MARYSVILLE Early on a Friday morning still cool from the darkness of the previous evening, Art Farren and his 14-year-old son David sat on the dock at Kayak Point with a Scrabble board between them.
Surrounded by about a half-dozen fisherman already out and about with equipment of all kinds ropes, poles, nets, buckets and tackle boxes the Farren men have settled in for a good game.
Of course, they are fishing too.
But the Farrens know well that part of the art of crabbing is patience.
We have to leave the pot down for 30 minutes, an hour for the crab to find the chicken, Art said as they shuffled their letter tiles, adding that while he usually uses chicken or turkey to bait crab traps, he has seen other fishermen use fish heads or salmon to lure in the Dungeness crab fished around Kayak.
The crab season opened at Kayak Point July 1, with state regulations permitting crabbing Wednesdays through Saturdays.
Another nearby fisherman, Jeff Laine, raved about the atmosphere that cropped up on the dock the night before.
The dock was full and it was the most congenial group, sharing hooks and bait, Laine said, adding that one of his favorite companions was a guitarist who had taken up singing and playing Woody Guthrie-esque melodies.
Laine had fished unsuccessfully the night before for crab, so this time he threw down a thick line hoping to catch some sea perch, armed with a small plastic bucket of green grass crabs and mussels for bait.
Within about 10 minutes, he had a creature of another stripe on his line a bright orange 18-tentacled starfish big enough to snap his fishing line.
Perhaps part of the allure of fishing at Kayak Point is the variety of marine life one can catch in a day. In addition to crab, perch and starfish, the nearby waters are home to salmon and dogfish a fish that looks like a small shark.
But the landlocked lakes around the area have plenty to offer local fishermen, too.
According to state fish and wildlife biologist Chad Jackson, many of the local lakes are stocked, allowing for good fishing odds.
Jackson recommended fishing in the Seven Lakes area northwest of Marysville, made up of lakes Martha, Howard, Goodwin, Shoecraft, Crabapple, Loma and Ki.
Those are all lakes that we plant with trout. Lake Goodwin is also a warm-water lake, which is good for bass and panfish, Jackson said. He added, To the east and southeast of Marysville you have Lake Cassidy. We plant it with trout but its also a good bass lake.
Art Farren added that when he and his son arent fishing at Kayak, they will often go to Lake Goodwin.
We have a rubber raft and well go fishing for trout there as well, he said, but added, When all the motorcrafts are on the water, its better to go over to Lake Ki.
The smaller lake has restrictions on boats that create the waves that disrupt fish, he said.
Two friends and coworkers, Jared Hai and Billy Clark, fish the southern lake of Gisburg Ponds, mostly out of convenience.
Located just west of the Smokey Point exit, the northern lake of Gissbergs two lakes is reserved for childrens fishing.
I live right down the road and Ive seen other people catch (here), Hai said as the duo cast their fishing lines from shore.
Unfortunately, that day, Hai and Clark were not having a lot of luck. When asked what they catch at Gisburg, Hai answered, Trout. Clark added, Grass.
I wish I brought my boat Ive seen some fish out there, Clark said. In a boat, you can troll around and catch them easier.
Almost all the fishermen agreed that the best time of day to go fishing is in the morning.
When the midday sun heats the water, the fish retreat, said Hai.
I know they dont like warm water, he said. In the morning the water is cooler, so they come closer in.
Fishing licenses are required for all individuals 15 years of age and older. For more information about licenses and rates, visit the state fish and wildlife department online at http://wdfw.wa.gov.