Pinks

[Gobble Doc]

I'm anticipating low rivers this summer/fall with the minimal snow in the mountains this year.  Do you think that low rivers, i.e. Snohomish, Skagit, Stilly, is going to mean the pinks are going to be hanging around out in the salt longer this year.  I seem to remember one year with low rivers when the fish were just stacked at the river mouth while reluctant to chomp (pinks, not coho).  Seemed like a strange year.  All I can imagine is that more boats on the river are going to be compressed into less river.  Should be a circus at its finest. 

[Stein]

At the end of the day, when millions show up it doesn't matter too much.  I'm pretty much a snob and won't even fish for them in the river.

I would agree with your prediction, the rivers will likely be warm and low which isn't too inviting for salmon.  If we get a bunch of rain, that would be different.

[JimmyHoffa]

For pinks I don't think the river level will be as much an issue as it is for the other salmon.  Pinks will even spawn in the deltas in salt.  They would prefer to go a little farther up.  But the fry don't overwinter in the rivers, they head out to sea right at hatching.

[WAcoueshunter]

Yes, I'm also concerned about the lack of snow for this reason.  Not really about pinks - there will be plenty around - but the low rivers seem to screw up the chinook and coho migration back into the Straights and Sound.  I remember prior years with a low snowpack and/or no rain and everything stacked up offshore until there was a decent rain and then shot right past the normal interior staging points. 

[WSU]

I suspect it will be like all other late summers.  The river will be low and warm until we get a rain.  If it rains early, fishing will be good.  If not, you can slay brown salmon down in tidewater.  This isn't specific to pinks but salmon in general.  On the snoho, the great fishing a year or two ago was because it rained early and cooled the water down so the fish would bite.  That will be more important than how much snow is left in August (which is very little even on a good snow year). 

[BigGoonTuna]

ugh, i've heard the nisqually is supposed to surpass the puyallup for pinks this year.  every dimwit within 40 miles will be down there, and the normally peaceful lower river will be clogged up with anything with a motor that floats again.

[Gobble Doc]

Normally the circus atmosphere is not something that I look forward to but something about the pinks on the Snohomish has high entertainment value.  Two years ago watched someone at dark drive their trailer off the end of the ramp and then wonder why they couldn't pull forward.     Also saw folks fishing out of jet skies, float tubes, you name it.  Sometimes it's worth a walk in town at dusk to watch the festivities as darkness, low visibility, low tide, dogs, unrefrigerated fish, full bladders, and sunburned bodies all converge at a desperate narrow sliver of "ramp". 

[bknilvr00]

Normally the circus atmosphere is not something that I look forward to but something about the pinks on the Snohomish has high entertainment value.  Two years ago watched someone at dark drive their trailer off the end of the ramp and then wonder why they couldn't pull forward.     Also saw folks fishing out of jet skies, float tubes, you name it.  Sometimes it's worth a walk in town at dusk to watch the festivities as darkness, low visibility, low tide, dogs, unrefrigerated fish, full bladders, and sunburned bodies all converge at a desperate narrow sliver of "ramp".

Did you see the guy who rolled his toyota pickup into the river at the snohomish launch? That was funny. And those jet ski s.o.b's are crazy. Had one guy just blasting up and down the river in an attempt to ruin people's fishing. I was waiting for him to hit the water or a dead head at 40 mph so I could laugh at him and call the medics.

[fishnfur]

Pinks are entertaining to catch.   That's about the only good thing I could think to say about the fish.   Have a great season.  Catch them all!  Pray for heavy rains in August.  That may also put out the forest fires that will surely scorch the west this summer.

[Gobble Doc]

Normally the circus atmosphere is not something that I look forward to but something about the pinks on the Snohomish has high entertainment value.  Two years ago watched someone at dark drive their trailer off the end of the ramp and then wonder why they couldn't pull forward.     Also saw folks fishing out of jet skies, float tubes, you name it.  Sometimes it's worth a walk in town at dusk to watch the festivities as darkness, low visibility, low tide, dogs, unrefrigerated fish, full bladders, and sunburned bodies all converge at a desperate narrow sliver of "ramp".

Did you see the guy who rolled his toyota pickup into the river at the snohomish launch? That was funny. And those jet ski s.o.b's are crazy. Had one guy just blasting up and down the river in an attempt to ruin people's fishing. I was waiting for him to hit the water or a dead head at 40 mph so I could laugh at him and call the medics.

Ha.  I didn't see this.  The one I couldn't believe was a guy in a camo FLOAT TUBE with a camo poncho flippering his way across the Snohomish while sleds were zooming up the river.  I knew where the guy was and I could hardly see his profile against the far bank. 

[snocohunter]

I think the whole circus/zoo/mushy pink debate is so played out. I fish them when they're bright, and follow a school up and jig on top of them till i get my limit bled out and on ice in the cooler and smoke and bbq them no problems. The day i'm too good to bonk a humpy i will question whether i can call myself a true fisherman anymore. But i guess everyone is different. I spent many days on the bank under the bridge whizzing buzz bombs, spoons, jigs you name it. It kept me outside and fishing for most of the summer.

[Tealer]

I like the low water years. The clarity helps them actually bite. This is one of my favorite fisheries, if cared for they eat well and are full of eggs.


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[Mfowl]

IMO pink years make for great coho years in the Sound. I think they come in with the big schools of pinks and are still in "ocean mode" and highly aggressive. I always struggle in non pink years and nail'em when the pinks are in. And  of course I'll get out on the Duwi and catch a boat load of pinks too! Mostly light tackle C n R but they are fine to eat once in a while. Bleed'em, gut'em, pack'em in ice, eat'em fresh! Have fun!

[WSU]

I can't convince myself they are fine to eat.  But, I'm picky about salmon anyway.  I don't like winter steelhead or any other half burnt-out fish enough to eat much of them.  They do have a lot of eggs and lots of people seem to enjoy them.  If you like them, more power to you!  There's no reason for others to judge what someone else wants to eat.

[Revwrangler]

I can't convince myself they are fine to eat.  But, I'm picky about salmon anyway.  I don't like winter steelhead or any other half burnt-out fish enough to eat much of them.  They do have a lot of eggs and lots of people seem to enjoy them.  If you like them, more power to you!  There's no reason for others to judge what someone else wants to eat.

Man I love the pinks! Smoked or bbq'ed it's all good! I load my freezer with them and eat them year round.