Cutts that Run

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It's that time of year again. Baby salmon are swimming out of the rivers en mass, the days are getting longer, and Sea-Run Cutthroat trout (SRC) are reappearing in Puget Sound.
This past weekend I was able to connect with one of these feisty fish on a beach in Marine Area 13, also known as the magical South Sound. There are a few great things about this fishery; the first of which is the quarry. The SRC's are amazing trout, powerful for their size, aggressive, gorgeous, and elusive. They provide one of the Northwest's most unique fishing experiences, and oh man am I glad to be able to take advantage of it.
Image borrowed from the Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, since I have yet to take a good picture of one.
The second great thing about the SRC fishery is the location. I love Puget Sound, from Deception Pass to Budd Inlet, but good SRC beaches are my absolute favorite. They are full of life, from weird little crawling things scooting between barnacle-covered rocks to schools of young fish dimpling the surface of the water; from delicate, feathery anemones to massive bald eagles. Everywhere you look on a healthy beach there is something happening, and it's all super-interesting to a wanna-be bio-geek like myself.

There are also wonky trees!
Finally, I love the flies for SRC fishing. They look good, they are fun to tie, and they are fun to fish. Clousers are an effective fly year-round for pretty much any predatory species, but it's the weird ones that I like best. Little more than squirrel tail and peacock herl, Bob Trigg's Chum Baby is a good one for spring, as the spawn of last year's salmon run venture into the salt-chuck. The Miyawaki Beach Popper (technically a slider) and other surface flies, while usually resulting in a lower hook-up rate, can produce some adrenaline-pumping slashes and strikes.

If you ever get a chance, try our unique fishery. There are some guides that will do beach trips in the area, which is probably the best way to start out if you don't have time to explore. If you do have some time, stop by local fly-shops for the low-down on good beaches and flies to use. You can also support the local economy like a good American!

Alright, enough of my ramblings for now. I'll be attending the Occupy Skagit protest this Saturday at Howard Miller Steelhead Park in Rockport, WA. If you are in the area, please stop by! I'll be writing about it for the rest of you.

Check out these resources for more info on SRC fishing:

The Gig Harbor Fly Shop
Puget Sound Fly Company
Les Johnson's Book
This article from Leland Miyawaki of Orvis Bellevue
The Internet


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