74 Northwest Sportsman AUGUST 2019 | nwsportsmanmag.com
FISHINGFISHING
Pinks are the most abundant
salmon and due to their unique two-
year life cycle, returns are much larger
in odd-numbered years. Pink fry
will migrate to estuarial and marine
areas once they’re born. They spend
about 1½ years in the ocean and feed
heavily and grow at a fast rate before
returning to spawn as 2-year-old fish.
They’re the smallest of the salmon
species found along the West Coast,
weighing between 3 to 6 pounds and
an average length of 20 to 25 inches.
The official state record for a
pink in saltwater was caught by Jeff
Bergman at Possession Bar on Aug.
25, 2001 and weighed 11.56 pounds.
The largest in freshwater was caught
by Adam Stewart in the Stillaguamish
River on Oct. 11, 2007 and weighed
15.40 pounds.
These salmon can be distinguished
by the large, dark oval spots on their
back and tail fin. In freshwater the
males develop a hump on their back,
which is why they’re known as
“humpies.”Despite what is termed a poor
return this summer, anything that
tops 600,000 fish or more should
offer some good opportunities.FOR INTERIOR SOUND waters the pink
run peaks in mid-August, and in the
South Sound the last week of August
and early September are best. Pinks
tend to hug the shorelines to avoid
strong currents, making them easily
accessible to bank anglers, especially
during the hour before and right after
a flood tide. Slack tide can be another
good time to catch pinks.
They’re considered the best bet for
a novice angler looking to take in the
thrill of hooking a salmon.
Often anglers will watch for fish
jumping or finning on the surface, or
take notice of other anglers reeling
them in nearby, before putting their
gear out. Many also watch WDFW’s
creel checks (wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/
reports/creel) to see where and when
catches ramp up.
As odd as it may sound pinksreally do prefer pink, which means
that whatever you throw in front of
their face – lure, spoon, jig or fly – be
sure it’s that hue. The color actually
mimics the food they eat at sea,
plankton, squid and krill.
The most effective lures are smaller
hot pink mini squids or small spoons
tied 13 to 16 inches behind a white-
colored dodger or silver flasher. Many
prefer the smaller 8-inch Pro-Troll
flasher with a slightly longer leader of
15 to 20 inches.
A standard small “firecracker-size”
cut-plug herring will also catch its fair
share of pinks. Whatever method you
choose be sure to add scent like Smelly
Jelly in shrimp or herring flavor.
Option two is casting out a Buzz
Bomb or Point Wilson-type jig and
letting it sink, which it will do at a rate
of about a foot per second, depending
on how heavy the lure is. Once you
feel the jig go slack reel up (just don’t
set the jig hard because pinks tend to
have soft jawlines) until you feel the
rod pull down.Anglers on usually productive North Sound rivers will have to
release all their pinks, like Eric Bell prepared to do with this
Snohomish buck during 2015’s fishery. (GREG OLENIK)