Sekiu report

[jamesfromseattle]

(Sorry for the lack of pictures here...unfortunately there weren't many "picture worthy" fish this week).

Was out at Sekiu from last Friday through yesterday.  Fished both area 4, which was open for wilds until Friday and area 5 which was hatchery only until yesterday.  Great numbers of fish around, but mostly pretty small for this time of year.  Most fish in the 3-5 pound range.  Biggest fish I saw were around 8 pounds.  Limits just about every day the weather would allow.  The area 4-5 line provided the most action for us.   Three out of four days we fished it we had double headers and quick limits.   None of our techniques were particularly novel or creative.  Found fish between 300-500.  50 feet on the cable was the hot depth.  Bright green and silver hoochie/flasher combos trolled quick.  The one abnormality for us this year, other than the small fish size, was that the mid day bite was actually quite a bit faster than the early morning bite.  By Wednesday we had stopped getting up early and just went out when the sun was warm.   

[pilebuck]

Nice to hear they are still coming in hopefully they get bigger by the time they hit the sound... lots of coho same size here now 4 to 5 lbs the derby winner was 7.5 small fish terrible small

[klikboom]

I was also at Sekiu Fri-Monday. That was my first trip out there and I will definitely be going back next year. I have only fished the PS so this was an eye opener and makes me never want to spend 8 hours trolling mukilteo for 1 fish. We fished mostly herring and most of the time without a flasher. I will be trying to figure out a non-herring method for next year. With all the small fish re-rigging herring took up a ton of our time and they're expensive. We caught 80% of our fish at 20'-25'. We didn't limit on Sunday, the water was rough and we just couldn't find the bite, we got 5 fish in the boat though (6 was limit). We probably landed 50 fish none over 6lbs. We tried to go deeper with our gear in hopes of finding bigger fish but never found the bite below ~50'. We also tried a hook and beads to similate krill, caught a couple off that, caught a couple off of coho killer, none on squid.

Monday was so lights out we had boated 4 fish in 30 minutes. Went back to camp and grabbed all the kids to come fish and practice reeling and fill the freezers. We actually caught two that took the bait off the surface while we waited to attach it to the downrigger.

Overall, we only caught about 6 fish that were 5+ lbs. We had a lot of 1 meal fish.

[Prohunter270]

Can you keep kings now there?

[jamesfromseattle]

I heard some radio chatter about the head and hook setup--wasn't sure if that was somebody just kidding around, but I guess that is legit?  It is a great place to try out new gear combos and see if it works. Lots of fish, but none big enough to be stressed about losing. In PS I never know if I'm using the wrong gear or just fishing empty water. I have a couple coyotespoons that I came up blank on when everything else was getting crushed--now I know to retire them.

Negative on the Kings. Only in area 4 west of Tatoosh right now. Sounds like there are some biggies out there right now but I don't have enough boat so we weren't able to fish that far away from Sekiu.

[hunt_fish]

I was also at Sekiu Fri-Monday. That was my first trip out there and I will definitely be going back next year. I have only fished the PS so this was an eye opener and makes me never want to spend 8 hours trolling mukilteo for 1 fish. We fished mostly herring and most of the time without a flasher. I will be trying to figure out a non-herring method for next year. With all the small fish re-rigging herring took up a ton of our time and they're expensive. We caught 80% of our fish at 20'-25'. We didn't limit on Sunday, the water was rough and we just couldn't find the bite, we got 5 fish in the boat though (6 was limit). We probably landed 50 fish none over 6lbs. We tried to go deeper with our gear in hopes of finding bigger fish but never found the bite below ~50'. We also tried a hook and beads to similate krill, caught a couple off that, caught a couple off of coho killer, none on squid.

Monday was so lights out we had boated 4 fish in 30 minutes. Went back to camp and grabbed all the kids to come fish and practice reeling and fill the freezers. We actually caught two that took the bait off the surface while we waited to attach it to the downrigger.

Overall, we only caught about 6 fish that were 5+ lbs. We had a lot of 1 meal fish.

Next time for coho up there just use brads cut plug baits, then you won't be having to re-rig cut plugs all the time if you're using that. Or you could always use a rotator, sometimes they won't get a bite out of the herring and it's good to go for the next fish.

[jamesfromseattle]

I was also at Sekiu Fri-Monday. That was my first trip out there and I will definitely be going back next year. I have only fished the PS so this was an eye opener and makes me never want to spend 8 hours trolling mukilteo for 1 fish. We fished mostly herring and most of the time without a flasher. I will be trying to figure out a non-herring method for next year. With all the small fish re-rigging herring took up a ton of our time and they're expensive. We caught 80% of our fish at 20'-25'. We didn't limit on Sunday, the water was rough and we just couldn't find the bite, we got 5 fish in the boat though (6 was limit). We probably landed 50 fish none over 6lbs. We tried to go deeper with our gear in hopes of finding bigger fish but never found the bite below ~50'. We also tried a hook and beads to similate krill, caught a couple off that, caught a couple off of coho killer, none on squid.

Monday was so lights out we had boated 4 fish in 30 minutes. Went back to camp and grabbed all the kids to come fish and practice reeling and fill the freezers. We actually caught two that took the bait off the surface while we waited to attach it to the downrigger.

Overall, we only caught about 6 fish that were 5+ lbs. We had a lot of 1 meal fish.

Next time for coho up there just use brads cut plug baits, then you won't be having to re-rig cut plugs all the time if you're using that. Or you could always use a rotator, sometimes they won't get a bite out of the herring and it's good to go for the next fish.

I used brads for the first time this year and have been very impressed with them. Very easy and very versatile. You can fish them much faster than a real cut plug. I've also ended up with fewer shakers while using them.

