Lingcod on westport charters

[kzoo]

Hopefully the weather will break for ya man.

I went a few years ago, it was later on the season. You'll definetely get your limit on the rockfish, the ling cod can be on and off. It actually took us longer to get to the spot than to get our limit of rockfish. I'm planning on going in April, I never caught a ling.

Good luck!

[koryrasmussen55]

thanks man. it sounds like ill have an amazing time no matter how the weather turns out.

[kuttkilla]

It actually took us longer to get to the spot than to get our limit of rockfish.

It's always like that...especially for Neah Bay Canadian Halibut trips. I go with Mike Jamboretz from Jambo Sportsfishing and he hooks up into some huge halibut up to 150 pounds sometimes...but it's like 3.5 hours of travel and 30 minutes of fishing and then 3.5 hours back to Neah...so like 7 hours of travel and 30 minutes of fishing...Mike's good though, and this applies to Ling's too, and I bet your captain is very good, too! You'll have the time of YOUR LIFE! Post a report with all the great photos when you get back man!

[koryrasmussen55]

ill be sure to do that. im very excited!

[irishrogue]

I was on the Hula Girl last year for a halibut trip. The skipper and deck-hand are both good guys (though their names escape me).... After our 30 minute halibut limit (as other posters have already said, very true), we hit some rockfish/ling holes on the way home and did quite well. I don't remember them being particularly strong fighters (sorry to say) but it's a lot of FUN, because the action is fast and furious when you're on them.

You'll have a great time, good luck!!!

[koryrasmussen55]

yeah, im happy to be hearing alot of good things about this.

[irishrogue]

Oh, and three things to be prepared for...

1. At least on the Halibut trip (not sure on a bottomfishing trip) everything was filleted and split across the whole boat. There was no "that's my ling cod" type of tags or anything. Again I'm not saying how this will go since it's a pure bottomfishing trip, but be *ready* in case that happens.

2. Bring a few $$'s ($20?) as tips for the deckhand who will fillet and bag all your fish for you. There's guidelines posted on the ship about tip amounts--if memory serves it's $1 per rockfish I think? I just followed the posted sign, and it seemed reasonable.

3. Don't forget your cooler, full of ice, to leave in your car!

[koryrasmussen55]

alright, thanks for those tips.

[kuttkilla]

irishrogue gave you some awesome pointers...remember to tip well if they do a good job...if they butcher your catch or mess your fillets up in some way or another don't tip high...this has only happened like 1 out of 40 times I've gone on charters, so don't worry about that, just have the time of your life.

[koryrasmussen55]

alright, thanks guys these are some really good tips and heads ups on everything and what to expect. i would probably have been totally caught off guard without you guys haha.

[kuttkilla]

alright, thanks guys these are some really good tips and heads ups on everything and what to expect. i would probably have been totally caught off guard without you guys haha.

Here's what I found from -- takemefishing.org

Charter Fishing Tips

While fishing can be fun for the whole family, if you are planning—or just
dreaming of—a fishing trip, here’s a tip: Hiring a fishing guide or charter boat is one of the best ways to ensure that your family will have a great day on the water. These professionals can help you find and catch the fish.

To help you line up a charter boat or fishing guide, takemefishing.org offers several helpful tips:

Do your research. Start with an online search. Takemefishing.org has a helpful search tool for finding guides and charters by locality.

Set a budget. Depending on where you're going fishing and for how long, prices will vary. Generally, fishing guides take out two to three people and prices can range from $150 to $500 per day. Fishing charters let you rent the boat and crew for the day at prices ranging from $500 to $1200 per day, for up to six people at a time. “Headboats” take out 20 to 60 people at a time and charge $30 to $75 per person.

Don’t forget about tipping. The mate and crew of a fishing charter depend on tips. A standard tip is 10 to 20 percent of the fee, depending on the quality of the service. Captains usually own the boat and tipping is not expected, but is appreciated for exceptional service.

Ask questions before you book. Once you’ve identified a guide or charter, ask:

Have they worked with kids?
Will they fillet the catch? Is there an extra fee?
In the event of bad weather, is the deposit refundable?
Is a fishing license required?
Is there a bathroom on board?
Is the boat in compliance with Coast Guard and state safety regulations?
Be sure to let them know the kind of fishing you are interested in. For example, do you want to catch a lot of fish or go for size over quantity? The more they know about what you are looking for, the better your experience will be.

