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Bluewater Fishing the Pacific Northwest
- By Brendan Mason
- Published 09/25/2005
- Destinations and Travel
- Unrated
Brendan Mason
Brendan Mason is a Canadian born angler who now lives in Seattle, Washington. Brendan has fished all of his life and started a passion for fly in British Columbia where he grew up. His father a search and rescue expert and his mother a teacher, Brendan has the brains and skills to both out think and survive longer than the average Joe Blow. Brendan has fished extensively for trout and salmonids but in recent years has attacked the saltwater with gusto. His travels have taken him to Australia, Mexico, Argentina and beyond. Brendan also has the distinction of catching a 600 lb Mako on fly while fishing San Diego in 2006. You can often find him stalking carp in the shallows of Green Lake in Seattle.View all articles by Brendan Mason
When anglers in the Pacific Northwest speak of bluewater fishing, it's usually in reference to a trip to the tropics for glamour species like dorado, marlin, or yellowfin tuna. Ignored are their pelagic cousins who range just outside of our cold inshore waters in the Pacific Northwest. Most notably, albacore tuna and several species of shark call these waters home during the warm summer and early fall months. Bluefin tuna are sometimes in the mix as well, particularly off the coast of Oregon. As if that's not enough, the odd stray billfish has also been known to make an appearance during particularly warm water conditions.
About a year ago, I decided that someone needed to figure out what bluewater fishing in Washington really meant to fly anglers, so I started making plans. Albacore were the first to catch my interest. These small members of the tuna family circumnavigate the Pacific annually, moving north along the US coast from about June through October, typically covering no less than 16 miles per day. Near the area of La Push, WA, the warm ocean current makes a sharp northwest turn, thus marking the normal northern limit of the albacore fishery.
People had been chasing them with fly rods for years in California and southern Oregon, but for some reason it has not caught on in Washington, despite the fact that these tuna often range within 50 miles of the coast. The few people who had tried to target them with flies usually went under gunned with 8 or 9 weight fly rods, not prepared for the strength of these speedsters that no steelhead or salmon can come close to matching. Coupled with the unfavorable conditions for fly fishing aboard a boat filled with live bait fishermen, these early attempts at albacore on flies were often abandoned in frustration.
The cities of Westport, at the mouth of Gray's Harbor, and Ilwaco, located where the Columbia River meets the Pacific, form the basis of the Washington tuna fleet. Large boats, many over 50 feet long and carrying groups of 12 or more anglers, are the norm in these fisheries. Obviously, a group of fly anglers that size wouldn't give everyone many shots at fishing, so I began seeking out a smaller craft. A friend had fished with a captain the previous year that operated from Hammond, Oregon, just across the river from Ilwaco. This particular captain specialized in groups of 6 or less; perfect for a group planning to fly fish. Although he had no experience with fly fishermen on his boat, he was eager to learn, perhaps seeing the potential if it really catches on. Along with some other local anglers infected with the tuna bug, we set up a trip for the coming September. In the meantime, another of the Northwest's offshore species would get my attention; blue sharks.
Captain Chris Bellows, who operates Topwater Charters in Neah Bay, Washington, had begun offering guided trips for sharks to supplement the salmon and bottomfishing charters he offers. Captain Bellows is one of very few captains in the Northwest who specializes in fly fishing, and had been perfecting his shark fly tactics for some time.
We met Chris at the Neah Bay Marina early one morning in August. I was accompanied by my friends Ron and Kristin Torda, owners of All About The Fly, a full service fly shop in Monroe, WA. Also joining us was Brian Paige, a Skykomish River steelhead guide who can often be found working behind the counter at Ron's fly shop. We had spent the previous day fishing the inshore kelp beds for black rockfish and lingcod with Karry and Josh of Batson Enterprises (makers of Rainshadow rod blanks) with incredible success.
This day however, we were armed with beefier equipment; twelve and fourteen weight Thomas & Thomas big game rods with Islander reels packed full of 50# PowerPro Spectra backing. Gaudy 6/0 flies were attached to our braided wire tippets with heavy duty crimps. This was far from the sort of rigging one typically sees in the steelhead and salmon country of the Northwest. Most fly fishermen I know in Seattle have never even cast a 12wt fly rod, let alone given any thought to the idea that there might be fish big enough to warrant one's use in their own backyard.
