We're takin a 15' smokercraft out of the boat basin to do some crabbing and bottom fishing. We're going to head across half moon bay and fish the base of the jetty. I was wondering what winds or anything else I should avoid? Planning on friday, supposed to be rainy but warm with sw wind 12 mph

I'll say what I say to everyone that wants to take small boats out onto big water...............


Can I have your car?


Watch for ocean waves.

I'd suggest avoiding the minus tide in the morning.

The Coast Guard will probably have the bay restricted, along with the bar.

fishEmunchR.....

Come on now....you live in GH......Leave that "small boat" at home. Buy some crab...fish off the jetty.....enjoy the day....

I've taken a 12' livingston over the sunken jetty and killed the kings and coho back in the day,was it smart=No.Have I done it since=No.Will I do it again=No.By myself in the early 90's it was kinda freaky.One morning I ended up over in ocean shores due to the fog.Running out in the morning with 8' rollers and the wakes from of all the charter boats wasn't to smart either,Just sayin.Pick and choose your day's.12mph winds I'd crab off the dock's.Good luck,
SZ

I've been fishing from the jetty and it's a blast. But my grandpa is 74 and can't go out there. I know people do ok crabbing right outside the marina so we'll probably just stick to that. I don't wanna get us in any sort of mess so I think we'll refrain from going all the way to the jetty, what about the 4 or five rocky fingers just out from the islander for seabass and maybe ling? I'm pretty impulsive so I'm glad a posted here first instead of just doing it, thanks everyone! Crabbin from the docks in kinda gross with all the grime on the bottom, and I've baught and caught my fair share down there , but we wanted to try somethin more productive.

Afternoon and evening would be a safer trip, IMHO. Minus tide and a nearly 9' swing will make things pretty dicey in the morning, particularly if there's fog.

I wouldn't have more than one other guy in the boat, and would have GPS, VHF, and a second engine for backup.

a 26 foot boat when down out there on Sunday. Talked to the coast guard today and they said it was brand new boat and a salvage attempt failed. The people were plucked off the boat by the coast guard right infront of dozens of jetty fishermen.

Ouch.Good luck,
SZ

I guess that means I don't get to keep your car???

Got any details on how it happened?

It was a 24'

I don't know the details of what caused it. Some friends on the rocks said just the bow was sticking out last they seen of it.

There is a sunken jetty off the water treatment plant in Ocean Shores. I have heard it has a lot of bottom fish and you can crab safely inside in the breakers that way. Just be sure to have a kicker motor back up. I have pulled kids off 2 boats in the past and neither had a kicker or even oars. It is for people like them that that life jackets should be manditory.

Out going tide is not a good idea to be between the jetties out there, even if it seems to be a smaller swing in a smaller boat. The water seems to stay pretty manageable off the north jetty in the area I was talking about. I have heard of peole taking pontoon boats out there, not that I ever will but have heard it.

Wow I wonder what happened? From what I've heard we can get crab just out of the boat basin. I've also seen people fishing the small jetties by the islander which would is not far from the basin. I've only fished the south jetty so I don't know if the fish are there. We're going to hold off until next week when the weathers a little better.

The tides can move at 5-6 mph on large tidal flows. Until you go zipping by a marker buoy at that speed it looks pretty calm out there.

Leave the small boat at home.

If you do fish the sunken jetty, have one guy on the motor at all times.

Please don't take the 74yo out there on a 15' Smokercraft.

Crabbing near the marina is the way to go

Crab by the coast guard station or right outside the walls to the marina. Lots of crab out there. Is even pretty easy to get to half moon bay and there are a ton of crab right there without going between the jetties.

There is also another sunker rock pile just outside one of the walls in westport that stays out of the breakers. I wish I knew exactly where it is but I don't.