Thinking about heading to Westport

[sthrcave]

I'm getting pretty pumped about this weekend. I've been keeping an eye on the surf forecast and I am still not sure about taking the boat up there. My buddy is aiming to head to Newport OR this weekend if he can get over the bar and if it's nasty he's going to go to Waldport (SP?) and just go crabbing. I might ride down there with him and wait a week before heading to Wesport. If he ends up not going then maybe I'll head out and just fish the jetty and the surf. Anyone else planning on heading out there this weekend?

[natetreat]

I wish I could go, but I'm working! Gaw!

[The Quadfather]

Please let us know how and what you do.
I am planning on fishing the jetty for the 1st time, over the kids Spring break. April 12th ish.

[mizm05]

Me and a buddy are planning on heading out there next week on a weekday to hopefully avoid the crowd from opening weekend. For fishing from the jetty, what conditions should we be looking for as far as wind and waves?

I've got my jig heads and grubs all rigged up and ready to go. Now I just hope the weather cooperates next week.

ling jig grubs march 2014.jpg

[Shad_Eating_Grin]

Me and a buddy are planning on heading out there next week on a weekday to hopefully avoid the crowd from opening weekend. For fishing from the jetty, what conditions should we be looking for as far as wind and waves?

I've got my jig heads and grubs all rigged up and ready to go. Now I just hope the weather cooperates next week.

ling jig grubs march 2014.jpg

What I look for when going to the jetty are DRY conditions (no rain). Those jetty rocks are very slick and dangerous. You should probably wear your felt sole wading boots.

Nice looking jigs. A suggestion... attach your plastic worm so that the curl is in the opposite direction from the hook point. Right now in your pic, the curl of the worm is towards the hook--you want to go the opposite direction. this helps prevent the tail of the worm from fouling up on the hook point as it wiggles around and gives it a bit more action.

BTW the yellow worm looks like it is rigged the way I prefer, as described above

[mizm05]

Thanks bro...saw them rigged that way on riptide. Will the inside of the grub be too loose if I take them off and flip them around?

Also just picked up a few extra jig heads and some Berkeley Gulp saltwater grubs (the fat ones) in new penny color. Daniel at Auburn Sport & Marine said those things slay the lings. He also said there really is something to the Gulp juice. We shall see.

Weather forecast looks like it's going to cooperate next week when we'll be out there. I hope it stays accurate. I'm stoked!

Me and a buddy are planning on heading out there next week on a weekday to hopefully avoid the crowd from opening weekend. For fishing from the jetty, what conditions should we be looking for as far as wind and waves?

I've got my jig heads and grubs all rigged up and ready to go. Now I just hope the weather cooperates next week.

ling jig grubs march 2014.jpg

What I look for when going to the jetty are DRY conditions (no rain). Those jetty rocks are very slick and dangerous. You should probably wear your felt sole wading boots.

Nice looking jigs. A suggestion... attach your plastic worm so that the curl is in the opposite direction from the hook point. Right now in your pic, the curl of the worm is towards the hook--you want to go the opposite direction. this helps prevent the tail of the worm from fouling up on the hook point as it wiggles around and gives it a bit more action.

BTW the yellow worm looks like it is rigged the way I prefer, as described above

[ResQ]

I will be out there when the crowds peter out. Just spin the grub while one the jig. I do that all the time and it holds like a champ. You are only turning them 180*.

[Shad_Eating_Grin]

I will be out there when the crowds peter out. Just spin the grub while one the jig. I do that all the time and it holds like a champ. You are only turning them 180*.

+1


Another thought for your Westport trip, try fishing off the beach for surfperch. Surfperch will always save the day, if the fishing on the jetty is a little slow, or if it is too wet/windy to get on the rocks.