However, we wouldn’t get to cast to any sharks on this trip. After running 20 miles offshore from Cape Flattery, the northwestern most point in the continental United States, the water was still a chilly 53 degrees Fahrenheit, too cold to find blue sharks in any significant number. Reluctantly, we decided to turn around and salvage the day by targeting bottomfish.
∙ ∙ ∙
The next month passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was time to start thinking tuna again.
Leaving the marina in Hammond, OR at 4:30am, I hoped to get some sleep onboard while we made the run to the tuna grounds. The albacore were in close - 35 miles - but the diesel-powered boat we were on would still take about 3 hours to get out there. Unfortunately, the Columbia River bar crossing wasn't conducive to sleeping. I decided to enjoy the early morning scenery instead and stepped outside.
The ocean was as calm as it gets when the captain called down at us to get our gear ready. We began by trolling skirted tuna jigs to locate fish. Once a fish is hooked, the idea is to keep it near the stern to attract and keep other fish in the area while live anchovies are thrown and flies are cast. If the first fish is lost or breaks off, there's a good chance it will spook the whole school.
We had been trolling less an hour when I saw a fish boil. "Tuna, 9 o'clock, 200 yards out!", I yelled. Everyone looked in that direction, thinking I was crazy when they didn't see anything. Just then, the school erupted on the surface and the captain gunned the engine to get into range. As we approached, the fish seemed to go down, but we fished over them anyway. It paid off when Ibn hooked up and landed the first fish of the day; a nice 21 pound albacore.
There were a lot of other boats in the area, and this seemed to have an effect on the albacore. The next several schools we approached all went down deep as soon as we got within range. By midday, morale was slipping and we started to wonder if we were going to have a one-fish day.
For awhile in the middle of the day, activity seemed to slow to a standstill. For a couple of hours, we didn't see many busting schools of tuna, but then they started to show again in the early afternoon. The difference now was that they didn't dive deep when the boat got close! If you've never been on a boat with three or four fly fishermen all hooked up on tuna at the same time, you don't know what you're missing. It was total meyhem!
These tuna would hit hard and slug it out, bending a 12 weight to the handle. We had a few bluewater newbies on the boat and they all proclaimed that these were the hardest fighting fish they had ever caught. Steelhead have nothing on albacore...
The bad part of fishing 35 miles offshore on a slow-moving boat is that you have to leave early to get back. At 3:30 in the afternoon, the tuna were going berserk everywhere we looked as we made our way back in. Ocean Sunfish, or Mola Mola, were everywhere, prompting us to question whether or not they would take a fly. We also saw some blue sharks throughout the day and there were reports of makos caught by other boats. Next time I'll be sure to have a rod rigged up with wire in case opportunity presents itself.
Overall, it was a vastly successful day. Despite a crowded boat with 6 fly anglers on board, everyone landed either 1 or 2 albacore.
If you're a Northwest angler who's tired of the crowds on the steelhead rivers and looking for something different to cast your flies to, look west to the open Pacific. There's a lot of water out there to explore and the opportunity to help build a new fly fishery.
GEARING UP:
12 weights are ideal all-around rods for both albacore and blue sharks (despite the size difference). A 10-11 weight would be acceptable for albacore, while some of the larger sharks are easier lifted with a 13-14 weight.
Reels should be high quality and capable of holding at least 200 yards of backing (50# gel-spun recommended).
Fluorocarbon leaders in 15-25 pound test and 6-9 feet long work well for albacore. For sharks, use similar leaders, but add a length of wire shock tippet. Seven strand braided wire can be easily crimped to the fly, or solid wire can be used with haywire twist. Knottable wire such as Tyger Wire can also be used if you prefer more convenient connections. If you don't care about IGFA rules, you can add an additional length of 80-100# mono between the class and shock tippets for extra protection from abrasive shark skin.
Flies for albacore should as closely match the live chum you're using as possible. It's generally recommended to use dark flies in the low light hours and brighter flies during the middle of the day. The Sea Habit, Abel Anchovy, and Shock & Awe tube fly are all good choices.
