Westport Opener.......

So who's in this Saturday?????. Last season's opener was a good one with limits of kings, but this years is two weeks earlier than last year's................Hmmmmm we'll see. Last season's opener we actually caught some #8-9 hatchery silvers that we couldn't keep...............same thing this year which is dumb as they are there for us to harvest............Good luck,

SZ

There are NO fish. Everyone should just stay home. Bernie and Tuna Tommy included.

Might be a little sporty but I will be there till the wind blows us home. Trollers have been spankin' them.

Due to swell height+ wind waves/swell period and strong ebb in the morning, pulled the plug on this weekend and waiting until next week.

Good luck

-S

PZZ156-300430-
COASTAL WATERS FROM POINT GRENVILLE TO CAPE SHOALWATER OUT 10 NM-
300 PM PDT THU MAY 29 2014

SAT
NW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT
10 SECONDS.

SAT NIGHT
NW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL
6 FT AT 8 SECONDS.

SUN
NW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. NW SWELL 6 FT AT 8
SECONDS.

At this time Sat. Looks downright comfy to me.

Looking good to me also.Good luck,

SZ

Trollers have been whacking them. 80% Mark rate.

Noice....I might get lucky......Good luck,

SZ

Heading to Snow Creek with Art, fishing tomorrow.

Jealous. You're going to kill it...and the weather is going to be fantastic.

Fish on...

Todd

Thinking about waiting for the bar to settle down, waiting 'till eleven o'clock?

Done....8 in the box by 9:00 am. Good luck,



SZ

Hellzyeah! Swing by and drop some off if you have too much fish :-)

Fish on...

Todd

how far did you have to go?

Any size?

Casino. All fish cookie cutter #12. Good luck,


SZ

We limped home with ONE solitary dinker hen of about 11 pounds for 33 rod hours of effort.

Hey.... at least we ain't eating hot dogs for dinner !

Awesome Doc. Thought I was gonna have to loan ya a dinner fish. Lol. Good luck,

SZ

Dinner is served!

Grilled WA king with AK salmon rub.

Noice. Buuurrrrpp. Had BBQ springer & fresh butt. Good luck,


SZ

Saturday had our 4 at 730 south of casino in 40ft. Today couldn't find jack. One non keeper and one lost at the boat. Glad the NW blow never showed.

The Golden Child spared Team Katosan from another skunking today.



I'm sure glad someone in the boat knew how to catch these critters. Next time we're kidnapping Bernie for the home team.

Pics? Charters all struggled, couple buddies boats out in front of Casino both days, 0. Sounds fishy to me.

Since SZ is pic challenged, allow me....

Doesn't sound fishy but sure looks fishy.
Nice grocery run SZ.

SF

Neah Bay was very slow. Saw one legal king of 15-20 retained. We caught one legal sized, but it was wild. Did well on bottom fish, and lost a few lingcod that grabbed our seabass.

Saturday done by 9:00am. Sunday took till 10:30am. Got some sea bass in the mix as well. Good start to the summer time Westport ocean fishery.Good luck,

SZ

PS, Doc thanks for posting up my pic.......the pic from Saturday would have looked the same if I had taken one...lol.

R-n-G....it was real fishy. I still stink like a fish after two showers now........just sayin.Good luck,

SZ

Based on the radio chatter out there Bernie, that was a nice line up of Westport 20's with a WP 15 and a WP 25 thrown into the mix.

Just a little doubt based on reports. Nice mess.

Funny stuff right there doc. Biggest was #15 including released natives. smallest went #10-11. #12 average may have been a pound on the lower side. Good luck,

SZ

Fish don't stink, and------ you shower to often.

Damn Bernie. You are the man!!!!

Just devoured a broiled ginger king collar… MELT.

Strike Zone- A solid kill shot lineup like that on opening weekend is as good as it gets. Glad you got into them and scored huge.


Props to Doc for being yet another guy here helping Bernie and post up pics to fix a brother up

Katosan and I always get a kick out of listening to the radio and hearing how many 20's and 30's are caught by the sport fleet out there. A sub-20 is almost NEVER mentioned.

Funny how those big fish never seem to show up in the same proportion at the dock when the creel checker sees 'em.

Interesting that the trollers fishing the same area only average about 12 pounds

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The clarity and vastness of the ocean does funny things to the size of a fish. Relative perspective is everything.

When I see the first flash in the water, I almost always say DINK.

First educated in-the-water guess once I see the whole fish is typically half of what the fish ends up weighing on a scale.

Once on the boat deck, to my eye, they grow a little more.

But in the fish box is where they look the biggest.

I agree 100X on your statement on the process of judging the size until in the box......funny chit right there as I go through the same thought process. Good luck,

SZ

Hey Bernie, curious how your mess'o'fish cut at the cleaning table?

Our fish on day 1 cut orange, no 2-tone.

Our fish on day 2 cut paler, with a bit of 2-tone.

