Northwest Fishing Reports

Okay. I am facing what may be the most unique opportunity of my lifetime (or at least until I retire). But, let me give you a little background first.
Last June, I bought a new boat. It is a 21 foot Trophy with Scotty downriggers, dual fishfinders with GPS chartplotter, autopilot, and numerous other goodies. I bought it with grandiose dreams of hauling in salmon, halibut, and bottomfish all summer long. But, as they say, work happens. Due to my excessive work schedule last summer, I got to take the boat out…once. It was a trip to Westport, and wouldn’t you know, it was one of those June days with 8-10 waves with 1-2 foot wind waves with an 8 second duration. In the 7 hours in the washing machine, we got one fish to the boat, and then lost it. Let’s just say we put more into the water (even with Dramamine) than we took out of it (and I don’t usually get sea sick).
Enter the new year. This year things are different. I am a federal employee, and will have four day weekends all summer long (thanks to the furlough). Add to the mix that I have a sugar momma who just started a new career making as much as I do, but sadly, has to work the weekends all summer long, which leaves me with ample time and money. This is like the perfect storm of fishing opportunity, my friends.
The problem is I have never owned a boat that is capable of what my new boat is capable of. I’ve always had cheap, low budget boats, which meant cheap, low budget fishing trips. I need a new paradigm if my summer and fall is going to turn out the way I hope it does. I have already started with my fishing Shangri-la, but it didn’t go the way I hoped, as you will see.
My first outing of the year was to Neah Bay for the halibut opener. We headed out to the garbage dump with high hopes. My gear (after consulting the interweb since I’ve never fished for ‘buts before) was a Penn 209 stuffed to the gills with 300 yards of Power Pro XT on a big water rod. I was using a spreader bar with a 20 oz weight and a herring and 4/0,5/0 leader. Neither of my fishing buddies had enough line to make it to the 400’ bottom. After ½ hour of watching my friends stare at me while I fished, I decided to reel up and move to some shallower water. 20 mintues and a couple of tired arms later, I got my gear to the top. When we decided to throw in the towel, and go for what we knew…bottomfish. 3 days, 60 rockfish, and six lings (one a nice 26 pounder) later, everyone was tired but feeling successful. Everyone, that is, but me. I used to own an 18 foot fish and ski boat and went out and sat near the mouth of the bay and reeled in bottomfish and even a few silvers plenty of times. I’ve said all this to ask for help in some specific areas.

1) If you could fish anywhere in western Washington on the 2nd weekend of July (since that is when I’d like to go out next), where would you go, what would you fish for, how would you fish for it, and why?

2) Here are the fish I’ve never gone for, but want to: Halibut ( know I’m too late for this year, but help me plan for next year), Saltwater kings, and humpies. Here are the fish I’ve fished for, but would like to know how to do better: Silvers, lingcod (I would especially like to know what to use for bait and gear, and where in the vicinity of Neah Bay to go for big ones. You don’t have to give me the lat/long of your honey hole, just a general idea.) Where and when do you fish for the above fish, what gear and bait do you use, and what techniques do you use?

Do you trailer the boat or have it moored somewhere. If I could I would spend my second week of July fishing Kings and crabbing up and around Deception Pass to the San Juan Islands.JMO

I trailer the boat. I live in central Kitsap, so that's no too far away...interesting.

I would check out sekiu plenty of kings to be had. Pm me ill tell you what when were and how....

I plan to be in Seku for Kings and pinks around that time. I will be useing my scotty downriggers to pull flashers and squid or other lures.

Sekiu. I think that's where I'll go. I haven't fished there since I was a kid. Do you know if the pinks will be in by then? I've never fished for them, but I hear you troll slow with small pink squid behind a smaller sized dodger.

Two years ago the pinks were there in July and I don't think they were too picky. We were using flashers with Coho Killers and flashers with squid. We got kings early in the day and pinks all day. Troll a little faster than for kings. I am sure the dodger pink squid would work. Ask around when you are there and see what is working for others at that time. If you have been up there you know the areas to catch fish are not "secret spots". I get fish where everyone is.

I know this is a bit far but, have you ever thought of fishing out of Ucluelet BC. That's on the westside of Vancouver Island. We fish it every year in July and the fishing outside is on fire. July is starting to reach the end for the big Halibuts but, there's plenty of smaller ones but, that's the time when the big kings are around. See my post of my wife's king in :Bragging rights: You have to be pretty bad not to get your four kings a day and two day limit per person. Plus your three Halibut, limits of silvers and sockeyes. We just take some kings and hali's and call it. We don't even take our limits of kings since they usually average over twenty pounds each. There is a resort called "IslandWest Resort" had you can get moorage, ramp and even has a walk in freezer to freeze you catch. Been doing if for over twenty years and never home disappointed.

You're close enough to the Straight to make hitting areas 5 and 6 worth your while. Once July 15th rolls around you can launch close to home at Kingston and pound area 9 and 10 on a regular basis. Although areas 9 and 10 are open the 1st of July, you can't keep kings until the 15th. Also, if you like crab, be sure to drop some pots while you are fishing as it opens up July 1st as well.

PS, for halibut, you need to think a little bigger on your baits for consistent hookups. Bigger jigs, like 1 to 3lbs with a herring stuffed hoochie teaser is what gets the job done.

If you live in Kitsap I would look into hitting up hood canal on a regular basis for salmon. Because the season is open July 1-Dec 31. And is the only marine area, that I know off, that you can keep 4 per day. There is a boat ramp at Twanoh State park that is always full. This is my first year of salmon fishing but I plan on putting in at Potlatch State Park. Or up north near the hood canal bridge

I'd go to Neah Bay and fish for the bigger kings headed past there to the Columbia. It's a Tony Floor "time to fish".

Hey, great info guys. So, from what I've read, pinks are generally in the top 20' at day break, then drop down about 10' per hou as the day progresses. My understanding for kings is I want to be trolling 40-60' at dawn and a little deeper if it gets warm out.

Also, I fully intend to make it back to Neah Bay, probably in August.

For halibut, I think I just need some experience...that and a reel with a better gear ratio. What I really need for them is someone who can act as a guide, and will work for beer.

Kings, I would go more like 75 to 100 first thing as a general rule. But, If in shallower water they get closer to the surface. Start moving down after about an hour. Look for them on the FF, they aren't shy.

racfish wrote:Do you trailer the boat or have it moored somewhere. If I could I would spend my second week of July fishing Kings and crabbing up and around Deception Pass to the San Juan Islands.JMO

thats my plan for the same time frame.