Fishing for a Reason

Your Crab Pot Is Losing Crab (Here's the Fix)

Crabbing is one of the best fisheries in the San Juan Islands, and one of the few that keeps going long after salmon season closes. But a pot that is rigged wrong will lose crab on the way up, or let them walk straight back out while it is sitting on the bottom. This episode is the full setup, every piece, from the bridle to the buoy, plus the four things that make your pot legal in Washington.

Episode Overview

- Why an angled ramp entry holds crab and a flat entry lets them leave, and which pot to pick

- The rope mistake that costs people gear: nylon floats, so it belongs on the bridle and nowhere else

- How to weight a pot with a downrigger ball, and the zip tie step that stops your bait shooting out

- What actually makes a crab pot legal in Washington waters

- Why rot cord matters, and what to do if you lose a pot

- The gear that makes crabbing off a boat easier, including mounts and a pot puller

Timestamps

00:00 - Why crabbing is the season that keeps going

00:26 - Welcome to Fishing for a Reason

00:55 - Burnewiin mounts and a quick-switch boat layout

01:50 - Why we use a pot puller even for crabbing

03:12 - The McKay pots we fish, and why

03:48 - The nylon rope mistake to avoid

04:30 - No Escape ramps vs Fast Fisher flat entry

04:51 - What a GoPro in a crab pot shows you

05:10 - Weighting the pot, and the zip tie that saves your bait

06:11 - Rigging it: bridle, sea links, 120 feet of leaded line

06:49 - What makes your pot legal in Washington

07:58 - If you lose a pot, report it

08:40 - The mistake that jams your doors open

09:15 - The Fast Fisher, and when a shorter soak works

Key Takeaways

- Nylon rope floats, so use it for the bridle and leaded line for everything else.

- 120 feet of leaded line covers the depths most people crab around here.

- Zip tie any weight inside the bait cage, or the drop will push your bait out the top.

- Angled ramp entries make it harder for crab to leave; flat entries fish faster but lose more.

- Do not over-soak. Crab get out, and a long soak is not a free upgrade.

- A red and white buoy with your name and address on the pot is the law, not a suggestion.

- Rot cord means a lost pot stops fishing instead of killing crab forever.

- A salmon head hung too near the door will jam it open and cost you the whole soak.

Resources & Links

McKay Shrimp & Crab Gear: https://mckayshrimpandcrabgear.com

Burnewiin: https://burnewiin.com

Report a lost or derelict pot: https://salishseaalliance.org/derelict-gear/

WDFW crab regulations: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishing-regulations/crab

Want more?

Go to https://anglersunlimited.co/gold to learn more about our membership. Monthly expert seminars, step-by-step courses, fishing maps, and a community of 100+ anglers who want you to succeed.

About the Podcast

Fishing for a Reason is the Pacific Northwest saltwater fishing education podcast for new anglers and families who want to catch more salmon, halibut, lingcod, shrimp and crab in Washington waters. Hosted by Jamie & Scott Propst from Anglers Unlimited, each episode delivers practical techniques, local knowledge, and expert insights to help you get off the couch and into the fish. Perfect for relocated professionals, military families, and boaters who are just getting into fishing.

Tide vs Current: Why You're Fishing at the Wrong Time

If you have been planning your fishing day around the tide table, you are reading the wrong instrument. Tide tells you how high the water is. Current tells you how hard it is moving, and that is what decides where the bait sits and when salmon feed. This episode separates the two, shows you where the strongest current actually falls, and gives you a repeatable way to plan any trip in any season.

