“ You would think with
over a million people
in the area there’d be
more fishing pressure
for these emerald-
backed trout, but you’ll
often have a whole
stretch of shoreline to
yourself.”
by WAYNE JORDAN
When I moved to Seattle from Maine in
2003, I was leaving an entire state that
had just over a million people to a city with
nearly half that amount. Culture shock and
traffic definitely took its toll on me the first
few months.
When I left Maine, I also left behind the
saltwater fishing that I enjoyed so much. No
longer was I able to hit the salt on an early
morning tide before work, or so I thought.
You can imagine my excitement when I
discovered the sea-run cutthroat fishery
after visiting one of the local fly shops. Not
only was I able to escape the city to a more
serene setting, I was also able to fish where
the tide often dictates your success.
While living in Seattle, I was fortunate
enough to meet people like Les Johnson,
Mike Kinney and Dan Lemaich, who played
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a large part in deciphering the cutthroat
fishery in Puget Sound. Under the tutelage
of these gentleman, and a lot of trial and
error, I was able to figure out the habits of
these salty cutties.
While a boat or kayak is nice to have when
fishing sea runs, it’s certainly not necessary
due to the ample public access throughout
Puget Sound. Look on any map and you’ll
find city and state parks to access miles
of shoreline. You would think with over a
million people in the area there’d be more
fishing pressure for these emerald-backed
trout, but you’ll often have a whole stretch
of shoreline to yourself.
You can catch fish at any point of a tide,
but I always like fishing two hours before
and after low tide while on foot. In this four
hour window, you’ll have plenty of shoreline
to explore without having to worry about
getting your backcast caught in the trees.
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