Plug Cut Herring for Puget Sound Salmon

[@Jarom.M]

I've got to admit, one of the things I do for every intro is try to guess where the "Blake here" message will come up on screen. Its a fun game. I lost it at "I'm going to turn it over to Blake." "Thanks Blake." On a serious note, I've heard that the reason to cut the vent is not the mushrooming of the front, but the blowout of the gut cavity. Water pressure rips it open and messes with the spin.

[@WAFishQuest]

Glad you enjoy my dumb sense of humor Jarom!! I think that makes two of us. Ah, good to know on the vent. I'm going to pin this 'cause that's good to know!

[@bhanson28]

Thanks Blake, for having Blake fill us in. It’s always appreciated.🤪 …I have so many videos to catch up on!

[@WAFishQuest]

You're welcome! Blake is something of a diva. But he works for the exposure, so I often cut to him in my vids for filler!

[@bhanson28]

@@WAFishQuest 🤣🤣

[@RodKrisBisdakMotovlog0627]

Wow that's amazing vidz my friend.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks a ton RodKris!

[@outdoorfreedom9778]

So that's how it is done. Thank you. Sort of how I rig up a sanddab for Ling Cod with a main hook and a stinger.

[@WAFishQuest]

Gotta love the stinger! That's Outdoor Freedom!

[@my-back-yard]

First! Great video Blake! Razor clamming is on the radar.

[@WAFishQuest]

Hope to see you out there Brent! I say this every year, but I hope to get out there a lot!

[@WAFishQuest]

Oh, and thank you!

[@naaman427]

Bravo Blake, I always enjoy your videos.

[@WAFishQuest]

I super appreciate that Naaman!

[@ThePiscatorian360]

Nice tutorial on the cuttplug, and what a morning. Fast N' Furious coho action. Tight lines!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Jerry! Coho Mojo!

[@PeelingLine]

Nice limit. Good tutorial. 👍

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Brett! I was jacked since it was so windy I couldn't launch the previous time out.

[@PeelingLine]

@@WAFishQuest That hood canal can be rough. My worst kayak experience was there. Glass calm so I paddled 5 miles. Then I came back and there was a strong south wind I had to paddle against (3 foot waves) and I forgot to put a plug in my kayak so it was filling with water which I didn't notice till I got back. Also didn't have any water. I had to drink the water in the pop bottles I froze for ice.

[@nelstheilgard7983]

Love the videos! I got my limit out there today too -- white/purple flies with herring strip behind short 50lb leaders. Can't maintain sufficient speed in a kayak w/ longer or thinner leaders. Looking forward to your next installment!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thank you! Very cool to know. If you were out Tuesday (yesterday) I mighta seen ya!

[@adamnoga-styron7882]

All of your videos are great and informative but this is my favorite that you have put out.

[@WAFishQuest]

Whoa! Thank you Adam! This one was a lot of fun to shoot. I'd had a string of days where I'd been blown off the water. So was realllllly nice to get out and get some fish!

[@ShanePingStyle]

LIKED your fishing trip and thanks for sharing, great video...

[@WAFishQuest]

Thank you Shane! I look forward to watching all of your Alaska trip videos this fall/winter when I have some more time in the evenings!

[@HobbiesHobo]

Good day Blake! When I was a kid and we fished for salmon I used something called a "Herring Strip Teaser", the herring piece was held into the plastic holder with a toothpick, I still have 1 original left. Not sure if they even make them anymore. Nice to see a way to do it without the special lure. The info on spin speed was totally new to me. Excellent stuff! Mike.

[@WAFishQuest]

High praise Mike! Thank you! If I ever come across an old herring strip teaser, I'll pick it up!

[@MrSativa]

Nice I have 1 as well still in the original box and everything

[@jimhaayy5363]

I live just above golden gardens and take the boat out after work. Usually launching around 430 or 5. Also fish the weekends. If you want to leave the boat at home and tag along with me you are welcome to come. Met you 6 or 7 years ago at westport jetty. I recognized your voice and said hi. Fishing in area 10 is hot in evenings as well. Lost a silver between 15 and 20 3 days ago. Limits every evening though. I do downrigger and casting from boat for most part and if you want to drop pots we can do that as well

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Jim! Super appreciate the invite. Maybe next season. (I got a two day trip to Sekiu coming up and that will do it for my salmon lust this year.... Have a couple other species I want to target before the weather turns). Were you the guy with the huuuge surfperch?