Episode Overview

• Why tide is vertical and current is horizontal, and why confusing the two puts you on the water at the wrong hour
• Where maximum current actually falls, according to NOAA, and why it is not at high or low tide
• What hard current does to baitfish, and why that decides the bite window rather than whether salmon are hungry
• The roughly two-hour window either side of slack when the food chain is most active
• Where bait goes when it cannot hold in the flow, and why you should fish the lee and back eddies
• A screen walkthrough of three tools showing the same place on the same day
• How to apply all of it to September coho in Marine Area 7

Timestamps

00:00 - What Salmon School students wanted most
01:24 - Welcome to Fishing for a Reason
01:57 - Tide is vertical, current is horizontal
02:38 - Flood and ebb: the vocabulary
03:03 - Max current is not at high or low tide
04:15 - What slack water actually is
05:13 - Why timing is different everywhere
06:01 - What current does to the bait
07:07 - The two-hour bite window
07:47 - Where bait goes when it cannot fight the current
08:41 - The 1.5 knot rule
09:56 - Three tools, same place, same day
13:37 - Applying it to September coho
14:11 - Final takeaways

Key Takeaways

• Tide is vertical, current is horizontal, and current matters more to your fishing day.
• Maximum current happens between the tides, not at high or low tide.
• Slack and high tide are not the same moment, and they can be far apart.
• Hard current pins bait flat to the bottom; slack lets it rise and the salmon move in.
• Fish roughly an hour either side of slack current.
• When the current is up, fish the lee and back eddies instead of the flow.
• A big exchange can mean a harder day, not a better one.
• Check the current station for the exact place you are fishing, because timing varies everywhere.

Resources & Links

• NOAA on tides and currents: https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov
• NOAA tidal current predictions: https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaacurrents/stations.html?g=698
• Island Fisherman Magazine, Fishing Tidal Currents to Your Advantage: https://islandfishermanmagazine.com/fishing-tidal-currents-to-your-advantage/
• Navionics: https://www.navionics.com
• WDFW sport fishing regulations: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations
• Previous episode on coho run timing: https://youtu.be/1rftcbGi7yQ

Want more?

Go to https://anglersunlimited.co/gold to learn more about our membership. Monthly expert seminars, step-by-step courses, fishing maps, and a community of 100+ anglers who want you to succeed.

About the Podcast

Fishing for a Reason is the Pacific Northwest saltwater fishing education podcast for new anglers and families who want to catch more salmon, halibut, lingcod, shrimp and crab in Washington waters. Hosted by Jamie & Scott Propst from Anglers Unlimited, each episode delivers practical techniques, local knowledge, and expert insights to help you get off the couch and into the fish. Perfect for relocated professionals, military families, and boaters who are just getting into fishing.

Where Are All the Coho? How to Predict Salmon Timing in Washington Waters

"Where's all the coho?" is the question filling up the Gold community right now, and it's a fair one. If you've been grinding August hours in Marine Area 7 without a legal fish to show for it, nothing is wrong with you or the run. This episode walks through the biology, the public data, and the regulations that explain coho timing, so by the end you can work out any species in any year for yourself instead of waiting for someone to tell you.

Episode Overview

• Why coho run on a rigid three-year clock while chinook can take anywhere from two to seven years, and why that makes coho far more predictable
• What jacks are, why up to 30% of a wild return can be them, and what a pile of small early coho actually tells you about that year
• The rain trigger most anglers miss: coho stack at stream mouths and wait for flow to rise
• Real WDFW creel numbers from September 2024 in Area 7, and what they prove about September versus August
• Why Marine Area 7 rules can be stricter than neighboring areas because of Canadian stocks and the Pacific Salmon Treaty
• The three-step process to forecast your own season: read the wild coho forecast, check the regs, check the emergency rules

Timestamps

00:00 - Where's all the coho?
01:00 - Women on the Water, September 17
04:00 - The coho three-year clock
06:00 - Jacks and genetic variation
07:00 - The rain trigger
08:00 - Where coho hold in Marine Area 7
09:00 - Creel data and the September spike
11:00 - 2026 Marine Area 7 salmon windows
12:00 - Mixed stock fishery and the Pacific Salmon Treaty
15:00 - Three steps to forecast any season

Key Takeaways

• The coho aren't missing in August, they just haven't shown up yet.
• Coho are a September fish in Washington waters, and the creel data proves it.
• Fish the exterior of the San Juan Islands, not the inside passages.
• Watch the rain forecast as closely as the tide chart.
• A run of small jacks is real information about that year, not bad luck.
• Marine Area 7 rules that feel stricter are often protecting somebody else's fish.
• Every date in this episode will be wrong next year, which is why you learn the process.

