June 2010 - Tony's Tackle Box

I don’t know about you, but these months are going by like days of the week. That’s the bad news. Are you ready for some good news? June will be a tsunami of fishing and shellfish options on our saltwater and freshwater systems. Spin cycle baby and get ready to get outside!

Think about this:

• New coastal chinook season, June 12-30, 2 hatchery kings daily
• Columbia River summer kings, see regulations for dates
• Dungeness crab, south Sound & western Strait, June 18, daily
• Lingcod open through June 15
• Skykomish summer kings, June 1-July 31

Rarely, maybe once or twice at the most, every 10 years, the ocean opens in June for chinook salmon fishing. This is one of those years and salmon forecasters are predicting the big enchilada, to the tune of about 650,000 kings bound for the Columbia River. This forecast should produce some incredible fishing in July and August too, as the main herd wanders down the Washington coast from southeast Alaska and British Columbia, smelling their way to the Columbia River. Reports from the north are all ready stellar.

Scientists say this big run is the result of a couple of years of good ocean productivity. It’s payday, baby, and time to reel down on some ocean fat-boy chinook. Make my day.

This fishery, by the way, is a first time ever for “hatchery only” fin-clipped chinook. We continue to talk about selective fishing for hatchery chinook and coho salmon, and the evolution of this fishing regulation continues to expand. If we truly care about doing our part, to protect and restore wild chinook and coho salmon, then this is the road for salmon anglers who are passionate about the sport. Put me in, coach.

If freshwater salmon fishing is your bag, then take a good look at the hatchery-only chinook fishery below Bonneville Dam in June. Anglers refer to these big, bright king salmon as “summer kings.” These fish can easily beef up into the 30-pound class and as table fare, they are competitive with spring chinook. Anglers who pound the lower Columbia River, taking advantage of stocks of chinook, coho and steelhead pay particular attention to this summer chinook stock which clearly is on the rebound. Be there or be square. As you read this column, I am dropping my worm in the water at Sitka, Alaska, for my 19th year in a row. Sitka is considered Chinook salmon mecca, which always turns my wheel. Toss in some hook-ups with Pacific halibut and lingcod and watch me tip over.

This year, coming back home, I am jacked about all of the great fishing options in June. My boat and fishing tackle are completely ready. Let the parade begin. I hope you’ll get outside during this upcoming month as these kinds of fishing opportunities seem to be an exception, rather than the norm. Consider June as the kickoff to the summer sport fishing season. Watch this old guy crank up the chinook shuffle. See you on the water.