Halibut this 8/2 and 8/3

sturgn · 08-04-2002, 12:30 PM

Well what a couple of days this was. We fished the Rockpile Fri and picked up 5 nice Halibut, unfortunatly they where all to small, couldnt buy a keeper out there for some reason. Saturday we moved to the Chicken Rance, we ended up with a limit of Halibut, none big but we all got one. We headed out at 0530 and we stayed at the Ranch untill 6:30 last night, the water just kept getting flatter and the day moved on.
Hey any of you ever faught a 6' Blue shark on a Salmon rod? Holy S@#&! what fun that was, the blues where everywhere we even had a fish taken by one, and had a couple come up with bite marks on them, we kept 3 sharks 6', 5', and 4' Talk about some fun, also a little nervous cleaning them as soon as you get thim with your hands in the water and other sharks swimming around the boat still :shocked: .
Are total 2 day catch:
-4 Halibut, 3 Blue Sharks, 9 Black Cod, 4 Ling Cod, 5 Quill Backs, A couple floater Yelloweye(I hate releasing dead fish), and 3 green sea bass. I think thats it!
My 12 year old is finally a Salty dog, through and through, he is already begging me to take him shark fishing on my next open day, anyone want to come along???

[ 08-04-2002, 10:09 PM: Message edited by: sturgn ]

corrirod · 08-04-2002, 04:12 PM

Awesome catch Sturgn, way to go!

Stoyjun Princess · 08-04-2002, 07:30 PM

Sounds like you had a great couple of fishing days.

We went to the Pile the two days. Got a 65 pounder and a couple of 40 inchers. My borther in law hooked into a big 65 or more pounds and had it at the boat, my husband harpooned it and it took off, ripping the harpoon and hook right out. Wow what a shock, it was gone. :depressed: That was the first time we ever had that happen. It will always be the big one that got away. We did hook into lots halibut that were to small. Sunday only one keeper in the boat.

We all had a great time, that's what counts.

Salmonator · 08-04-2002, 07:36 PM

Princess, you mean Saturday?

With the friday and saturday season it really makes the weekend seem off by a day doesn't it...

sturgn · 08-04-2002, 07:40 PM

We where right there buy you guys Friday, I heard you talking about the spear head coming out, thats a real bummer, not sure if my radios messed up or if you guys just didnt here I hailed pikar a couple times, but no reply. We drifted that pile all over and couldnt get any keepers, cought the crap out of them when we were Salmon fishing. Oh well!

corrirod · 08-04-2002, 07:48 PM

Is that a black cod he's holding? We caught a bunch of those a couple of weeks ago but I didn't keep them. We caught a huge one this weekend, about 8-10 lbs., but we let it go.

Are they good eating? Any special prep work involved, gutting, bleeding, etc. when you bring them in?

DB_Cooper · 08-04-2002, 08:09 PM

In So. Cal. some call them sea trout, others call them black cod. The real name is Sable fish and yes they are very good eating served like any other cod or bottom fish.

Salmonator · 08-04-2002, 08:18 PM

Are they the same as grey cod? Back in may we caught one at the ranch, somebody told us it was a grey cod and was really greasy and that we should'a tossed it back. Although the meat was a beautiful snow white, the guy was right and after two or three bites, the rest became crab bait.

Deepslayer · 08-04-2002, 08:39 PM

Actually Sturgn's son is holding a ling cod. The black cod are laying on the ground next to the halibut. The sablefish were bled immediately and when they were fileted all of the dark meat was cut off! I just finished eating some fish and chips made from the black cod and they were very good! I know Tom is planning on smoking his.
Have any of you ever seen somebody put a herring on the end of a gaff and then pull a 5' shark into the boat on it? What a wild and crazy fish and experience. Your the man sturgn!
,Ed

sturgn · 08-04-2002, 09:06 PM

Hehehe Ed you crack me up, but your right that was one of the wildest things I have ever done fishing!

Deepslayer · 08-04-2002, 09:46 PM

Wild? I think it was crazy!! :grin: I think the funniest thing was watching that seven foot blue swim around in circles after Tom rapped it on the head in the water!

I bet it's still swimming in circles. That shark should never have gotten so close to our fish hanging off of the back of the boat! :shocked: Tom is deadly with the bat.
,Ed

08-04-2002, 10:19 PM

Blackcod (sablefish) are oily but good eating. Bleed, gut and ice, then smoke them.

Killertraylor · 08-05-2002, 02:46 PM

There is a very lucrative commercial fishery for black cod. They are all sold to the Japanese who eat them all on 2 major holidays in Japan (kind of like 80% of Turkey is eaten on Thanksgiving here). They are very oily and I don't like them any other way but pickled. They make the best pickled fish in the world though! I went on a charter last Friday to the Ranch and in addition to my 55 lb. Halibut I kept 15 black cod to pickle. I've got them on salt now and in another month or so I'll pickle them up. I know some commercial fishermen who smoke them, but it's too oily for me. We cought some monsters out at the Ranch - two went close to 15 lbs.

Stoyjun Princess · 08-05-2002, 04:08 PM

Sturgn,
Yes, I do mean Saturday, We did'nt fish Sunday. Thanks.
So you were by us, I think I saw your boat. Did I talk to you? That was a bummer when that spear head came out of that big hali.
We did'nt hear you on the radio calling us.

So is blue shark good to eat? And how do you fix it.

Deepslayer · 08-06-2002, 09:43 PM

Stoyjun Princess, the blue shark is very good to eat, if the shark is prepared right when first caught. I barbcued some tonight along with bratwurst and everyone ate all the shark before they started on the bratwurst!

,Ef

sturgn · 08-06-2002, 10:44 PM

Hey Princess if your gunna be in Corvallis let me know and I will drop you a steak and you can let us know what you think!

08-07-2002, 06:59 AM

How do you clean a blue shark?
Bleed, gut and skin them?
Do you have to do anything to the meat to remove the urea?

Deepslayer · 08-07-2002, 09:20 AM

Keta, the urea is deposited inside the body cavity of the shark. When you first get the shark bleed it immediately! Then hang it over the edge of the boat by the tail. While it is still thrashing around, cut all of the belly skin & meat out, pull the guts out and wash out the inside of the remaining cavity with sea water. Basically you cut the shark down the lateral lines on each side of the body. Even if you clubbed the shark heavily he will be flopping all over! :shocked: Then we removed the head and tail - the rest of the body was still quivering. :shocked: This should all be accomplished within 15 - 20 minutes after landing, and will dull your knife severely! Then cut the body sections small enough to fit in your cooler on ice. I don't know if you have to save the head and tail for fish cop identification at the dock - by the time we got in they were all gone.
,Ed

Stoyjun Princess · 08-07-2002, 12:43 PM

Yes, we are planning on being in Corvallis.
So do the blue sharks have white meat? Sounds good on the steak, thanks...

Deepslayer · 08-07-2002, 07:25 PM

Very white meat! Steaks are good, but when you cut the hide you will know why shark leather is the longest lasting leather there is!
,Ed

sturgn · 08-09-2002, 06:28 AM

OK There will be a package for ya! anyone else?

corrirod · 08-09-2002, 10:24 AM

Hey Deepsleeper, sent you private message with some questions on shark prep. Thanks for the help.