Resources & Links

• WDFW coho salmon species page: https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/oncorhynchus-kisutch
• WDFW Puget Sound creel reports: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/reports/creel/puget
• WDFW emergency fishing rules: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/emergency-rules
• WDFW sport fishing regulations: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations
• Fish Washington app: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/washington-fishing-app
• NOAA Fisheries coho salmon: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/coho-salmon-protected
• WDFW Wild Coho Forecast publication: https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/02698
• Women on the Water, Sept 17, Bellingham Yacht Club, 5-8pm, free: https://wkf.ms/467GOYu
• North of Falcon episode: https://youtu.be/N_QH0se7ZQU

About the Podcast
Fishing for a Reason is the Pacific Northwest saltwater fishing education podcast for new anglers and families who want to catch more salmon, halibut, lingcod, shrimp and crab in Washington waters. Hosted by Jamie & Scott Propst from Anglers Unlimited, each episode delivers practical techniques, local knowledge, and expert insights to help you get off the couch and into the fish. Perfect for relocated professionals, military families, and boaters who are just getting into fishing.

Washington Crabbing 101: How to Stay Legal and Fill Your Pots

Two Dungeness crab come out of the same pot, same day, same size. One gives you a quarter of its body weight in meat. The other gives you less than 20%, and what you do get is sparse, stringy, and a pain to pick. Most people who have crabbed for years still cannot tell those two crab apart.

This episode fixes that, and takes on the bigger surprise: crabbing has more rules than salmon does. Jamie covers every rule that can turn a fun Saturday into a citation, then gets into what actually fills pots -- depth, bait, soak time, and where to set in the islands.

Episode Overview

• The licensing step most people miss on the Fish Washington app, and why skipping it makes you illegal
• What is actually legal for kids, including why a four month old cannot hold a limit
• Gear that has to be right before you leave the dock: escape rings, rot cord, buoys, leaded line
• Real spots in Marine Area 7 plus Scott's Oak Harbor and Skagit Bay picks
• Why over-soaking your pots costs you crab, backed by GoPro footage shot inside a pot
• The three-check keeper test: sex, size, and the pinch that separates soft shell from hard

Timestamps

00:00 -- Two crab, same size, very different coolers

02:00 -- Resurrection Derby and Women on the Water

06:00 -- Your license, and the catch record card step people miss

08:00 -- Kids on the boat: free licenses and legal extra limits

11:00 -- Open days, escape rings, rot cord, and legal buoys

14:00 -- Weighting your pots and where Dungeness actually live

17:00 -- Marine Area 7 spots, plus Scott's Oak Harbor picks

18:00 -- Bait, soak time, and the over-soak mistake

22:00 -- Limits, sex, size, and the pinch test

26:00 -- Eight takeaways before you leave the dock

Key Takeaways

• Buying the shellfish license is not enough, you have to add the crab catch record card separately.
• Every license needs its own phone, so your teenager cannot ride along on your app.
• Kids under 16 fish free and hold their own limit if they can physically work the gear.
• Crabbing is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Marine Areas 6 and 7, and pots have to be out.
• Two units of crab gear per person, with no cap on units per boat in Puget Sound.
• Set your pots in the evening and pull at first light, because crab feed at night.
• Soft shell crab give up less than half the meat, so pinch the rear leg and toss the soft ones back.

