Northwest Fishing Reports

Hi all,

My wife and I will be staying in westport in a few weeks and I was hoping for a few tips or suggestions for fishing from the boardwalk, as it will be my first time fishing there... what can I reasonably expect to catch? What kinds of bait/lures/rigs/etc? Also, anyone with advice on surf fishing for perch would be most helpful as well, though I doubt I'll get my wife to go along with that on this particular trip...=) Thanks all,

-Christian-

There are definatly fish to be taken from the boardwalk, but I cant really figure it out. Ive tried time and time again and always end back at the same place. Dogfish. I have caught the biggest dogfish of my life form the boarwalk. And they are plentiful. Just 2oz of lead and a hearing is all you need. Not going to feed the family but a very fun fishery. Dont forget a crab ring so you can hoist up your catch.

Perch, fish right behind the harbor resort with sand shrimp or clam necks, worms also work. All of these baits are sold at the harbor resort.

gpc wrote:There are definatly fish to be taken from the boardwalk, but I cant really figure it out. Ive tried time and time again and always end back at the same place. Dogfish. I have caught the biggest dogfish of my life form the boarwalk. And they are plentiful. Just 2oz of lead and a hearing is all you need. Not going to feed the family but a very fun fishery. Dont forget a crab ring so you can hoist up your catch.

Perch, fish right behind the harbor resort with sand shrimp or clam necks, worms also work. All of these baits are sold at the harbor resort.

We'll be staying at the harbor resort so that's perfect. I assume then with the boardwalk it's a ways down to the water if I'll be needing my crab ring to hoist anything up? Also, what line/weight/hooks would you reccomend for the perch? And should I just drop right down alongside or cast out a ways? And for the dogfish, would a 1-2 oz. jig head with a herring work well, or some other technique? Thanks,

-Christian-

C. Elmer wrote:

gpc wrote:There are definatly fish to be taken from the boardwalk, but I cant really figure it out. Ive tried time and time again and always end back at the same place. Dogfish. I have caught the biggest dogfish of my life form the boarwalk. And they are plentiful. Just 2oz of lead and a hearing is all you need. Not going to feed the family but a very fun fishery. Dont forget a crab ring so you can hoist up your catch.

Perch, fish right behind the harbor resort with sand shrimp or clam necks, worms also work. All of these baits are sold at the harbor resort.

We'll be staying at the harbor resort so that's perfect. I assume then with the boardwalk it's a ways down to the water if I'll be needing my crab ring to hoist anything up? Also, what line/weight/hooks would you reccomend for the perch? And should I just drop right down alongside or cast out a ways? And for the dogfish, would a 1-2 oz. jig head with a herring work well, or some other technique? Thanks,

-Christian-

It takes a dock to get to the boardwalk. Right in front of the harbor resort is a dock and at the end of it is a ramp that takes you up to the fishing boardwalk, not a long walk, but with all the gear it can get strenuous. I really cant help you with the perch, (only because I lack the experience) but I would recommend a size 8 hook with 1/2 oz lead on your typical trout set up. A jig head does work for the dogfish.I go with a 2' leader with a 4/0 hook most of the time, but they arnt too picky. But remember to use a wire leader for those guys.

Try fishing from behind the resort behind the mens/womens restrooms on the jetty and cast towards two pilons. You will see them once you get behind the restrooms. There are tons of perch to be had,use a small hook size 6/8 with one ounce tear drop sinker with a sandshrimp tail and you will catch them. Don't forget to use the egg loop to hold the shrimp onto the hook once you thread it. Fun with light line and light rods/reels:cheers:

If you're fishing from the boardwalk bring plenty of sinkers and hooks. The resort sell them. Use 1 oz of lead and a oil colored 6 inch worm/grub/twin tail set up. You can use jig heads if you want. I usually use the above mentioned set up with the grub above the sinker/ weight. Hope this helps tight lines. Also crab are fun to catch using the castable traps(spring loaded style). You can actually see the bite.

I have fished the Westport boardwalk for close to 30 years. Fish I have caught there: greenling, sea perch, rockfish, cabezon, crabs, and a small ling cod. Never caught a dogfish though, although I have seen others do it. The fishing is not as good as it was years ago, but you can still catch fish.

The secret is to cast close to the rocks--the fish are close to the rocks. Use a small hook (size 4 or 6 or 8). I usually use worms, grocery shrimp, sand shrimp, clam parts, shore crabs, or squid as bait. Incoming tide is best, but I have caught fish at all tidal cycles.

During this time of year, you'll catch mostly greenling and perch, and the occasional rockfish if a school happens to swim by. The biggest problem with fishing during the summer is that hordes of small shiner perch will rip your bait apart and make it difficult to reach the bigger fish. That's why I prefer to fish there during the spring months, before the shiner perch get too numerous

My best day I ever had for pile perch and striped sea perch was during an April fishing trip, in the late 80s or early 90s. I was using shore crabs for bait and landed 30 of these perches in a morning of fishing. Was never able to repeat that success however. The stars must have been all lined up correctly that day.

Have fun.

Send me a PM if you want more info about Westport. It's my favorite shore fishing spot by far.

Or take a few bucks, find an open seat on an albacore charter, and get in on an AWESOME fishery.

E

Thanks for all the quick replies, everyone! I've got a few more followup if anyones still up for it...

When fishing from the docks or jetties, what area rules apply? I get confused sometimes with areas 2, 2-2, the "boat basin," etc.

Also, again with regards to the perch, should I just be still fishing then? Using maybe a 3 way swivel with the weight going straight down and a hook and leader coming off the side? And should I be casting out a ways, or drop right next to the dock for perch? Thanks again everyone!

-Christian-

C. Elmer wrote:Thanks for all the quick replies, everyone! I've got a few more followup if anyones still up for it...

When fishing from the docks or jetties, what area rules apply? I get confused sometimes with areas 2, 2-2, the "boat basin," etc.

Also, again with regards to the perch, should I just be still fishing then? Using maybe a 3 way swivel with the weight going straight down and a hook and leader coming off the side? And should I be casting out a ways, or drop right next to the dock for perch? Thanks again everyone!

-Christian-

When you are fishing on the docks, which are inside the breakwater, you are in area 2-2 and also inside the "boat basin"

When you are fishing off the boardwalk, the side facing the marina is the "boat basin" (and also 2-2), and the side facing out of the marina is 2-2

When you are fishing off the small jetties behind the hotel, you are in 2-2 but not inside the "boat basin"

When you are fishing off the big south jetty, the north side is 2-2 and the south side is area 2.

for perch, still fish for them. The rig you describe is just fine. Do not cast far out. as I said in the prior post above, they will be right next to the rocks/piling/dock

good luck