Has anyone had any luck in Sinclear Inlet or in Gorst Creek? If so what is good to use there and where do you launch your boat at?

Can we fish in Gorst creek? or just at the mouth, what about by that nude bar?

Gorst Creek is only open for trout and other game fish. Therefore it is not open for salmon. I think there are boat launches at Evergreen park and at Lions park. I'm thinking about renting a boat or contacting a fishing buddy and giving it a try. According to the Fishin Magician (Mr Outdoors.com)you can get them from the beach at the Bremerton marina or at the Gorst train tressel(Don't know if this is by the exotic dancing place). I'd like to find out if fishing is best in the morning, afternoon, or evening.

These fish should be showing in mass anytime. This Saturday is the Sinclair Inlet derby, hmmmm, will there be any fish caught?

Big herring is a can't go wrong bait. Fish it with or without a flasher/dodger. I also like to use big pearl white plugs.

You can launch a boat in downtown Port Orchard. But parking is limited.

Hey Chip or Seacat,
I'm droppin my Son off at a seminar in Poulsbo Monday and want to do a little fishin while He's there. Was gonna check out the Sinclair Inlet fishery. It looks like there are 3 or 4 launches that you can us to access it. My question is which one is the best to use??? I'll be fishin from around 9:30 til about 2:00 if either one of ya are interested in hookin up with me and going out.
Tight lines, Jeff

Salmonhead - Sorry to miss you yesterday! How'd you do? As far as boat launches, I believe in addition to the Port Orchard ramp, there is also a launch on the south side of the entrance to Dyes Inlet, under the Manette bridge, and also one at Brownsville. The Dyes Inlet and Port Orchard launches would likely be closest to the fishery. The Fort Ward ramp on Bainbridge is little used and very close as well!

Hi Salmonhead,

First I was thinking you should decide where you want to fish in the inlet, over by Brownsville and the tennis courts or further inside by the shipyard and the 140 hole. Make your ramp decision on that. But then I thought that it's only a few miles to run to any area which ever ramp you pick, so it probably doesn't matter that much. So maybe the closest one to Poulsbo is the best choice.

I'd love to hook up, but I must report to my assigned seat at my assigned desk at work on Monday.

Might be good fishing for you, the run should be coming on strong. Will be interested in hearing how you do.

Hey fellows,
Thanks for the feedback!!! I think that I'll use the Fort Ward ramp. That is the closest one to where I am taking my Son. Chip, I wasn't there yesterday (although I wish I was, something along the lines of what Seacat said desk, job, damn I hate it when that happens ) but will post a report on how I do!!! To bad we can't get together, I would like to meet you both. I have already met, fished and become friends with a couple of guys from the board (RT & Osprey) and am looking forward to the Nisqually board meeting this Thursday with Elmtree, Dcrzfitr, Big Jim, Scitzo, RT and whoever else shows up!!! I think I'll start at the tennis courts as they sound like they are the closest to the ramp and then move down by the shipyard. Are Brownsville and the tennis courts on the west side of the inlet??? I read on another board that the 140 hole is front of the hammerhead crane, is that true???
Thanks again and tight lines, Jeff

Salmonhead,

Same here, would like to hook up sometime.

>>I think I'll start at the tennis courts as they sound like they are the closest to the ramp and then move down by the shipyard. Are Brownsville and the tennis courts on the west side of the inlet???<<

Yes.

>>I read on another board that the 140 hole is front of the hammerhead crane, is that true???<<

Yes, that's about the location. It's a little more east, mid-channel. Not too hard to find. It's only 129 feet deep now, must have about 10 feet of nuclear sludge in it. Just kidding.

Good luck.

I have been fishing Sinclair Inlet every weekday morning before work and occassionaly after work since it opened. I have about 25-30 hours in. We have place four fish on the boat and lost three. I have only heard of a couple of twenty plus pounders taken. Most of the fish were caught near the navy barges moored in the middle. I have not seen a lot of fish caught. All but one fish have been on flasher and a green squid. I have a feeling my methods have been off a bit. I had a cut plug herring down for only ten minutes on Saturday morning and nailed an undersize. I think herring or green squid is a good choice.

Hi WDR,

Thanks for the post. It's good to hear from someone actually catching fish in the inlet!

If you don't mind, I have a couple of questions for you.

Were you fishing the bottom or down a certain depth from the top?

How long are your hoochie leaders and how fast are you trolling? Do you think that slower is better?