Resources & Links

• Resurrection Derby, Bellingham Bay, August 29-30, 2026: https://www.resurrectionderby.com
• Women on the Water with LFS, Thursday September 17, Bellingham Yacht Club, free, 100 seats: https://wkf.ms/467GOYu
• Report a lost crab pot, Northwest Straits Foundation: https://www.derelictgear.org | https://nwstraitsfoundation.org/
• WDFW shellfish gear rules: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishing-regulations/gear-rules

Want the full structured learning experience? Join Anglers Unlimited Gold and get expert seminars, step-by-step courses, fishing maps, recipes, and a community that wants you to succeed: https://anglersunlimited.co/gold

Fishing for a Reason is the Pacific Northwest saltwater fishing education podcast for new anglers and families who want to catch more salmon, halibut, lingcod, shrimp and crab in Washington waters. Hosted by Jamie and Scott Propst from Anglers Unlimited, each episode delivers practical techniques and local knowledge to help you get off the couch and into the fish.

No Downriggers? You Can Still Catch Salmon (Here's the Setup)

For anglers who have a boat but no downriggers or aren't ready to invest before they know they'll stick with fishing, salmon can still feel out of reach. In this episode, Jamie breaks down the simplest, most budget-friendly way to target coho and king salmon using a deep six diver instead of downriggers. This one's especially useful if you're fishing a sailboat, a smaller boat, or you're just getting started and want to try before you buy.

Episode Overview

• Why coho season (September) is one of the best times to fish without downriggers
• How to rig a deep six diver as a downrigger replacement
• The right leader lengths for running a diver straight to bait versus adding a flasher
• Best lure choices for diver fishing
• How far behind the boat to run your gear and what trolling speed to use
• Where to learn about mooching as another downrigger-free option
• Why you need a catch record card and how to add one to your WDFW license

Timestamped Sections 
00:00 – Intro and Salmon School waitlist mention
01:00 – Used downrigger episode reference (Episode 53)
02:00 – Why coho season is perfect for diver fishing
03:00 – Whiskey rod explained, caution on turns
04:00 – Deep six diver mechanism explained
05:00 – Rigging basics: herring in a hood, lateral line
06:00 – Short bus flashers and leader length setup
07:00 – Leader length details and lure choices
08:00 – Popping the clip and fighting the fish
09:00 – How far to run your line and trolling speed
10:00 – Mooching as an alternative
11:00 – Catch record card requirement and wrap up

Resources & Links
Free Lure Training: https://anglersunlimited.co/3-essential-lures
Episode 53, How to Buy Used Fishing Gear on a Budget: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJRBKP90yss&t=713s
Mooching Episode with Justin Wong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNOZrq0NBVA&t=6s
WDFW App / Catch Record Card Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taN8OEi2t-Q&t=454s
WDFW Fishing Regulations: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations
Yakima Bait Flashers: https://amzn.to/4gpGQQv

Want more tutorials like this one? Join Anglers Unlimited Gold and get access to expert seminars, step-by-step courses, fishing maps, and a community of anglers who want you to succeed. https://anglersunlimited.co/gold

Fishing for a Reason is the Pacific Northwest saltwater fishing education podcast for new anglers and families who want to catch more salmon, halibut, lingcod, shrimp and crab in Washington waters. Hosted by Jamie & Scott Propst from Anglers Unlimited, each episode delivers practical techniques, local knowledge, and expert insights to help you get off the couch and into the fish. Perfect for relocated professionals, military families, and boaters who are just getting into fishing.

The Science of the Strike: Why Salmon Hunt (And How to Catch Them)

If you want to stop guessing and start understanding why salmon do what they do, this episode is for you. Jamie breaks down the actual science behind salmon behavior -- how they find food, what triggers a strike, and why your lure action matters more than your lure color. This isn't theory for theory's sake. Every principle connects directly to how you fish.

