pisc pursuers...

I mooch for salmon from a kayak and am keen on getting out to neah bay or sekiu in about a week to try my luck. Seems the salmon fishing has been very good out there.

I am very familiar with marine areas 4A, 4B and the western parts of 5 for bottomfishing, but haven't yet mooched out there for salmon. My range from launch is 4 miles on the ocean side, and 2-3 on the strait side, depending on current. I launch from hobuck on the ocean side, and many, many places on the strait side.

Not asking anyone to give up well-guarded GPS locs or anything, but what general areas would you recommend I target to mooch for chinook and coho? And if you DID want to give me a location or two, you could PM me

Thanks much!

The caves just around the jettie is within range

SCARBOO

No secret spots at Neah Bay and Sekiu that I know of for kayak fishing. Like SCARBOO said, the caves would be the likely place to go at Sekiu. It's super close and quite productive at times.

At Neah Bay, you'd want to paddle to the mouth of the bay and fish right by the Green Can. I think it's maybe a mile? maybe a little less. Fishing there is spotty right now... you may get into one, but you may fish a long time without. It's best right at first light and just before high slack. If you go a little ways out from Waadah Island then you'll get into coho thick, so stay in close if you want to conserve your bait.

Good luck and be safe out there.

The caves at Sekiu just out of the marina and to the west is as good as it gets for Kayaks. you can start right when you get to the end of the jetty, about 40' of water there, so make sure you get outside the bull kelp anchored to the bottom. Good news is it's only 45-75' deep out there, so easy to mooch.
You may be tempted to go 2-3 miles east across the tranquil morning water to Slip Point...DONT DO IT. by Mid-morning the swells and wind fly in from the west and you'll have a bad time getting back, especially if the incoming currents are running . Deceptive, but the currents fly out there.
ALL your time should be spent at The Caves, named for the caves carved into the bank by the water. It is so close a quick trip back to shore is not out of the question, and there will be plenty of traffic there IF you have any problems. Hooked (and lost) about a 25 in front of the jetty in 30' last week. There are a lot of boats there because there are a lot of fish there. A reliable source told me to fish close when the water is warm. It was at 60 degeewater temp at the opener, so after 2 days of slower fishing, we went really shallow and got into some action. Thanks old timer!
Safety first....

Be very visable if fishing the the green can before sun up. Lots of long range runners coming out of Neah in the morning that may not be looking for Kayaks. Light yourself up like a Christmas tree. We pulled 4 kings out of less than 50 ' of water by the Island last week.

If you launch from Hobuck, any of the shallow (20-50' of water) just on the edges of the kelp beds can be very productive for large kings. N or S of Hobuck doesn't make much difference. If out of the marina in Neah Bay, the shallow water around Waddah Island and E/W on the N. side of the long break water that connects Waddah to the mainland are excellent areas for kings also. You could probably kyak to the breakwater and portage over the top of it if near where it meets the island.

Much appreciated guys! Sounds like I should start targeting at sekiu. Chomping at the bit to get out there.

Fishing inside Callam Bay can also be very productive and usually clam waters, you never see too many boats fishing in there. The Kings push bait into the Bay, watch for bird action on the bait and i'll garantee you the salmon will be there too !!

Second the safety concerns especially during low light periods and/or if you are out of sight in the trough.

Example: This spring a 29 foot Wellcraft t-boned an 18 foot North River at the entrance of Neah Bay. The North River was dead stopped while being inspected by a WDFW LE officer. The operator of the Wellcraft claimed he didn't see the North River. If he didn't see a North River would he have seen a kayak???

Great question! I always mooch, always hook fish. The only problems I have are the downrigger guys coming by and cutting my fish off with the wire.

The secret is to stay on top of the fish you are fighting but then the downrigger guys yell at you for getting in the way. No east answer.

In Neah look for the right forecast and tides and slide it in north of Hobuck into the waatch, then down to the north end of makah bay. Hang a NW toward waatch point/greenbank/skagway. Ideal conditions would be 0-10kts with a small an spaced swell and a slow flood. Kayak nirvana and never see 'em.

Tomorrow forecast-wise would be great for this. 4@7, light wind outta the NW with ideal fishing tides. Plenty of tidal height with a smooth transition from the river to the bay.

Skagway.

What are the ideal tides for fishing the green can? the caves?