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Fox Island
 Chart courtesy of Captn. Jack's www.capjack.com Click on chart for bigger view
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Fox Island
The southern Puget Sound has one of the longest salmon seasons of the year, if in fact you include the January-February 16 catch and release season it only shuts down for 3 weeks during the year.
One of the top locations to target salmon is the southern end of Fox Island. Three of the top locations are Fox Point on Hale passage, the Concrete Dock on the South end and Point Gibson farther to the south can all produce fish.
Fishing: Fox Point is best to fish on an outgoing tide, target the area just off the point. The bottom drops from 60-ft out to 150-ft. blackmouth will hold on this deeper ledge. Trolling circles off the point shallow to deep can produce strikes. Watch for bait balls in the area the local fish will home in on these.
You can also troll the Northwestern shore in the 100-120 water up into Hale passage this spot can put out some fish.
Point Gibson is better fished on the incoming tide. From Gibson Point troll the 90-ft of water up the shoreline to the big rock on the beach. The bottom is very irregular here and you will really have to keep an eye on your sonar.
My best tactic has been to troll just above bottom, when I mark a bait ball on my Lowrance X-16 sonar in one of the many dips along the troll, I kick the boat out of gear until my Scotty downrigger balls bounce bottom. I then I put it back in gear. This tactic can really excite a blackmouth to bite.
You can also pick up fish trolling out into the deeper 120-140 water off the point when the bait moves out.
The public fishing pier (locally referred to as the concrete dock) on the south end of the Island can be a good spot to try on the last half of the incoming tide. Bait will get swept in here and fish will follow after it. The summer returning kings will rest in holes just south of the pier.
Troll the 90-ft to 150-ft water out front of the dock. Best action on blackmouth will be one hour before to two hours after the tide change. Summer kings it's a get the offering in the face deal, just troll with the tide.
Tackle: I will start with fresh herring on a 20 pound Ande leader trolled behind the downrigger, if this doesn't work, several spoons have over the years work well for me. Try an Apex spoon by it self or a Silver Horde Kingfisher or if the bait is bigger a Sonic Edge fished behind an 11 inch HotSpot flasher works real well. Top colors have been army truck, green & white and the police car for the spoons.
Ramps: Narrows Marina 253-564-4222 is only a mile away and has fresh herring and offers one of the best tackle shops in the area with a ramp and dock.
There is an unimproved ramp located next to the Fox Island Bridge. There is no dock and very limit parking.
Salmon University Staff