Fishing the Herring Spawn in Washington (Catching Herring for Bait) + Underwater Fish Footage

The herring were spawning, so we went out to catch a few, taking advantage of one of the best times to fish for herring from shore. We mostly use them as bait for other fish but they make good eating too. It was a pretty stormy day. The wind and rain were a little crazy but it still ended up being a fun quick little fishing trip.
We just used a surf rod to huck a sabiki rig out into the water. Nothing fancy.
If you want to find areas to fish for herring in Puget Sound, Washington from shore during the spawning season (January-April), the best resource is the report put out every 4 years by WDFW. I'm using the 2016 report since the 2020 report hasn't published yet (wdfw.wa.gov/si.... They include maps with the spawning beaches highlighted with current spawning areas and historic spawning areas. Also included on the map are areas that the herring hold in just prior to spawning. They'll include peak spawning dates too so you can ride the wave of herring all over the sound as each beach reaches it's peak spawning. (Thank you to the commentor who reminded me that I had wanted to include this information!)
Not all areas are open to herring fishing though, so make sure the beach you go to is in an open area. Also, in Washington it is illegal to harvest eelgrass/seaweed/kelp if it has herring eggs on it!
I'll try to update this page to include the 2020 herring report link when it comes out :)
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Gear I Use:
Sabiki Rig: amzn.to/3cK6Sy9
11' Okuma Rockaway Surf Rod (1102M): amzn.to/3uf2ugr
Shimano Sedona 2500 Reel: amzn.to/2Oe2j5I
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Thanks for supporting this channel! Tight lines, my friends!

[@spiltmilt]

Herring deserve so much love. Thanks for making this!

[@SeaWolfFishing]

Right?! Herring are such superstars! Thanks for the herring love :)

[@m3528i]

I love the giggle. It's the reason I love teaching people to fish.

[@fairlypinkfairy]

Thank you so much for another excellent episode. I get the fishing, the fishery science, the enthusiasm, and the love for water in your videos. It's like having a cake and get to eat it too :)

[@SeaWolfFishing]

Awwwww thanks so much! You're so kind!

[@ZiggityPow]

I so so love your videos. I love learning all of these things about the natural world around me while being entertained and sharing in your enthusiasm for everything! Thank you also for sharing information on your locations, gear and rigging. I can't wait to get back out there and experience some of those things that are new to me.

[@SeaWolfFishing]

Thank you soooo much for the kind words and encouragement! I love that about fishing that each species, location, gear, day make it a new and exciting adventure and challenge. I'd rather chase down all of the new experiences even if I'm not good at it lol.

[@pancakeface5717]

Thank you for your videos. The information you share is interesting and useful. Plus, your enthusiasm is fun, uplifting, and greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work. Thanks again.

[@CoolFoodandTravel]

nice view under water, Good idea. Thanks, I'll do similar like this for my next beach fishing trips 😘

[@SeaWolfFishing]

Thanks! I love trying to get underwater footage of fish. It's not always successful or easy lol but I get to see a lot of things that improves my fishing and my understanding of fish behavior and ecology. Definitely worth a try if you're at all curious about life under the surface :)

[@AnglingSpiders]

Another fantastic video. Mighty big rod for such a small fish. Nicely done.

[@SeaWolfFishing]

Thanks 👍 Hahaha yeah that surf rod is ridiculous. It really helps to huck things out pretty far though :)

[@HuyFishin]

I been meaning to try this. Really enjoying the channel. So much good content on here.

[@SeaWolfFishing]

Awesome! Thank you so much! It was fun to fish for them from shore instead of hunting them down out in the open water lol.

[@jakedogfish241]

Great video as always! Lived 2 miles from there and never knew this.

[@SeaWolfFishing]

Right?! Me too. I used to live so close to here and as a kid I never knew about the herring spawns. I'm sure I noticed the swarms of birds but just thought it was cool and didn't think about why they were there lol :)

[@ricknunez7134]

Is that in Mukilteo? Or Camano Island? I have had great luck herring fishing just off of everett marina on the other side of the small island

[@HATINTHEKAT]

Nice! Could I ask what beach this was? It looks beautiful, and can you fish for other species there besides herring?

[@KGtrades]

Im also curious what beach that is... that place looks familiar, although so do most places on an overcast day on the sound.

[@outdoorloser4340]

Beautiful video once again! I've personally been trying for surf smelt the past couple seasons from shore. Haven't got the timing right yet though.

[@SeaWolfFishing]

Haha yeah there's always that one species that's supposedly super easy but it's all about the timing. I have the worst luck with surfperch personally lol. Stupid easy to catch it they're there...I just always seem to find the wrong spots at the wrong times lol. I hear that surf smelt is pretty good in July up in the Kalaloch area.

[@outdoorloser4340]

@@SeaWolfFishing thanks I've heard the peninsula is the best place to go, but I'm still trying up here in north puget sound.

[@WAFishQuest]

Great video! Beautiful footage. This could be on the BBC or something. PBS at least!

[@SeaWolfFishing]

Thank you!!!! PBS status! Sweet! John Cleese lemur special style :)

[@genedavis759]

Didn't know when spawning occure so thanks for info .

[@ax5017]

Does the regulation apply to herring and need to be barbless and only 2 hooks? Thanks

[@Crzyspeedfrk]

Love your informative vids! Can you freeze them whole until salmon season? I hate how expensive they are to buy at the bait shops..

[@SeaWolfFishing]

Thanks so much! Yeah they freeze just fine. Sometimes we add assume salt to harden them up before freezing.

[@nate.or.nodate]

Keep the great info/content coming!

[@SeaWolfFishing]

Thanks so much for watching! Lots of fishing field trips planned for the year!

[@tl4340]

Where does one figure out where to go?

[@Jc-lh4nc]

Its March 14 2022 and I'm trying to figure out when to jig for herring I don't know when the spawn is in puget sound or if I can jig for them all year

[@notpastranapastrana2403]

will try tomorrow until march 26 at cornet bay inear deception pass or deception pass too...will scour..then to cherry point

[@andrewhsieh3327]

wheres a good beach to go ? im dying for some herrings!

[@SeaWolfFishing]

WDFW puts out a report every 4 years that has maps with spawning locations and also information on peak spawning since each beach is different. So it will include the beach areas they've surveyed and found spawning activity and it also includes the holding areas off the beach where the fish usually congregate just prior to spawning if you have a boat to target them that way. The 2020 report should be out any day now, but this is the one I've been using from 2016: wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/02105/wdfw02105.pdf

[@SeaWolfFishing]

For April, the latest runs are going to be Cherry Point up near Bellingham and Elliott Bay near Seattle. I have not fished either of those locations though so I can't say anything about the access, open status, or legality of those beaches. The South Sound, where I'm at, peaked in March unfortunately.

[@zackapodaca]

'Atta girl!

[@SeaWolfFishing]

Thanks bro

[@SpamMusubi308]

Six comments 4 are pronbots 🤔🤣🤣🤣

[@SeaWolfFishing]

Gahhhh just deleted them! Not sure why they all latched on to this video lol.

[@SpamMusubi308]

@@SeaWolfFishing yup they everywhere