Puget Sound offers a year-round fishery for the fly fisher. There are a few down-times but for the most part you can go out almost any day of the year and catch something. My fly fishing of the sound is mostly limited to salmonoids - sea-run cutthroat trout and the five species of Pacific Salmon that are either resident or return to the sound each fall.
Looking for a streamer pattern that was easier to throw than a Clousers and easier to tie than a full on SeaHabit Bucktail, I came up with these two flies which have become two of my favorites. On its first outing the Herring landed about eight resident Coho in an hour one December morning at the Narrows. The epoxy adds some time to the fly but if you tie up a dozen then do all the epoxy at once it isn't so bad. They cast like a charm since they weigh nothing and seem to catch fish as well as the Clousers that were always my standard. Since they don't have much weight on them I throw an intermediate or sinking tip when using them.
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Hook: Tiemco 811S
#2-4 Thread: Mono Eyes: 2.0mm Pearl stick-on eyes Tail: 12-15 strands of Pearl Flashabou with a small amount of white bucktail. Body: Flat Pearl Diamond Braid, wound all the way to the hook eye Wing: A layer of Pearl Flashabou tied it on top, extending to the end of the tail. Follow with a light layer of white bucktail on top and a few strands of white bucktail on the bottom of the body. Then layer on the sides 10-12 strands of Mother of Pearl Gliss-N-Glow. Top with a layer of Herring Back Krystal Flash and 6 strands of M.O.P. Rootbeer Gliss-N-Glow. Tie in all toppings to the eye so they show through as the top of the head. Head: Epoxy the head with 5-minute expoxy. Let dry, apply eyes, and then add one more thin coat of epoxy. |
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Hook: Tiemco 811S
#2-4 Thread: Mono Eyes: 1.5mm Pearl stick-on eyes Tail: 12-15 strands of Pearl Flashabou Body: Flat Pearl Diamond Braid, wound all the way to the hook eye Wing: A layer of Pearl Flashabou tied it on top, extending to the end of the tail. Follow with a light layer of white bucktail on top and a few strands of white bucktail on the bottom of the body. Top with a layer of Olive Krystal Flash, a few strands of Dark Green FishHair and 4strands of M.O.P. Rootbeer Gliss-N-Glow. On the side add one strand of Red Flashabou to each side. Tie in all toppings to the eye so they show through as the top of the head. Head: Epoxy the head with 5-minute expoxy. Let dry, apply eyes, and then add one more thin coat of epoxy. |
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Hook: Tiemco 811S #8-4 Thread: White Eyes: Red Lead Eyes (XS for #8, S for #6-4) Tail: White bucktail Wing: Pearl Krystal Flash, Olive Bucktail, topped with Root Beer Gliss-N-Glow. |
This is probably my most commonly used fly in Puget Sound, I throw it or the maribou version below about 90% of the time. I tend to use a #8 fly when I'm expecting sea-run cutts only but will switch to a #6 or even a #4 if the Coho are in though I've still gotten my best Coho on a #8 fly.
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Hook: Tiemco 811S #8-4
Thread: White Eyes: Red Lead Eyes (XS for #8, S for #6-4) Tail: White Maribou Wing: Pearl Krystal Flash, Olive Maribou, topped with Root Beer Gliss-N-Glow. Optionally add a few strands of red maribou to both sides, it seems to help. |
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Hook: Mustad #34011 #6-4, bent into keel hook Thread: Clear Monofilament Head: Tungsten Cone Head Eyes: Red stick-on eyes Wing: White Bucktail, Pearl Krystal Flash, Olive Bucktail and Root Beer Gliss-N-Glow
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I got into Popovic flies for saltwater fishing and started creating the jiggy version of my basic fly because I kept breaking off the lead eyes on the beach behind me. I thought the jiggy would cause less damaged flies. The only issue I've found with it is that if you tick your backcast the hook itself will break instead of the eyes breaking off. You need to coat the head and eyes with 5-minute Epoxy to finish the fly.
I started using the Sea-Habit series of flies in Baja and adapted this one to the local Puget Sound herring which are fed upon by the returning salmon.