Bring the essentials. Most charter boats and guides will provide everything you need to enjoy a day out on the water—equipment, ice, bait and tackle. But there are a few things you’ll want to be sure to bring:

Camera
Sunscreen (probably won't need this...but even with 40F and sunny weather you can get sunburned)...
Sunglasses and hat
Weather-appropriate clothing
Lunch or snacks
A cooler (if you’re planning to take your catch home)
Positive attitude

Hiring a fishing guide or charter boat can get you to where the fish are biting. Your family and friends can have the best experience possible while increasing the chance that they'll want to go fishing with you again.

[koryrasmussen55]

even more great tips

[Coastfishin]

Here's an update on tommorows weather for ya
Tomorrow: Cloudy with showers. Thunder possible. High around 45F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Could be rough. The bar looked pretty rough this morning.
Maybe Kutt can find an updated bar report for ya

[kuttkilla]

Maybe Kutt can find an updated bar report for ya

Latest from NOAA...We'll know a little more after 2100 hours tonight or 21Z...

PZZ110-290500-
/O.CON.KSEW.RB.Y.0011.000000T0000Z-080329T1200Z/
GRAYS HARBOR BAR-
217 PM PDT FRI MAR 28 2008

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH BAR REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH
LATE TONIGHT...

COMBINED SEAS 9 FT BUILDING TO 11 FT DURING THE MAXIMUM EBB
CURRENTS AROUND 945 PM TODAY AND 10 AM SAT. BAR CONDITIONS MODERATE
EXCEPT ROUGH DURING EBBS.

Uh oh, dude I don't think you'll go...that captain will have to have some balls of steel to get thru that...
:bom: Some good isobars on the map there...spells windy and wild weather...

[Coastfishin]

Thanks Kutt,
If they do go out I bet there will be lots of green people on board.:pale: :colors:

[michaelunbewust]

ANOTHER THING I ALWAYS TAKE ON A CHARTER (ALTHOUGH THEY PROVIDE THE BAIT), IS A COUPLE OF MY OWN BOTTOMFISH JIGS, JUST A COUPLE. THEY ALWAYS HAVE A FEW HANGING RIGHT WHERE YOU CHECK-IN MAN. THE CHARTERS WILL GET YOU ON THE FISH, BUT, I ALWAYS CATCH A COUPLE, THEN, HAVE ONE OF THE DECKHANDS TIE ON ONE THAT IVE BROUGHT ALONG. I SEEM TO GET INTO DOUBLES ALOT MORE OFTEN THAN WITH THE BAIT PROVIDED. I LEARNED THIS WITH A GUY DOWN IN ILWACO WHO GETS TO GO OUT ON THOSE CHARTERS JUST TO CATCH LIMITS FOR THE CAPTAIN AND DECKHAND (STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY CALL THOSE GUYS), BUT, HE SHOWED ME THE LITTLE WALL OF JIGS IN THE CHECK-IN STORE, AND, STARTED TO DO IT MYSELF. JUST ADDS A LITTLE FUN TO THE TRIP. GOOD LUCK OUT THERE. WE WILL BE WAITING FOR THE 3 PAGE REPORT (1 WILL NOT DUE FOR A FIRST TIME OCEAN CHARTER)!!ha!

[A9]

I LEARNED THIS WITH A GUY DOWN IN ILWACO WHO GETS TO GO OUT ON THOSE CHARTERS JUST TO CATCH LIMITS FOR THE CAPTAIN AND DECKHAND (STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY CALL THOSE GUYS)

When you figure it out, sign me up on that list too! :compress:

[kuttkilla]

Here is your final forecast that I will submit...from NOAA -- good luck and be safe:

GRAYS HARBOR BAR-
844 PM PDT FRI MAR 28 2008

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH BAR REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL
5 AM PDT SATURDAY...

COMBINED SEAS 9 FT BUILDING TO 11 FT DURING THE MAXIMUM EBB
CURRENTS AROUND 945 PM TONIGHT AND 10 AM SAT. BAR CONDITIONS
MODERATE EXCEPT ROUGH DURING EBBS.

[kuttkilla]

Here's what I got as of 7:30 this morning...but I bet they're already out there...some breakers

GRAYS HARBOR BAR-
729 AM PDT SAT MAR 29 2008

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH BAR REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL
5 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON...
COMBINED SEAS 9 FT BUILDING TO 12 FT DURING THE MAXIMUM EBB
CURRENTS AROUND 1015 AM AND 1115 PM TODAY. BAR CONDITIONS MODERATE
EXCEPT ROUGH WITH BREAKERS POSSIBLE DURING THE EBB CURRENTS.
:bom:

[northfork]

Makes me want to puke just reading it.