Halibut

Well let me start off by stating that without question this was the most fantastic Halibut season ever aboard the Sea Lion. It is a pretty high bar and I will long remember the crew that made this the most memorable season of Halibut fishing I have had so far.
I know that some of you reading this are wanting to see pics so here they come....
Ragnar and his MONSTER!
Ragnar_Monster.jpg
He is still suffering :disgust This was the big fish of the Season on my boat.... So far anyway ;)

Here is the #2 fish caught by Dennis, a 57" Monster...
Dennis_Monster.jpg

Dennis asked for a ride on a C-Dory and I think he is ruined for life. Why I would not be surprised if he stopped on the way home to buy one he was so excited. I look forward to fishing with him again.

Here is the crew week 2 with the big fish for Mark in the middle, his personal best...

Crew_Catch.jpg

Here is Mike with his first keeper and a personal best....

Mike_Monster.jpg

And my personal second biggest fish for this season at 47"...
My_47.jpg

Here is Baitboy with a fresh potty mouth....
Rick_potty_mouth.jpg


And here are a few pics of a whale that surfaced just 20' from the boat, swam under the boat and showed her belly then played around the boat for about half an hour... Very cool to see...
Whale_3.jpg
and another...
Whale_2.jpg

and another...
Whale_1.jpg

What an incredible season.
Boat limits and fantastic ocean every day!
My hat is off to the crew.
A very special thanks to Mike, Rick, Troy, Mark, Dennis, and Kurt for participating in a season that I will not soon forget. :cheers:
You guys ROCK! :thup

And thanks to Mike for stepping up and helping me with the pics :thup
 
Halibut season is still going on, Shearwater scored on 3 nice ones 7/10 at the chicken ranch.
37" and two 41" limited in 3 hours will try to get the pictures posted.

Sunday 7/11 we limited with three small chinooks and three silvers. saw lots of dolls porpoises at least 50 blue sharks. Also saw what looked a lot like a bottle nose dolphin got three good looks from about 50 yards away. Single animal and about 18 miles off shore may, not have been a bottle nose but the color and face were close.

They did schedule another 1 day season for today but the ocean stayed pretty rough from what I hear.
Next summer season starts with an 8/6 and 8/7 opener.

stevej[/img]
 
Dogen dory halibut tend to blend in with the background unless you have a very light color, so white side out tends to show the size better.

We have lings up here also and use the same type baits. For some reason they do like the plain lead head jig. The population is not in to bad of shape up here, been awhile sense I have seen a four footer though.

Coin toss for me on which is the better eater like both a lot.

stevej
 
Bill
The summer halibut season here in Oregon is open starting Aug. 6,7 and runs two days every other week until the quota is reached. The fishery is very tightly controlled here, one fish per person per day with a max of six fish for the year.

Little rough out there this past weekend got shut out on the 6th (gale force winds) made it out on the 7th and fished all day for two nice halibut around 45 lbs each. Long rough ride coming home with 25 kt winds 4 foot wind waves with 6 foot swell.

Below is a link for the ODFW that has halibut season updates and catch numbers
http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/odfw/finfis ... index.html

stevej
 
There are no halibut here in Shasta Lake, but there are still some salmon left in the Sacramento River, at least until all the local guides can rip them out for their customers! Sadly, no steelhead anymore, not one, zilch, zero!

The salmon around here and many of the other fish are about one half as abundant as when I was a kid 50 years ago. Then they were all over the shallow spots in the river and in all the local streams. No more local salmon on the creeks, and the ones in the river have to survive the rush hour like attack from those who make a business out of hooking into them for $150 per person to pay for their fishing boats as part of their business venture and tax write off. They all have their favorite spots and a pecking order at The Barge Hole where Battle Creek empties into the Sacramento. The Coleman Fish Hatchery is about 1/2 a mile up the creek, where, I'm afraid, the salmon population is headed.

I was told by a wonderful friend and older gentleman of 75 years of age in 1954 that the way to catch salmon in the "old days" was to drive a wagon into the river and it fill up with salmon using a pitch fork! He lamented that things were not what they used to be and hoped we would take better care of this precious resource in the future. Have we done so? Where are we ultimately going?

Sometimes it seems that a resource is almost limitless, or that the catch/bag/ or whatever limits are a bit restrictive. I certainly have respect and understanding for people who live out in the wilderness in Alaska and who must catch or hunt, then dry and preserve a lot of meat to get though the winter. And I'm no "Environmental Nazi Obstructionist" that wants to stop all developement and infrastructure that supports us humans. But I do believe that catch and bag limits do have their place in preserving these great living resources so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy them as we do. The fun is in the chase and the catching. I can leave the killing out of it, and don't need the meat to feed myself. Nor do I need it to justify the expense of my favorite boating hobby. Catch and release works for me.

