San Juan DeFuca Info

[VicT]

Question for you WA State Spearos - Has any of you dove or heard of anyone diving either Hein or Coyote Banks? I know that the currents are ripping through there, but still within recreational limits for hunting halibut/ling/rockfish maybe during slack tide. Just curious. Thank you for the info.
Vic

[Navanax]

Yes. Hein, Eastern, Partridge are all diveable on the right tides. Never tried Coyote. It's deep (I hunt at 80' over a 90' bottom) and pretty neat. Not very productive as they get fished so hard and most hali's come from the deeper water.

[VicT]

So after looking at the Fish&Game brochure it appears you cannot take rock fish of any kind within the San Juan De Fuca Straights. Is that the case?

VicT

[Navanax]

Pretty much. Not sure where the line starts for R/F take but all of Puget Sound is closed. They are coming back well. Saw a number of large and super gravid copper r/f yesterday (but no lings) near Whidbey. If you are serious about diving Eastern Bank for Halibut ping me and I'll show you where the drift is. Big water.

[VicT]

Thank you for that. If you want, PM me your info. Still a year or two out of moving. But would be great to know a fellow spearo who is familiar with the area.

Vic

[quattroluvr]

I've had the same thought, but never got a boat and weather and tides together at same time. BTW - everybody abandoned in PNW this forum for the facebook version by same name.