Anyone up for Port Orford??

tailchaser · 10-31-2002, 07:57 AM

I'm headed to Port Orford on Saturday and plan on fishing the mouth of the elk river for salmon (outside in the ocean) and then bottomfishing on my way back. If anyone's interested in learning how to fish it there they are welcome to tag a long. The fishery is pretty incredible and very underfished. Limits on bottomfish is almost a guarantee. Just thought I would throw out the invitation. The ocean report is 4' with variable winds at 14 seconds. Basically flat as a lake.

tc

Uglygreen · 10-31-2002, 08:06 AM

I might be up for that, what's your ride? At all intrested in some tuna? Call me (503) 519-0827.

UG

tailchaser · 10-31-2002, 08:44 AM

Oh, I'm always interested in the tuna, but the last reports out of here are way out of my range. I'll check the water temps here in a few just in case though. My ride is a 21' fish rite sled (black) and is more then plenty for the kind of fishing I'm planning. The ocean is looking awsome down here and is supposed to stay that way through the weekend. From the boat launch the mouth of the elk is only 7 miles and the bottomfishing is only 4 1/2. Pretty easy for just about any boat over 17'.

Uglygreen · 10-31-2002, 08:57 AM

Great, I have a free pass from the wife for the weekend, and I love to learn new spots. Did you see my "Tuna, Still possible?" topic this am? SST map posted - looks like 60+ water 25 miles off Port Oreford. They use a boat hoist there, right?

UG

tailchaser · 10-31-2002, 08:58 AM

HMMMMMM, I saw your report by mine, verrrrrrry interesting. By my estimates the 125 line is roughly 20-23 miles off of port orford. FYI by estimate the 126 line is 60 miles off of coos bay the 125 is 30 miles. I'm going to be on the horn tonight with my local contacts down there and see if that's a possibility. With the ocean staying the same you can average 30-40 mph on the water right now. Gotta love the big blue. I'll give you a call tonight when I pick some brains.

tc

tc

tailchaser · 10-31-2002, 09:00 AM

Yes it's a boat hoist, but they have the straps and crane already set up. It's 20 bucks for in/out on the day.

tc

Uglygreen · 10-31-2002, 09:08 AM

Cool... Salmon, Bottom fish, Tuna... I would be up for any of the three. Ive got tuna gear I can bring... Give me a call and let me know. 80% chance I can go. Thanks....

UG

tailchaser · 10-31-2002, 09:29 AM

FYI, the gear you'll need to bring is typical ocean salmon gear, flashers, double slide hooks, and downriggers.

Bottomfishing: Have some buzzbombs available along with a couple of spinning rods for sea bass on the surface with grubs to throw at them. Last but not least some monster grubs for big lings. Lots of them around. Last time we went down we released 35 before we kept our 4 for the boat.

I'll have to check the regs on the halibut. I think it's closed but I have a great 180' hole that usually produces also just off of the bottomfishing reef. Anyhoo, I'll give you a call as soon as I know some absolutes.

tc

WP · 10-31-2002, 09:30 AM

Is ocean salmon still open down there? I haven't gfished the south rivers or ocean in 30 years...might be interesting.

WP

tailchaser · 10-31-2002, 09:59 AM

Yes, the fishery off of the elk river is a seperate issue (kind of similar to the tillamook triangle) it has it's own regs for this time of year. It kicks into gear traditionally around the 1st of November with the chinook starting to keg up around the mouth. It's a great fishery with monster fish.

tc

fishwhenican · 10-31-2002, 05:30 PM

Tailchaser, I may be interested in Port Orford on Sunday. I heard that you needed to provide your own straps for the hoist there. Any truth to that rumor? I know that the Elk and Sixes both get some big hogs that could be fun.

UG I may be interested in the tuna possibility. I'll need to check with some people first. I'll also look on the Coast Watch SST to see if it looks as good as the terrifin.