I could name 30-40 reasons for the declining salmon population in the river, or for the rest of the fish population here. it's a very complex issue, but my own contribution to their survival is to not be a part of their demise through grabbing up every last one of them for my own selfish satisfaction.

Thanks for putting up with my rant!!! Good fishing at let a few go!!! Joe.
 
Since I had previously logged on, I may as well throw in my 2 cents worth. I qualify as having over 50 years of fishing experience.

The saddest part of what you say is that the salmon lose their flavor once they arrive in your area and probably end up in the garbage can. It should be hands off on salmon once they enter fresh water. After spawning, they die and provide nutrients for the young smolts.

Bill :(
 
Dogon Dory

I'll apologize for the rant above and state clearly that it was not directed at you, but have to say that it bothers me that so many fishermen don't see the big picture of how catch limits fit into the long-term future of fishing and how important it is for each one of us to help stop the deterioration of this wonderful resource. I don't want Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and finally Alaska to sequentially go through the loss we've experienced here in California. Thanks for your indulgence. Joe.
 
Gotta agree on the farmed salmon :cry:

Most of my commercial customers were Bristol Bay fishermen, and the price of salmon makes it extremely difficult now. Of course there is lots of chatter about PCB and other bad stuff in farmed salmon, but the farmed salmon comes from Scotland, Ireland, Chile, etc., etc., besides Canada. The current levels of contaminants are far below the 2 ppm considered dangerous, and with the expected feed changes to soy products to increase the omega-3 content of the farmed fish -- my guess is that there will be lots of Bristol boats for sale! Sad but true.

Dusty
 
Thanks, Dan for the reply. The original post was so far off center that I thought you might be satirically joking, but wasn't sure and I just reacted more at the gut level.

Your last post shows a lot of insight into these problems, and I hope you're right about how the future of fish farming will eventually take the pressure off of native populations. A lot of thought is evidenced in your writings.

That said, and having let the cat out of the bag, or maybe the old dead fish out of the bag, I would like to encourage our fellow fisherman (and especially those in more urban, human impacted areas) to re-think some of the following ideas:

1. That fishing is a central part of one's bread winner or provider status in the family, and that the degree of success, and even a measure of one's manhood, is measured by the amount of the take. This is the frontier philosophy, is it still valid where you live and fish today?

2. That the traditional pictures of stringers or individual (dead) fish are necessary to prove one's fishing prowess and success. What wrong with a photo and a release?

3. That you should take fish home, even if you don't eat them yourself, so that you can give them away to friends and neighbors as 1) an act of generosity, or 2) to trade them for something else, or 3) for the recognition of your fishing skills.

4. That you have to bring fish home to justify your fishing and boating expenses. Ever figure our what it costs per pound? Don't ever tell your wife that it's cheaper at Safeway! Think of it as recreation & therapy. It IS definitely cheaper than a psychiatrist!!!

5. That with all the other pressure on the fish population, you conclude that they're going to decline anyway, so you might as well get your share while you can.

I can't just help but think we need to reconsider some of these ideas as fish populations decline around us so that we can do our share to prevent any further losses. Certainly there are a multitude of causes of the decline besides the pressures from recreational fishermen, but let's do our share to limit the losses and support those others who are trying to control, stop, and reverse the other sources of the problem.


Thanks for your consideration, ALL of you!! Joe.
 
In response to Sea Wolf's questionnaire, for myself I am not especially fond of catch and release fishing. Here on the Kenai Peninsula people come from all over the world to catch a "Big one", a chinook salmon that could weigh as much as 90 lbs. In poor years, the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game decrees that all chinook salmon must be released, as humanely as possible, but by some estimates as much as 50 percent of the released fish have not the strength to carry on and become fodder for the fry of other salmon. I never fish for the chinook in the Kenai myself, I've been here 25 years. I fish for the food I will eat this coming winter, I believe that properly cared for wild salmon have a taste that cannot be purchased. So when I have all the red salmon and silver salmon and halibut that I and my family can eat, I rarely fish. When I go out on my C-Dory after that it is to enjoy the scenery or the company I have with me, last time out I had my granddaughter, daughter and wife as we toured Kenai Lake.
 
Let me preface this by saying that there are people who abuse both systems. The following statement is not in regard to those people.

