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2009 Pink run

10K views 79 replies 38 participants last post by  koolminx 
#1 ·
I know it's a bit early but does anyone have any info on this year's run in terms of numbers that will be returning to Puget Sound rivers?

Thanks.
 
#5 ·
Never seen nor fished for pinks. When its time I would not mind tagging along. I'm sure the areas that are normally fished will provide opportunities but if there is something besdies the timing of the run that is different shout it out.
 
#15 ·
Use any fly you want as long as it's small, medium-sparse dressing, and pink color. Use floating line with bead head fly, retrieve Slowwww. Bleed while heart is still pumping; clean as soon as its done bleeding, put on ice asap. Brine or marinade for short period, BBQ the same night as caught.

If caught in the freshwater, C&R or bury in the garden for fertilizer.
 
#7 ·
Come right along. The Pinks, or Humpies, start their run late summer and I fish for them in the Snohomish. I try to get them lower in the river before they get all humped up and soft.
 
#8 ·
Reports for various areas of Puget Sound last spring was there were very good numbers of pink fry on the beaches. The fry abundance is one of the best indicators for the upcoming run size. While the "offical" forecasts will be available in early March as part of the North of Falcon process and should be mentioned in local papers and will be posted on WDFW's web site shortly thereafter.

Rumors are that folks are expecting very good returns and for the first time in 3 cycles (recovered from the 2003 flood) we should see a returns to the Skagit that will be more than enough to support significant fishing. Expect to see large returns throughout Puget Sound with big numbers from the Skagit to the Puyallup. I would not be surprised to see the Puget Sound wide forecast in the 4 million range.

With the outstanding resident coho fishing happening in the south Sound, the expected good numbers of pinks, the consistent cutthroat fishing, etc I'm looking forward to an interesting summer/fall of chasing anadormous salmonids. With the down time we have had this winter it might be a good time for some tying to stock those fly boxes. Once it starts to happen I think you will want to be fishing and not tying.

Tight lines
Curt
 
#11 ·
I hope you're right about a strong Pink run in the Puget Sound Curt. I've heard that the large schools of Pinks feeding in the north Pacific can be measured by satellite. Is this the basis of the forcasts in March? The Skagit had a decent run of Pinks in fall 2007, but I'm not sure of the effect of the December flooding in that year. In spring of 2008 there were feeding frenzies on all the outmigrating salmon fry coming through the north sound, which was very encouraging (chum, pink fry mixed with other baitfish). I'll be optimistic but I never believe the forcasts until I start catching pinks and coho off the beach in August. If the salmon runs are anything like 2003 there will be many happy flyfisherman on this board!

Pinks are usually not too thrilling on a fly rod compared to silvers or kings, but if you lock horns with a big buck in the salt it's very fun. I got this fat 9 pounder from an Admiralty Inlet beach in Sept 2007.
 

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#13 ·
i have been stoked ok super stoked for this upcoming run for a year and a half
the last run on the peew was super fat
they were so stacked in the salt that my dads shipyard had to make a no fishing policy
nobody was getting anything done
people were limiting out at lunch

last year a saw alot of fry so lets hope

my favorite was a hot pink maraboo tube clouser that a guy in a skin boat gave me
(thanks dude)

slow retrieve is key

i guess feb is for tying down here in the one three

now im all fired up
sheesh
 
#16 ·
I agree with Salt Dog on both fly patterns and edibility of pinks.

Pinks are fine table fish if taken care of - immediately bled, cleaned and packed with ice. In addition to taking care of any fish kept for the table the other critical factor is limiting your take to the birghtest of the fish. Personally I limit my take to those pinks that are ocean bright and ideally easily shedding scales. Any fish that has become to taken on that charcteristic greenish color has lost some of its edibility as well as its spunk on the line.

Generally the best fish both for fight and on the table will be found in the salt in July and early/mid August and in the tidal sections of the larger rivers (Skagit and Snohomish) during mid-August. On a five weight they are a great fish (especially on those years when there are larger fish such as 2001). Pound for pound such fish fight as well as any of our Pacific salmon.

