Dispatches from marine area 7: ‘crazy good’ | By Kevin Klein

Kevin Klein, Friday Harbor, PSA San Juan Islands, CCA Northsound There is "Good", there is "Very Good", and then there is "Crazy Good". The San Juans since the July 1st. salmon opener have been "Crazy Good". I had a funny feeling that there would be Kings around, but couldn't imagine this. Fish are everywhere, North, South, East, and West. They are biting on everything, but feeding mostly on Candlefish. I have been using the "Tailwagger" and "4 lite" spoons by Silver Horde behind a Q-cove flasher with much success. However, these are hungry salmon, and hootchies and bait are also working. Troll close to the bottom, elevated a bit more than blackmouth, but not much.I have caught a lot of clipped fish, and have actually just been releasing unclipped salmon, and keeping hatchery. That's good to see. So are the multiple reports of big Chinook over 30lb.s. The upcoming Bellingham Derby could take a real monster to win it. I had 5 fish to the boat on the morning of the 4th by 7 a.m., and this has been common. The San Juans are now "Ground Zero" for some of the best salmon fishing on the planet. I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

July 5, 2011 7:41 pm
Andy Holman and daughter Alexandria display a nice-sized salmon and a pair of 'salmon smiles'.
Andy Holman and daughter Alexandria display a nice-sized salmon and a pair of 'salmon smiles'.

There is “good”, there is “very good”, and then there is “crazy good”.

The San Juans have been “crazy good” since the July 1 salmon season opener.

I had a funny feeling that there would be Kings around, but couldn’t imagine this. Fish are everywhere, north, south, east, and west.

They are biting on everything, but feeding mostly on Candlefish. I have been using the “Tailwagger” and “4 lite” spoons by Silver Horde behind a Q-cove flasher with much success.

However, these are hungry salmon, and hootchies and bait are also working.Troll close to the bottom, elevated a bit more than blackmouth, but not much.

I have caught a lot of clipped fish, and have actually just been releasing unclipped salmon, and keeping hatchery. That’s good to see. So are the multiple reports of big Chinook over 30 pounds.

The upcoming Bellingham Derby could take a real monster to win it. I had five fish to the boat on the morning of July 4 by 7 a.m., and this has been common.

The San Juans are now Ground Zero for some of the best salmon fishing on the planet.

— By Kevin Klein, Friday Harbor, PSA San Juan Islands, CCA Northsound