Going out on Sunday with a newfound fishing friend to the Samish for kings.. Anyone have anything to report about this fishery? Just like to know what my chances are....

Probably crowded, probably lots of guys snagging with jigs.

Almost certainly muddy and smelly.

There won't be too many people there yet. The crowds are thick from Sept. on. If you want to have a lot more fun fishing it, then go up to the Thomas Rd bridge, park and walk down from there. Or, follow Thomas Rd. north to the first stop sign, take a left, after the farm house you see a pull out on the left side of the road where you can park and walk along side of a ditch in the field. The farmer there has no problem letting you walk through if you don't trash the place. Once you get to the river, I mean "ditch", you'll see obvious places the fish will lay in just east and west of where you walked in at. It doesn't smell to much around there, not as many snaggers, not as many people, way better than the mouth. You have to fish lower than the Thomas Rd. bridge though. I usually catch quite a few on eggs under a float early in the season before the mob of people show up.

What's up with smelly? Cowsh**, pulp mill? or what?

Also, don't worry R.M., you're still my fishin buddy of choice!

The fishin' is often done when the tide is out and the retched mud at the mouth is ripe. Flat out, it stinks at the mouth. When the river drops, the mud gets exposed, and it's not like a clean flowing river, not the Hoh. But, close to home, there are a ton of catchable fish. And believe it or not, there are some nice ones too. Eggs, and Vibraxes are your friends here. I totally like the Samish, "0r the ditch", execpt for the snaggers. Especially snager JOE. He knows who he is. The dude with the spey rod, bare 4/0 hook and split shot right above it. He's a friggin' rippn' jerk, but the fishing can be excellent. Bottom line, no pulp mill near there, just kingers in a weird corn field setting with a stinky mud mouth.

Addicted, that is the most amusing description of a fishery I have ever heard. And probably pretty damn accurate.

Thank you. But nothing says salmon fishing like cows, corn fields, and a diked up river. I especially like trying to float my eggs around a lost bail of hay. I have caught some nice fishy's out of there though. In fact once, I had my kids and wife with me, 3 fish on at the same time. Try having your 5 year old and your wife trying to land two nice sized kingers while your fighting one yourself. My wifes was very big, it was raining, and I made her, fully clothed, run out into the river and follow her fish down stream. We got my fish and my kids fish in, then ran down to her and got hers in. She looked mighty fine walking back up wet, muddy,not too happy that she had to go in that water. But she loves telling that story now, with a smile. And that memory was all courteous of that muddy, smelly, ditch.

Thanks for the explaination about the smell, and yes I was thinking vibrax, but the question is, what color?

Addicted, LMFAO! That story gave my minds eye quite a trip! I can just see my wife jumping in and just imagine the expletives issuing forth.

nookie,
chartruse size #3 for the part of the river I was telling you about, #4 o#5 in the same color if your at the mouth. Heading there now as my kid has a football game up there, then I'll stop by, fish a little, get a report. eggs are best though.

not too good yet. Some fish moving in and out from the mouth to the farm to market bridge. Nothing above that, so Nookie, Don't fish where I suggested, go lower.

Yup, the Samish sucks. It's all a bunch of drunk snaggers who walk out with 10 fish each all caught by the tail. I myself have seen the Game Warden write so many tickets that his arm fell off and he had to write with the other one. It's full of trash, women and kids aren't allowed. Every 5th fisherman disappears into the fog, never to be seen again. It smells and them dam fish won't bite a jig. It's just miraculous that my jig jumped IN that Kings mouth yesterday. You all should stay away. Enter at your own risk. The Samish fog may get you or like a lot of other newbies, you might get stuck in that mud and we can all have a good laugh.

Good Luck

Now that's funny. Yep, it does suck. That's why I'm there year after year. That's why I spend all my free time there from now until end of Sept. That's why my wife thinks our marriage is on hold this time of year.

I'm sure he rooted it out of the mud.

Samish Fish Tails

He didn't root it out. I use a 120 lb jig. He had to get his buddies and bring in the crane and then bite it. It was an amazing operation. I'm surprised it didn't make the news.

He was lucky. It landed in the main channel where the mud is only 40 ft deep. 5 feet over it would of ended up in China.

Addicted, you need to take her. I'm seeing more and more wives etc every year. That way she can't say anything.

He sure tastes good even with that Samish smell that infected him.

Sunday was a bust... Although fish were caught, albeit not by me or the guy I went with... Saturday, it seems, everyone there limited, but Sunday was a different story. Saw eight fish hooked, only three landed by thirty or so fishing. Have to say that this was the most bizarre fishing I have ever experienced. The "ditch" is only about 8 to ten feet wide, and yes, the mud was deep, smelly, and the consistency of peanut butter. Waders are a MUST!
Lure of choice was 1/4 oz jig in either chartreuse or orange, tossed against the pilings on the other side, and allowed to drop to the bottom of the slot, which estimated to be 6 to 8 feet deep. From what I understand, the fish laying in the slot will pick up the jig from the bottom. I can't quite understand how this is possible, and it seems like the accepted method for catching these fish is a form of flossing. Everyone fishing there seemed to have no qualms about using this method, as all the fish I saw hooked and landed were hooked from the gill plate forward, whether it was inside or outside the mouth. That being said, with the crowded conditions ( can you say combat?), there were
no confrontations or arguments, and there was an air of cooperation amongst the throngs of people there. When someone hooked up, everyone else reeled in and allowed that person the room to fight their fish. There is precious little room to fight a fish, as in the middle of the slot there is a sunken wooden boat about 16 ft long, which when hooked, the fish make a beeline for. Even with all of that, I'm gonna do it again on Friday, mainly because I saw some sweet chrome fish landed, with the largest being a 23 lb hen. May I rot in hell!

nookie,
I'll be there tomorrow, and Friday. PM me and I'll show you a couple holes with no people, and fish ready to bite. I learned this from a couple people on this site that may not want to reveal themselves, then took stuff I learned from BOB, yes the big Bob, applied it, and have found out ways to consistently catch these fish, in the mouth, full on bite, chromers tend to bite, and I truely think this is a great fishery when done properly. If you were fishing across from the pilings you were low. Most people there are good and let you land your fish. But, Often jigs, on the bottom, is glorified snagging. Eggs under a float is the way to go. And if fishing up higher, you will not have to fight for real estate. P.M. me if you want to meet up there this week.

K&P:
By the way, she goes quite a lot. To the coast, Samish, Hump,Alaska. She has a lot of fishing under her belt. She puts up with it, or has to, but she's lucky too.