Shark flies should be big, bright, and disposable. A popular color amongst shark fishermen is "life jacket" orange.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
Since the writing of this article, Topwater Charters has ceased operations. There is currently no one offering fly fishing trips for blue sharks in Neah Bay.
If you're interested in booking a trip for albacore, contact:
Puget Sound Fly Company
www.pugetsoundflyco.com
Or
Red Sky Charters
Hammond, OR
503-861-3161
booking@redskycharter.com
www.redskycharter.com
There are several other charter operators up and down the Oregon and Washington coast who may or may not be willing to take fly fishermen onboard.
About a year ago, I decided that someone needed to figure out what bluewater fishing in Washington really meant to fly anglers, so I started making plans. Albacore were the first to catch my interest. These small members of the tuna family circumnavigate the Pacific annually, moving north along the US coast from about June through October, typically covering no less than 16 miles per day. Near the area of La Push, WA, the warm ocean current makes a sharp northwest turn, thus marking the normal northern limit of the albacore fishery.
People had been chasing them with fly rods for years in California and southern Oregon, but for some reason it has not caught on in Washington, despite the fact that these tuna often range within 50 miles of the coast. The few people who had tried to target them with flies usually went under gunned with 8 or 9 weight fly rods, not prepared for the strength of these speedsters that no steelhead or salmon can come close to matching. Coupled with the unfavorable conditions for fly fishing aboard a boat filled with live bait fishermen, these early attempts at albacore on flies were often abandoned in frustration.
 |
The cities of Westport, at the mouth of Gray's Harbor, and Ilwaco, located where the Columbia River meets the Pacific, form the basis of the Washington tuna fleet. Large boats, many over 50 feet long and carrying groups of 12 or more anglers, are the norm in these fisheries. Obviously, a group of fly anglers that size wouldn't give everyone many shots at fishing, so I began seeking out a smaller craft. A friend had fished with a captain the previous year that operated from Hammond, Oregon, just across the river from Ilwaco. This particular captain specialized in groups of 6 or less; perfect for a group planning to fly fish. Although he had no experience with fly fishermen on his boat, he was eager to learn, perhaps seeing the potential if it really catches on. Along with some other local anglers infected with the tuna bug, we set up a trip for the coming September. In the meantime, another of the Northwest's offshore species would get my attention; blue sharks.
Captain Chris Bellows, who operates Topwater Charters in Neah Bay, Washington, had begun offering guided trips for sharks to supplement the salmon and bottomfishing charters he offers. Captain Bellows is one of very few captains in the Northwest who specializes in fly fishing, and had been perfecting his shark fly tactics for some time.
We met Chris at the Neah Bay Marina early one morning in August. I was accompanied by my friends Ron and Kristin Torda, owners of All About The Fly, a full service fly shop in Monroe, WA. Also joining us was Brian Paige, a Skykomish River steelhead guide who can often be found working behind the counter at Ron's fly shop. We had spent the previous day fishing the inshore kelp beds for black rockfish and lingcod with Karry and Josh of Batson Enterprises (makers of Rainshadow rod blanks) with incredible success.
This day however, we were armed with beefier equipment; twelve and fourteen weight Thomas & Thomas big game rods with Islander reels packed full of 50# PowerPro Spectra backing. Gaudy 6/0 flies were attached to our braided wire tippets with heavy duty crimps. This was far from the sort of rigging one typically sees in the steelhead and salmon country of the Northwest. Most fly fishermen I know in Seattle have never even cast a 12wt fly rod, let alone given any thought to the idea that there might be fish big enough to warrant one's use in their own backyard.
However, we wouldn’t get to cast to any sharks on this trip. After running 20 miles offshore from Cape Flattery, the northwestern most point in the continental United States, the water was still a chilly 53 degrees Fahrenheit, too cold to find blue sharks in any significant number. Reluctantly, we decided to turn around and salvage the day by targeting bottomfish.
 |
| Albacore are also known as Longfin Tuna because of their long pectoral fins |
The next month passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was time to start thinking tuna again.
Leaving the marina in Hammond, OR at 4:30am, I hoped to get some sleep onboard while we made the run to the tuna grounds. The albacore were in close - 35 miles - but the diesel-powered boat we were on would still take about 3 hours to get out there. Unfortunately, the Columbia River bar crossing wasn't conducive to sleeping. I decided to enjoy the early morning scenery instead and stepped outside.
