Coldest PDO since 1955. Good for salmon/bad for tuna?
- Thread starter SilverFly
- Start date
Got to visit this blue water patch yesterday on a short-notice invite. Sorry no, pics unless I get some from other crew.
We needed a 5th crew member and @clarkman answered the call of duty. Fly rods were welcome, but Mr. Clark and I were in the minority. Just as well because it was a troll-only show.
Conditions: Breezy, and cool/overcast all day. Ocean was a bit sloppy with a NW swell and light wind chop, but really not bad. Wind picked a bit later and a few sheep started showing up. Very few birds out in the blue patch other than a couple of albatross, and a handful of shearwaters. No jumpers were spotted, no sharks sighted, and little to no floating debris. TONS of birds closer to shore in the cooler green water. No marine mammals sighted other than something largish and dark-colored I saw break the surface about 200yds away on the run in. This was in the clean-green water roughly about the inside edge of the pink ellipse on the chart. Had to be a small whale or dolphin ... but this was the kind of water bluefin have been spotted in (just say'n).
Fishing: No "proper" fly caught fish for the day, although we did try. Randy got hit first about an hour in on a blue white and purple baitfish he tied the day before. The fish came off, then he was hit again as he was retrieving - and unfortunately, that one came off as well. Classic hit on the slide that has been working so well on the Westport trips. The timing was such that it could just as well have been a proper fly cast punched aft.
So things were looking good for flies vs gear. We then hit a long dry spell before picking up some single troll fish on black and purple clones. I dragged a natural colored squid most of the morning with nothing to show but a twisted fly line on the 14wt (note to self, test swim a new squid fly for straight tracking before trolling at 7 knots.) The scratch troll fishing continued all day. Late morning through noon being the slowest. I lost track of what the fish were hitting but like typical fly fishermen, we both started questioning pattern selection. No difference with the guys manning the gear rods, so seems that's something we have in common.
After a particularly long dry spell one was taken on a 6" all white swim bait. I switched to a white squid, and we both cycled through several patterns. Probably the only thing that accomplished was lost fishing time. Troll gear was mixed between the black/purple clones, Mexican flag clones, large swimbaits, and a white/red cedar plug. The only thing not hit was the cedar. Most of the strikes came on black purple, so late in the day I switched to a black/purple fly inspired by the one of the 2020 trips out of Westport. Got a whack that didn't stick, followed by one a couple seconds later that did, and boated my first fish of 2022. Nice mid-grade fish about 15#. That was a double hookup and had a knitting project to work out. One plus with fly rods there is being able to steer the line clear of the motors. Both fish were landed. A while later was hit again and landed my 2nd and last fish of the day. Kept hoping to see Randy's beautiful green glass 12wt bendo'ed, but it was not to be.
Summary: The tuna are out there, decent sized, and hitting on the troll. I was super-disappointed fly-on-the-slide that has worked so well in the late season Westport trips, didn't work other than the one retrieve hit Randy had. Seems they would only come up to hit something at troll speed. There are reports of boats getting jig and bait bites going, some VERY good, but the fish we encountered didn't stick around after the initial troll hits. Myself and one of the other guys, a very skilled jig fisherman, both tried jigging a few times but no luck. We ended the day with 14 total, smallest maybe 10# and a few in the high teens - maybe just over 20#. This was the first time I've fished in July in many years. It fits with my limited early season experience and what I've been told about the fish being less surface oriented. So, trolling, maybe jigging. Drift rate was an issue and likely played a role in blowing us off the fish before we could get fish hooked on jigs and/or keyed on chum. Drift rate permitting, we would have had a much better chance. Both Randy and were fishing 700 grain lines which should've put us in the game in that case.
We needed a 5th crew member and @clarkman answered the call of duty. Fly rods were welcome, but Mr. Clark and I were in the minority. Just as well because it was a troll-only show.
Conditions: Breezy, and cool/overcast all day. Ocean was a bit sloppy with a NW swell and light wind chop, but really not bad. Wind picked a bit later and a few sheep started showing up. Very few birds out in the blue patch other than a couple of albatross, and a handful of shearwaters. No jumpers were spotted, no sharks sighted, and little to no floating debris. TONS of birds closer to shore in the cooler green water. No marine mammals sighted other than something largish and dark-colored I saw break the surface about 200yds away on the run in. This was in the clean-green water roughly about the inside edge of the pink ellipse on the chart. Had to be a small whale or dolphin ... but this was the kind of water bluefin have been spotted in (just say'n).
Fishing: No "proper" fly caught fish for the day, although we did try. Randy got hit first about an hour in on a blue white and purple baitfish he tied the day before. The fish came off, then he was hit again as he was retrieving - and unfortunately, that one came off as well. Classic hit on the slide that has been working so well on the Westport trips. The timing was such that it could just as well have been a proper fly cast punched aft.
So things were looking good for flies vs gear. We then hit a long dry spell before picking up some single troll fish on black and purple clones. I dragged a natural colored squid most of the morning with nothing to show but a twisted fly line on the 14wt (note to self, test swim a new squid fly for straight tracking before trolling at 7 knots.) The scratch troll fishing continued all day. Late morning through noon being the slowest. I lost track of what the fish were hitting but like typical fly fishermen, we both started questioning pattern selection. No difference with the guys manning the gear rods, so seems that's something we have in common.
