Late Report: Puget Sound 6/30-7/7

Finally recovered enough to post about our excursion to the Pacific North West.  This is the trip I look forward to each year, and each year seems to get better and better (especially since I started kayak angling)!

Day 1:  We loaded up my dad's astro van and left the house late afternoon on Friday the 29th.  Driving through the night ( all I need is an AMP energy drink and an interesting audio book I'm good to go) and was deep into Washington at 7am.  Stopped for breakfast and to grab out of state licenses before heading to a clamming spot.  Raked a quick limit of an assortment of clams, ranging from Butter clams to Cockles and Little Necks to Manilas.  I've seen sand dabs and flounder while diving the area, so decided to unleash the Malibu2xl into the wild.  Set out with my 3 yr old son, and no sooner had he dropped his line in the water he hooked up with his first ever fish!  Brought the sand dab to the boat and then my pole starts going off!  I let my son wind that one in as well, and we brought up a lively Spiny Dogfish.  Then the wind started coming up and my son got cold, so we headed in.  Proud moment as a dad to watch his son catch his first fish, and have it on video too!


Day 2: Met up with a few NWKA'ers  to  head out for the crab opener.  We set our traps and then fished for flounder and sand dabs while we were waiting.  The bite was off the hook!  Every time you drop a line in you are getting hit.  The launch was easy and so I brought out my dad and my son with me.  They had a blast.  Between the 3 of us, we brought in about a dozen sand dabs and founder, and this was considered a SLOW day out there!  Unfortunately, the dungies didn't cooperate, and all we had to show was a handful of rock crab.  Much props to our NWKA brothers up there, they are just as friendly and hospitable as our group is here. 





Day 3: Headed back to the clamming grounds.  We raked up a quick limit of Manila clams, then I headed out to dive for crab.  They were everywhere!  I got solid limits of red rock crabs for us all, and 4 dungies  and a rock scallop as a bonus.  There were so many wonders to see out there I could have dove all day.  Unfortunately, my memory car d was wiped out when I was trying to download the video and I lost all of my videos for the day! Afterwards we headed back to our friends house and set crab traps.  After a 4 hour soak, we managed another 4 Dungies to cook up.  In addition to all this, our friend's house is right on the sound, and their private beach is sown with oysters.  Can you say ALL YOU CAN EAT OYSTERS? OH YEAH! We ate clam linguini that night..mmmm




Awesome seeing this each morning and night out the front window:


Day 4: 15-30kt winds and a freak rainstorm kept us chillin at the beach house.  We ended up BBQing rib eye steak n  oysters.
Day 5: Went back to fishing for the sand dabs and flounder and were greeted with picture perfect conditions.  Between my dad, my son, and I, we bagged another dozen or so, and let just as many smaller ones go. Got back, and bbqed more steak, sockeye salmon.  Also pan fried some of the sand dabs , they are delicious!

Day 6: Back to the clamming grounds.   Took about an hour to dig for some of the larger butter clams before changing into my wetsuit.  Got into the water and Doh! forgot my weight belt in the car.  Not a problem, I dove in the shallows with the eel grass and there were just as many if not more sea creatures to be had there.  I ended up with another 18 or so red rock crabs, and 4 more dungies.  I also speared a smallish sand dab that was lurking in the shallows.  Headed back to the beach house, and checked my crab pots there.  Added another 4 more dungies to the tally. Cooked up fresh clam chowder and garlic ginger crab....ate like kings...again.







Day 7:  Late start, checked my pot to find only 1 keeper dungie.  Loaded our stuff up, and our friend went to get us some fresh oysters from the beach to take home.  I kept telling him no need, but he kept bringing us bucket after bucket of oysters to put in our cooler.  All told, we brought back well over 10 dozen of the finest quality oysters you will ever have the chance to enjoy!  Packed up and headed towards home after lunch.  Stopped off in Portland to stay the night with some other friends.


Day 8:  Started late again, shopped at the Oregon Outlets for a while ( no sales tax, woohoo!) before continuing on our way home.  Made it back around 1am, home sweet home!
Epilogue:  Our freezer now stocked with enough crab and clams to last us until November when  our season opens again, we invited family and friends who are known oyster connoisseurs.   Let's just say, after the carnage was over, I had almost 1/3 of a large garbage bin full of oyster shells.  It's good to be back home, but I'm already looking forward to heading back next year.....the NWKA guys are telling me to go when the pinks are running.  Nothing better than having a few hundred salmon swimming under your kayak.....

1st attempt at video shot down by Copyright mongers, lets try this again:

Wow what a seafood buffet trip you had there Jon! Those clams you got are the best.  I can eat a bucket of those manila clams.  All the oysters you can eat and dungeness too!  I think I'm hungry now just looking at it.  Great trip and heck of a harvest of various seafood delight.  Thanks for sharing bro!

Rey

Great trip

Wow nice haul.  That looks like a fun trip.

wow.  just, wow.   

Wow! What a great time you had with the family. You love seafood

WTG John. 


Kiel

Nice haul and cool report
That blue yak looks familiar
Tad
 

Thanks all,its not everyone's cup of tea, but its really my kind of vacation.  I woke up every day energized and invigorated. The best part is that the spots are all easily accessible, so I was able to take my son, dad, and wife wherever we went as well.

Nice haul and cool report
That blue yak looks familiar
Tad
 

Hey Tad, she has been my work horse! Thanks again for the great deal, she hasn't let me down yet.  I swear she was waving in your direction as we passed back a forth through Redding!

Good stuff. This is why the PNW is so great. Nothing compares. I plan on going back end of Sept and am definitely bringing my yaks.

SSAAAWWWEEEETTTTT!!!! ....Thanks for making me hungry!!!!!

Nathan had a college list, and University of Puget Sound was on the list.  I think I am going to put a star next to it 

wow, what a great vacation, thanks for the great report and pics, i am soooo hungry now, cameron

Was that Hood Canal? Where were you? Good going!