What this episode covers:

• Why salmon in the Salish Sea are typically found in the upper 30 meters of the water column -- and how to use that to your advantage
• Why "current change" is the phrase that should replace "tide change" in your vocabulary
• How tidal jets create convergence fronts that stack baitfish -- and why that's exactly where you need to be
• What the lateral line is and why it may matter more than vision when it comes to triggering a strike
• The real science on color and depth -- and why red is essentially invisible below 33 feet
• Why erratic, irregular lure movement triggers predatory instincts in salmon

Timestamps

00:00 -- Introduction: the science behind salmon and why it makes you a better angler 
01:30 -- Salmon School announcement (August 9, Anacortes) 
03:00 -- Where salmon hold in the water column and why it matters 
04:00 -- Current change vs. tide change: why the language matters 
05:00 -- Tidal jets, convergence fronts, and where bait stacks 
07:00 -- Using sonar to find fish that won't bite 
07:30 -- Salmon diet: herring, sand lance, and matching the hatch 
09:00 -- Lure selection: Kingfisher Spoon, Coho Killer, hoochies, and matching prey 
10:00 -- The lateral line: how salmon detect your lure before they see it 
12:00 -- Why flashers work and why lure action is primary 
13:00 -- Color physics at depth: what salmon can actually see 
14:00 -- UV and glow lures: what the science says (and doesn't) 
16:00 -- What triggers the strike: erratic movement and vulnerable prey 
18:00 -- Key takeaways and closing 
19:00 -- Salmon School wrap-up

Key Takeaways

• Salmon in the Salish Sea primarily hold in the upper 30 meters -- your depth decisions should be calculated, not random.
• Current change -- not tide change -- is the variable that concentrates baitfish and creates feeding windows.
• Tidal jets create convergence fronts where herring, sand lance, and candlefish stack -- and where salmon follow.
• The lateral line is a fish's built-in pressure and vibration sensor, and research suggests it may be more important than vision for triggering a strike.
• Water absorbs red and orange light by about 33 feet deep -- color choices below that depth should lean toward green, blue, and UV reactive.
• UV lures have strong anecdotal and industry support, but peer-reviewed science on UV vision in Pacific salmon at fishing depths is still limited.
• Erratic, irregular lure movement mimics a vulnerable baitfish -- and that's what gets a salmon from following your lure to striking it.

Resources Mentioned

• Salmon School (August 9, Anacortes): https://anglersunlimited.co/salmonschool
• ScienceDirect Lateral Lines & Fish: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/veterinary-science-and-veterinary-medicine/lateral-line
• Encyclopedia of Puget Sound: https://www.eopugetsound.org/
• What Salmon See: https://www.science.org/content/article/how-salmon-see-world-anew
• Pacific Wild (forage fish research): https://pacificwild.org/how-salmon-need-herring/
• Steve Chamberlain previous episode: https://youtu.be/29aTkrlzHWw?si=4ZC-fd9Nz7uAYvlo
• Sea Bear Smokehouse: https://seabear.com/pages/about-seabear

Want to fish smarter this season?

We have 13 spots left at Salmon School on August 9th in Anacortes. You'll get hands-on sessions on sonar, gear setup, trolling technique, reading current, and more -- including a smoked salmon tasting from Sea Bear Smokehouse. Sign up at anglersunlimited.co/salmonschool before it's gone.

About the Podcast

Fishing for a Reason is the Pacific Northwest saltwater fishing education podcast for new anglers and families who want to catch more salmon, halibut, lingcod, shrimp, and crab in Washington waters. Hosted by Jamie & Scott Propst from Anglers Unlimited, each episode delivers practical techniques, local knowledge, and expert insights to help you get off the couch and into the fish. Perfect for relocated professionals, military families, and boaters who are just getting into fishing.

Stop Guessing: The Salmon Fishing System That Actually Works

If you own a boat, have the gear, and still keep coming home empty-handed, this episode is for you. Jamie walks through the exact training she's taught in seminars and private sessions for years -- the same one boaters from all over Washington have used to go from frustrated to consistent. By the end, you'll understand the four-part system that separates the boats that limit out from the ones that go home empty every time.