SEACAT69

All of our fish had been top water fish above twnety five feet and in the mornig. As I understand, fish hign in the morning. The deepest fish was forty-four feet. I have a 25ft Formula mid cabin with twin 190 I/O's. I troll pretty fast so I assume my depth is five feet to seven feet less than what the meter says. I had caught a fish with the meter reading 17 and it was a shorty but fat chinook. The water in the bay is on average of 50 to 60 feet with the exception of the 140 hole in the middle. All fish had been caught near the barges with a bottom depth of 45 to 60 depending on tide. Our gear had origianally been set for coho with short leaders thinking we would pick up the cohos for the first week or so. The leaders should be much longer at least 60" That is what we will be running now since the chinook are coming in greater numbers. My comment earlier is that I was geared wrong - more towards coho. Fish a plug that rolls slow and troll slow and use a big spoon too if you have one. I have been doing pretty good, but I culd have done better if I used longer leadsers initially with herring. Make sure you net on the side of your boat and not behind, the water coming off your prop give the fish a feeling of running a river and will dive forward under your boat and net from behind. I have heard that the net will apeat to be a large predater to the fish and he will bail - I thought that was garbage, but like I said we lost a few and a couple were at the netting phase and the others the fish ran forward to the back of the boat and I couldn't reel fast enough. Please remember that this is how I have been fishing and my methods are not always the most successful. Listen to what others have to offer as well. I do alright, but they may be somethng better out there.

Hey WDR,

Thanks for the excellent reply. So fish up shallower early, fish a cut plug slow and avoid the prop during netting eh? OK, I think I can manage that.

Are you going to fish the derby? I will be out on Saturday. I'll look for you, sounds like you have apretty nice boat, easy to find with twin 190's. Can't fish Sunday, gotta go see some fast boats on the lake.

Thanks again.

Seacat69
I will be there for the derby for sure. Someone has to win. I will have a boat full. My boat is white with with a grey bimini top. It says "FORMULA" on the side near the back. I have a blue box on the deck for my anchor line. I rode the ferry this morning and there were 8 boats on the Port Orchard side. No none was near the tennis court hole which really surprised me. No boats coming back from Seattle except for one.

Hi WDR,

I'm with you on the "someone has to win" idea. And lucky for me, that's what my wife's been telling me too. It'll be me and her on my boat. I'll be sure to say "hey" if I see ya' out there.

Have you decided which areas you'll concentrate your efforts on both early and later in the morning?

Seacat69

After yesterday's outing I am not sure where I am going to start or what I am going to use. I tried everything I had...long leader, short leader, herring, squid, spoon you name and had not one hit, nor did I see anything else picked. Its very discouraging this close to the derby. There are fish all over the screen and at every depth. In one area I had counted 20+ fish at exacatly 17 feet. I had both riggs at that depth and a hair above and had nothing hit. I hope that yesterday was just on off day, and tonight will be better. I think I will try in the mornig again. My schedule is taking me to Seattle daily on the 7:45 for awile so my morning fishing has been pretty limited. If I do any better befor Saturday I will post it for sure. I figure what goes around comes around.

WDR,

You know, last Saturday when I was out in the inlet, I was marking several fish at 15-20 feet with the same results. NO BITERS! I understand the discouragement of seeing them but not getting bit!

I was using flasher/hoochies and plugs. I'm thinking that maybe I was trolling a little too fast, basically flasher speeds. So on Saturday I'm switching to a slower troll with dodgers/herring. Maybe I can agitate them into a strike if I dangle it front of their face long enough.

What do you think about that idea?

WDR- In regards to setups for kings, I believe strongly that herring is always better than plugs or hoochies, if your willing to put up with the hassels of baiting up and dealing with the dogs. This year, my best success has been with xtra large blue pack cut plug herring, 60" plus leaders, old style chrome dodgers, trolled dead slow. Thread the back hook just forward of the tail with the shank buried and the with curve of hook coming out at right angles to the side of the bait, this gets most of the short biters but reduces the number of shakers commonly caught with the back hook trailing free.

I have tried hot spots flashers in glow green with a shorter leader/herring combo and have also had good luck on this. In the shallower water of the Inlet where the fish may be spookier and are starting to develop lockjaw, leaving the dodgers off and pulling plain herring on the riggers with xtra (~50')line off the clip might be the ticket.
With the north wind blowing up today, I'll probably try the Inlet tonight and will post a report tomorrow.

THEY'RE HERE...THEY'RE HERE!!!!! Last night was great, we lost one and brought an 18 pounder in the boat. This morning was even better. We hit the water at daylight and my buddy lost 2 hogs by 6am...that was okay because he finally put one in the boat at 6:30 at about 14 pounds. I heard on the the radio one boat caught 3 weighing 15 to 17 pounds last night. I think the derby is going to be great and I have nailed down the right combo on the gear...herring! herring! herring! See you on the water...

Good job WDR! I'm glad to hear that news.

I was talking with a friend last night and he told me that Mr. Outdoors.com picked up a couple of 14 pounders on Wednesday night.

Is there a particular area that is working better than others for you, or is it just the switch to herring?