Sortakinda Salmon Report

[Mark Mc]

I spoke with some folks who run a fish market.....told me that they recently got some (commercial troll) fish in from Coos Bay; but the boats that fish for them out of Newport have not delivered anything (yet).

[Nordic Sun]

MARK Mc Says:

"Newport fisherman can't catch fish"

You heard it here first!

Bob

[exgamey]

The commercial trollers out of Charleston are catching some salmon but no big scores. Boats are fishing way off shore. Nothing yet for sports. Too big of a swell running to get interested in trying. Frustrating weather; very little wind and chop but large swell.

[Mark Mc]

That's quite a leap Bob. Now go take your meds (or some Scotch).


Seriously though, I have a feeling that...we are going to see a good grade of salmon this year.

[tracker]

Whats a Salmon?

[Metal Manipulator]

Thanks for checking on the fishing reports. It would be nice fo put some fresh chinook in the box.

[Mark Mc]

For the May 10th all-depth halibut, the wise salty dog will have salmon gear on the boat......

[tomictime]

Salmon do more than turn a tight circle of death on wayy tooo heavy of tackle....

Originally Posted by tracker

Whats a Salmon?

[Taylor's viewpoint]

[quote=Mark Mc;1506748]That's quite a leap Bob. Now go take your meds (or some Scotch).


Now thats funny.:grin: :grin:

TV

[fishwhenican]

Mark Mc, What do you know about fishing Heceta Banks? Figured if I was going to fish for halibut the first weekend just a few miles short of the high spot on the south end, then I might as well bring some salmon gear along.
Any ideas?

Thanks, Mark

[Weather or Knot]

Originally Posted by tracker

Whats a Salmon?

There those slow swiming saltwater fish that we run past to get to the real line peelers!:grin:

Brandon

[Mark Mc]

Hey Mark G. ! How's it going?

My guess is that....any of those areas on the outside edge of Heceta Banks, Perpetua, etc., you know.....around 80 - 100 fathoms...would be as good as any place to look for salmon early in the year. Be prepared to go deep, but if there are the obvious signs of life up high, fish high.

[northriver1]

Originally Posted by Mark Mc

Hey Mark G. ! How's it going?

My guess is that....any of those areas on the outside edge of Heceta Banks, Perpetua, etc., you know.....around 80 - 100 fathoms...would be as good as any place to look for salmon early in the year. Be prepared to go deep, but if there are the obvious signs of life up high, fish high.

Would you define 200 feet as deep?

[SouthCoastStu]

There was a segment on the local news a few weeks back; a boat came in with 70-80 (?) fish for a 2-3 day run. Most fish were in the 20# range. I remember him saying that they would go on a good bite for 1/2-1 hour and then stop.

My info/experience is that they are out very deep (like 80-100 fathoms) this time of year feeding on the bottom (krill, squid?). Very hard to target with sport gear and a long ways out.

[jacksalmon]

A few years ago after getting our halibut limits at the Ranch on opening day, we were coming back in with salmon gear on board. We saw a commercial troller land a salmon and we asked him how deep he was. He said he was on the bottom. So, we took our halibut gear to fish for the bottom hugging salmon, since the weights on the halibut gear were so heavy, and set it up with plug cut herring and let it down to the bottom and did a very slow troll. Sure enough, we had two quick bites and landed two halibut bigger than any we had on board. We call that spot the Moral Dilemma Hole.

[fishwhenican]

Thanks guys

As Northriver1 asked, would you consider 200' deep, or are we looking at much deeper, or where ever the bait shows up on the finder?

Mark Mc, I'm doing fine, how about you?

[Mark Mc]

If there isn't any feed suspended up in the water column, chances are pretty slim for the fish to be up also.

There's always something to eat down on the bottom, even in the mud flats.

Year after year it's the same deal.....early in the year, and also late summer when the water gets too warm, the commercial guys get fish near the bottom. You don't always have to be right on the bottom, but close.

[Herring Problem]

Set salmon gear at 400 ft troll fast ,forget the slow speed to keep the halibut off. Use large anchovie,flasher, and stincky stuff.

Now where did I put that downrigger? Heck where did I park the boat?

[Threemuch]

Originally Posted by Mark Mc

Seriously though, I have a feeling that...we are going to see a good grade of salmon this year.

What gives you that impression? Maybe all the 30+ pounders being landed in CA right now? Their fish have been few, but really really really big for this time of year.

[Mark Mc]

Kurt, this "feeling" I have is the result of a complex algorythm......many factors.....it's at least as good as the typical stock market-timing algorythm.

[northriver1]

Originally Posted by Herring Problem

Set salmon gear at 400 ft troll fast ,forget the slow speed to keep the halibut off. Use large anchovie,flasher, and stincky stuff.

Now where did I put that downrigger? Heck where did I park the boat?

Not sure but I don't think I have enough lead in the garage to fish 400 feet. How are you pulling that of as a sport fisher? Thanks for any info one can pass along.

[Maverick Maxcat]

Originally Posted by Herring Problem

Set salmon gear at 400 ft troll fast ,forget the slow speed to keep the halibut off. Use large anchovie,flasher, and stincky stuff.

Now where did I put that downrigger? Heck where did I park the boat?

I catch many more salmon below 200' than above. 400' is about the limit with common sport gear, otherwise you have to slow down too much. I will be running a couple more educational charters this year to show others how to set up and run sport gear down deep. It would take a book to cover all the info. Nothing beats hands-on experience.

[pijon]

If you write the book I will buy it! Never too much information.

[earlybird007]

You must use spectra and at least a 25 lb weight to get the deep eh?........

[Mark Mc]

BTW, don't forget about mooching, if you can't troll super deep.

20 lb spectra mainline, 6 to 16 ounces of weight (depending on depth & drift). For example, if there was no wind, and I wanted to go down 300 feet, I'd start with 8 ounces.

When I get a chance, I'll post a photo of the thin-wire mooching spreaders I make. Just picture a halibut spreader bar, but made with thin stainless wire and small swivels.

[tomictime]

..ah for the surfline in BC, 45' of water, 3 mph, riggers set at 18 and change....VIOLENT take-down...fish on ! Islander singing..



what is 400' ????

just messing with you, I can and DO fish the hiway..Mav, count me in I will buy the book!!

[Hoghunter]

I've spent many a summer living on the bottom in 300' of water with my downriggers and slaying big nookies.

Heck 80% of all nookies I catch are on the bottom in 140 to 300' of water.

The first run that a big nookie makes when hooked deep is usually pretty impressive. Better have lot's of line on your reel because it takes a bit for them to stop.

Like Maxcat said you need to get out there and learn.

TT, I'm with you though on the fun of catching them right in on the rocks as well. My June, July trips are usually of the deep variety and then late July and August are the in tight to the rocks variety.

Getting pumped just thinking about it.

[Maverick Maxcat]

Originally Posted by tomictime

..ah for the surfline in BC, 45' of water, 3 mph, riggers set at 18 and change....VIOLENT take-down...fish on ! Islander singing..



what is 400' ????

just messing with you, I can and DO fish the hiway..Mav, count me in I will buy the book!!

When we used to fish up there in August we would mooch tight--like 10'--to the rocks. 6 oz and a plug cut, 10' of line. No reeling to check baits, just lift the rod! Talk about fun, since they couldn't go down, the fish would run out to sea. We followed some biggun's over half a mile! Great memories.