Northwest Fishing Reports

I fish from piers when lingcod fishing never have caught one avid bass fisherman I have caught a ton of rockfish from shore/pier in the sound. Never a ling am I doing something wrong. I have fished des moines and nothing I have fished Pier 86 and didnt even catch a rockfish. What am I doint wrong? I fished scampi's,live small flouders/sanddabs nothing. Am I not casting far enough is the tide wrong. I seen a fish about 20 pounds hooked at the happy hooker in the middle of winter out of season on a dropper style set up had two chunks of herring one whole with and a chunk on the hook. Guy kept telling me there is something down there fished completely verticall to the pier pilelings and next thing ya know he is hollering hey help me me I was confused trying to catch jumping salmon that I believe where salmon that had been let go into the area believe at the time there was some sort of net pin that fish had been tossed in near the river that natives had coralled. Then dumped in cause there going to die eventually. not sure??? no biters. SO BACK TO WHAT I WAS AFTER LINGS still no luck I want one so bad and fish n chips sounds so good fresh. What do I do? Where should I go? what Should I use? I got the gear dont know where to try or go or what to look for? Also I am planning a trip to west port on a Charter near my birth day on a half and half trip salmon and rockfish. What should I do to catch a KING SALMON or LING if I want to target them??? thats what I am after to fish that have been just either getting skunking me. Had coho knocked off my line by a guy fishing next to me on the lucky pierre two years ago. Fish edd was no in force:( fish on nobody next to me reeled in either tangled with them or bork off salmon on barnacles on the boat. And got one fish knocked off when guy lifted his rod and hit mine. NEVER Again Me need LING ME NEED KING:)

Don't ask me I've been out like 5 time and still have not gotten a keeper

Ad,
To fish for lings out on the ocean all you need to do is make sure your fishing right off the bottom. I personaly would go and buy a package of large herring to take with me on the charted trip and let your deckhand know that you plan on setting up your own pole. You will need to buy yourself a few 12oz banana sinkers and also a couple of leaders that have like 03/04 hooks on them (solid). Rig your own pole and fish strickly for ling by bouncing the bottom. Make sure you dont stay on the bottom beacuse you will hang up. If the boat pitches the hook (is anchored). Then when you get hung up just bounce the lead off the bottom and it will typicaly free it self.

Your biggest challenge will be the boat skipper and deckhand letting you fish your way. They are going to want you to fish for the bass with a shrimp fly and a anchovie. Then go for the salmon.
Best of luck.

If it were me and I was paying to go out on a charter..............I would fish for kelpers ( Lingcod Cavior) the day before and use them for bait.

Rip Some Lips.

Reel_Nut wrote: If it were me and I was paying to go out on a charter..............I would fish for kelpers ( Lingcod Cavior) the day before and use them for bait.

And if it were up to me... I'd say sell all that ling cod gear and buy bass gear...... I too would love a ling cod, but 6 weeks for the local season,, you have to look at the cost efectiveness of the days you can fish to what you're paying for those few days.
but that's just my 2 cents.

Fishing from piers is no easy task. Lingcod around piers usually get picked through real quickly when the season opens, cause they pretty much find a cozy spot in the rocks and hang out until their dinner swims by....They aren't like salmon where they move around a lot, so they just get picked through too quickly....It looks like your doing the right thing...Live bait, jigs, Pt. Wilson Darts, etc. Keep at it. They aren't easy to catch off piers....

Yeah, I'm still looking for my first ling cod. I tried last year beginning of the season and realized if you don't get to the piers the first two days, then it's a waste of time. I hear your pain man, I'd like to check out Westport, but don't have the time to get out there.

Good Luck man!

As for the Kings at Westport, I heard it's definitely not a sure thing, your more likely to catch a cohos or worse yet get skunked. If your going to check it out, get one of those combo (salmon and bottom fish), your guaranteed a rock fish limit.

And if it were up to me... I'd say sell all that ling cod gear and buy bass gear...... I too would love a ling cod, but 6 weeks for the local season,, you have to look at the cost efectiveness of the days you can fish to what you're paying for those few days.

I agree. Kinda like the shrimp season. Only a handful of days and to do it right, costs allot of money for all the gear including a decent puller. A person can buy allot of fresh shrimp for the money spent on the gear.