whitewolf393

Jackelope,

I usually don't start hunting until NOV anway, at least where I live, and that'll last through APR, at least where I live now here back East that's how I play it. I fish from MAY through OCT, and I'm mostly a spearfisherman, both fresh and saltwater. I've been in contact with some of the guys on a spearfishing forum and they say Neah Bay is pretty good, but Puget Sound is not.I do some fly fishing and spincasting, but that's mostly where I can't legally spearfish :}

As far as hunting, I would like the opportunity to trip out to Eastern WA if I ever wanted in the spring and summer off-season to plink some varmints, if that's an option, to stay sharp.

Jackelope

spearfishing, eh???? you got me there, i have no idea. lingcod, flounder are available around here and at neah, it's quite a drive to neah from issaquah area or the eastside, but the fishing is great in the salt for salmon, bottomfish, etc. even a few halibuts here and there.
there is lots of varmint plinking available and real good coyote shooting legal year round, no limit. yakima firing center has good shooting for rock-chucks(kind of like a woodchuck we had in new york) and lots of 'yotes, there are lots of other coyote options too. the firing center is a military training area that public can access.cool area, good l.e. unit for big mule deer too.
requires an introduction class to get access to it.

whitewolf393

Spearfishing is probably more akin to hunting than fishing, as you're stalking your quarry underwater with a speargun on a breath hold. It's powerful stuff.

We just got a year round, public land coyote season here in VA, so I'll be taking my rifles out more often. We have woodchucks in neighboring PA, but it's a long drive to get there for the shoots. I've never shot rock chucks before, though, and I'd look forward to more opportunity like that.

Flix

whitewolf - Spearfishing was my first exposure to hunting. I grew up snorkeling & diving in the Red Sea. I'm not much of a fish eater, but NOTHING tasted better to me than a grouper I had shot, that I grilled myself!

-- FLIX

Mite

I grew up spearfishing in Hawai'i. But here the water is too cold and murky with all the alge. Also there aren't any reefs per se. But if you're into to fishing, the Yakima river has good fishing for trout. Steelhead is kinda hard here as you really have to be an avid fisherman and know where to fish. For saltwater, get yourself a boat. Excellent for salmon, lingcod, bottom fish (flounder, cod). Gets some crab nets for dungeness.

For big game hunting, I really haven't done much here. I'm more of an upland bird person. But blacktails are usually taken on the westside in heavy cover. Very heavy with thorny blackberries bushes. Also, the weekenders will be climbing all over the place.

Hunting season for some species start Sept 1 and last till Dec.with perhaps half a month in March/April for turkey. Ducks are till late Jan. Fishing is usually year round for bottom fish and some places for crabbing. Salmon usually coincides with hunting season depending upon the zone.

whitewolf393

Flix,

I've never had grouper, at least that I can remember, but I've heard it's scrum. I grew up along the Jersey Shore and got my share of bluefish, but amazingly, never a striped bass in my life. That's one of my spearing goals now :} The world record striped bass was recently speared, 60lbs or so.

Mite, I have dove in the waters of Maui but never speared there. That gin clear water is addictive, man.