Lots of chums at Minter Creek. Best fishing is when tides are 6 feet or less. To obtain directions, do Yahoo search for "Minter Creek Hatchery".

Where is Minter Creek? You can private message me if you want.

was just waitin to see how long someone from across the water blabbed about this one.

I knew someone would catch some grief about mentioning Minter. I know how you guys get when one of us 206'ers or 253'ers comes over into the 360 and discovers a fishery that you guys have had all to yourselves. Besides Barnettm and I, how many people are willing to go out of their way and make the drive?

See ya tomorrow at Minter! J/K

LOL , you're two weeks too late. Man guys, he baiting you for old fish. I have been catching some nice chromers. But now most are getting well striped. Good smokers too. Hey EL, check my post about my son's first chum. Was caught on Minter yesterday. You'll see the occasional bright fish in coming weeks, but had tons of nice fish about 2 weeks ago in good #'s.

Oh yeah, EL, Minter is still a 253 . I've been a UPS driver out there for years (it's one of my routes) and Minter only opened up for chums last year. Has always been closed from Hatchery to mouth for as long as I can remember. Some damned nice silvers and kings, but the hatchery wants those, not the chummers. If you're lucky, will catch some nice fish.

just playin easy limits, the chum have just started to show real good. 15 minutes from my house, been checkin it out last few weeks with one good surge about a week and a half ago, should be real killer in a week or so. last year was december when we talked about limits there real fast on this board. above the culvert on the hatchery side its like fishing in the kids pond at the sportsman show lots of fish but no room and lots of people. on the other side its more spread out and relaxing but still lots of fish. landed about 20 fish yesterday throwing a 1/4 jig by itself. and the run hasn't even got smokin yet.

Well,I've been waiting for this thread for some time.As of this time the chums are about 2 weeks too far gone.I hadn't kept any until I pulled in fairly chrome hen a week ago.When I cut her open the eggs just spilled out.And yes the flesh is pale white.The best of the run was purse seined the last week of Oct and first 12 days of Nov.Nothing got through.Hell,the hatchery didn't even know about it.If you want to partake in the snag/floss fest wait til low tide then hammer the spawned out carcasses with the crowds.Just remember that all the property is private and access is only on the low bank side.Oh yeah pick up the trash

Thanks Dave for setting them straight. I keep telling them that first couple weeks of Nov are prime times. Most guys keep talking about December, but all the years I've been out there the peak runs are in Nov (I always check out Minter as I'm delivering through) Did you ever make it down to rivers we discussed? Just curious how you did with the low waters.

I agree, it's a pain how these guys are fishing. Once the tide changed I fished for about an hour more. It gets too low, and these guys are actually out there chasing fish in their waders. Disgusting. Luckily I do fish some of the prime waters in private property thanks to my job. But with the kids it's much safer to keep them out of the water on the bank.

Minter Creek used to be a secret before they opened it up last year... I can still launch my boat and be there in 10 minutes and fish the flats...

Downriggin'

Well, I stopped by there today to check it out. Looks like a fun little fishery, especially for kids. Minter Creek is not any different than Hoodsport or Whatcom Creek. I don't know what the big deal is.

Jerry I haven't made it out yet but Wed.is the day.I know the peninsula is producing already but something closer would be preferred....Downriggin-where do you fish from a boat?Minter is only open from the mouth of the creek to the rack.Everything in the bay and out 1000ft is closed/protected for the Oyster beds/factory....Easy Limits-here's the big deal.There are two of us that own all the property from the bridge down to the mouth.Both sides.This includes the bed of the stream.The WFD never asked our opinion about using/abusing our property for this fishery.The two of us decided to see what happens as long as people stayed on the only side that is really fishable.They didn't.They knocked down fence,tore down signs and spew litter.No respect.We'll see how long this stays open.But honestly like ST69 said the fresh fish arrive in late Oct.and are systematically seined to be sold at a later date Led

fished it from 10 am to dark and landed about 30 fish still with brightness, 2 were coho bright and about 30 to 40 others were boots. never have caught so many bright hens before. Casting a jig on a bass rod with a curado. pretty deadly. ended up braking the pole thou but its covered. that place is HOODSPORT LOADED as we speak. cast reel 1 ft and fish on see ya there tomorrow. Ben

hey steelheader69 I think I seen ya there fly casting on sunday carrying out those boots. I told her to be careful walking thru the grass because the holes when she almost fell. me and my buddy were casting the jigs.

