by John Kruse, August 31, 2009

Call them pinks, humpies, or just plain fun to catch - but if you aren't fishing Puget Sound or tributaries like the Duwamish, Green, Puyallup, Skagit, Snohomish or Skykomish Rivers this month (September) for some of the 5.1 million pink salmon projected to return this year you are missing out!!!

How do you catch these fish, which typically weigh 3 to 5 pounds? We'll, start off with a seven to eight and a half foot rod and put 8 to 12 pound test on your spinning reel. From there, here's a few tactics to try on the river bank or beach:

Plunking - Put a pyramid weight on a dropper line that's heavy enough to keep it on the bottom. Then tie a Dick Nite spoon or hook with a sand shrimp on a leader to the swivel and main line.

Spooning - Cast a heavy pink spoon or buzz bomb. This works well for bank anglers fishing both rivers or saltwater. Freshwater anglers also have very good success casting and retrieving Dick Nite spoons (pink or 50/50 pattern) fished with weight (like pencil lead) close to the bottom.

Jigging - Twitch a pink marabou jig (A Mack's Glo-Getter is my favorite) or a leadhead jig with a pink squid hoochie body by itself or under a slip bobber close to the bottom. Experiment with 3/8, 1/4, and 1/8 ounce offerings.

When you do catch them be sure to bleed them quick and get them on ice as soon as you can. If you do this you'll find they taste great off the BBQ, especially if eaten fresh (not frozen). Other anglers prefer to put these fish in the smoker, and their moist meat tastes very good when prepared this way.

No matter what you use - or what you do with them once you catch them - be sure to head out. It promises to be alot of fun and limits (of up to 4 salmon per angler) will be the norm for many.

For more details, check the Washington State Fishing Regulations and WDFW web site (www.wdfw.wa.gov).

John Kruse
Northwestern Outdoors Radio
www.northwesternoutdoors.com