Cornet Bay versus Deception Pass

[DrakeKill]

Is there a notable difference in currents between the two? and is the Bay worth fishing/crabbing at all? I ask because I've heard pinks are starting to show up there so I'd like to go check it out, but my 16' 25hp john isn't going out in the big water. If you could share any info or pointers for small boat guys wanting to check out the north end of Whidbey, please PM me.

Thanks!

[CP]

Deception pass has the fastest tidal currents in WA.  Currents are much milder in the bay because it’s a larger area (google Bernoulli’s equation)

[h2ofowlr]

Cornet Bay is only a few hundred yards from Deception Pass if that helps.  On a strong outgoing tide, it rips and will push and pull your boat as you are going through it.  It will usually for a nice rip down the middle that will kick the boat around.  If you throttle through it, no big deal.  I just wouldn't make your first experience through it in the dark or you could wind up against the wall or sink your boat.

[lokidog]

16', 25hp motor, summer on the Sound?  No problems!  Heck, I used to fish Westport with a 12 1/2 foot inflatable and a 15hp, 8 miles out, limits of salmon, never even had a close call.....

For crab, just motor around the point to the east, currents drop and good crabbing down by Hope Is on the north side.  Any time that the pass is fishable, the current will not be strong anyways.  Circle in with the crowds on the SW side of the bridge and you can even pull coho out of there.  I'm not sure where to fish for piinks in that area though.

Just watch the currents, predictions are usually pretty close.  A really good computer program for tides and currents is called Deep Zoom.

[JackOfAllTrades]

16', 25hp motor, summer on the Sound?  No problems!  Heck, I used to fish Westport with a 12 1/2 foot inflatable and a 15hp, 8 miles out, limits of salmon, never even had a close call.....

For crab, just motor around the point to the east, currents drop and good crabbing down by Hope Is on the north side.  Any time that the pass is fishable, the current will not be strong anyways.  Circle in with the crowds on the SW side of the bridge and you can even pull coho out of there.  I'm not sure where to fish for piinks in that area though.

Just watch the currents, predictions are usually pretty close.  A really good computer program for tides and currents is called Deep Zoom.

Watch your tides and wind. Wind against the tide = not good, in the pass. Ding ding... Clue.. 2:pm BE INSIDE the passage. There's nearly always a late afternoon breeze that kicks up from there to Smith and Lopez.  Canoe pass is more hair raising in a small boat. But grow some balls! I used to run a 14' Olympic with 50hp Johnson out to Smith Island and Hein bank and fish for Kings/Butts. Your 16'r with 25hp will do fine locally. I've seen small sailboats with 9.9 kickers running 8 knots against a 7 knot tide make it through. Just takes a while. Stick to the south shore of the main pass for pinks. Watch your fish finder. They'll be in small schools pretty shallow. 8-12' in 25-40' of water, beyond the kelp. Right off the point at Cornet bay. Yes, crab to the east.

-Steve

PS..  Deception tide flow is not the same as Thatcher Pass... Just sayin...

[RELV]

I grew up in Dugualla Bay and would fish all summer as a kid in a Sears 14 ft aluminum boat and either an 18 hp or 9.9 evinrude from there out through Deception Pass.

Just below Deception Pass Bridge on the SW side fish the outgoing tide.  That spot is called "The Hole".  The water swirls there.  Drop down 20 -25 ft and you will hook up with salmon that stack there waiting for the tide change.  Fishing the Pass at other times for salmon is fruitless.  I used to bottom fish at the slack tides, but not salmon. 

I also used to dip net candlefish for bait at slack tide inside the pass itself.  We filled a small bucket of candlefish and froze them in the bucket. 

I would jig for fresh herring in "The Hole" also and do pretty well.  Between the herring and the candlefish I rarely bought any bait.

Further out through the pass and off the west side of Whidbey you can troll for salmon.   

I crabbed south of Hope Island in Dugualla Bay and would get lots of Dungeness.  I would also fish there at high tide and run into some large skates.   

[JackOfAllTrades]

 

-Steve