Are There Secret Fishing Places?
July salmon are fun. Eight months of waiting for a three window creates a level of excitement and sense of urgency that, at least for me, needs to be managed.
I arrived at the ramp ~10:30 to find a boat of four people with four nice chinook taking out. While fishing for greenling the week before, I discovered sand lance schooling in flowing current near a sloping point and kelp bed in 25’ to 45’ deep. After catching two greenling, I got hit hard using 3” herring baited on #2 hooks. I was taken by surprise, new what it was and stopped fishing.
For this day, I was on the water by 1:00 and returned to the spot. The first drop with an anchovy resulted in release of a wild chinook. Four drops later I paid salmon tribute to a sea lion cow that seem to enjoy my attempts at getting her to let go. I had an amazing day in a place that hides in plain sight.
By the numbers:
days fished (2), salmon hooked (6), wild fish released (1) sea lion tribute paid (2 salmon), salmon harvested (2), greenling harvested (12), herring used (48), anchovy used (36), darts used (1), boats in spot (0), boats just south of spot (70), sea lions in spot (1), campers cheering from the bluff (~6)
Trip learnings:
Secret places do exist—be open when they reveal themselves
For chinook, look beyond 90’ to 120’ and what other boats are doing—watch the bait and birds
You won’t win a game of tag with a sea lion