[goonatic]

i use the gulp saltwater grubs most of the time for my lings, new penny is one of the better producing colors, and even the nuclear chicken color is a decent producer, i always rig my grubs with the tail up, ive never had the grub "fouling" the hook or whatever, and when im dragging the jig on the bottom it allows my tail to still work and not just drag the bottom

[sthrcave]

Well, I still haven't made it out there. I've had to make do fishing American lake on my lunch break. Work, family etc sure do get in the way sometimes ;)

I am going to try to get out there this weekend. If anyone has experience with the bar out there what conditions are acceptable for running the bar in a 24.5' boat with a 350 for power? I have been looking at the ocean forecasts and I just don't have experience with the westport bar. Obviously you want to go when wind waves are minimum, but what about size and timing of the swell?

[mizm05]

We have a group of 3 heading over sometime this weekend for a clam dig, some crabbing in the marina, and fish the finger jetties while we wait for crab. May fish the main jetty for a bit, but don't plan on going too far out, or being on the main jetty for a long period of time. I'm gonna stock up on sand shrimp and target surf perch this time out. I'll go for other species as well, but really want some surf perch.

[hewesbob]

Well, I still haven't made it out there. I've had to make do fishing American lake on my lunch break. Work, family etc sure do get in the way sometimes ;)

I am going to try to get out there this weekend. If anyone has experience with the bar out there what conditions are acceptable for running the bar in a 24.5' boat with a 350 for power? I have been looking at the ocean forecasts and I just don't have experience with the westport bar. Obviously you want to go when wind waves are minimum, but what about size and timing of the swell?

I will have our boat in Westport crabbing and fishing this weekend also. The surf forecast for Sat. is swells 5-6' at 12 to 13 seconds.Sunday is better with swells 4-5' at 11 seconds. They just opened clam digging for this entire week. Hope to see you there,Good luck

[sthrcave]

Well, I still haven't made it out there. I've had to make do fishing American lake on my lunch break. Work, family etc sure do get in the way sometimes ;)

I am going to try to get out there this weekend. If anyone has experience with the bar out there what conditions are acceptable for running the bar in a 24.5' boat with a 350 for power? I have been looking at the ocean forecasts and I just don't have experience with the westport bar. Obviously you want to go when wind waves are minimum, but what about size and timing of the swell?

I will have our boat in Westport crabbing and fishing this weekend also. The surf forecast for Sat. is swells 5-6' at 12 to 13 seconds.Sunday is better with swells 4-5' at 11 seconds. They just opened clam digging for this entire week. Hope to see you there,Good luck

That doesn't seem too bad. I just don't have any reference to how swell size effects the bar crossing. I am trying to work out my schedule this weekend. Easter sort of throws a wrench in my fishing hopes.... I might try to head down there thursday night and head back Sat. Evening. If I bring the boat I'll most likely rent a transient slip in the marina and sleep on my boat. I've taken charters out of westport but never been out in my boat. I'm looking forward to exploring out there.

[Bay wolf]

Shinna and I tried to fish the Westport Jetty yesterday. The wind was howling!! It was so bad that the river side was totally unfishable and the coast guard was practicing high wind boat extractions in the channel! Small craft advisory and we saw the coast guard choppers go out several times. Fishing was poor to say the least only being able to try and fish the ocean side ducking the gusts.

Hope everyone is safe!

[sthrcave]

I've been keeping an eye on the ocean forecast. I am still up in the air about heading down there for a couple of days this weekend. If I do I still don't know if I'll bring the boat or try my hand at surf casting and fishing from the jetty.

Does anyone have any insight on how rough the harbor gets? Is the jetty fishable from inside the harbor by boat? Would it be worth the effort to launch, drop crab pots and fish the jetty by boat, or should I just hike out there, throw a ring and cast from the rocks?

[mizm05]

If it's wet and windy, I wouldn't mess with being out on that jetty. And if you do go out there, I've seen guys throw crab gear from the rocks, but I won't...that's just asking to lose your ring or pot in the jetty rocks. I would just go crab in the marina.