Northwest Fishing Reports

3rd post for the day but I figure it's necessary. I know this has come up before but I'd like to bring it back up. What flies should be used for Sea-run cutts off the beaches? I know all the basics like clousers and some other baitfish patterns but I need more specifics.

As we all know (and are extremely excited for) the pinks are returning this year to our rivers in great numbers. What flies should I use for them when they come? I have a cabin on Whidbey Island at the tip of Holmes Harbor on the beach of Baby Island. Will be most fishing from shore as well as anchoring up off the point and casting towards coho and pinks together.

This is a great book on the subject if you haven't read it already.

Fly Fishing for Sea-run Cutthroat
By Chester Allen

For pinks, little bitty pink and white shrimpish looking things and of course Clousers on the small side

Depends on time of year for cutts...Early (februaryish) they are keying on chum fry that are along the beaches.

Summer= done some serious damage on:....wait for it....black wooly buggers that are weighted. Another great pattern is called a snot dart...

Fall= clousers, clousers and more clousers! Cutts are fattening up at this time and your chance to catch a real nice one is this time of year!

Hope this helps...oh yeah..key on rocky bottoms/shorelines and oyster beds also. The old axiom is "if you can't see the bottom, your fishing too deep" when it comes to SRC.

This is very true in my experience.

Todd

for pinks i have done very well anchored near the mouth of the puyallup with black and purple leeches