Episode Overview

• Jamie shares her own rough first season chasing salmon in the San Juan Islands and the local legend who changed everything for her
• Learn the three types of fishermen and which one might be quietly holding you back
• A full breakdown of rod, reel, downrigger and terminal tackle setup
• How to plan a trip using tides, current and wind apps before you ever leave the dock
• A real video walkthrough of sending gear down and landing a fish
• The four-question review habit that turns one good trip into a repeatable process

Timestamps
00:00 - Salmon School announcement and what's ahead 
04:00 - Meet Jamie and Scott, welcome to the training 
09:00 - Jamie's early struggles finding salmon in the San Juans 
12:00 - The three types of fishermen, which one are you 
16:00 - Pillar 1, prep your gear like a pro 
21:00 - Rod, reel and downrigger setup breakdown 
27:00 - Choosing lures, bait and terminal tackle 
33:00 - Pillar 2, planning an exceptional day on the water 
38:00 - Reading tides, current and wind before you leave the dock 
46:00 - Pillar 3, on the water fishing technique walkthrough 
57:00 - Pillar 4, process and review, the nine questions that level you up

Key Takeaways

• Fishing success comes down to performance, not luck or the newest lure.
• Fishing the current change matters more than fishing the tide change.
• Most anglers skip the review step, and that's exactly what separates the committed rookie from the proficient angler.
• Prepared anglers catch more fish because they spend more time fishing and less time fixing gear.
• Sending two different lures down at once helps you figure out what the fish actually want that day.

Resources & Links
Salmon School, August 9th in Anacortes: https://anglersunlimited.co/salmonschool 

Want hands-on training with real gear demos, a sonar deep dive with Steve Chamberlin, and a filleting demo from SeaBear? Join us at Salmon School in Anacortes on August 9th. Grab your spot at https://anglersunlimited.co/salmonschool

Fishing for a Reason is the Pacific Northwest saltwater fishing education podcast for new anglers and families who want to catch more salmon, halibut, lingcod, shrimp and crab in Washington waters. Hosted by Jamie & Scott Propst from Anglers Unlimited, each episode delivers practical techniques, local knowledge, and expert insights to help you get off the couch and into the fish. Perfect for relocated professionals, military families, and boaters who are just getting into fishing.

Fly Navarro on the Wildest Tie in Blue Marlin World Cup History and Why Anglers Need to Organize

This one is for anyone who fishes here in Washington but hasn't thought much about what it takes, at the policy level, to keep that fishing possible. Fly Navarro has run the only global blue marlin tournament in the world for over a decade, and it just produced the first tie in the event's 41-year history. He also sits on fishery boards back east, and had a lot to say about why our community needs to organize too. This one covers the tournament story, conservation vs. environmentalism, and hard-won lessons on decision-making, faith, and building a trustworthy circle.

Episode Overview

Guest Robert "Fly" Navarro is Tournament Director of the Blue Marlin World Cup, the only worldwide blue marlin tournament, now in its 41st year 
The inside story of the July 4th tournament tie: two boats weighed blue marlin at the exact same 653 pounds 
Why Fly believes the fishing and hunting community needs to organize the way environmental groups do 
Conservation vs. environmentalism, and how it connects to seal and sea lion predation on Washington hatchery salmon Life lessons on decision-making, choosing your circle, and taking a leap of faith, from Fly's path from deckhand to running tournaments in Saudi Arabia 
A direct invite to the Washington Tuna Classic in Westport, benefiting local veterans through Mission Outdoors

Key Takeaways

Two boats weighed blue marlin at the exact same 653 pounds, the first tie in the Blue Marlin World Cup's 41-year history. The fishing and hunting community needs to organize the way environmental groups do, before laws get passed that are hard to repeal. Conservation means protecting a resource for future generations; environmentalism means keeping people from using it at all. Seals and sea lions, protected since 1972, now eat a significant share of hatchery salmon. The best decisions come after you let the emotion pass, not in the heat of the moment. Who you let into your circle matters more than how big your reach gets. Failure isn't falling short of a goal, it's quitting after you fall.