[@craigc7755]

Yes!!! great job!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks a ton Craig!

[@micahgelfand8282]

Nice limit! I've started using plug cut herring too. I've been doing very well off my kayak motor mooching. Don't need to bother with a downrigger and without a flasher it's an even better fight!

[@WAFishQuest]

That's awesome Micah! Glad you're having so much success with mooching! If I had another two hours, I probably woulda mooched too. But, since I wasn't seeing marks or any caught, figured I'd cover more ground trolling. However both of those fish would have been easily mooched. I think both saw the herring going down.

[@PNWBestLife]

Good stuff Blake!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks as always PNW Best Life! Shingo and I used that creel chart you put together for the area this year. So I knew historically at least it should still be hot!

[@PNWBestLife]

@@WAFishQuest wow that’s cool man! Glad to hear people are getting use out of it. Hoping to do more cool stuff in that space next year as well!

[@Themosthumblest]

Nice work!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thank you as always TMH!

[@matthendrickson5558]

Really enjoy your content. Subscribed!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thank you so much Matt! I hope November is treating you well!

[@BeeChan_]

Hey Blake! It’s Bee, I ran into you at the fairgrounds on 09/15. Nice meeting ya man

[@WAFishQuest]

Hey Bee! I did indeed go on to miss all three of those shots! Thanks so much for saying hey!

[@BeeChan_]

You gotta be perfect dead center to make it into that egg shaped hoop! I tried as well and failed. Got redemption at the other basketball game.. lol

[@grantnoble9978]

That was a lot of helpful info. Nailed it out there for sure. Could almost taste them. Love your show Blake!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks a ton Grant! Verrrry kind words!

[@captainconnorsadventures6357]

Nice video Blake, although I don’t miss shilshole much! Nice fish

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Capt. Connor! It is a bit urban, ain't it?

[@captainconnorsadventures6357]

@@WAFishQuest I will always have love for Elliot bay and shilshole due to fishing it my whole life 🙏🏻 But there’s something about trolling with a max of 5 other boats, no houses in sight, and a coho limit of 6 adults per angler that will keep me here in AK 🤙🏻 I’m coming back down to WA at the end of the month to see family and friends maybe I’ll see you! Keep up the good work blake! 🎣

[@sethteeters9565]

Nice job!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks a ton Seth!

[@WorkingClassFishingPodcast]

Black and blue label Herring are killers on Lings, we run a lot of green label in the Columbia, I think some guys might run some red, but our fisheries are dominated by green, awesome info!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks WCFP! Good to know on the lings. In Puget Sound it is actually a green show too. I think I just run more red than the average bear because I fish areas where the fish are getting lock-jawish, and sometimes they'll eat something a little smaller.

[@piscatoryassassin2079]

If all goes as I hope it does, I will see you on the sound chasing coho as well. Hopefully by next year. Can't chase them down where I am now and Chinook is dicey due to the drought's effect on the Sacramento and Klamath river systems.

[@WAFishQuest]

Oh major bummer those are some awesome rivers on normal years. Hope to see you out on the salt! 🧂

[@piscatoryassassin2079]

Yep. Been that way the last 3 years or so. Also rockfish are going under major restrictions here too due to the fact that you don't have to have descending gear in CA. Last video I made was on how to use a descender.

[@shtmetalguru1]

Good video. What kind of boat you fishing out of?

[@WAFishQuest]

Thank you! 14 foot lund WC.

[@khanhtuannguyen]

Was this film last sat? If so I was out there too haha. Next time ill keep my eye out for you and say hi.

[@WAFishQuest]

I actually filmed this yesterday (Tuesday). Thanks as always Khan! Please do give a shout if you ever see me.

[@jakedogfish241]

Great video! I have a hard time getting the herring to spin.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Jake! Hmmm. I think I get more action on the spin cutting toward the stomach, that the angle across the body. That probably didn't make any sense...

[@slabslayers]

Cool, looks easy enough to do. 😃

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Slab Slayers! It is very easy!

[@johnnyabalone]

Salmon Limit + Nap = SUCCESS‼️

[@WAFishQuest]

You get it, Johnny!

[@troytwibell6876]

Another Classic WFQ video. All excellent advice and accurate content based on best known current techniques. When hooking the lead hook I’ve always gone in on the side of the spine closest to the leading edge of the cut and come out on the side of the spine closest to the trailing edge of the cut. Maybe it doesn’t matter though. What are your thoughts?

