Northwest Fishing Reports

Heading out to Westport next month and planning to take my boat out in Gray's Harbor. Going to drop some crab pots but also want to fish in the harbor. If I'm reading the regs correctly salmon's not open in this area (2-2). Is that correct?

Any suggestions as to the species and technique for fishing Gray's Harbor? I've targeted rockfish near the jetty, but curious if the harbor's good for any other species in July.

Thx!

The way I read it, it's only restricted east of buoy 13. You're good to go if you're west of buoy 13. I don't personally know where buoy 13 is...but that's the way the regs read.

If you have an open spot on the boat, I may be interested, and can help with gas.

mizmo, my boat's not big enough to take west of buoy 13. so i just plan to fish in the harbor.

Well the way the regs read then, if you're east of buoy 13, not open for salmon yet.

Right, that's why I'm checking on techniques for other fish in the harbor. Most likely will target rockfish. Last time I was there the boat next to us pulled them in non-stop but me and my buddy didn't even get a bite. Found out after chatting with them that the rockfish prefer worms not cut herring.

If anyone has any advice on bottom fishing in the harbor I'd greatly appreciate it!

Can you C/R sturgeon in the upper harbor.
Maybe steelhead.
Just go to the jetty and get some rockfish.
Or surf perch below Elk River bridge ?
Any sea-run cutties out there ?

Oh...just fish for them like you would bass in a lake. Cast and retrieve 3 to 4 inch plastic grubs or small'ish swim baits at various depths. Once you find them, they will chase and bite that all day long...you just gotta find them. They also love live bait...sand shrimp, anchovies, smelt, etc...and if you're using plastics, scent those up as well, or tip them with bait. Depending on how deep of water you're in, you could also drop vertically for them. Banana weight sinker with your bait on a leader. Let it hit bottom...bring it up 5 or 6 turns and just let it hang and get the natural motion of the waves/current...something will grab on if they are there. If not at that depth, bring it up a couple turns until you find where they are suspending.

Kelp greenling are abundant by the rocks, and they are delicious! And easy to catch. Dropper loop rig. First leader about 12 inches down from the swivel, 2nd leader about 18 inches below that, and the weight about 2 ft below that. Live sand shrimp are gold. Bait the hooks with sand shrimp, let it rest on the rocks and get your line tight and get ready for a bite. If they are there, they can't resist a sand shrimp and you won't be waiting very long for action.

For Lings...refer to previous section for Kelp Greenling. If you catch a greenling in the 6-10 inch range, those are candy to Lings. Have a second rod rigged up with a 5/0 circle hook, hook the greenling through the top of the back and throw it back down and let it swim around close to the rocks. If there is a Ling around, it will find it. The period just before or after slack tide where the current gets kind of crazy seems to be main feeding time for Lings. When the greenling bite stops, that usually means a Ling is in the area hunting.

Cabezon are higher up in the column, and pretty close to the rocks. All of my cabs have been caught pretty much right at my feet as I'm retrieving. They'll eat just about anything that looks or smells good and passes in front of their face. Grubs, shrimp, swim baits...they'll go after all of it.

I would say keep moving until you find fish...then stay on them until they have moved on. The species listed above are going to be your main targets around the rocky areas inside the harbor. Maybe some perch here and there too.

thx for the info, mizmo! will be there next Saturday. can't wait! i'll post an update after the trip.

I promised an update, so here it is! went out to the jetty on Saturday, but it was a bit too choppy for my little boat. stayed out there for about 45 min mooching jigs and sandshrimp with no bites. didn't see anyone on the jetty catching either, so came back in and fished outside the wall around the pier. caught a nice sized black rock fish on sand shrimp and a few greenlings on squid. the biggest one was about 3lbs.

when we docked saw all the boats that went out past the bar for salmon. all i'll say is i wish i had a bigger boat!

I was out on the jetty Saturday. Fishing was real slow. I'm pretty sure it had to do with the full moon and the huge tidal shift throughout the day. Caught a decent black sea bass between 2-3 lbs, and a greenling. Both were caught with a dropper rig and sand shrimp.

Crabbing was another story...we started casting those folding traps with a surf rod. Used chicken legs and we were hauling in fatties with 2-3 minute soak times. Had 3 or 4 that were pushing 8 inches. At the end of the day, my buddy lost a HUGE one at the rocks that had to be pushing 10 inches. It was a monster. Crab saved the day!