September Is Here!

September has arrived and with it a great number of fishing opprutunities for the Puget Sound angler.  For me September means Coho salmon and some of the best fishing of the season.  Not only will we have fantastic silver fishing in the Straits and Puget Sound both for those who are boat fishing but also a good number of beach fisheries for the shore bound angler.  These same fish will progress to their natal streams where they will be avaiable in the lower estuary fisheries for the small boat fisheries then into the free flowing sections of Puget Sound steams where the bank anglers will have access to them.  These fisheries are on hand at the present time and will just get progressively better as the month goes on.

Pinks are still going strong both in the salt water areas and most all the rivers have had a very strong showing of pinks.  Three additional rivers or sections of rivers came on board September 1st.  The main Stillagumish opened for pink salmon below the Hwy 9 bridge, as well as Skykomish above Lewis street bridge and the Snoqualmie.  Make sure to read your regulations for all the particulars that these systems have.  We should contine to see good pink fishing at least through the midde of the month in the salt water and until the end of the month in the rivers and perhaps a little into October, though many will be a little past prime!

September is also a month to chase our searun cutthroat trout here in our local streams.  This is a fantastic fishery that is overlooked by many as they are prusuing their larger cousins.  For the fly fisherman there are a great fish to go out and try and fool with your fur and feather creations.  With many streams having selective fishery regulations , catch and release or at the very least a very restricted limit it curtails the crowds and makes for a very enjoyable fishery with minimum pressure. 

September is also a great time for the bass fisherman as the water is still warm enough to keep them active but the shorted days tell them it is time to feed and put on some weight for the winter.  We are blessed to have both great smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing opprutunities that abound here in Puget Sounds lakes.  You have a multitude of fishing opprutunities from the larger lakes like Lake Washington and Sammamish to smaller local urban lakes from just a few acres on up that are just perfect for that small boat, pontoon or float tube.