Corky, bead, some people run yarn. Idea is get the hook to float 1-2 feet off the bottom during your drift.

It seems intimidating, but you just cast upriver at a 30-45 degree angle right after the guy down river from you lure hits the water.

Happy to share the following:

Puyallup River, 8/17, 8/18 and 8/19, ~300m down river from the SR167 bridge: Can’t see any fish given the color of the river, but I fished from 7am until 9am and tagged out on pink salmon. Saw one hatchery king on 8/18 landed. I landed a wild king on 8/19. Tagged out on pinks all three days in under two hours.

Duwamish River, 8/30: SO MANY PINKS on the incoming tide. Tagged out in less than an hour, twitching pink hoochies.

Duwamish River: 9/1 - 9/4 TONs of pink salmon in the river, both “running up” and “holding” (~100m down river of where I-5 crosses).
On low tide, holding in slow water and pools (down river of where I-5 crossed by about 100m), on incoming tide they’re running with the current (Fort Dent area), same on out going tide as I tagged out in 20 minutes on pinks as they all got pushed down river with the tide (Fort Dent area).
Have not seen coho or chinook save for the posts on FB of people landing them via flossing at the Tukwila Community Center or on bobber and eggs everywhere else.

The Puyallup is “combat fishing” at its finest, but everyone is (usually) super chill about it.

Zero water visibility means 7-10 foot rods with the same length leaders off a pencil weight or cannon ball and the terminal gear of choice is a corkie and hook on the end of the leader.

Cast up river at a 45* angle, watch your rod tip for the tell tale “tap, tap, tap” of the bottom, and when that stops, you’re either snagged or it’s “Fish On!”

Corky color doesn’t matter, size does, a little.
Bigger corky: more float so more likely to get a pink.
Smaller corky: less float so better potential for a coho or chinook.


I’ll be at deception pass 10/7 and 10/8, maybe I’ll get lucky.

One short of a double tag out today with a buddy of mine, under the bridge at Starfire twitching 3/8 and 1/2 ounce pink jigs.
Finally got him on salmon!

There is zero water visibility on the Puyallup right now so I don’t think corky, bead nor yarn color matter.

I’ve seen fish caught in every color corky/bead imaginable.

I run a 9’ 15lbs hiviz mono leader with a #1, #2 or 1/0 hook, one #10 lil corky one neutral buoyant bead, off a 2–4” long pencil weight, tied to 40lbs hiviz braid on the main line (3-way swivel).

Rod is either a 9’6” ML action or a 9’9” M action.

The fish can’t see the hiviz line due to zero water visibility but it makes landing them easier.

I watch the rod tip for the tell tale, rhythmic, “Tap tap tap tap” of the weight bouncing off the bottom and my main line flowing down river with the current.

When there is a pause in the tap and the mainline slows down compared to the current it’s either a fish or a snag (less likely with a pencil weight).

I give a slight tug (45* on the rod to 50*) and if releases and flows down river again, I’m clear of the snag.

If there’s a bend to the rod and pressure, I give it a decent hook set (rod goes vertical) and start to reel as I’ve probably a fish-on (or I’m really snagged…).

I’ll be down there next Saturday, 02 September, about 50m up river of the “famous” sandbar (see dropped pin on pic) around 7am.

I’ll be more than happy to fish with you and offer any assistance.
I’ll have a buddy of mine with me I’m “teaching” too.
I’ve pretty good luck landing pinks (and one wild chinook), and will share my set up, what I’m feeling and looking for, and anything else you’d like to know.

(I am no expert, by any means, but you’re welcome to fish with me.)

It may be stupid crowded but it’s super chill.

The Seattle times just did an article on fishing for pinks from shore at Lincoln Park, on the beach west of Colman Pool.

Lots of people having great luck with pink buzz bombs, spoons, and pink Vibramax spinners.

Depends on the day and which school is running up when you’re fishing.

I’ve had luck on silver, silver/green, pink Brad’s wigglers, pink Vibramax, chartreuse Vibramax, and silver spoons.

I’ve had much better luck bobbing eggs.

Thanks for the info.

Debating dropping pots on Labor Day, fishing the Duwamish for Coho for a couple hours, then grabbing the pots before heading home.

Hopefully tagged out on coho and crab.

Plunking for pinks?
That’s cool.
What did you use for bait/lure?

Have you done any crabbing off Alki?

On another thread, 1-2 ounce spoons to get 30’-60’ out on a cast are working well. South end of Whidby Island from the shore.

Drifting corkies is working great in the Puyallup.

If you have the gear and the water is clear enough, float eggs under a slip bobber 3-4’ off the bottom.

Twitching jigs, casting Dick Nite spoons, Vibramax spinners, and quick fish all work as well.

The fish are IN!

Four pinks in less than an hour Friday.
Three pinks and a coho in an hour Saturday, and I saw one lucky angler land a ~20lbs hatchery chinook.

Great tips, thank you.