Timestamps
00:00 - Meet Fly Navarro and what this episode covers 
00:04 - Fly's "why" behind fishing 
00:14 - From $4-an-hour deckhand to running blue marlin boats worldwide 
00:21 - Building a social media company and 1,500 free how-to videos 
00:23 - How a marina visit in Jeddah led to Saudi Arabia's first fishing tournaments 
00:28 - Why Fly and girlfriend Naomi chose the San Juan Islands 
00:33 - Why fishermen and hunters need to organize like environmental groups 
00:36 - Conservation vs. environmentalism, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act 
00:52 - The July 4th tournament tie: two blue marlin, same exact weight 
01:24 - Building a trustworthy circle and learning to trust your gut 
01:41 - Faith, fatherhood, and what's happened to young men 
01:59 - Closing question and the Washington Tuna Classic invite

Resources Mentioned
Blue Marlin World Cup: https://bluemarlinworldcup.com
Washington Tuna Classic (Westport, July 24-25): https://missionoutdoors.org/programs/wtc/
The FlyZone Podcast with Fly Navarro: https://open.spotify.com/show/1jqRM7mm0xFWbeqr6XkEzJ
Fly’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flynavarro_/
Fly’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/FlyNavarro
Anglers Unlimited Gold: https://anglersunlimited.co/gold

About the Podcast

Fishing for a Reason is the Pacific Northwest saltwater fishing education podcast for new anglers and families who want to catch more salmon, halibut, lingcod, shrimp and crab in Washington waters. Hosted by Jamie & Scott Propst from Anglers Unlimited, each episode delivers practical techniques, local knowledge, and expert insights to help you get off the couch and into the fish. Perfect for relocated professionals, military families, and boaters who are just getting into fishing.

This one was recorded dockside in Anacortes, right on the back deck of Jamie and Scott's new Pursuit 325 (you'll hear Navy jets flying overhead once or twice, no editing that out). Jamie & Scott sit down with Tom Anderson, owner of Burnewiin, right where his product actually lives. Tom walks through how he thinks about cockpit layout, why versatility at the rail level changes how you fish, cruise, and entertain, and how to set a boat up so you can go from trolling for salmon to cleaning fish to grilling dinner without gear getting in your way. Whether you're outfitting your first boat or rethinking your current setup, there's a lot here for you.

Episode Overview:

• How Tom went from ice fishing shanties in Wisconsin to running one of the Pacific Northwest's top marine accessory companies
• A full walkthrough of Jamie and Scott's new Pursuit 325 and how Tom recommends laying out mounts for trolling, drift fishing, and bottom fishing
• The gear that makes cleanup, cutting, and rigging on the water easier
• New Burnewiin products in development
• Tom's work with the American Sportfishing Association advocating for sport fishing access in Washington, DC, and how it connects to the North of Falcon process

Timestamped Sections:
00:00 – Intro: why this episode was recorded dockside on the new Pursuit 325
01:00 – Meeting Tom Anderson, owner of Burnewiin
05:00 – From ice fishing in Wisconsin to running Burnewiin
10:00 – The story behind Jamie and Scott's new Pursuit 325
15:00 – Planning rod holder placement for trolling, drift, and bottom fishing
18:00 – Building a transom rigging and cutting station
23:00 – Fender cleats, rail mounts, and keeping the gunwale clean
25:00 – New products coming from Burnewiin
28:00 – DIY installation tips for boaters rigging their own boat
45:00 – Tom's favorite Burnewiin product and why
50:00 – Sport fishing advocacy and the fly-in to Washington, DC

Key Takeaways:

• Plan your rod holder placement around how you actually fish, not just how the boat came from the factory.
• A modular mounting system lets one boat handle trolling, drift fishing, bottom fishing, and cruising without dedicated hardware for each.
• The best gunwale accessories store out of the way until you need them, then lock in fast.
• Quality accessories cost more up front but save you fish and frustration over time.
• Sport anglers and tribes often share more common ground on fisheries issues than people assume.
• Where individual anglers can actually make a difference on policy.

