Pinks are Early

[chongo469]

THE HUMPIES MUST be an impatient bunch.

One week into July and there’s already scads of them (aka pink salmon) showing up in Marine Area 5 (Sekiu).

On the traditional salmon calendar, that’s at least two or three weeks early, according to Chris Mohr of Van Riper’s Resort (360-963-2334) in Sekiu.

“That’s just ridiculous to have them here the first of July,” the longtime Sekiu-area resident said.

“There’s guys running through them that are seeing literally hundreds of them on the surface. If a guy set out with the intention he was going to target pinks, he would have his limit in not too long.”

Of course, that’s very rarely the first option for most self-respecting salmon anglers this time of year.

That’s because the humpies tend to run third in the hierarchy of salmon, with the kings almost always the object of anglers’ desires for obvious reasons.

Namely, because they’re bigger, stronger and much harder to pin down.

The latter has certainly been the case early on this summer, although anglers have been able to pick off a few around Sekiu.

Coho — second on the salmon most wanted list — are also getting hooked in decent numbers.

“There’s three species here, so everybody has something to take home,” Mohr said.

“Guys are fishing about 120 feet of water for the kings and there seems to be a band from 140 to 170 that has silvers and pinks. It’s kind of nice. Everything is bunched near shore.

[gasman]

The gal doing survey at Point Defiance told me they have been averaging 1 fish per rod in Sekiu

Can't wait for them to make it down here.


 

[ICEMAN]

I miss fishing up there...    Nothing better than putting fish on the deck at Seiku.
 
 
Side note: Chongo, don't be thinking of changing your avatar....Love that avatar! 

[chongo469]

I miss fishing up there...    Nothing better than putting fish on the deck at Seiku.
 
 
Side note: Chongo, don't be thinking of changing your avatar....Love that avatar! 

Don't worry Iceman....I will keep this one for a while until I can find a better one....

[Ripper]

Hopefully there will be some fish out in the San Juans next weekend. I'd like to head out that way.

[jeepster]

any guesses on when we can start seeing pinks and silvers show up in deception pass/ the islands? 3 weeks-ish?

[BOWHUNTER45]

any guesses on when we can start seeing pinks and silvers show up in deception pass/ the islands? 3 weeks-ish?

  Any day now ......and then I go hide ...

[Pathfinder101]

Never fished the humpies before.  I would like to hit them with a flyrod in the rivers.  Anybody got any advice?

[Button Nubbs]

Pink.

[rtspring]

anything pink will work, and I mean anything..........

lots of fun to catch, smoke a few here and there.....

[Pathfinder101]

When do they hit the rivers?  August?

[chongo469]

late August/early September normally...they may start to trickle in a bit earlier this season...

[SeaRun1]

Area 5?  Jeez they are already here in area 11.  My buddy caught two Saturday off the mouth of Gig Harbor.  I didn't see them persoanlly as I was down on the Columbia but he does know his salmon and they were pinks.  They are going to turn in to the rats of the sound like up in SE Alaska.  Lots of fun to catch though.

SeaRun1