Olympia Area, WA

[Guest]

I squid alot at Redondo, and I was wondering if anyone knows of any squid-producing piers in the Olympia area, as I have just moved down here. It says there are a few in the old squid book from the Department of Fisheries, but I dont know of any. Anybody?

[Guest]

Try the Lakewood/Steilicom ferry.

[juicyjigs]

[quote name='Dani' post='7496' date='Oct 9 2006, 11:08 AM']Actually, I saw it here. When you asked I did some reading and there it was:

[url="http://www.squidfish.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=177"]http://www.squidfish.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=177[/url]

It's the last post on this page.



I thought maybe they came in a school late in the season to spawn in Case Inlet. I think I read that somewhere here as well. I thought I'd read how they showed up in different places as they moved slowly into the south sound.



I may try a trip to Bremerton, though I'd prefer somewhere in Olympia. Any Olympia ideas?



I find Bremerton a little intimidating as I don't know it well. But if it can be done during the day that sounds good. Any tips on daylight squidding?



No, I have never been squidding and would just love to try it. Took me 3 years to finally try for razor clams and after the first trip I hit every opening last year.



I still haven't caught a salmon. :-( But I haven't had much chance to try for those either.



Everything about squidding sounds like a huge amount of fun and I love all sea foods. I even make my own salmon "caviar" when I get fresh eggs from friends. Yum![/quote]



Dani,



Hopefully some Olympia people will post who know more about the Olympia squid fishery than me (is there an Olympia subforum?), but what I do know is there are two main places in Olympia that people squid fish: The Squalicum? pier and I hear (never been there) there is a public pier downtown Olympia. I mostly hear that people drive up to Tacoma to squid fish, but I honestly don't know how true that is. I'd love to be able to separate hearsay from fact on the Olympia squid fishery.



Squid is awfully yummy! (It keeps well in the freezer, too! If you have a vacuum packer it'll keep for years like it's days fresh.)



About the migration, a friend at the shellfish lab says the squid in our area, while some migrate, most are here all year. That is why we are catching squid at the Bremerton ferry Terminal all year long. I wouldn't be surprised if squid are at Allyn right now. I'd fish Allyn this week tosee what happens.



Good luck and get out there sooner than later- you could be eating squid all winter if you start earlier (hee hee)!! Would love to hear how it goes.



Steph

[juicyjigs]

You may have found the Olympia topic by now. Just wanted to pass on that I just read in it that it is the dock at the Lakewood/Steilicom ferry in Olympia where people squid fish. I think I said the Squilicum, not Steilicom dock earlier. Also, I think someone said the State Squid Borchure, the Tantilizing Squid (up on our website www.juicyjigs.com and I think Glen may have a link up, too) has names of locations for Olympia.

[glen]

you can find the publication (reproduced with permission) here:



[url="http://www.squidfish.net/tantalizingsquid.shtml"]http://www.squidfish.net/tantalizingsquid.shtml[/url]



here is an extract listing some spots to go squid fishing:

Public Piers



Steilacoom: Clyde

Davidson Pier (1.4)



Olympia area:

Luhr's Beach Pier (4)



Pt. Townsend

City Dock (4)



Mason County:

Allyn City Pier

Hood Canal



Twanoh Park Pier



Hoodsport Pier



Point Whitney Pier



Hood Canal Bridge

[juicyjigs]

Awesome! Thanks, Glen. You're on top on it!



Just in case anyone hasn't read the local papers or Dept of Wildlife site recently, Hood Canal is closed to squid fishing right now due to the low oxygen levels.

[Ddragonb]

Hello Squidfishers,



Im a student at Saint Martin's University in Olympia, Wa and i am looking for the best places in the olympia area to go squidfishing for the first time. I have not had very good luck in finding suggestion on the internet and i am from Portland so i dont know the area as well as i would like. I could really use some help and welcome any and all you are willing to give.



SaintsSquidGuy

[juicyjigs]

[quote name='SaintsSquidGuy' post='7629' date='Nov 7 2006, 07:43 PM']Hello Squidfishers,



Im a student at Saint Martin's University in Olympia, Wa and i am looking for the best places in the olympia area to go squidfishing for the first time. I have not had very good luck in finding suggestion on the internet and i am from Portland so i dont know the area as well as i would like. I could really use some help and welcome any and all you are willing to give.



SaintsSquidGuy[/quote]



SquidGuy,



Check out the Olympia forum - I've posted info for Olympia before on this forum and it gets moved to the Olympia forum. Tons of info there. I hear there's only two or so piers in the Oly area to fish from because it's so shallow. Many people from Oly drive up to Tacoma and Port Orchard to squid fish.Tacoma piers have been a bit slow this year, but Port Orchard piers have been fine - try Waterman pieror Retsil Dock.



Check out the Washington State Book Tantelizing Squid - it has pier locations fro squid fishing throughout WA State.



