Sunday, November 6, 2011

Hittin' the beaches

Today was my maiden fishing trip to the south Puget Sound beaches. My goal was sea-run cutthroat trout. Except for a small sculpin at sunrise, I have nothing to show for my effort.

Clocks were set-back an hour this morning for daylight savings. I rose about 6 am, and was on the water at Dash Point (on the King-Pierce Co. border) by about 7:15 am. The temperature hovered just above freezing, but the air warmed a little when the sun hit the water after 8 am.

My only rod at the moment is a 9-foot, #5, which I throw with a yellow floating flyline. I thought I would give it a try, but I had a helluva time throwing the larger saltwater flies with such light line. In fact, on such a clear, windless day I'm pretty sure that I scared away all the trout as I double- and triple-hauled the line in order to get my fly out there.

Yesterday I chatted with Orvis Bellevue's Leland Miyawaki, a local authority on Puget Sound beaches. He sent me out with flies you see below. I didn't tell him that I would be taking the wrong rod. The cool one with white head and feathers is Leland's own creation.



I fished the beach near Dash Point town dock, then Dash Point State Park and later Saltwater State Park. I saw I rise just off the beach at Dash Point State Park, where I caught the sculpin, but nothing else. At Saltwater State Park the boats were out hunting for coho. The pinks were boiling the water. I sensed the cutts were in there, but I didn't find them. Note that you have to fish north of the bathrooms as the area south is a sanctuary.

Two goals before year's end -- get a #6 rod for the beaches, and go out with a guide.




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