate area has taken a huge nose-dive. Best thing it has going is easy access to Puget Sound, which can still be decent/even good for salmon at times. Seasons and limits are not what they used to be either. Rivers within about 50 miles are pretty much done-except for strong runs of pink salmon in odd years. So basically, if you want good fishing for the majority of the year, plan on traveling/multiple day trips. There is not much opportunity close by for a day trip for salmon/steelhead (either closed/ very few fish or very crowded conditions).
Not trying to talk you out of it...just keeping it real. I'd choose Olympia area over T-Town in a heartbeat. Closer to all the good stuff except some of the better areas in Puget Sound. And nicer.

Olympia would be my choice. Or a little further west. It'll cut a bit off your drive time when headed to the op. However the rivers around oly, satsop, Nooch (hard to justify fishing heranymore) have seen a recent explosion in popularity, but add a little to your drive and you'll start getting away from people, kinda.