Other northwest favorites

The cool weather definitely helps, but even so I have to admit there are things drawing my attention away from summer steelhead right now.

Salt-water fishing is definitely one of them.  The straights of Juan De Fuca have been pumping out more Coho this year than they have in the last 5 at least.

Beach fishing for Coho, pinks, and cutthroat is a nice wayto escape the heat and hook some beautiful tough fish.

Another alternative is black rocks.  These guys can be found along the coast and straights in lots of places, but the prime area has to be between Salt Creek and Neah bay.

When the bite is on its no big deal to nail 50 or so of these a day

The best fishing is generally found along rocky points and drop offs where the bottom drops vertically from about 15 to 40 feet.  This time of year that will also mean a bunch of bull kelp.

Black rock bass, contrary to popular belief are NOT bottom feeders.  At slack low tide itscommon to see fish suspended in the shade of jumbo kelp fronds, and often busting bait pods on top.  Wherever you find them they tend to be pushovers and almost any fly will get them to eat.  That said if you really want to tear them up just tie a basic light pink half rabbit style bunny leach.  Once you cast it don’t move it, just let it hang.  After a minute or soif there are any rock fish around you will feel a soft but steady pull, wait a second then set the hook.

Stripping the fly for aggressive takers is effective and hard to resist, but if you calm down and hang the fly you will find your catch rate double.

Jim Kerr

Rain Coast Guides