Washington Canyon fires early as 68-degree water brings first yellowfin push
Warm eddies along the northeast wall are holding bait and drawing tunas up from the deep.
The canyon is waking up ahead of schedule this year, and I'm not complaining. Water temps hit 68 degrees on the northeast wall this week — a solid four degrees warmer than I usually see in late June — and the yellowfin are responding like it's mid-July. The thermal gradient between the 68-degree eddy water and the 64-degree surrounding ocean is creating a perfect setup along the 100-fathom line, stacking bait and drawing fish up from the depths.
I've been working the northeast wall hard this week, focusing on the 39°05' to 39°08' latitude range where the warm water is holding strongest. The key has been finding the temperature breaks — that sharp transition from 64 to 68 degrees where the yellowfin are feeding. Chunk baits are producing best, with fresh butterfish and squid on 8/0 circle hooks getting consistent bites in the 30 to 60-pound class. The fish are coming up aggressive in that warm water, so don't be afraid to use 80-pound fluorocarbon leaders.
The northeast wall has always been my go-to early in the season because of how it interacts with the Gulf Stream, but this year's setup is exceptional. That 68-degree water isn't just sitting there — it's moving, creating feeding lanes along the canyon edge. I'm seeing the best action from the 50-fathom line out to about 120 fathoms, with fish scattered throughout the water column but concentrating where the thermocline sets up around 80 feet.
Trolling has been productive too, especially in the morning hours when the yellowfin are pushing bait to the surface. Cedar plugs and small feathers in blue-white combinations are getting strikes, but the real money has been on the chunk. Set up on the drift where you're marking bait, get a good chum slick going, and be patient. These fish are feeding, but they're still spooky in the clear water.
The bluefin situation is interesting this week. I'm seeing scattered fish in the 40 to 80-inch range mixed in with the yellowfin, but they're being more selective. Fresh mackerel chunks on lighter tackle — 50-pound class — has been the ticket for the bluefin. They seem to prefer the slightly cooler water on the edges of those warm eddies, so don't ignore the 64 to 66-degree zones.
Bait has been the story this week. The canyon is loaded with squid, and there's a good showing of butterfish along the wall. I'm also seeing scattered schools of small blueback herring, which explains why some of the yellowfin are coming up so aggressive. When you find the bait concentrations, especially where they're stacked against the temperature breaks, that's where you want to set up.
The weather pattern has been cooperating, with light northwest winds keeping the seas manageable. That 68-degree water I keep talking about isn't going anywhere soon — the high pressure system that's been sitting over us is keeping the Gulf Stream influence strong along the canyon edge.
Looking ahead to the weekend and into next week, I expect this bite to continue building. The new moon is Thursday, which should bring stronger currents and better bait movement along the wall. If this warm water holds — and I think it will — we could see the first real mahi push of the season. I'm already seeing scattered dolphin in the 72-degree water further offshore, and it won't take much for them to move into the canyon proper.
The key right now is being flexible with your approach. The fish are there, but they're not always in the same spot or at the same depth. Work the temperature breaks, follow the bait, and don't get locked into one technique. This early-season bite in Washington is setting up to be something special — the kind of June fishing that makes you forget about the long winter months. Get out there while the getting's good.