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.