Two things ( since businesses can't PM here, I have to do this in public) -



1. Do you study music at all at St. Martin's? I know some people there. Just curious.



2. Where do you squid fish in Portland?



Thanks, Steph

[Ddragonb]

I know a few people in the music department here at the saint but no i dont study music. There is no squid fishing in portland, its all freshwater there. Im just getting started in the squidding thing, actually my interest in this has stemmed from a project i am coordinating that will study the ability of squid to learn and remember experence.

[Pugetpete]

I've lived in Olympia a LOONNNGGG time, but only started squidding about 10 years ago, Les Davis pier in Tacoma.

I still go there most frequently, but have jigged at Pt. Defiance in Tacoma (Commencement Bay) and Des Moines a few times. Never have done spectacular anywhere. Did try West Seattle once.

I checked out Olympia's newest pier in front of Anthony's most recently. The tides run fast and it is shallow. I'm not sure Boston Harbor north on East Bay Dr might not work but haven't tried it.

Steilacoom is not Olympia, by the way, but almost in Tacoma. It might be OK if you find a place they'll let you stand after dark????

Luhr Beach is nearer Nisqually than Olympia, and quite shallow. Maybe it'd work on a very high tide??

Boat fishing might work in Eld inlet or Budd, Totten, etc. Not a lot of piers, public piers that jut out in the bay anywhere south of Tacoma area. I tried Anderson Island once, there's a pier there but it's private.

Haven't tried Hood canal yet, but there's a pier at Hoodsport that might prove interesting.

Most shorelines in South Sound are shallow. Maybe that would lend itself to casting and the more Japanese/Australian type jig/lure. I'm sure there's squid around but it would take a lot of trial and error and patience. Also, a heckuva lot better weather than we've been having!!

Best bet is to head to Tacoma.

Oh, one other thing about Tacoma and Les Davis pier. Be sure not to be the last person off the dock and be careful about walking by cars parked there late. A lot of drug deals go down there and they don't want witnesses.....

Puget Pete

[jckauffman]

[quote name='Puget Pete' post='7780' date='Dec 13 2006, 01:04 PM']I've lived in Olympia a LOONNNGGG time, but only started squidding about 10 years ago, Les Davis pier in Tacoma.

I still go there most frequently, but have jigged at Pt. Defiance in Tacoma (Commencement Bay) and Des Moines a few times. Never have done spectacular anywhere. Did try West Seattle once.

I checked out Olympia's newest pier in front of Anthony's most recently. The tides run fast and it is shallow. I'm not sure Boston Harbor north on East Bay Dr might not work but haven't tried it.

Steilacoom is not Olympia, by the way, but almost in Tacoma. It might be OK if you find a place they'll let you stand after dark????

Luhr Beach is nearer Nisqually than Olympia, and quite shallow. Maybe it'd work on a very high tide??

Boat fishing might work in Eld inlet or Budd, Totten, etc. Not a lot of piers, public piers that jut out in the bay anywhere south of Tacoma area. I tried Anderson Island once, there's a pier there but it's private.

Haven't tried Hood canal yet, but there's a pier at Hoodsport that might prove interesting.

Most shorelines in South Sound are shallow. Maybe that would lend itself to casting and the more Japanese/Australian type jig/lure. I'm sure there's squid around but it would take a lot of trial and error and patience. Also, a heckuva lot better weather than we've been having!!

Best bet is to head to Tacoma.

Oh, one other thing about Tacoma and Les Davis pier. Be sure not to be the last person off the dock and be careful about walking by cars parked there late. A lot of drug deals go down there and they don't want witnesses.....

Puget Pete[/quote]

Hi Puget Pete,



I just moved to Olympia (Boston Harbor area) from the East Coast. A friend in Bremerton introduced me to squidding, and I've gone up there a couple of times with him. Now that I'm hooked (no pun intended) I'm looking for a place a little closer to home. I've cruised this board and have seen some mention of Luhr Beach and the Steilacoom ferry, but I've never read anything from anyone who's actually tried either. Your tips are extremely helpful, and I think I'll try Les Davis pier before too long. I checked out the Steilacoom ferry landing the other night and there's a fishing pier that is available, but no plug-ins and the light source didn't seem all that great. Also, at low tide it's quite a drop to the water. Have you ever heard from anyone who's been squidding there? I noticed that you mention trying places much farther away, so I suppose that's my answer. Just checking.



As far as Boston Harbor Marina I don't know if there are any squid around but I'm betting they would not be keen on someone setting up shop down there after dark. There are no crabbing and no clamming signs around, and I've never seen anyone fishing there. I'll ask the owner next time I'm in and see what he says.



Regards, Oly Squid

[Squid98]

[quote name='Tacoma Squider' post='3905' date='Dec 29 2004, 03:24 PM']Try the Lakewood/Steilicom ferry.[/quote]





It there any other place in Olympia other then Luhr Beach...and Steilicom Ferry??? btw does any1 actually catch any squid out of Luhr Beach?? if there is, then how many squid per hour?