First “Hatch” of the Year in Puget Sound
Sunday, March 21st, 2010
Hatches as most people consider them don’t really occur in the the local saltwater of Puget Sound but for those of us dedicated to this fishery, the arrival of the first salmon fry on the beach is akin to the arrival of the first BWO or Caddis of the season on a river.
When these baby anadromous fish hit the beach it marks the time when Sea Run Cutthroat should be revisiting the Sound as well, back from a winter and early spring in the rivers and streams.
This is the beginning of some fo the most exciting times on the beach we have all year, when anglers have the opportunity to experience nature at its best; baitballs being crashed under their rod tips by voracious SRC’s, assaulting flies both subsurface and on top.
Curious anglers can literally watch as these fry leave the freshwater of small tributaries and enter the salt for their first time and almost immediately be marauded by cruising trout.
They have arrived, I am pumped!
Written by: Dave McCoy
The past couple of weeks, we have been focused on hitting the saltwater, more because it is nice to fish over fish rather than swing through what appears to be empty water much of the time. Last week, 4 trips and 6 anglers saw/hooked/moved/landed 27 fish. Not bad considering most believe this time of year to be a waste of time out there. Weather has been perfect for it too, overcast, rain and virtually no wind. 
Besides the salmon being around and captivating the interest of nearly all fly anglers right now, cutts are out in force asking for respect. Currently one of my favorite methods for tempting them is to grease a baitfish pattern up with Aquel (environmentally safe floatant) and fish it more like a crease fly, just enough surface break to leave a subtle V-wake and they just trounce it. Give it a shot, beaches are nearly vacant right now excet where pinks and coho are found and even some of those are too.