Fishing | Derby guidelines strict, traditional

For more than 60 years, salmon anglers have weathered rain and cold on Sundays to take part in the Tengu Blackmouth Salmon Derby on Elliott Bay.

What makes the derby challenging is that only blackmouth (resident chinook) are eligible, fishing is limited to the bay where legal-sized chinook (22 inches or more) are usually scarce and only mooching (drift-fishing using only a banana-lead weight tied to a leader with a herring) is allowed.

"Some people wanted to expand the boundary (beyond the current line from Alki Point to Fourmile Rock) and allow downriggers, but we felt that the customary mooching technique is the way it should remain as has been the tradition of the derby," said Mas Tahara, a Tengu derby spokesman.

Derby rules are all fish must be caught on rod and reel with a sinker and leader with a herring. No artificial lures, flashers, hoochies (plastic squids) or other gear will be allowed.

The derby will be held every Sunday at 7 a.m. from Oct. 28 to Dec. 30 at the Seacrest Boathouse in West Seattle.

The fee is $15 for adults, and $5 for kids 12 and under, and is good for the season. Tickets can be purchased at the Seacrest Boathouse, Linc's Tackle and Auburn Sports and Marine.

The derby was started by Japanese Americans before World War II at the old Harbor Island Boathouse in West Seattle.

The derby was named after Tengu, a fabled Japanese character known for stretching the truth. Just like Pinocchio, Tengu's nose grew with each fib he told.

Other reports

Salmon in Grays Harbor: "This past week has clearly been the best fishing of the entire season [opened Oct. 1]," said Tony Floor, director of fishing affairs for the Northwest Marine Trade Association.

"It has slowed from its torrid pace, but I fished [Tuesday] and we got kings weighing 28 and 20 pounds for three rods," Floor said. "The tides are different right now, and the morning low water is producing better than the high water."

The state Fish and Wildlife sampler at the Johns River ramp checked 41 fish for 41 boats on Monday.

The late-fall king fishery in Grays Harbor is open through Oct. 31; anglers may keep one king daily. Try the SC Buoy (a green and red buoy on the south side of the channel) east to the entrance of the Johns River; and throughout the south channel up to the Chehalis estuary near the 28th Street boat ramp.

Waterfowl and deer hunting in Puget Sound region: "We had a slow opener for waterfowl, but the people in hunting boats in bays like Skagit Bay did pretty well for pintails, wigeons and green-winged teals, and not many mallards were taken," said Lora Leschner, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist. "If this wind storm actually happens it should move more birds in from up north. Deer hunting is pretty slow"

Squid in Puget Sound: "Squid jigging has been pretty decent along the Seattle waterfront piers, and any pier that has lights hanging over it is good," said Jerry Beppu, owner of Linc's Tackle Shop in Seattle.

Try Pier 86 at the Grain Terminal, the Seattle Aquarium pier, Redondo Beach pier and the Seacrest pier.

Salmon and steelhead in rivers: "The fish are spread throughout the [Chehalis] river and it has been hit or miss, but there are enough around to keep things interesting," said Scott Barbour, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist. "We fished above Cosmopolis and I got one about 16 or 17 pounds, but that was our only bite."

There was some coho in the Satsop River up by Cook Creek, and near the Fuller Bridge at the Satsop mouth.

The Humptulips River opened for kings on Tuesday, and was fairly decent for mix of kings and coho at Stevens Creek Salmon Hatchery.

Locally, the coho and early chum fishing in some of the rivers remains fair at times, but could get washed away with tonight's rainstorm.

"I fished the Snohomish over the weekend and got some nice coho, and I'm hearing fair reports for coho in the Skagit," said Bryan Nelson at Three Rivers Marine and Tackle in Woodinville.

Good for sturgeon in the gorge on the Lower Columbia River. Fair for coho and steelhead in the Cowlitz. Good for chinook in the Klickitat. Fair for coho in the Kalama and Lewis.

Salmon in open areas of Puget Sound: "There are some nice feeder chinook up to 6 or 7 pounds and an occasional silver off the Clay Banks and right in front of the boathouse," said Tim Hartman, manager of the Point Defiance Park Boathouse in Tacoma.

Further north, "I was out in Area 9 over the weekend and through Monday, and we caught and released some chinook and kept some coho," said Gary Krein, owner of All-Star Charters in Everett. "My other boat fished the blackmouth opener in Area 10 at Jefferson Head, and caught six legal blackmouth and released some on a short trip [Tuesday]. There was also quite a few chums jumping off Point No Point."

The Johns Creek estuary in Oakland Bay is generating some chums.

Perch, bass and trout in statewide lakes: "I have guys still getting perch in Lake Washington around the Madison Park area using maggots," Beppu said.

Other good places to try are Leschi, Mount Baker, Seward Park, Kenmore and Coulon Park in Renton.

The trout fishery at Jameson Lake in Douglas County is open through Oct. 31. Battleground Lake was planted recently with 1,320 rainbow trout averaging 1.5 to 2.5 pounds.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com