Well Dave, this is to thank you for letting us fish on the property, if nobody else has, and to let you know that if you have any problems with anybody that I'll be more than glad to help with. I've enjoyed fishing the creek last year and this, and will hopefully in the future and wouldn't want to see it spoiled for everyone else due to a couple of idiots! Thoght was a pretty sight was all the ornaments hangin' from the power line. Now if we could only put some blinkin lites.....

Robert

Led Zepfin, I see and totally understand your reasoning and point of view. It is nice to have your perspective here. I hope everyone reads your post and thinks twice about leaving there garbage behind. I know if I owned property like yours I would be mad as hell at the people who choose to abuse it.

Are the flats out from the creek really closed waters there? An older in-law took me there 2 weeks ago in a boat and we were fishing right in front of the Oyster Factory. He told me that snagging was ok there and was blatently doing so. Is snagging legal there? I didn't think so, but I've heard various things now from people about fishing the salt water flats for Chum. There were several other boats where we were also.

The fish were all ugly chum and the indians were netting nearby for the eggs, so I didn't feel TOO bad, but I don't think I'll go there again. I still can't believe people eat those things anyway. We were Catch N' Releasing or Snag N' Releasing if you want to call it that.

I couldn't find a specific answer to my questions about either in the regs, but maybe I didn't look hard enough. I would like to pass along correct info to my relative if possible. Thanks.

I don't think snagging is legal anywhere. It is not illegal to foul hook a fish, but it is illegal to keep it.

I don't know anything about fishing the bay, I only know about the creek, and last week there were a bunch of bright fish in the creek.

According to the regs, under Statewide General Rules / Gear Rules / You May Not:

Yep, that was me rockfish. Where were you at? Were you dead drifting jigs on south side of bridge? I didn't see floats, so wasn't sure. You weren't one of those two guys who kept back stabbing chums were you? Saw quite a few come in side/back ways. LOL

Actually, one was a nice hen, other three were brighter when landed, but darkened up on shore, but were still bright pink inside. I've come to tell in last 20 years by feel on chums, almost impossible to judge by colors. I also hit a 21# chum!!!! Big ole' buck. But, he was well colored and showing decay spots. So he went right back in. I was using my chum flies, hot chartruese. The chums were actually attacking them. Had one surface rise and hit fly before it sank. Was odd, but a kick in the pants. You should've brought your fly rod, I gave out about a dozen of my flies, most who were using them had mostly legal hookups.

one of those 2 guys were me, the one with the bass rod and the curado. casting a 1/4 oz 3/0 gammie jig purple and cerise with pink glow in the dark head by itself on a slow retrieve usually gets a fish everycast. some were in the mouth but 8 out of 10 times they bite it with there side or tail. that creek it filled up the the max right now.

If you're foul hooking fish, its time to switch techniques, or quit fishing. I can't believe its that much fun dragging them in backwards .

Look at Easy Limits post. It seems if you're foul hooking that many, a case could be made that you're intentionally snagging and don't be suprised if a Gammie sees it that way also.

WOW! 8 out of 10 times they BITE with there side or tail. Where do I get my hands on some of those awesome jigs your using, maybe you could even tell me how to get to Minter creek sounds like FUN!!!

hey bossman I'm just being honest, except flyfishing quite a bit are snagged as what I have seen.

"everybody else is snagging so it must be OK"

This is exactly the reason the Gammies should go down to fisheries like this and kick some a$$. Big fines, confiscate gear, confiscate boats.

Snagging fish is never OK!!!

First its snagging chums on Minter Creek to get the tecnique perfected.

Next coho season, its snagging coho on the Green (those closed mouth things never bite anyway).

Wow that worked so well for salmon, my freezer is overflowing with fish. Hey with the low clear water, why don't we go snag ourselves a steelhead or two on the Sol Duc.

Must be OK because everyone else is doing it.

hey bossman I dont go out fishing with the intention of snagging, what I 'm saying is that when you cast in a school of fish, alot of the times the hook finds a soft part of there side unintentional. I never just jerk away or at all like alot of people who go there snagging but mainly reel it in real slow. actually fish and catch a good portion in the mouth but the set up is so deadly I usually catch more fish than anybody around me. I have talked to game wardens on several occasions and all they say is "those are some sweet jigs you tie up there". and ask me how I get the heads to glow in the shade with minimal darkness.

