North of Seattle

[salt dog]

Went down early a.m. to a beach South of the Area 9 Shipwreck Sunday to placate the need to throw fly line, not expecting anything other than casting practise. Stupendous morning, with the light hitting the tip of the snow covered Olympics, less than 5 knot breeze assisting my casting. Nice to not need anything more than a light fleece Jacket. Picked up a nice little Searun pretty much right off-the-bat on a deer hair popper. Boohya! more than I expected.

As the outgoing tide gradually picked up in earnest a seam developed off of the point, and several fish started feeding down stream from the current running over the point. The fish were snatching something from just below the surface, occasionally showing themselves out of the water. I went through a bunch of flies without success and with increasing exasperation until I started using a small silver tinsel with pink Euphasiid on an intermediate tip, drifting with the current into the feeding area, where I picked up 3 juvenile Coho's, one nice one about 16" to 18". They ignored everything else until I gave them what they wanted.

I missed several good pokes too. It was not easy for me to get a good set drifting a sub-surface pattern due to the bow that forms slack between the floating running line and the intermediate tip. I think I need to get a full intermediate line to enable a better direct feel for the soft take.

Splendid morning though. Simply the best way to start a Sunday I can think of.

[Richard]

Jim, were you using one of the gear program rods? :)

[zachkohan]

Jim A.K.A. Salt Dog,

It is good to hear that there are some fish north of Seattle. I am from Alaska, I am playing college baseball in Missouri, and I will be coming to Arlington this summer to play baseball for the Bellingham Bells. I am relatively new to flyfishing (1 year) but I want to make this summer special in the way of becoming a solid with a fly rod. I wanted to ask if there is much opportunity to fish in the area around Arlington and Bellingham and if you have any suggestions as to where I should start out. I am glad to hear that you had success on you last trip out and it makes me all the more excited about coming to the Washington area this summer. I hope your luck continues.

Zach

[Banzai]

Zach, I think you are going to find a lot of opportunity and areas to become proficient and friendly with fly fishing in the North Sound area, not to mention Southern B.C.. Salt to fresh, anadramous to spiny ray, you will have a great time. Welcome to the Board! Do a search the forum. The "old timers" here are a wealth of knowledge (I, however, am not one. Just getting back into FFing myself.)

[salt dog]

Richard: naw, just using my old Scott SAS 9'6" 6 wt. that I favor for the beaches. I have used the gear program rods at the beach plenty though, and on the streams, as many as Scoones will let me cart off! :) Great program that.

Zach: a fly throwing baseball player, eh; you, Jay Buhner and Ted Williams; you keep good company. What position(s) do you play? Not a bad summer you're lining up: immerse yourself in working out playing ball, and fly fishing. I like it; a summer to remember.

Like Banzai said, there are lots of opportunities available in the summer. Right now, other than winter steelheading which can be pretty slow stuff for rookies, pickings are pretty slim. I got skunked the last couple of times down to the beach, so Sunday was a pleasant aberation to the winter norm. Bellingham is two counties removed North from where I live, so there are many others on this web site with much more experience up in that area, but you will find that if you have transportation available, you'll be in a gateway area to some fine Summer fishing. If you have some light camping gear too, there are a lifetime of possibilities.

Which months will you be here? Will you be staying in the Arlington area or Bellingham? Are you geared up for lakes, streams, or salt water? Give more info and I or others may be able to give you more specifics.

[Johnnyb]

Nice report, Jim. Makes we wanna step away from this computer and into my waders!
John