Those who are so adamant about catch-and-release fishing in order to protect the fish stocks are greatly misrepresenting what C&R is. C&R can, and does, kill as many fish as simple harvest fishing, which is generally closely regulated. Depending on the type of fish, the gear used, and the skill of the angler, C&R can kill up to half of the fish that are hooked and released. More often it's in the 10-25% range. In some cases, the mortality rate is only a few percent. Even still, that means that many fish released will not survive. These fish should be added to the fisherman's daily bag limit. However, they are not. This allows people to "fish all day", continually releasing what they catch. Thus, the daily mortality rate can be greater for C&R, especially in areas with srtict harvest limits. In some cases, much greater. Also, when someone harvests a fish, the usual intent is to consume it, not just catch it and throw it back into the water, only to have it die later due to stress, rough handling, or injuries sustained during the event, like C&R.

With that being said, I am not opposed to C&R. I am not opposed to hunting, fishing, or wildlife viewing. I am opposed to wanton waste of our resources. And all wildlife is a resource.

OK, I'll get off the soapbox now...
 
wilbe asea and Ak Angler:

Good points, well taken, and thoughtfully discussed. No disagreements.

I wrote the discussion points above in reaction to what I viewed as some irresponsible types of " kill 'em all and load 'em up' attitudes toward the fishing resources voiced by private fishermen, guides, and industry publications.

I so doing, I am hoping to get all of us to scrutinize our practices for the betterment and long range health of fishing resources. History says this resource can and has been abused, and must be managed carefully to reverse downward trends.

Sounds like you're doing your part just fine. Thanks for the thoughtful comments and good fishing!!! Joe.
 
That wouldn't work, they tried to take all the alcohol once and still try to stop drugs. Of late, they (whoever that may be) are trying to take firearms. More regulations are not the answer, I don't profess to have it, but I like your emphasis on common sense.

The individuals in abusing any fishery are the ones who need changing, but it has been said "If you want to change a person, start with the grandparents." Unfortunately, not many fisheries have that kind of timeline.
 
Interesting discussion.

I'm originally from Juneau, and now live in the Puget Sound area. Many times, I've stopped fishing when I was far from my limit, even though I could have gotten more. I thought I had enough, and didn't need to impact the species anymore. I think this is an unusual philosophy.

It's remarkable the difference in game management between Alaska and Washington.

It's becoming alarming the restrictions that are being placed on game harvesting down here. I'm seriously worried that in 5-10 years, we just won't be able to fish anymore here at all. Right now the rockfish limit is one fish. Halibut is opened for an extremely limited time, and king salmon fishing is reduced to "bubble" fisheries. Dungeness crab was only open for six weeks this year. I think it's great that something is being done, I'm just not sure I agree with that something.

Maybe I'm not politically correct, but what seems ridiculous down here to me, is that a small percentage of the population is guaranteed 50% of all the game. Between the indians, and the commercial guys, there's not much left for the sport fishermen. Conversely, the sport guys contribute the most money to maintaining stock, running hatcheries, preserving land, etc. If the indigenous people were using the game for subsistance purposes it would be different, but it's a complete commercial fishery. I'm of Scandinavian decent, my ancestors caught fish many years ago in North America. Unfortunately we have more poeple on the planet now, and a democratic way of sharing things is a global concern.

Call me a philistine, but I've never been a catch and release person. If I can't take something home and eat it, I'm not interested in catching it. I don't shoot bear, don't catch trout (they just aren't that tasty), and avoid shooting fish ducks. Many people have a primal desire to bring game home. If other people enjoy C&R, and can do it properly, great. As far as I'm concerned, I could make a copulation analogy, but it is a family forum.

The regulations down here are amazingly convoluted. One thing I would like to see is more natural, inherent types of restrictions. Rather than closing crabbing or shrimping, they could prohibit people from using motorized pullers. Arizona maintains their deer, elk and javelina poplulations by increasing archery seasons, and decreasing rifle seasons. For razor clams, limit me to a shovel, and outlaw the tubes.

Aside from contributing money to the "Zero Population Growth" people, I'm not sure there's a good solution out there.
 
WELL, what is opening day for Halibut in 2005? (Or the expected opening). It's only 5 months away! Do you think the C-Dories will out number the charter boats at the Chicken Ranch this year (being a Nevada resident, I kinda hate to mention the "Chicken Ranch" in public)??

Bill :wink:
 
Thanks UncleRichie,

A while back, I got on a Charter boat out of Port Angeles. :( I found it interesting regarding the type of tackle they used. Kinda like a downrigger boom with several large pulleys and if I remember right, steel line. The days catch = zero halibut. But an enjoyable boat ride.

Newport is alittle closer to home. I hope to go further North later.

I really would like to see those Charter boats trying to figure out where all the C-Dories came from.

Bill
 
I'm pretty sure Sea Lion will be there wearing her Crown of Thorns....
I don't think you could keep Shearwater away from them either.
Who knows, maybe we can even talk B~C into coming along this year?
 
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