[cohoho]

We do very well up there, I almost always run way out towards shipping lanes and have excellent fishing away from most.  Don't be afraid to drop deep for Silvers during the day.  I have gotten some really nice big Silvers going past 150ft+.  Coho Killers (Cop Car) is my go to favorite....  Depends upon how many in boat, if 5 then two DRs deep with Coho Killers, two divers with hootchies or cut plug and one right down the middle way back top side Herring...  To be honest it doesn't get hit often, but it is normally the biggest fish of the day! 

No matter how many you catch - Fish checker gets - only what we keep in the boat numbers!

I do got a new lure I made and dying to give it a try this weekend up there at Sekui...  Ready Allen?  We'll be somewhere at Olsen's if you want to stop by and say hello!

[klikboom]

Why do you worry about telling the checker the # you catch and release ?

[JimmyHoffa]

Why do you worry about telling the checker the # you catch and release ?

They could use it to shutdown the season.  They use a percentage of released fish to assume mortality and apply toward the quota.  And can shutdown a season because of it.

[klikboom]

Eeeeenteresting. I complained loudly about hatchery being open while wild was closed. That seems like a terrible idea. I had to release a beauty of a coho that I hooked through the eye and mouth. No doubt died. It really pissed me off having to put him back as crab meat. How can you target different versions of the same specie? It should either be open or close for a specie.

[hunt_fish]

Eeeeenteresting. I complained loudly about hatchery being open while wild was closed. That seems like a terrible idea. I had to release a beauty of a coho that I hooked through the eye and mouth. No doubt died. It really pissed me off having to put him back as crab meat. How can you target different versions of the same specie? It should either be open or close for a specie.

It's mostly because a lot of those coho at Sekiu head up to Canadian waters.  At least that's what my understanding was from years ago.

[bowtech721]

Fishing has continued to be good in sekiu. Still haven't seen many of the bigger fish you would expect this time of year though... I saw your boat on Sunday Mike I didn't know you were up or I would've come bs'd you. You coming up again this week?

[cohoho]

I screwed up and forgot to secure lodging and moorage ahead of time, so we were quick on and off the docks, stayed in Forks and just launched the boat Sat and Sun.    We did really well Saturday, as we stayed out and fished all day till late afternoon - easy-easy limits, but all smaller fish, a couple 8 lbers was the best we got out of all that came to the boat...  Sunday we fished til about 1030hrs, grabbed our limits for the four of us by 1200hrs and headed home to make the Seahawks game...  We fished outside at 600ft and fished all levels 35ft, 60ft and 90ft, both Coho Killers and long lining bait did well.  My newly made home made lure was a bust!!!!!  Auuuugh!  Guess that is why people sell them for people like me!  Water was lumpy on Sunday, saved a lot of gas trolling with wind!!!   Check out pictures at Hood Canal, it was splashing over bridge in a few areas!!

[jamesfromseattle]

By 2015 standards, that middle right fish is a hog!

[BAR C3]

By 2015 standards, that middle right fish is a hog!

Must be some new standards.. That was what we regularly caught growing up there. Man I miss home in September!

[cohoho]

He is implying the fish are small this year.   

[pilebuck]

No kidding all the 4lbs around like crazy waiting for the hook nose biggies

[gotshot]

Me and my son just got back from 4 days at Sekiu. We limited easy every day but like everyone is saying the fish are pretty small this year. Listening to the radio a 10 pounder would be a trophy. Great time anyway.

[ribka]

I screwed up and forgot to secure lodging and moorage ahead of time, so we were quick on and off the docks, stayed in Forks and just launched the boat Sat and Sun.    We did really well Saturday, as we stayed out and fished all day till late afternoon - easy-easy limits, but all smaller fish, a couple 8 lbers was the best we got out of all that came to the boat...  Sunday we fished til about 1030hrs, grabbed our limits for the four of us by 1200hrs and headed home to make the Seahawks game...  We fished outside at 600ft and fished all levels 35ft, 60ft and 90ft, both Coho Killers and long lining bait did well.  My newly made home made lure was a bust!!!!!  Auuuugh!  Guess that is why people sell them for people like me!  Water was lumpy on Sunday, saved a lot of gas trolling with wind!!!   Check out pictures at Hood Canal, it was splashing over bridge in a few areas!!

How about sharing a pic of your secret lure?

[Wacenturion]

Was also up at Sekiu from the 17th to the 22nd.  Fish were indeed small, with a few like the larger one Cohoho had in his picture. 

Took the motorhome which I will not do again.  Way too cramped, couldn't even put the awning out, and it rained the first couple days.  Barely had enough room between my old high schools buddies 5th wheel and a truck camper. 

Had a cabin for my daughter and son in law which had a nice deck, that made it bearable.

[ribka]

I screwed up and forgot to secure lodging and moorage ahead of time, so we were quick on and off the docks, stayed in Forks and just launched the boat Sat and Sun.    We did really well Saturday, as we stayed out and fished all day till late afternoon - easy-easy limits, but all smaller fish, a couple 8 lbers was the best we got out of all that came to the boat...  Sunday we fished til about 1030hrs, grabbed our limits for the four of us by 1200hrs and headed home to make the Seahawks game...  We fished outside at 600ft and fished all levels 35ft, 60ft and 90ft, both Coho Killers and long lining bait did well.  My newly made home made lure was a bust!!!!!  Auuuugh!  Guess that is why people sell them for people like me!  Water was lumpy on Sunday, saved a lot of gas trolling with wind!!!   Check out pictures at Hood Canal, it was splashing over bridge in a few areas!!

How about sharing a pic of your secret lure?