The ocean was as calm as it gets when the captain called down at us to get our gear ready. We began by trolling skirted tuna jigs to locate fish. Once a fish is hooked, the idea is to keep it near the stern to attract and keep other fish in the area while live anchovies are thrown and flies are cast. If the first fish is lost or breaks off, there's a good chance it will spook the whole school.
We had been trolling less an hour when I saw a fish boil. "Tuna, 9 o'clock, 200 yards out!", I yelled. Everyone looked in that direction, thinking I was crazy when they didn't see anything. Just then, the school erupted on the surface and the captain gunned the engine to get into range. As we approached, the fish seemed to go down, but we fished over them anyway. It paid off when Ibn hooked up and landed the first fish of the day; a nice 21 pound albacore.
 |
There were a lot of other boats in the area, and this seemed to have an effect on the albacore. The next several schools we approached all went down deep as soon as we got within range. By midday, morale was slipping and we started to wonder if we were going to have a one-fish day.
For awhile in the middle of the day, activity seemed to slow to a standstill. For a couple of hours, we didn't see many busting schools of tuna, but then they started to show again in the early afternoon. The difference now was that they didn't dive deep when the boat got close! If you've never been on a boat with three or four fly fishermen all hooked up on tuna at the same time, you don't know what you're missing. It was total meyhem!
 |
These tuna would hit hard and slug it out, bending a 12 weight to the handle. We had a few bluewater newbies on the boat and they all proclaimed that these were the hardest fighting fish they had ever caught. Steelhead have nothing on albacore...
 |
| The author with a hard-fighting albacore |
The bad part of fishing 35 miles offshore on a slow-moving boat is that you have to leave early to get back. At 3:30 in the afternoon, the tuna were going berserk everywhere we looked as we made our way back in. Ocean Sunfish, or Mola Mola, were everywhere, prompting us to question whether or not they would take a fly. We also saw some blue sharks throughout the day and there were reports of makos caught by other boats. Next time I'll be sure to have a rod rigged up with wire in case opportunity presents itself.
Overall, it was a vastly successful day. Despite a crowded boat with 6 fly anglers on board, everyone landed either 1 or 2 albacore.
If you're a Northwest angler who's tired of the crowds on the steelhead rivers and looking for something different to cast your flies to, look west to the open Pacific. There's a lot of water out there to explore and the opportunity to help build a new fly fishery.
 |
| Ibn Archer with the first fish of the day |
GEARING UP:
12 weights are ideal all-around rods for both albacore and blue sharks (despite the size difference). A 10-11 weight would be acceptable for albacore, while some of the larger sharks are easier lifted with a 13-14 weight.
Reels should be high quality and capable of holding at least 200 yards of backing (50# gel-spun recommended).
Fluorocarbon leaders in 15-25 pound test and 6-9 feet long work well for albacore. For sharks, use similar leaders, but add a length of wire shock tippet. Seven strand braided wire can be easily crimped to the fly, or solid wire can be used with haywire twist. Knottable wire such as Tyger Wire can also be used if you prefer more convenient connections. If you don't care about IGFA rules, you can add an additional length of 80-100# mono between the class and shock tippets for extra protection from abrasive shark skin.
Flies for albacore should as closely match the live chum you're using as possible. It's generally recommended to use dark flies in the low light hours and brighter flies during the middle of the day. The Sea Habit, Abel Anchovy, and Shock & Awe tube fly are all good choices.
Shark flies should be big, bright, and disposable. A popular color amongst shark fishermen is "life jacket" orange.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
Since the writing of this article, Topwater Charters has ceased operations. There is currently no one offering fly fishing trips for blue sharks in Neah Bay.
If you're interested in booking a trip for albacore, contact:
Puget Sound Fly Company
www.pugetsoundflyco.com
Or
Red Sky Charters
Hammond, OR
503-861-3161
booking@redskycharter.com
www.redskycharter.com
There are several other charter operators up and down the Oregon and Washington coast who may or may not be willing to take fly fishermen onboard.
 |
| Not a shark, but still fun on a fly. Brian Paige with an average rockfish |