Puyallup River

[Alchase]

Is fishing from a boat allowed on the Puyallup? There are many brushy shorelines that have no access for bank folks that would keep you out of harm's way.

Yes.

I imagine it might get interesting running or drifting past some of the 'gauntlets'.

Not all of the productive bank spots are as crowded as that (and a few others).

 

I never liked fishing in the masses between white river and the Fife bridge.
There would be combat fishing just like that pic, but the Alderton Bridge area would only have a couple people fishing. Many times I would be by myself.
I always got a kick out of the people taking home the nasty black zombies that were floating back downstream after spawning.
 

[wadu1]

Beautiful fish, thanks for posting! 

Sorry your success post got overrun by a bunch of negativity. I don't understand why so many people need to be that way, guess it makes them feel better about themselves.  I hope it doesn't discourage you from posting more fish, though I can't imagine why you'd bother with the response you got. Anyway, tight lines and keep it up!

[SeaRun1]

So not encouraging flossing makes me a bad person and negative outdoorsman?  Seems like I see that logic a lot in society nowadays.

I get that not everyone can get out to the Sol Duc or take a trip to the Madison.

However this is not fishing.  There is maybe two inches of visibility on the Puyallup River right now.  Those fish are not biting those lures or corkies and are simply running into the line and pulling the Corkie into its mouth. 

Are we not all about being sportsman and encouraging people to do things the right way?  Just because it is “legal” means I have to happily endorse it?  No thank you.

Did you ever think that maybe many of those people fishing down there that magically develop a twitch at the end of each swing might start to take those techniques elsewhere because that is how they learned to fish.  Then what?

If wanting people to learn and experience fishing in a way other than what occurs on the Puyallup or Skokomish makes me negative then I can live with that. 


SR1

[stickbuck]

So not encouraging flossing makes me a bad person and negative outdoorsman?  Seems like I see that logic a lot in society nowadays.

I get that not everyone can get out to the Sol Duc or take a trip to the Madison.

However this is not fishing.  There is maybe two inches of visibility on the Puyallup River right now.  Those fish are not biting those lures or corkies and are simply running into the line and pulling the Corkie into its mouth. 

Are we not all about being sportsman and encouraging people to do things the right way?  Just because it is “legal” means I have to happily endorse it?  No thank you.

Did you ever think that maybe many of those people fishing down there that magically develop a twitch at the end of each swing might start to take those techniques elsewhere because that is how they learned to fish.  Then what?

If wanting people to learn and experience fishing in a way other than what occurs on the Puyallup or Skokomish makes me negative then I can live with that. 


SR1

Hey SeaRun, do you even know what the definition of fishing is? You should look it up. I think it goes something like “the activity of catching fish, either for food or as a sport”. Guys like you is what increase the divide amongst sportsmen and all the fighting and bickering only fuels the activists. Come on man!


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[stickbuck]

Here is my 10yr old son’s largest king out of the Puyallup tonight. Pretty awesome watching him fight this fish. 


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[Dan-o]

Here is my 10yr old son’s largest king out of the Puyallup tonight. Pretty awesome watching him fight this fish. 


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That is AWESOME!!!!!!!

[birdshooter1189]

In a river where a certain group of people are allowed to drag nets down the river to catch fish as a "sacred heritage", I think it's silly to argue about whether a fish hooked in the head with a single hook and line actually bit the hook or was "flossed".  Either way it's a great accomplishment and it was done legally. 

I've flossed salmon before. It takes a special skill and technique.  I 100% prefer fishing places where the fish will actively bite the hook, but with dwindling salmon/steelhead fishing opportunities, sometimes we have to take what we can get.  We as fishermen are always looking for creative ways to catch more fish within what the rules allow us to do. (Isn't that why the fishing isles have so many different lures and gear to choose from?)

Thanks for sharing your son's success photo stickbuck, that's awesome. And also, GREAT JOB having him wear a life jacket out there!  Things can go wrong quick with waders and a river. Especially when it's that murky.  I used to think lifejackets were an unnecessary gimmick. Then I had kids....now both I and they wear lifejackets.

[Bullkllr]

In a river where a certain group of people are allowed to drag nets down the river to catch fish as a "sacred heritage", I think it's silly to argue about whether a fish hooked in the head with a single hook and line actually bit the hook or was "flossed".  Either way it's a great accomplishment and it was done legally. 

I've flossed salmon before. It takes a special skill and technique.  I 100% prefer fishing places where the fish will actively bite the hook, but with dwindling salmon/steelhead fishing opportunities, sometimes we have to take what we can get.  We as fishermen are always looking for creative ways to catch more fish within what the rules allow us to do. (Isn't that why the fishing isles have so many different lures and gear to choose from?)

^This^

And, I can guarantee the ones at Safeway for 14.99/lb were caught with much less sporting methods.

[nwmein199]

Here is my 10yr old son’s largest king out of the Puyallup tonight. Pretty awesome watching him fight this fish. 


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Right on! Nice fish! 

Caught a couple this morning down there. Nothing nearly as nice as your kids fish but lots of fish being caught and people having a blast down there 

[hunthard]

Great picture.

[Alchase]

Here is my 10yr old son’s largest king out of the Puyallup tonight. Pretty awesome watching him fight this fish. 


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Fantastic!
I am sure he will remember that fish the rest of his life!

I have a love hate relationship with the Puyallup.
I grew up with the Puyallup being one of the best Stealhead rivers in the state. Then it was handed over to cough cough  special interest groups, who turned it into a caviar supply for Russia.
Now stealhead are scarce. Kings and Silvers can be had but are getting less and less every year. Yet every year you can see tonnage of hen Pink carcasses left to rot after being stripped of eggs. The bucks, are thrown away as useless. If you know where to look.

Sad,  the Puyallup is one of the few places someone can go and catch “a salmon” from shore anymore.

[cem3434]

Thinking about hitting the river in the morning with the kiddos, but don't really want to combat fish. Might try the 96th bridge by Sumner Sportsman's Club. Has anyone fished up that high and had any luck yet? Everything I've heard is about the lower river being hot, so I dont want to waste the time being too high.

[cavemann]

That's a nice fish to the OP, and nice king for that young man!!!  Puyallup is a great river for kids especially when the pinks are in.  Absolutely not a place for hard core fisherman.  That said, I've taken all 5 of my kids there and several friends kids to learn how to cast, cadence, tie leaders, safely wading and countless other "fishing" lessons.  And when they have a high likelihood of catching a pink, that excitement gets them hooked... 

I've hand my rod to complete strangers kids to fight and reel in and some of the biggest smiles I've seen on the kid and dad's face.  a lot of them learned how to river fish there and become great fisherman and experienced it for the first time because of the opportunity....

Nice fish guys!!!!  Keep the pics coming!

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[Gentrys]

It's been good every day since opening Wednesday and will continue to be good for at least 2-3 more weeks.  Fair amount of Kings being caught and a few silvers showing up. 
I'm glad not everyone is interested in doing it.  It's busy enough down there

[elkrack]

20# hatchery