Peregrine Charters: Salmon Fishing in Puget Sound

After spending 20+ years sailing and fishing in Puget Sound I can tell you we caught more fish on our sailboat then we ever did on powerboats. Engine noise scares salmon. If you're not in a crowded area, you're going to be better off under sail.

We have all types here: coho, chinook, sockeye. We typically used two main methods - trolling under sail (or sometimes motor) using a planer/diver with a flasher and spoon, or jigging with a lead lure when there is no wind or we want to sit over a good spot. We never tried a downrigger (yet) as the planer seems to work well down to 75 feet (guess) or more. We can also use a casting lure with success in small bays or at anchor (a great way to reach coho or sea-run cutthroat that you can sometimes see jumping).

Key to success is figuring out when and where the fish are. To increase your odds, read books and study charts. Then, adjust your sails (drop the main, reef the genoa perhaps) to fit your fishing technique (trolling, jigging, casting, etc), or adjust your fishing to match the conditions (jig if there is no wind, etc). Be sure to have a game plan for what to do when one is hooked - we immediately heave to or tack if we are headed towards shore so my wife or a buddy can help land it. Remember you cannot muscle a fish aboard, you must tire it first. Be patient!

Equipment

Typically we used a shorter rod (ugly stick), 30lbs test line to a pink lady, diving planer. Then about 3' of 50lbs test to a green or silver flasher. Then about 4' to a artificial squid or hoochie. We have also tried a spoon in place of the herring, but the herring always wins. Make sure you bring a BIG net. There is nothing more tragic than losing a nice fish because you lost him while awkwardly trying to get him into too small of a net. Unless you're using herring, color is the most important. A colored spoon that works one day may not work the next.

Speed

Speed is the most important. Somewhere about 1.5-3 knots, BUT there are currents, sometimes opposing currents at different depths that effect how fast. If you have a furling jib, you can reduce your speed. Keeping the line away from the rudder and propeller, especially when single handed can also be a trick.

We have caught salmon at speeds as low as .5 kt all the way up to 4.5 kts. The "best speed" seems to be about 2.5, but that depends on if you are running with or agaist the tide. Put your flasher and lure in the water down about 1 to 3 feet. Speed up and slow down the boat until the flasher switches from the "role" to the "spiral". If you find your speed is fairly quick and you have trouble keeping in that 2 knot range you can fish using gear that is meant to be used at quicker velocities. Plugs (which naturally dive), certain spoons, x-raps, hoochies on longer leaders, and even anchovies on teaser heads can be fished faster than 3 knots. I once hooked into lots of coho while trolling a buzz bomb at 6 knots.

Depth

Your depth sounder/fishfinder is the key. Trolling can work with a 4oz weight, but the fish are usually deeper during the day. So to be successful you need to get down deeper. A diving device like Pink Ladies and Dipsy Divers will get the lure down deep to where the fish are.

In some places the salmon (especially Chinook) are typically 100-300' deep, sometimes 8nm from shore (in the straits or off the coast), and require downriggers with 18# cannon balls but in other places the salmon are 20' deep, close to shore, and a simple sliding 4-8oz weight or diver device will do the trick.

Timing

The best time to catch salmon is between dark and dawn. A salmon's eyes don't dilate. So at night they're on the surface and as the sky brightens and the sun rises, they go deeper. Fish the changes of light and also tide changes, following the rips just off the tide line.