Lepper · 10-31-2002, 07:41 PM

I have been told that they will swing you over like the first 3 times without your boat set up for the hooks... But you risk chance of your boat slipping out.. But they already lost there 1 boat for this year so it should be fine.. Hey tailchaser I am not sure about saturday I might be able to tag along, if I do I might just grab my boat and follow you out. How far down is the mouth down there from Bandon? I m ight just attempt to run down from here...
dave

tailchaser · 10-31-2002, 08:42 PM

As for the sling there isn't any limit to how many times a year you can go. It's 20 bucks for in/out for a day. It takes about 5 min. to get the boat from the trailer to floating and going. Unfortunately my limitations are for saturday only. I have confirmed reports of salmon blood on my buddy's boat from yesterday. 34,29,28,21 were the weights. The mouth is only 5 miles from the launch and the weather prediction is as calm as I've seen it forcasted for in a long time.

On your way home you can have more fun catching bottomfish that anyone could ever imagine. Trollers can't touch the reefs because of loosing gear and sport boats rarely touch it.

I'm launching the boat at 7:00 am. Anyone wanting to tag along is more than welcome. I have a black fish rite sled with two downriggers attached. As of the Tuna I would love to see it happen but it's hard to give up a lot of salmon fishing time if nothings out there. However, I would turn on the afterburners it they were.

tc

10-31-2002, 09:02 PM

tailchaser,
This is what will happen to you if you do catch tuna.

Kaptn Ken · 10-31-2002, 10:15 PM

:depressed: I wanna go.....But can't...Just thought I'd throw my 2-Cents in..Maybe I can hook up with some of you guys after winter...Shoulder Replacement surgery has me watching the fishing shows on TV!!!

I have a 21' Duckworth (For Sale) but am in NO HURRY to sell it!!! It's my "baby!"

Have Fun Fishin'

tailchaser · 11-01-2002, 06:09 AM

Not to worry Keta, I often have those dreams all year long. We go out after them out of coos bay every year. For some reason though the currents stayed off of coos bay around 40-50 miles and that's a little too far for a days trip. We only managed 35 fish this year in two trips, not very good. I'm very tempted to shoot out there if the water stays calm. Anyhoo, if it does I'll share the story with everyone. Hey UG what's the plan??? Are you in?

tc

Uglygreen · 11-01-2002, 04:09 PM

Sorry, I was on the river all day, just got back. Anyhow, 7:00 AM. Hmmmmm.... have you got an extra seat? I probably can't get the Ugly Green boat set up and make it down there by 7:00, but if you have an extra seat, I can come.

UG

Uglygreen · 11-01-2002, 04:10 PM

Sorry, I was on the river all day, just got back. Anyhow, 7:00 AM. Hmmmmm.... have you got an extra seat? I probably can't get the Ugly Green boat set up and make it down there by 7:00, but if you have an extra seat, I can come.

UG

fishwhenican · 11-01-2002, 04:42 PM

Tailchaser I am looking at going to Port Orford on Sunday, I understand you will only be going on Sat. But a couple of questions
1. if I drive down Sun AM is there any place to get herring on the way?
2. About how deep were the fish your buddy caught there the other day (water depth and where the fish were)
3. Do you fish right off the mouth of the Elk?
4. When bottom fishing do you fish on the outside of the main reef there or morre toward Island rock?
Thanks

tailchaser · 11-01-2002, 08:39 PM

Hey UG tried another message on the machine, but it's 9:30 so I'm figuring you're out. We'll have to hook it up though soon.

FW here's the scoop. You basically fish north or south of the mouth within a mile radius from 70-35' of water. That's bottom at 70-35!! Don't go too far out, you'll see a couple of other boats fishing it so it'll be pretty obvious. Just head around the point from the launch going north and it's only 5 miles. You should be able to see the beachline and where the river flows into the ocean.