After a particularly long dry spell one was taken on a 6" all white swim bait. I switched to a white squid, and we both cycled through several patterns. Probably the only thing that accomplished was lost fishing time. Troll gear was mixed between the black/purple clones, Mexican flag clones, large swimbaits, and a white/red cedar plug. The only thing not hit was the cedar. Most of the strikes came on black purple, so late in the day I switched to a black/purple fly inspired by the one of the 2020 trips out of Westport. Got a whack that didn't stick, followed by one a couple seconds later that did, and boated my first fish of 2022. Nice mid-grade fish about 15#. That was a double hookup and had a knitting project to work out. One plus with fly rods there is being able to steer the line clear of the motors. Both fish were landed. A while later was hit again and landed my 2nd and last fish of the day. Kept hoping to see Randy's beautiful green glass 12wt bendo'ed, but it was not to be.
Summary: The tuna are out there, decent sized, and hitting on the troll. I was super-disappointed fly-on-the-slide that has worked so well in the late season Westport trips, didn't work other than the one retrieve hit Randy had. Seems they would only come up to hit something at troll speed. There are reports of boats getting jig and bait bites going, some VERY good, but the fish we encountered didn't stick around after the initial troll hits. Myself and one of the other guys, a very skilled jig fisherman, both tried jigging a few times but no luck. We ended the day with 14 total, smallest maybe 10# and a few in the high teens - maybe just over 20#. This was the first time I've fished in July in many years. It fits with my limited early season experience and what I've been told about the fish being less surface oriented. So, trolling, maybe jigging. Drift rate was an issue and likely played a role in blowing us off the fish before we could get fish hooked on jigs and/or keyed on chum. Drift rate permitting, we would have had a much better chance. Both Randy and were fishing 700 grain lines which should've put us in the game in that case.
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Tuna fishing is really shaping up nicely out of Westport. Yesterday was my best day yet, and only 45 miles from home.
Offshore forecast wasn't great for my boat today but Mark went on the big boat and had a stellar day even closer to home. Water is beautiful, fish are acting as they should. I'm hopeful!
BTW....keep an eye out for the August Northwest Sportsman magazine. There may just be an article about some crazy fly fishers going offshore and chasing albacore.
Offshore forecast wasn't great for my boat today but Mark went on the big boat and had a stellar day even closer to home. Water is beautiful, fish are acting as they should. I'm hopeful!
BTW....keep an eye out for the August Northwest Sportsman magazine. There may just be an article about some crazy fly fishers going offshore and chasing albacore.
Tuna fishing is really shaping up nicely out of Westport. Yesterday was my best day yet, and only 45 miles from home.
Offshore forecast wasn't great for my boat today but Mark went on the big boat and had a stellar day even closer to home. Water is beautiful, fish are acting as they should. I'm hopeful!
BTW....keep an eye out for the August Northwest Sportsman magazine. There may just be an article about some crazy fly fishers going offshore and chasing albacore.
Awesome news. Let's hope the trend continues. Sept 1 and 3 are coming up quick! Damn, I better book a hotel or campsite quick.
Post here as well if we cant find?BTW....keep an eye out for the August Northwest Sportsman magazine. There may just be an article about some crazy fly fishers going offshore and chasing albacore.
Oh boy fishing didn't suck today
Not a fly trip but I did manage some recon for upcoming trips.
Not a fly trip but I did manage some recon for upcoming trips.
Denwor54
Life of the Party
I just got back from my yearly trip and talked with the local dory fisherman and they have found the tuna about 45 miles out and they said the fishing was good. The water were I fished was cold and we had to run quite awhile to hit hit coho temps when we hit 52 degrees we found feeder coho. Rockfish fishing was good as usual but there is an algae bloom inshore which made the fishing tougher than usual.
On one of our boats today
Well an attempt was made yesterday. Unfortunately I had to limp back over the bar on my kicker after I had a water pump failure causing my main to overheat Already have it fixed (need to test drive this weekend), but it was heartbreaking. Especially since every boat I have heard from said it was literally the best day they have ever seen out there.
Already have it fixed (need to test drive this weekend), but it was heartbreaking. Especially since every boat I have heard from said it was literally the best day they have ever seen out there.
Well an attempt was made yesterday. Unfortunately I had to limp back over the bar on my kicker after I had a water pump failure causing my main to overheat
How many miles did you have to cover with your kicker? I had a similar experience many years ago - I convinced my buddy boat to keep fishing while I limped in (we stayed in contact).
Made it to buoy 8 outside the bar on the Columbia. So not too far. Had to wait out the outgoing tide once we got over the bar though. The downstream flow was way too heavy to go upstream and around the jetty on the kicker. But we hung out and jigged for rockfish while we waited and got a few.
I'll have the motor back together tonight and hopefully do a test run so I'm ready for the next opportunity.
It's a tad far south but a 112 pound striped marlin was landed out of Fort Bragg this morning. There was at least one other (marlin) spotted slashing through a school of sauries - that would have something to see! The striper was caught in clean, 63 degree water about 23 miles from the jaws.
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Cool, would love to see that ... but not necessarily hook one though.
Finally had a clear 1 day chloro shot from the 7th. With all the upwelling I'm still a tad worried we might be headed into another green water desert situation like last year. How's the water looking out there now?
