09-24 REELLIFE digital - Flipbook - Page 23
If they do not have the
staffing or there are safety
concerns, they may have
to close a given fishery
because they are unable
to monitor it as required
under the Federal Fisheries
permit.
Once you’ve sorted through
the regulations and
generally know where you
are going, what’s the game
plan? During Coho season
a good chunk of MA 7 will
have coho available. Many
of the points along the
SW side of San Juan Island
produce tide rips that will
concentrate bait. Find the
bait and coho will be there.
This time of the year coho
put on the feed bag and
fatten up for their spawning
rituals. Instead of naming
off several already busy
point fisheries think bait.
Generally, coho will be
found anywhere there is
bait. Meter around offshore
from the point fisheries
and look for bait. Study
your charts and note any
high spots or ridges that
will create a current break
and have a look. You don’t
need to find a boiling tide
rip, even a subtle rolling
seam along an otherwise
glassy sea will hold bait.
Look for seabirds, a bunch
of diving birds sitting on
the water means deep
bait. a flock of gulls, either
floating around or on the
wing usually means shallow
bait, so continuously keep
a lookout for birds. They
are kind of the blue light
special for coho fishing.
Although fishing with the
flotilla puts a lot of coho
on ice each year, consider
finding fish outside the
masses. The key to locating
coho is locating the bait,
find the bait and you will
find coho.
One previous September
morning, after a quick stop
at Holiday for nonethanol
and a freshly made
breakfast burrito I was off
to Cornet Bay.
On arrival, I found the bay
glassy calm with no wind
and was in the water in no
time.
