Sideoff...

First, I really fear answering your catch ratio question...

Second, the summer fishery (returning fish) is a lot different from blackmouth fishing. (There are similarities, but still different.) So I am not sure if an equal answer on catch ratio can be compared. Several things would dictate a catch ratio on the summer fishery. First and most important would be the amount of returning fish. Also, we fishermen are at a disadvantage because returning fish do not feed. We need to find avenues to trigger instinct or anger them into hitting our offering. Just the opposite holds true for blackmouth. He generally hits our lures because of the need to eat.

Personally, I think PD is too over-rated and have stated this numerous times. I may fish here 2-3 weeks out of the year and that's it. Even then, whatever it takes, 9 out of 10 times far away from the other boats. PD is a fishery that is hit or miss day-to-day. Fish move in and out all the time. I think all the hype comes from all the great stories everyone always hears- especially summer time. True to a point, but again, day-to-day does it pump out fish? What makes PD so attractive is the fact that all returning South Sound fish tend to concentrate in the PD area before branching east or south. Even then, most of the fish only mingle in the area for a days or two max! So the adage of "fish where the fish are" is a helpful statement however, fish are scattered all over the Sound. Another area of attractiveness is the amount bait that always holds in the area. (The amount of bait has absolutely no effect on the returning fish- except Dogfish which migrate into the Sound to spawn.) Does this necessarily make this a quality fishing area? Not in my opinion. I am kind of comparing apples and oranges here, but take for instances a quality river. Folks line the hole. elbow to elbow, throwing gear at these same fish over and over. It eventually turns the fish off. So these fish move up, down or become tight lipped. The same effect happens at PD. Take any summer weekend at PD, 300-400 boats, each with two or more lines in the water trying to catch a few hundred fish. What are your odds? This one reason I encourage folks to get away from the other fishermen- eliminate your competition. I would rather fish for 10 salmon in one area by myself than have to compete with several anglers over a larger area. The odds are now in my favor.

Although there is a lot of skill in catching returning fish, there is also luck involved. Fish have to be there and willing to hit. Here are three tips to put more fish in your boat. (1) Fish away from the crowds. It is easier to put a fish in the boat if you are not competing with a metric **** ton of fishermen. (2) Fish just the opposite of every fishermen on the water. E.g., Nearly every swinging **** is out there fishing suspended. Fish like you are fishing for blackmouth. Remember, Chinook by nature, are deep water fish that like structure. They will be more apt to be deeper than shallower. This is especially true in periods of light- regardless of cloudy dark days or full sunshine! It is instinctual to be deep. Putting this together, by fishing deeper than most, you are further eliminating your competion and increasing your odds- especially if you are in areas of a lot of fishermen. (3) Use gear that makes lots of noise, i.e., flashers and or lake trolls, larger lures like spoons, Apex, hotchies with a Spin N' Glo or Cheater up front or rattle plugs. Make dang sure if your fishing below 40/50 feet that your lures glow. You only get one opportunity at a fish as he is passing. Make it loud and interesting!