About Grays Harbor Approach Buoy (GH Buoy)

The Grays Harbor Approach Buoy marks an outer-exposed corridor off Westport, Washington, where sand bottom runs from about 30 to 80 feet along the harbor entrance. This is a moving-water spot that concentrates Chinook Salmon and Coho Salmon through their peak from June to September, with Albacore Tuna showing offshore from July into October. Anglers work Chinook and Coho by trolling herring, trolling spoons, hoochies, and flashers across the corridor, and switch to mooching whole or cut-plug herring when fish hold tighter to the bottom contour. For albacore, boats run offshore and troll cedar plugs, feather jigs, and skirted lures, then cast metal jigs or poppers into surface schools once fish are located. The exposed position and shifting tides over sand keep bait and salmon on the move here through the summer season.