Big, Tasty Fraser River Kings Just In Time For Island Anglers

Opportunities are blossoming for anglers pursuing late migrating kings in open areas of Puget Sound.

A prime fishing choice is the San Juan Islands, where some lucky anglers are catching giant Fraser River kings, prized for their tasty white flesh.

"A big push of fish is coming through the islands, and I know of a boat that caught six kings up to 52 pounds and half were Frasers," said Tony Floor, expert angler and U.S. Fish and Wildlife spokesman.

Point Doughty and Point Thompson on the north shore of Orcas Island are fair to good. Also try Lawrence Point, Cypress Island, Guemes Island, Smith Island and the west side of San Juan Island.

Fishing slowed in central Puget Sound, but there's been a fair morning king bite off Lincoln Park, Alki Point and Saltwater State Park.

Elliott Bay will not reopen this week for salmon-boat fishing, and is closed until Oct. 16.

In southern Puget Sound, anglers have coaxed a few kings into biting along the Gig Harbor shoreline, the Clay Banks off Point Defiance, the Puyallup River's mouth, Chambers Creek mouth, and the green buoy off the Nisqually Flats.

Anderson Island is a fair evening flood-tide jigging bet for kings, but salmon-hungry seals and hordes of dogfish come with the fishing menu.

Willapa Bay on the southern coast opens tomorrow for salmon fishing, but it usually produces slow early-season action. The daily limit is six salmon, only four of which may be adult fish.

The Strait of Juan de Fuca (Marine Areas 5 and 6) opens for coho Sept. 1, and closes Sept. 30 or when 50,000 coho are caught. Two coho per angler is the daily limit.

Hot spots of the week

1. Coho salmon fishing on the south coast: "Fishing is exceptionally good, but pressure is light, including Westport, where only 2,456 angler trips have been taken since the July 22 opener," said Doug Milward, a state Fish and Wildlife resource manager.

Through Sunday, Ilwaco anglers have caught 10,315 coho (31,100 catch quota), and Westport anglers have caught 9,066 (23,000). The coho averaged 4 to 7 pounds, with a few up to 13 pounds.

Last weekend, 55 anglers at Ilwaco's north jetty caught no coho, and it usually doesn't improve until September. The Lower Columbia River at Buoy 10 is open for coho, but was very slow at midweek.

The daily limit is two coho per angler, and no more than four may be kept in seven consecutive days.

2. King salmon fishing off Seacrest Boathouse fishing pier in West Seattle: "Good fishing with 12 kings caught (yesterday) morning, and the biggest was 18 pounds," said Chris Peeler at the boathouse.

Other year-round salmon-fishing spots are Pier 86 and the Elliott Bay public fishing pier.

3. Coho salmon fishing on the north coast: Through Sunday, La Push anglers have caught 234 coho (1,700 catch quota) and Neah Bay anglers have caught 4,081 (6,400 quota).

Once Neah Bay's ocean (Marine Area 4) quota of 6,400 is reached, anglers can fish for coho east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh Island line (Marine Area 4B) under a bonus 2,000 catch quota.

4. Spiny ray fishing in local lakes: "A lot of good-sized perch caught in Lake Washington from Leschi to Mount Baker, and at Gene Coulon Park in Renton," said Maria Beppu, owner of Linc's Tackle Shop in Seattle. Hook a kid on fishing by trying for catfish, bass and perch in the Arboretum off Marsh Island.

Good for crappie and perch at Kapowsin Lake (south of Orting), Sawyer Lake (northwest of Black Diamond) and Harts Lake (southeast of Yelm). Good for perch and bluegill at Lake Goodwin (northwest of Marysville). Good for bass at Big Lake (south of Mount Vernon) and Silver Lake in Pierce County.

5. Steelhead fishing in the Cowlitz and Skykomish rivers: Anglers who arrive just before sunrise at Reiter Ponds on the Skykomish have found fair action, but the water is very low and clear. Slow to fair at the Cable Hole near the Skykomish Rearing Ponds, below Sultan and near Monroe.

Fair to good in the Cowlitz at Blue Creek, the state's top producing and most crowded steelhead fishery. Last Sunday, 81 boat anglers caught 50 steelhead.

Fishing spots

-- Westport tuna fishing - Long-range two-day sport fishing boats are catching albacore tuna about 70 miles off the coast. For details, call Ocean Charters at (360) 268-9144, or Coho Charters at (800) 572-0177. -- Hein Bank - Sequim charter boats report fair fishing for kings up to 25 pounds. -- Hood Canal and Puget Sound crabbing - Minimal tidal flow this week should produce good prospects. In Puget Sound, try the Shilshole jetty to North Beach and the Anacortes area. In Hood Canal, the Great Bend area and Quilcene Bay are crab hot spots. -- Tulalip Bay special fishery - Average at midweek is about one king or coho caught for every 10 boats fishing. -- Port Gardner area, Everett - Fair to good for coho, 2 to 4 pounds, off the Possession Point Bait House on Whidbey Island, near the Shipwreck, Hat Island and Camano Head. All chinook must be released in Area 8-2. -- Edmonds Marina pier - "A big pig of a king that weighed 30 pounds was caught off the pier (yesterday) morning, and it's the main fishing attraction," said Kent Alger at Ted's Sport Center in Lynnwood. -- Restoration Point - Slow, but a few kings caught in the morning. -- Alki Point - Fair morning bet for kings. -- Blake Island area - Slow for kings and blackmouth off Allen Bank, but the northwest side and Southworth is worth a shot. -- Coastal rivers - "Try for silvers in the Soleduck, steelhead in the Calawah, and kings and steelhead in the Hoh," said Bob Gooding, owner of Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks. Hoh is closed Mondays and Tuesdays for salmon. Early morning is best. -- Skagit River - Fair for cutthroat in the lower river. -- Stillaguamish River - Early morning show for steelhead on the North Fork from above Deer Creek to Fortson. The water is very low and clear. Fair for cutthroat in the lower river. -- Green River - Slow for steelhead between the Kent and Auburn golf courses and at Flaming Geyser Park. -- Puyallup River - Skip it. Poor water clarity. -- Lewis River - Fair for steelhead. -- Kalama River - Fair morning fly-fishing bet for steelhead in the canyon above Summer Creek Bridge. -- Drano Lake - Fair steelhead boat fishing. -- Columbia River - Good for sturgeon in the estuary and fair below Bonneville Dam. Fair for steelhead off the St. Helens sand bars. Slow for walleye in the Gorge.