While neither was rocket red BOTH were moist and full of oil…. tasted GREAT!

The 4 I took home........One was red meated with awesome fat swirls. My biggest cut pale but full of oils. The next 2 cut light orange with Lotsa oils. I kept the red meated one and gave out the rest to co-workers who love it when I bring in fresh fish. I'm saying 75-80% of all early beach fish caught are tules. However if I was ever gonna eat a tule it would be now out of the ocean in the month of June. Good luck,


SZ

Just talked to the head of the creel check program and she reported over 80% mark rate at BOTH Ilwaco and Westport.

She also believes the bulk of the the inshore kings this year are tule stock. Some years CA stocks have predominated in this early fishery… really depends on the proportionate mix contributing to overall ocean abundance.

Will try to get more specific CWT data on the May-June fishery from another colleague.

Anyone on the board turn in a snout from this fishery in the past and get a card of origin back from WDFW?

There are not any hard fish in June.

June is a month of prime fish.

I saw 2 totes of fish in Neah recently and saw a solid 30# hatchery in that mix....he got 175 for the day and it's only gonna get better.....There on there way....Tom

Rec guys haven't fared near as well as comm trollers.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/creel/ocean/

Sounds like the wire / cable guy's need to move out by the commy trollers and leave us diver guy's alone on the beach.LOL.Good luck,

SZ

Sat NW wind 15 to 20 kt. Wind waves 2 to 3 ft. NW swell 4 ft at 6 seconds.

Sat Night NW wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. NW swell 5 ft at 6 seconds.

Sun NW wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. NW swell 4 ft at 6 seconds.

Saturdays forecast probably a bit more than my open sled would comfortably handle with kids on board. Pullin' the plug unless they downgrade than wind overnight.

Sunday looks better but most likely a no-go as I'm hosting a graduation party for my niece.

Bummer.....hopefully it will mellow out a bit by morning. Good luck,

SZ

Yep gonna hit the SMALL water with the younglin's instead.

Kick back, tip a few, mebbe take a dip, enjoy the sun and some low key fish'n for once.

Not missing anything so far. Dead. Good luck,


SZ

How's the water?

3 for 4.1 in the box. Tough day. Water was fine. Coming in now as we speak. Good luck,


SZ

Horrible fishing today. We went 1 for 2. 1 in the box. Spent the last half hour of the day landing 2 sea baas 2 lings and a #35 butt that was released. Brutal weekend of catching. Fishing was fun though. Good luck,


SZ

Got a similar report from Katosan today…. TOUGH fish'n. One'fer one… dinker 8# AHFMD.

Spent the day takin' a piece of metal out of my favorite car-fixer-upper guy's left eye, then some quality time with my family, celebrating my niece's high school graduation.

Good food, good booze, GOOD TIMES… realizing that even when I'm f'd on getting some time on the water, I'll end up blessed in ways I didn't count on.

Luv you, Mirandible.

We got one about 10lbs on Saturday and didn't even get a sniff Sunday.

Bailed a day early because the fishing was so slow.

Just couldn't let that thought go by without a HUGE shoutout to Team Achewter, who came down to fish WP with me only to have the cap'n cancel the trip. They spent the day helping to clean my back patio and windows for the grad festivities the next day. I owe ya BIG time Art. Luv ya, bud!

Wow, that's cool of Art. If I bailed on my crew I'd get crucified.........and still have to hear the bitchin for a couple weeks after wards let alone get some help cleaning.Good luck,

SZ

Good thread and pics!

I was surfin WP on Sunday morning and was wondering if the guys out trolling the beach were having more fun than I was. Some were close enough we could wave. Saw no nets.

I was pretty sure I was having more fun (gentle breeze, waist high bumps at 8 secs), and this weekend's fish report verified it for me.

Well, I did not go out this morning. The bar was restricted to 20'. Not my idea of fun with the frequency period.

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/marine/BarObs.php

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46041

The charter boats have changed as well with the ocean conditions.

http://www.charterwestport.com/fishingreport.php

Sunday forecast was upgraded a few hours ago…

NW wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 2 to 3 ft. NW swell 6 ft at 9 seconds.

Not looking too good for Team eyeFISH

Last weekend was supposed to be shiatty. The water turned out to be pretty nice both days. Very fishable,even in a sled.

Got bait thawing since they downgraded the Sunday forecast earlier today.

But I see they upgraded the wind prediction again…

NW wind 15 to 20 kt. Wind waves 2 to 3 ft. NW swell 4 ft at 9 seconds building to 6 ft in the afternoon. Chance of showers.

It's Father's Day, I have yet to catch a salmon for 2014, so me and my baby girl are gonna give it a go regardless. Gonna launch about an hour after max ebb and see how far we get. If nothing else, there'll be some bottom fish to catch

Stay safe Francis ! But have a great Father's Day . I will be working oh joy! But next week , better watch out for the kid and I.