Northwest Fishing Reports

Hey all,

I am fairly new to salt fishing in the Puget. I have fished salt all my life over seas on the east coast and in Cali.
My question is this, where can I go to catch flounder whats the bait and for that matter any other fish other then salmon that
can be caught. Hell I just want something I will even take a mudshark. I mean that to.
Please help with some info or bait an rigs.
Thanks a bunch.
Basstard ....

Pretty much anywhere out in skagit bay. a weight a hook that's small enough to fit in their pie holes and just about any kind of meat. drop it to the bottom and wait. No bite move a little bit, no bite move a little bit more. Stay in less than about 40' of water. Close to eel grass.

Thanks,

I went out last weekend dropped a line caught crabs @.@ the good kind. of course tossed them back cant keep them. I did catch a monkfish " think thats what there called" anyway its ugly as sin and looked similar to a sculpin but it was close to a foot long, ooof still thinking of that thing man @.@ Anyway that was all I got all day long. I really want to help a buddy catch a shark he is wanting to catch one bad. I have several times on the east side "sand shark" I just want some flounder and maybe some cod.
thanks for the info Bodo

I see you are North, but if you are ever in the Tacoma area, I have caught plenty of flounder off the shore at Pt Defiance Owens Beach using shrimp. Didn't matter the tide either or time of year. I used the shrimp you can eat. Prawns - the 41/60 size to be exact. Hope this helps!

Basstard wrote:Thanks,

I went out last weekend dropped a line caught crabs @.@ the good kind. of course tossed them back cant keep them. I did catch a monkfish " think thats what there called" anyway its ugly as sin and looked similar to a sculpin but it was close to a foot long, ooof still thinking of that thing man @.@ Anyway that was all I got all day long. I really want to help a buddy catch a shark he is wanting to catch one bad. I have several times on the east side "sand shark" I just want some flounder and maybe some cod.
thanks for the info Bodo

I've caught crabs to while bottom fishing the sound.
A way to avoid them is to use a dropper rig.


And the fish you caught was probably a rat fish...
was this what it looked liked?

if you are looking for flounder the mukilteo ferry dock is loaded with them just buy the cheapest shrimp u can get like 3 dollars worth will last u all day. just cast out with a bullet weight behind a swivel and 6-8 inch leader after with a size 6 snelled hook. they get pretty big anywhere from 5 inches to 20 inches. they are basically everywhere u can cast anywhere off the dock. if you try under the ramp sometimes you can catch rock cod. same bait just drag it along the bottom. the shilshole bay has really good flounder and sculpin fishing. if you cast north off the dock and drag worms or shrimp off the bottom you can get something almost every cast. theres also rock cod here but i can't tell you my secret spot =) its too good haha!! good luck

WOW thanks guys.. All that info helped out a ton. The fish I caught looks like a monk fish.. I will see if I can post it here..

bubba800 wrote:if you are looking for flounder the mukilteo ferry dock is loaded with them just buy the cheapest shrimp u can get like 3 dollars worth will last u all day. just cast out with a bullet weight behind a swivel and 6-8 inch leader after with a size 6 snelled hook. they get pretty big anywhere from 5 inches to 20 inches. they are basically everywhere u can cast anywhere off the dock. if you try under the ramp sometimes you can catch rock cod. same bait just drag it along the bottom. the shilshole bay has really good flounder and sculpin fishing. if you cast north off the dock and drag worms or shrimp off the bottom you can get something almost every cast. theres also rock cod here but i can't tell you my secret spot =) its too good haha!! good luck

Just don't make a steady diet of those Puget Sound flounders - especially Ellliot Bay and Commencement Bays. See the WDFW warnings on bottom fish.

Hey Basstard,


The fish in your pic looks like a bull head to me. I would also agree with Mike to limit consumption.

You live close to Cornet Bay Marina. They have a public pier there you can catch flounder and cod from. Also while driving towards Deception Pass State Park you will pass by Pass Lake. At Pass lake, take a right, then a left into Bowman Bay Park. There is a very long public dock there where you can also catch some flounder and cod. Just a couple of ideas.

Here is the link for public fishing piers in Puget Sound. It has a map and all the piers marked on it. Check out numbers 6,8,9, and 10, all of which are close to your home. http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/piers/

Good luck.

All great suggestions. I would pay close attention to what Dave said/says Basstard. He knows your area real well. I have hit 8-1 a bit myself, but only the past couple years. I used to bring my 12'er out to cornet bay all the time, but I always stayed "inside". (not wise to go through the pass in a small boat). I never really caught to much out there, but did have the best luck near the launch/pier. If you launch from WA Park, I have caught quite a few fish (general bottom fish) right around the head there (Fidalgo Head) and burrows pass. If you are careful, you could even fish that area from shore. (be prepard to loose some gear though, kinda rocky).

good luck.....and that fish.....that looks like one emaciated cabazon to me......(I think that is the same as a bullhead, but don't quote me on that)

WOW !

Thanks for all the info guys this really helps me out. I didnt plan on eating a ton of the fish I catch. I read the reports on how much of what fish you should eat in a week or month period.
Thanks again guys and I will let you know how I do. I plan on taking my boat out to Burrows island area this weekend. Will let you know how I did.
Again thanks a bunch guys.
Basstard....

As a kid we would launch our 12' aluminum in Bowman Bay at the park and catch lots of bottom fish. This section of water is a small cove so you would be fine in a small boat as long as you don't stray too far out. Looking forward to your report.

Basstard wrote:WOW thanks guys.. All that info helped out a ton. The fish I caught looks like a monk fish.. I will see if I can post it here..

That fish in the pic is a type of sculpin. There are several varieties in Puget Sound, with the Pacific Staghorn Sculpin (most commonly called a "bullhead") being the most frequently caught. The fish in your pic is not a staghorn, but I think it is a Buffalo Sculpin or a Great Sculpin.

Either way its ugly!

i would bet on great sculpin. buffalo sculpins look alot like toads the great sculpins have hhuuge heads on itty bitty body's.

acutally bubba800's secret spot is by the bathrooms and in the marina againest the rocks!

acutally bubba800's secret spot is by the bathrooms and in the marina againest the rocks!