NEN,

Those two rules will get you going, and probably help you hook a fish or two. A few other thing to remember are these tips.

1. Early morning hours are really the best for these kings. Get your boat lights squared away and be on the water before sun-up. Watch the tides if you are launching from Coho, a low tide can strand you. They post the tides at the office.

2. Start fishing in the top 30 feet of water, and fish in close. If you are farther than 1/2 mile off shore, you are too far out. Drop 10 feet for about every hour after sun-up.

3. Downriggers help, if you have them, bring them.

4. Fresh bait is great, but won't help you if you get out late and fish above the target species. Good bait at the right depth will outfish great bait at the wrong depth every time.

5. If fishing gets to be slow, rig a green hoochie with a herring strip behind a flasher and troll slow at 40 feet or deeper. This was the bait of choice when things got slow. Works great for silvers, too. Don't worry if you hook a king of any consequence, the flasher rig will just be along for the ride, and it won't get in the way.

6. Bring a de-hooker for releasing those pesky wild coho. You won't have to bring them in the boat, they'll have a better chance of survival, AND you'll have you rig back in the water quicker.

7. Don't bonk the little guys. Wait for a fish of at least 15 pounds or more. We caught a nice 35 pounder the weekend between the king openings last year AFTER we had caught and released 9 small kings 10lbs on down. A 10 fish day per fisherman is a reality up there, not a dream. Be selective and you can have a marvelous day.

8. Bring your GPS, VHF Radio, life jackets and all safety gear. The water can get a bit lumpy up there, so be prepared for the worst. Fog can develop quickly, especially on sunny days.

9. Afternoons bring the roughest conditions, usually. Leave the 10 foot Livingston at home, and bring a boat with enough freeboard. You won't be looked down on if you decide to come in because the water is too rough.

Hope this helps some, but if you have any other questions, post them.

Andy