Would it be worth getting a pontoon just so people can watch you catch fish out of their reach? lol. Still haven't caught a pink but definately prepared for it this year. What are good spots to fish? The only spot that i know of is off quilcene
When flying for pinks on a river, how do you guys present flies? I do mostly beach flying for Coho so I'm always stripping or using poppers or something along the surface, but I don't have any spots on a beach that I can fly for pinks that are close. The closes beach I use for Coho/Cutties don't have the pinks go by in decent enough numbers to go and target them there. Since that is the case, I usually wait for them to hit the river and usually use a bronze/pink spoon and slay them, but really want to start flying for pinks. I guess what I'm asking is once in the river, do you dead drift, swing, "Nymph" pink stuff, or use poppers like pollywogs? I assume a basic swing would work, yes?
Hi Eric- it's cactus chenille under UV polar chenille. You'll be getting one of those in the swap from me. The cool thing is that you'll be able to trim the fly down smaller if you like streamside. I think Hareline markets the UV polar as well, but the stuff I have is branded by American Sports which is Anglers Workshop down in Woodland, and it comes in some pretty cool colors IMO. I'm also using it to tie something I call a 'hot mess' which is a size 6 or so hook, medium bead chain eyes, and a few turns of this stuff. I'll post some pics soon.
Those are some awesome flies there! I've been pumped about this coming run since the last one ended! I started tying about two months ago! is that too soon?
Here's a favorite all around bait fish pattern. Down size some, sparser and tie the top/back in pink colors for pinks. I'll use small brass beads, bar bells sometimes instead of the epoxied eyes. Being made with synthetic Angel Hair, it absorbs little water, making it very easy to cast.
Awesome pattern for other anadromous saltwater species as well, tied in different sizes and colors. Good pattern tied on tubes also.
Pinks are good smoked, however, they are good grilled also, I butterfly them and place them on a piece of foil curled up within a quarter inch of the fish, then place the foil on a grill (Weber is the best) with some lemon garlic butter drizzled over them.
When the edges are turning brown, pull the whole grill off and stuff as many green alder leaves as you can over the coals, place the grill back on top of the leaves and put the lid on with the opening on the top open letting the steam out, when the steam starts turning to smoke (white to gray) its done.
Charcoal grill is the best, I haven't tried it with propane.
also remember to bleed the fish after you have caught it, by slitting the gills and placing in a bucket of water. Pinks are best eaten the same day they were caught.
i'll be fishing for them on the strait. caught before they turn into 'slabs' they are one of the best, mildest eathing salmon you have ever had. they come to the fly easily and you can usually find them early am as they really like to clear the water and put on a 'here i am' show for all to see. great fun and if you get the chance to chase them in the salt, pretty good sport on light fly gear. flies for these salmon are simple in number of elements and fast to tye, nothing fancy about this game as there are hundreds of thousands milling around all eagar to do combat with your fly. get out on the salt and have a go at'um, great fun.
Ahhh, I just wanna get out there now for them!
Just a quick question, but what lines do most people use for them in a) The salt, and b) the Fresh. I usually just use a floater when going after cutties (5/6wt), but when going after coho on the beaches, I usually use a type 1 clear inter, or a type III uniform sink...but remember, that is for coho. Just wondering what the pink lines are. THanks!
I fish in salt water for pinks and almost always use a Rio Outbound, intermediate sinking line. If you are able to look clsely at the picture I posted, most of my flies are weighted. I like to get right down in the eel grass, A.S.A.P. without scraping bottom.
Lookin good guys thanks for the encouragement. Sure looking forward to it getting here. I haven't got my wash llc yet and the difference from last year 12,60 plus 8.25 for a resident senior and this year for about 105.00 for a nonresident scared me at first. If it works I'll spend the last half of August up there and get to help with the PHWW event too. My sister was visiting last time the pinks ran and we went down and parked on the levee in Puyallup and laughed and laughed at the lines of comedians trying to fish. We've been stream fisherpeople and basicly clear water. To see these lines of people standing or struggling in flowing mud that you couldn't see anything in and they are carrying big nets strapped to their backs and swinging their rods not worrying that the next guy is only 3or 4 feet away. Never saw a fish fought or cought. Happy fishing. I found a box of couple dozen flies I tied last year that I forgot havent fished for them yet. Have to find the rest of my fly tying materials.
I wish I could say I'm above all this slobbering...but I can't. 2011 Herding of the Pinks.
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