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks as always Troy! A lot of fisherman I really respect rug them that way so there must be something to it. I don't know that I ever have, but I could see a couple of benefits. Potentially tighter spin and maybe it'd help with mushrooming. Tight lines!

[@carlossales8710]

Great job job Blake when did you go to are 10 I always fish are 11 it’s pretty slow here been out several times one fish here and there I would love to give it it try there cane you give me some directions and where to launch thanks Blake

[@WAFishQuest]

Hey Carlos! This was filmed Tuesday morning. September 13 I believe. The boat launch is called "Eddie Vine." I think there is a quicker way to get there, but if you are coming from the south, take exit 172, head west, and you'll end up at the launch after about 3 miles or so. There usually a big line to launch even on a weekday. But there are 6 launching lanes so it usually moves fast.

[@carlossales8710]

@@WAFishQuest thanks Blake I’m going to take a look at it tomorrow after my doctor appointment at the VA hospital

[@jimmyvenable3273]

So just got my downriggers set up in my new (used) boat and was wondering if the coho are still running in MA10 near Manchester? Done a lot of searches to see and can’t really find anything. Love your videos!

[@WAFishQuest]

Ah shoot, sorry Jimmy. Sorry I didn't get back to you in a timely fashion. At think time black mouth kings are your only option. Well probably.

[@raymonddoerr2523]

My old man and I fished coho out there two weeks ago, limited in less than an hour.

[@WAFishQuest]

Nice! When it's hot, hard to beat that fishery.

[@itsallinyourhead1200]

Good job with the video! I'd like to ask, how fast were to trolling?

[@WAFishQuest]

Great question! 2.6-2.8 with random burst to 3.5. the first one hit before I really started trolling tho. I was going 1.8 I think.

[@adamboley5928]

Never used black label for kings but I did catch a ~12 inch coho on a blue label a few weeks ago out of westport.

[@BashiWAFishing]

Good ones, master

[@WAFishQuest]

Thank you as always Bashi! 🙏

[@gjbingham]

Nice vid! Where can I find an awesome life jacket like yours? I love that Oragne!

[@B_Broad14]

Keep those mushy refrozen herring for crab bait. The mushier the better. Any thoughts on dry salted herring for bait?

[@WAFishQuest]

Hey Brian! Good call on the freezer herring. They are great for crab snares. Regarding dry salting them, I typically only do that if I don't have much time. I just huck em in a bag of salt then. What has your experience been?

[@gordonv2456]

Nice fish. I have seen your shellfish stuff. Do you go after prawns?

[@WAFishQuest]

If you mean spot shrimps/prawns, the big ones we have here yes! My "hood canal spot shrimp 101" is one of my more popular recent videos.

[@TheAverageKorean]

What downrigger do you have?

[@WAFishQuest]

Hi Jin Kim! I use a Scotty 1060 Depth King. It's two feet per full turn of the handle (opposed to the Scotty 1050 which is one foot a turn). I have an electric downrigger too, but unless I'm dropping to over 100 feet, I prefer my manual 1060!

[@nicholaswarren3776]

Hey blake if you ever need a net man I’m game

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Nicholas!

[@foreyes4it]

You mounted your boat running lights backasswards .. Green is starboard and red is port ...

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks for catching that! Whoops!

[@TanDawg58]

Whoever packaged those reds has different sizes compared to other companies. Yellow label (the smallest) are 4.5-5 inch Oranges are 5-5.5 inch Reds are 5.5-6 inch Greens are 6-7 (that pack was right) Blues are 7-8 (you had that one right, too) Purples are 8-9 Black is 9 and above

[@WAFishQuest]

Nice! I've never seen a yellow label. Are you in Washington State? I wonder if they're different by state.

[@TanDawg58]

@@WAFishQuest WA. Yellows are primarily used for winter Blackmouth when the state opens that

[@АндрейОтян-о4ш]

Hi! My name is Andy, I came from Ukraine a few months ago. I really like fishing, I love this activity! Would it be possible to take me fishing?

[@michaelhansen6977]

I always did better with artificial and go off Eagle Point on San Juan Island though I always seem to lose $100+ in flashers and lures. Probably a profitable area to dive.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks on both accounts Michael! My buddy Shingo slays with a Brad's artificial cut plug. Maybe that'd be a good video to do (artificials or artificials v. Bait).