You can pick up herring at either Ashworth's Market (the first scummy little market as you come into North Bend on your left) or try Fred Meyers coming through coos bay. If you don't score there, the bandon waterfront has two or three bait shops in downtown by the boatlaunch that sell herring but I'm not sure what time they open though. Lepper might be able to help on that one.

As of the bottomfishing head out to the big pinnacle of rocks to the northwest. Pretty much anywhere in there you'll find fish and reefs all over. There's no secret to the area. Give me a call saturday night if you need to if this is confusing and I should have a good report. 541-751-1953. A buddy of mine landed 7 today. I'll hopefully have a few pics.

tc

Lepper · 11-01-2002, 09:43 PM

STill not sure if i'll make it down tailchaser.. going to try.. I know one bait shop opens at 6 am.. not sure what time the other one opens.... You'lll want to get bait from the shop that is furthwest west though.. they actually have some better bait... I might be able to hook you up with some better stuff if you need it. They only sell the quality stuff to the locals......
dave

Uglygreen · 11-02-2002, 03:45 PM

Well, wonderin what I missed? :depressed: You make it back yet tailchaser? Need a report for a go / no go decision for tommrrow!

UG

[ 11-02-2002, 04:47 PM: Message edited by: Uglygreen ]

tailchaser · 11-02-2002, 08:32 PM

Sorry for the late report. I had a nap after this day. Anyhoo, we caught all the bottomfish we cared to clean and didn't manage to land a chinookee. I was doing a lot of watching birds and what not and entrusted my accomplises to watch the rods. To say the least we missed a few bites. A couple to blame on my watch dogs and a couple to blame on the scotty herring clip. I comes with a large single hook that's supposed to trail at the tail of the herring. It doesn't sit in the bait at all. I have now proven, this is a bad design. I think after about 5 takedowns and nothing to show for it but a herring head left was enough proof for me.

In all the fish are there, we just didn't connect. Watched several other boats land fish, it just wasn't our day on the silver backs. Good luck to others that go out tomorrow. The ocean was absolutely flat. I averaged 35 mph on the way back. I also dang near ran over a grey whale also at cruising speed. That was a hairy incident. I couldn't figure out what in the heck this barnicaled rock was doing in the middle of nowhere?? As I zoomed up to it, it flipped a tail about 20' from the boat and gave us a good show. Definelty worth the day down there to go. Good luck

tc

tailchaser · 11-04-2002, 10:47 AM

Did anyone make it out on sunday????

tc

fishwhenican · 11-04-2002, 06:32 PM

Tailchaser We made the trip Sunday, and got 3 chinook. largest was 36# couldn't put the last one in the boat for anything. By the looks of the ocean and how close the warm water was I really wanted to go chase tuna, but no other boats to run with, so we fished for salmon and then put some bottom fish in the boat. I really wanted to conk some tuna, but my fishing partner said he would conk me if I didn't settle down and just fish for salmon.

Miss B Haven · 11-04-2002, 06:41 PM

fishwhenican - Sounds like a good trip even if you didn't get to chase the Albi's. I'd take a 36 lbr any day of the week (well 'cept Tunaday!)You'll be glad you got out at all based on the forecast of what's coming. Probably the last hoorah for anything in a while! :depressed:

fishwhenican · 11-04-2002, 06:59 PM

Miss B I am happy as a clam with the 36#'er I even real happy with the 28#'er that I caught. JUst-just -just -just tthhatt I wawawass sooo clclose to warm waaaaatter that I was quivering. I think that was when I got the fish club threat from my fishing buddy. Oh well I think I can wait. I may even have to go to the tunaholics next meeting, but that may only make it worse.

tailchaser · 11-04-2002, 08:32 PM

Glad to hear you slammed some fish. I love fishing out of that place. It's so untouched it's unreal. Not only is the tuna spot pretty close but in the spring, the halibut hole is only 19 miles from port. Were the fish nice and bright?? A buddy of mine landed one out there that was pitch black?? He said it even looked spawned out. Pretty wierd.

tc