Puget sound, WA (2013 season)

[mizm05]

Final count from Wednesday night was 83 squid. So probably closer to 4 lbs or so.

 

[mizm05]

Well, I'm counting my blessings on my previous catch that I posted, because I was out there again on both Saturday and Sunday evening and it was DEAD!!!  Maybe 3-4 squid each evening...and nobody else did any better.

 

The season might be dwindling down...but it's about that time of year so it's to be expected.  Now I need to find something else to pass the time until I go chasing Springers.

[liam]

Winter steel and dollys on the sky maybe some whitefish.


Or if you like squidding you might enjoy smelt in deception pass. Smelt are tasty little fish full of eggs, they're delicious just pan fry them whole (full of guts). They're easy to catch, just a sabiki (baitfish) rig.


Or there's typically Razor clams and perch out on the coast this time of year, which makes for a great weekend. Get your limit of razors and use the necks to fish for perch when the tide starts coming in.


Lots of fishing choices right now!

[mizm05]

The hatchery steel returns are terrible this year.  Not wasting my gas chasing those anymore this season.  I may hit the Sky for trout though...guys have been reporting the trout fishing has been pretty good up there.

 

I may head up to Penn Cove soon for some butter clams and mussels.  

 

But starting next month, the hunt begins for Springers!!!!!

 

Thanks for the recommendations Liam.

[liam]

If you thought steel returns were bad, I don't know if spring kings will be any better. They're bigger fish, and flows are still super low.

[mizm05]

They are actually expecting a really good return for springers this year.  Much better than previous years.

 

So are squid pretty much done until may/june timeframe?

[liam]

No, you can catch them year round, it's just slower until next October.


Last year was ssupposed to be a good year for springers, and it was in the Columbia, but it was terrible in the northern rivers. I fished every weekend for Wallace springers on the sky and caught just one and saw a handful of others caught. Don't get me started on the cascade opener, it was terrible.


Maybe the Cowlitz will get a good return, that would be nice for people living down south, but I'm not expecting much here in Snohomish County. I mean, I'll probably still be out there, can't beat floating eggs down the sky just below the Wallace, there's winter steel, spring Chinook, whitefish, dolly varden.

[liam]

Another thing you can do is grab some perch if the squidding is slow. Use a perch rig baited with raw shrimp chunks.


These are tasty.

[mizm05]

Right on.  Didn't know you could squid year round.  The way it was explained to me is there was a winter spawn, and a summer spawn.  I know the numbers will be less, but at least I know I can still catch something.  

 

I'll have to try for perch sometime.  I love perch.  I agree...very tasty.

 

I was hoping to hit the wallace for trout this weekend, but other stuff came up.  Don't think I'll be able to get back out there before the Feb 15th close date.  It's approaching the time of year where you have to start driving a bit to find an open river.

 

I live in a community that has access to a private lake.  They stock it with rainbows every March.  Maybe I'll just drive a few blocks with my inflatable and troll around the lake chasing bows.

[glen]

Hi everyone,

 

New thread here:

 

http://www.squidfish.net/forums/index.ph...14-season/

 

Cheers, Glen