Rockfish,

I truly respect your honesty... I, too, realize that incidental snagging does occur when fishing for Chums in an estuary. It is part of the game. If you using a jig, good on you. It lessens the chance of snagging fish intentionally. I'll be the first to tell you about a trip to Alaska a few years ago... Fish were so stacked up one couldn't help but flossing or snagging. And I paid good money for that trip! For goodness sakes at least you're not using a Buzz Bomb like 3/4 of fisherman down there. I tie flies intention upside down to reduce the unintentional snagging, but it still happens.. I must be guilty too! Keep your chin up!

Downriggin'

Rockfish,

You may tie up some sweet looking jigs. But if you're foul-hooking 8 out of 10 couldn't you do that with a bare jig hook? I think I might be able to line a bare jig into the mouth of a chum 2 out of 10 times.

If you're consistantly foul-hooking fish and keep doing it, there is just fine line between that and letting it rip every two seconds.

Downrigging,

Sure an occasional fish is going to get foul hooked, I've unitentionally foul hooked fish or two myself. But if you're foul-hooking 8 of 10 there is something seriously wrong. Even 5 of 10 is outrageous and time to think about doing something different.

I agree. Snagging a fish is sometimes unavoidable, it just happens. Especially, when there are a gazillion of them. As long as the fish is released unharmed there should not be any problem, right?. Then there are those people who intentionally snag and keep fish. I really don't understand that. Those are the people who should be cited.

tomorrow I'll try a single salmon egg hook with a few strands of marabou under a bobber.

I know snaggers and I dont consider myself a snagger. I dont have any treble hooks tied above the weights or dewatto flies in my box

I can honestly say I only snagged maybe 1 out of every 12 fish. Rest were cleanly in mouth. I actually saw 8 of the hits, fish came to fly before it submerged all the way, and one actually took it on the surface.

Yeah, I saw quite a few snagged that day. Funny thing is, most were trying to fish pockets stacked with fish. I tried to go to hiding spots and typicle lies were aggressive fish were and nailed them. Funniest thing of all, RG and I were all alone all day. Most were fishing the bridge or above bridge in snag hole or down around bend near Zep's area. And really funny how many guys left once tied came up, since they couldn't sight fish and throw on top of the fish.

Oh well. I'm pretty much done fishing it. I'm in dire need of a steelhead fix. Had about enough salmon for now. Now, need to convince RG to row the boat (since I can't until they fix my shoulder/neck) so I can fish. Hmmmm, sounds like this could fly.

Well....have to address a few issues here.Although not specified the waters within the bay are closed.I was told that this summer by a gamie.There shouldn't be any netting either.(I won't get started with that one The technique I have observed most is toss/splash/feel the fish swim into the line/rip.Accounts for 99% of hookups.Try floats.Fish grabs jig-bobber goes down.Jerry I'm with you,ready for steel.No hookups yesterday.Maybe I could row that boat

People sure do get excited about the snagging issue!!! How about this definition: No jerk = no intentional snag = no bad guy???

At Minter Creek the only way I could get a bite was to reel in very, very slow, stopping often. A normal retrieve = floss or belly hook.

Upon further review of the regs.... The mouth to 1000' (outter oyster stakes) is close 01 July - 30 Sep. See Carr Inlet closure.

Downriggin'

Hey Dave, just think after the next couple of years, you won't have to worry about any of all this after the Chum run dies out. Be glad there aren't any metalheads running up the creek cause someone might start another thread about that and get even more yahoos on the creek. And as for float fishing for Chums, yeah I'm the idiot with the 10/6 rod with a float on that bitty creek. Problem is after fishing around the canal, this is my last stop and the only rod I carry with me. Hate to admit but I still manage to foul hook at least 1 fish an outting, and still fair hook 16 to 35 fish. Kinda nice fishin' with a float cause people know where my line is and makes casting for them alot easier and is entertaining. Got guys rather watch the float in anticipation of a take down instead of fishing with their own gear. Should start getting better about now on the creek, but I'm too busy targeting steelies. See ya next season and hoope they haven't spoiled it out there where yalls' have to post no tresspassing signs.

Robert