Resources & Links:

• Burnewiin: https://burnewiin.com/
• Islands Marine Center: https://www.islandsmarinecenter.com/
• American Sportfishing Association: https://asafishing.org/
• Pursuit Boats: https://www.pursuitboats.com/

Want the full structured learning experience?
Join the waitlist for Anglers Unlimited Gold membership (opening July 2026) at https://anglersunlimited.co/gold

Fishing for a Reason is the Pacific Northwest saltwater fishing education podcast for new anglers and families who want to catch more salmon, halibut, lingcod, shrimp and crab in Washington waters. Hosted by Jamie & Scott Propst from Anglers Unlimited, each episode delivers practical techniques, local knowledge, and expert insights to help you get off the couch and into the fish. Perfect for relocated professionals, military families, and boaters who are just getting into fishing.

The new WDFW App: Setup Online Licensing Guide Before Season Opens

Before salmon season kicks off, there's one thing that can derail your whole day before you ever leave the dock: a fishing license problem. Jamie shares a real story from a shrimping trip gone sideways, then walks through exactly how to set up Washington's WDFW mobile app so you and your guests are legal, confident, and ready to go with the new online licensing system.

In this episode:

• How to recover a forgotten WDFW username and password step by step
• Why a screenshot of your license is NOT legal and what is
• How to find the shellfish license 
• What to do if you're in a remote area with no cell service
• The after-hours support number most anglers don't know about
• Discover Pass vs. Vehicle Access Pass and why they're not the same thing

Timestamps
00:00 - Dad forgets his license, chaos ensues 
03:00 - Why Jamie made this video 
04:00 - Myth #1: You CAN get after-hours WDFW support 
05:00 - Myth #2: A screenshot is not a legal license 
06:00 - Screen share walkthrough: WDFW website and app setup 
09:00 - How to download and navigate the myWDFW app 
10:00 - Finding the shellfish license in the app 
12:00 - Discover Pass vs. Vehicle Access Pass explained 
14:00 - "Account not found" and other common login hiccups 
15:00 - What to do if you're remote with no service 
17:00 - How to submit app feedback to WDFW 
17:30 - Dead phone = forgotten license. Bring a power bank.

Key Takeaways

• WDFW has after-hours tech support at 360-902-2464 (option 1). Use it.
• A screenshot of your license is not legal proof. You need the app's enforcement tab or a printed copy.
• An annual saltwater license does NOT cover shellfish. That's a separate $20 purchase.
• If you can't find a license in the app, use the search bar. It's easy to miss on the main page.
• Mobile license holders cannot get a reprint at a sporting goods store if they lose service.
• Open the app while you still have service before heading somewhere remote. It works offline after that.
• A dead phone is the same as forgetting your license. Bring a power bank.

Resources and Links

• WDFW Mobile App (myWDFW): Search "WDFW" in the App Store
• WDFW Mobile App Info Page: https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/apps/mywdfw
• WDFW After-Hours Tech Support: 360-902-2464, option 1
• App Feedback Email: [email protected]
• Anglers Unlimited Gold Waitlist: https://anglersunlimited.co/gold

Ready to go deeper? Join the waitlist for Anglers Unlimited Gold membership at https://anglersunlimited.co/gold -- monthly expert seminars, step-by-step courses, fishing maps, and a community of 100+ anglers who want you to succeed.

Fishing for a Reason is the Pacific Northwest saltwater fishing education podcast for new anglers and families who want to catch more salmon, halibut, lingcod, shrimp, and crab in Washington waters. Hosted by Jamie and Scott Propst from Anglers Unlimited, each episode delivers practical techniques, local knowledge, and expert insights to help you get off the couch and into the fish.