Northwest Fishing Reports

So it starts....




hate to do it so early, but man.....I'm getting excited!! 40 days and counting in A7. With the recent nice weather....I can't wait to get out on the salt and do some quality bottom fishin. Before we all know it, we'll be chasing lings and possibly some hali's. Gotta get it started right! As some know, I like to dabble in all sorts of fisheries, but salty bottom fishing is my bread and butter. I guess it's easiest to learn and produces some great returns. It's funny, after six weeks of ling fishing last season, I didn't manage ONE KEEPER! That's the way it goes....gotta change that trend this year.

This one came in july trolling for salmon....nice fat summer fed fish. Had to let her go, she still swims to this day....and I know exactly where!!! Let's hear it for some spring ling!!

I did a baaaad thing today.... a reallly baaaaaad thing. I watched Hawg Quest this morning - todays show was in reference to Ling and Salmon. Next thing I knew I buried the brooms, hid the dusting cloths, destroyed the vacuum cleaner, burned up my wife's to do before May 1 list, and then started pacing the house because I now have the worst case of cabin feaver ever.

Like I said I did a baaaaaaaaaaaad thing today. And if my wife can find my finger prints on the torn up vacuum parts or even discovers I roasted the list I won't be fishing come May or ever.

That's a nice ling, those females can get big! I tangle with my first ling of the season this weekend and I lost it in the rocks. But I'm gonna get out whenever I can, there's nothing like 'em, big mean and tasty. Here's one of my favorite videos of a ling T0KQtZZBVzA , I had something similar happen last year. Had a three or so pound greenling on one hook, about a 8 pound cabezon on the other ad on the tail of the cabezon was a big mean ling, about 23 -24 pounds.

I'm hoping to get out after some lings this weekend. Areas 1-3 opened last weekend.

yes iam also really excited for this years ling season. got new 300$ rod and reel for my 18th b day i needto use it befor lol. But it willl be great for lings

bionic_one wrote:I'm hoping to get out after some lings this weekend. Areas 1-3 opened last weekend.

I go through this every year.....I'm moving to the coast! Or...I just need to find work out there for march and april. Consider yourself blessed, appreciate what you have....some pics would really get us insiders excited..

Good luck if you get out, looks like some weather coming fri-sat-sun....play it safe.

I..... can't...... wait!

Probably one of my all time favorite pics:

April 16th.... Neah Bay.... I will be there! Course, my lings come home via the end of my spear!

Nice Fish! When you're diving down there with them, do they just sit there staring at you hoping you don't see them?

bionic_one wrote:Nice Fish! When you're diving down there with them, do they just sit there staring at you hoping you don't see them?

Ling are actually the top predators around here once they get above the 24' size. So not much scares them if you approach them quietly. We actually drop down and immediatly shoot a rock fish. The smell of blood in the water brings the lings out of hiding looking for an easy meal. Many times I have finished stringing up my rock fish kill only to turn around and see several lings staring at me!

Check these photos out of hungry ling....

oh my god i am super jealous. I am going to get my scuba license soon and start spear fishing

jake_k wrote:oh my god i am super jealous. I am going to get my scuba license soon and start spear fishing

Yes,.. do get certified first and once you do, stay current. We dont need to pull anymore bodies from the deep. Drop me a line when you do. My group of spearo buddies are always looking for dive buddies. Just plan on doing most of your spearing out at Neah Bay where you actually have a season. Here in the sound we only get 2 weeks, and you cannot spear rockfish.

Nice fish....that's what I'm talking about!!

Yeah jakson, spearing is pretty hardcore....hats off to you. It takes alot of courage and knowledge to get down in their environment....and shoot one!!


Classic Matt....good to see your not a "glover" either...cut fingers are a braggin right in my mind see what we can do this season....

here's my brother holding up the fish that I caught, so he could tell his girlfriend he didn't get skunked . The other fish is on the rocks. Last year, mid march.

Fished Westport last thursday and did great! We came home with 14 lings and 65 sea bass. Great day on the water! Pretty excited to get back out!

Cod is my fav fish to eat, i really cannot wait to have ago at this fishery.

ResQ wrote:Fished Westport last thursday and did great! We came home with 14 lings and 65 sea bass. Great day on the water! Pretty excited to get back out!

damn. nice work ResQ. So let me get this straight.....you (and your fellow anglers) have already boated more keeper lings than I will probably see in the next two seasons. Wow, guess it sucks to be me. any pics?? yeah, we all know that the coast/strait is a whole different story though. Glad to hear you had some good fishin though....

22 days for us insiders. already got vacation requested for May 1,,2,3......and I think I may have problems seeing May 4....... seeing myself making it to work that is!

natetreat wrote:here's my brother holding up the fish that I caught, so he could tell his girlfriend he didn't get skunked . The other fish is on the rocks. Last year, mid march.

Neah Bay Jetty:-" ?? Or not sayin'? Nice fish Nate.

Matt wrote:I..... can't...... wait!

Probably one of my all time favorite pics:

Matt, that has always been one of my favorite pics. on this website, (I've seen it a few times) You can see the tonsils on that fish.

The Quadfather wrote:

natetreat wrote:here's my brother holding up the fish that I caught, so he could tell his girlfriend he didn't get skunked . The other fish is on the rocks. Last year, mid march.

Neah Bay Jetty:-" ?? Or not sayin'? Nice fish Nate.

Westport Jetty. I've never fished at Neah Bay.