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Hook: #2-4 Tiemco 800S or Gamakatsu
Thread: White flat nylon and clear mono for head Tail: Pearl Flashabou tied in at hook bend, over that tie in a few strands of Root Beer Gliss-N-Glow Underbody: Pearl Flashabou tied on top and bottom of hook, extends to tail Body: White bucktail tied on top and bottom of hook. On the sides tie in Live Gliss-N-Glow. Top the white bucktail with a few strands of Purple Krystal Flash, followed by Blue Angel Hair and topped with Baitfish Angel Hair Gills: A small bunch of Red Flashabou tied on each side of the head Head: Mylar tubing tied on with the clear mono. Add prismatic tape eyes and epoxy to finish. |
This one came directly from Trey Comb's book. It is a variation on the Sea-Habit in that it is half deciever, half Sea-Habit.
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Hook: #2-4 Tiemco 800S or Gamakatsu
Thread: White flat nylon and clear mono for head Tail: four White saddle hackles tied in at bend of hook Underbody: Pearl Flashabou tied on top and bottom of hook, extends to tail Body: Small bunches White bucktail mixed with Pearl Flashabou tied on top and bottom and sides of hook. Top with small amounts of Lime Krystal Flash, Chartreuse bucktail, and Olive bucktail. Gills: Silver Krystal Flash tied in at sides Head: Mylar tubing tied on with the clear mono. Add prismatic tape eyes and epoxy to finish. |
This one came from Leland Miyawaki, one of the people responsible for getting me out on the beaches fishing. For details on it's tying and how to fish it check out http://www.pugetsoundflyfishing.com/FlyPatterns/Attractors/BeachPopper_MiyawakiL.htm. I caught my first, and one of my largest, cutthroat on this fly. If I'm tired of tossing lead I'll go to it for a change of pace.
Yes, a bonefish fly is also a pretty good salmon fly at least in the winter when the resident coho are keyed on eating shrimp. Use a #6-8, toss it out on a floating or intermediate line and retrieve it very slowly.
I use two rods for almost all of my fishing in the Sound - a Sage 690-3 RPLXi and a Sage 790-3 RPLXi. I prefer to throw the 6-weight whenever possible since it is just a bit lighter and for small cutts is plenty of rod. I use the 7-weight on windier days or when I'm pretty sure I'll be hooking salmon instead of cutts.
I use Ross reels almost exclusively now, and have a Ross BG-4 that is my primary rod for Puget Sound. I also use my Ross Evolution #3 at times with the smaller rod.
I use a Rio multi-tip line for most of my Puget Sound fishing and tend to stick to the clear intermediate tip. I use a 7-weight line and throw it with either the 6 or 7 weight rods. If I'm fishing a popper I'll switch to a floating tip on the line. I have yet to really need to go with a real sink tip on this line. Typically I use a 7' 2x leader for most of my sound fishing. I'll carry 3x tippet material if I'm throwing a small fly but find the fish just aren't leader shy.
I like neoprene boot-foot waders for fishing in the sound. That way I don't rust out my wading boots and it is very easy to get in and out of them. I will, at times, wade wet when I'm out kayaking but only in the middle of the summer when the sun is out. I carry a flats bag for my gear in the summer time and keep gear in my Simms jacket in the fall, winter, and spring if it is cold enough or rainy.
I also fish from my sea kayak some and have found a few things that make that easier. First off is a deck-bag that doubles as a tackle carrier and a way to hold my fly rod down. I have a Seal-Line bag that has a crossed bungee on the top. I stick my fly box, leaders, line tips, etc... in the bag and use the bungee to strap down my rod at the reel. The bow of my boat has a handle that fortunately flops over the side and holds the tip of the rod very well. I haven't had any problems with this rig but haven't capsized with it yet either, I'm not 100% sure that I'd still have my rod after a capsize.
I also have a long-handled landing net that is built for canoes or float tubes that I strap to the rear deck. I have a long bungee on it to keep from loosing it overboard. This makes it much easier to land fish than a regular net or no net at all. The first time I tried landing a Coho from my kayak I had no net and had to scoop him up onto the spray skirt which wasn't too easy. After that I went looking for a decent net.