I too like small flies. My go to pattern is a size 4 with a tinsel body, soft hackle (a webby hen hackle is fine) with an over wing of 10 or so strands of crystal flash. Usually my flies have sliver bodies with pink hackle and wing though there are times when black or chartreuse will have their moments. I generally fish unweight flies on a sinking line though at times a front weighted pink marabou on a floating line (fished jig like) will be the ticket for staging fish.

Tight lines
Curt
 
#19 ·
Will the Pinks run correspond with larger silvers or kings? I figure I can now fish the beach with rod/reel/line setups that I've accumulated in 6, 7 and 8wt but figure that if the Pinks are not monsters and not mixed in with the larger fish then the 6wt would be my best tool for the job. Great info, thanks for the thread post and all the chatter even if we have to wait many months.
 
#20 ·
The Pinks will be running around Tacoma by early August and in the north sound by late August (although some will be caught in July). The Pinks will be mixed in with the silvers and the occasional chinook depending on the beach you are fishing. Fortunately they will take the same patterns (like shock&awe or pink&white clouser for example). A 6wt fly rod is perfect for saltwater pinks, but fishing an 8wt is a good idea just in case you hook a large silver or chinook. Brown's Point is a popular place to target them in the Tacoma area and Picnic Point is famous for its Pinks migrating into the Snohomish and Stillaguamish rivers. Stuff your saltwater box with various simple pink maribou patterns and you will be set for summer.
 
#21 ·
Gracias DimeBrite. I'll start spending some spinning time at the nor-vise with visions of flashy pink maribous and baitfish patterns. I just stocked up on a few pink items too. Generally would pinks tend to hang closer and shallower like Silvers or further and deeper like Kings? Thanks again.
 
#22 ·
Pinks generally seem to travel in shallower water following the shoreline as they make their way toward the rivers. Even while feeding/migrating in the Straits of San Juan de Fuca they hang in the upper water column with the silvers and can easily be caught with fly rods. You won't have any trouble catching them Mumbles, there will be millions of them moving into the Sound in August and early September. Get your smoker ready and buy all the pink materials you can get now. The fly shops will be all out by July, it's crazy.
 
#24 ·
I talked with the WDFW bio last week on last years' sockeye return and we wound up talking about the upcoming Skagit run, which has been pretty paltry the last few cycles. He was very optomistic (you better be if you want be a fish bio otherwise its might be tough going to work everyday). I'm thinking he said the forecast for the Skagit was a million fish. Seems high but then if Curt's number is right (4 million to the PS) then maybe it is correct.

Like char, if you take on pinks with the appropriate-sized tackle, they make a fine flyfishing opponent. For river fishing, I like 5 and 6 weight rods with a 13 foot sinktip (type III). If you like swinging flies, they are great fun. Expect 20 or more hook-ups a day--when are you ever going to see that for steelhead? Of course the hardcore steelhead types are shaking their heads muttering somthing like, "I'd rather go fishless chasing steel than catch 20 pinks". To each their own.

Of course I'm talking river fishing. Only experiece with saltwater pinks was with Buzz Bombs in SE AK.

Good times.
 
#28 ·
Here are a couple of patterns that have worked well for me in both salt and fresh water. The first one is just a pink version of Les Johnson's green chum comet. The second is Hubert Humpy, a pattern I originally tied for pinks in the tidal portion of the Stilly and later found to be quite effective in the salt (for coho as well).
 

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#29 ·
That one on the left is about as good as it gets for pinks - IMHO!!
I have found in the fresh that frequent change ups work once the bite slows. I have caught pinks in the river with bead chain skunk-like patterns - no pink on the fly at all. My GO TO though looks a lot like the one Preston has shared only with a body wrapped in pink plastic ribbing material and no tail. I like fishing the pinks - lots of fun!
Magill
 
#31 ·
The best thing about the humpy run is you can bonk your two hatchery silvers for the bbq or smoker and continue fishing C & R.
Humpies are a great fish to get folks started with saltwater fishing. Great for kids as well.
Once they hit the rivers though, you'll get to see some of the worst angling behavior you'll ever see. All in the name of catching a humpy.
 
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