Leland and Gang,
Just from experience, North of the bridge is an excellent spot this time of
year. The herring are generally tight against the bank and plently of big
fish to boot. Herring balls are not an uncommon site now through August.
As Fall approaches and the more ocean fish arrive, the best spots are
generally the edges of the kelp- especially for the Kings. Mid August
through October and the whole beach between Evans and Fosdick will be
loaded. I usually do fair with a type 6 shooting head and dark herring or
candlefish tubes. In between periods of the bite or dawn/dusk, I like to
use pink/hot pink tubes- sometimes chartruese. It definitely pays to fish
with an 8wt. I have been smoked before with the 5wt and been through two
reels to unknown beasts that lurk just inside the drop off.. even have a
shot at a hooking Ling or two off Evans.
If you plan to start hitting the beach hard, recommend starting off the
jetty in Gig Harbor around mid August and working your way South as the days
progress. By late September, the concentration of fish will have shifted
towards, if not past, Fosdick and feed will have changed to candlefish (the
structure changes to sand just off the beach). For the really adventurous
person, launch a pontoon at the Fox Island bridge about an hour after the
Ebb shift and catch the Flood back. Or better yet, one can launch at the
public launch there just before Fosdick and fish around to the Pt.
What about July to mid August? If you didn't hear, the Purdy Spit was
loaded last year with Kings. To be honest, I haven't seen that many fish
"in" at the Spit for a long time. Maybe it will be the same this year. The
best time was 2-3 hours into the Flood. Large Flash flies (purple or
orange) work like a charmed as well as 4"-5" Diamondback tubes (same color
scheme). Be forewarned now. Bring a minimum of a 8wt along! If you hook
one be prepared to do some jogging. The fish will run right along with the
5 -6 knot current. Then, if you are lucky enough to have steered the fish
towards the beach without it headed for the middle of the bridge, wait until
you try to beach it! The current is fierce! I hooked a metric ton last
year- only 1 to the beach! Since the water is shallow, the Kings will
come out of the water, Excitement! At the Spit, I prefer a type 3
shooting head simply because 95 percent of the time there is a southern
wind, plus it is shallow. Cast straight across the current and dead drift
on a tight line. The fish will generally pick up the fly 3/4 of the way
into a dead drift.
Wish I was there this year with the gang.
John Abbott
