What else is caught on a Halibut trip?

tady · 03-22-2003, 10:08 PM

Hi:

Well I signed up on a charter to go fishing for Halibut on May 8th.
Is there a lot of "By-catch" during a Halibut trip, I noticed some peaple mentioning Ling cod and Goldeneye caught during a halibut trip. How frequently does this occur, Is Salmon ever caught on a Halibut trip?

Tady

corrirod · 03-22-2003, 10:33 PM

That's about the sum of it. Lings, yelloweye, maybe a Hake, and Hali's. No Salmon that I've ever heard of.

You could've probably hitched a ride with one of the Salty Dogs. Still could I'm sure.

Snapset · 03-22-2003, 11:09 PM

I've got Chinook while fishing for Halibut over the Rockpile. I have also caught a bunch of Yelloweye and a few Canaries, along with the ubiquitous and tasty Lings. Even got a Bocaccio a few years back that was almost as good as the Halibut. However, do not keep any Yelloweye or Canary's this year if you are landing Halibut. It is a ticket. The Deckhands will tell you what you can and cannot keep. For the rest of us, Better study the regs.

I am thinking of using a lot bigger bait for Halibut to keep the rockfish from eating my herring and me having to crank them up from 35 fathoms to die on the surface. I have had Halibut eat 20" Lings that were unfortunate enough to eat my Herring. Maybe I'll try a Shad. Anyone tried to catch Halibut on this?

Mr. Fisherman · 03-23-2003, 02:01 AM

It usually goes something like this. Species #1 Halibut, Species #2 bottom fish, sable fish (True Cod) and more Halibut if your buddies haven't hooked up and limited on Halibut. On to species #3 Salmon, then Species #4 Bottom Fish and Ling then Species #5 Crab. This year some of us are even going to try for Shrimp, talk about a grand slam.
To answer your question about by-catch. We have caught Sable Fish, Yellow Eye, Canary Rock Fish, Skate, Blue Shark, Salmon, and Ling Cod while Halibut fishing. You just never know. It depends on your rig as to what the window of opportunity is for bycatch species. If you want to limit yourself to Halibut use very large baits. Shad will work but my go to bait is two or three Herring on a 16/0 Circle hook with about 1/4 spool of stretchy thread to eleviate the 800 foot bait check. If you are fishing shallower, say at the Rock Pile for Halibut, using a mooching rig with a plug cut or whole Herring opens up a lot of possibilities. That was the rig used to catch the 78# fish from our Bad Halibut trip. Imagine a 78# halibut on a Salmon rod with 30# test line :shocked: It was incredible to see first hand.
Enjoy yourself out there and try to take it easy on the Yellow Eye. If too many are caught as by-catch it could adversley effect our fishing opportunities in the future. Go big with your bait and catch a big Halibut.
Let us know how you do.
By the way, which charter are you going with?

[ 03-23-2003, 03:05 AM: Message edited by: Mr. Fisherman ]

Capin' Dan · 03-23-2003, 05:27 AM

Tady depending on whom you are fishing with in the spring it is usually a halibut and then come home. On the smaller baots like the Irish she may stop and put a ling or two in the boat for you. On the big boats that pack 200 people on them it is get your halibut and get home. In the fall however I know the Irish comes home often with a limit of Halibut and big king salmon and possibly lings as well. I recommend staying with the small boats like the Irish it is just nice when there are six people on board instead of 20.

Mr. Fisherman · 03-23-2003, 07:00 AM

Tady, Capin' Dan is right. On a charter it is typically get your money fish and return. I hope I didn't get you too excited. I know that most Salty Dogs are still compiling their crew list for this coming season. It's not too late to ask for an open seat and while the typical donation to the boat and fuel is similar to a charter there are more target species most of the time. On the other side of the coin the charters will likely get out in a bigger sea. I'm not sure that is a plus as for me it is not nearly as much fun to fish when you can hardly stand up. If the wind waves and swell add up to more than 10 my boat isn't going.
There are lots of great charters. Search this board for a few of them.

Threemuch · 03-23-2003, 09:39 AM

Last year we caught an Arrowtooth flounder, AKA Turbot, about 10 pounds.

corrirod · 03-23-2003, 12:09 PM

Sorry Tady, I should've elaborated a little more. I was just thinking about you on a typical charter boat. The bycatch will also vary by the location you're fishing in. If you go out of Tillamook you really can't expect much else other than the lings and yelloweye I stated above. Other locations like the Rockpile offer a variety of fish, including salmon.

tailchaser · 03-24-2003, 07:34 AM

Last year on my boat we had our limit of hali's, 4 monster lings, one chinook (lost three others at the boat), and 24 ocean crab from three pots we threw out on the way out. Pretty incredible day. We even lost an octopus next to the boat that was about 4' long. That would've been a cool additive to the box. As of your shad question, I use them almost exclusively out there. They stay on like a piece of rubber and I can use other stuff with them like squid and a herring. But if anything if you loose your other bait on a bite the shad will stay on until the very end and may get that fish to take another chomp at your hook.

tc

Sensei-san · 03-24-2003, 08:21 AM

Depending on the charter operation some, like the other posters have mentioned, will just go for the "money" fish but others will stay a little longer and fish for other things. Charters have to know the regulations on take.

BUT it is very important to realize that there are limitations on the types of rockfish that can be kept with halibut. No Goldeneye or Canary Rockfish can be retained with halibut on board.

Halibut fishing was in danger of being closed down due to the rockfish crisis, and recreational anglers like Pilar argued before the PFMC to allow us to fish if we did not directly target rockfish while fishing for halibut.

There will be regulations posted on the ODFW page before the season opens on what can be taken while halibut fishing.

tady · 03-24-2003, 08:45 PM

Thanks for all the information. I am going out of Garabaldi on the Norwester. Newport seemed to be a bit of a drive from Portland, and I did not want to pay for a hotel stay in Newport right now.
I am going to save my begging

for an open seat on an Ifisher Salty Dog Boat when the tuna show up.

Tady

Miss B Haven · 03-25-2003, 08:46 AM

tady - the Norwester is a good boat and fast (as far as charters go). I've been out on her for bottom fish way up off Cannon beach. I wouldn't be surprized if they head up that way for the halibutts too! Skippers name was Jim at that time (it's been a few too many years to remember last neam), and he was a great skipper and a great guy to fish with. I'm sure you'll have a good time. Get me some numbers while your out there! If you go NW I can make that run out of the CR. I've got some ideas about where to try Hali's but it would be nice to have a known spot just in case! :grin:
The CR guys are pretty zipperlip about this! [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img]

tady · 03-25-2003, 09:13 PM

I will bring my hand held GPS and get some numbers for you.

Tady

tag-a-long · 03-26-2003, 06:05 AM

Skate.................

I still can't get over that beast. Over 5 feet long and 90 pounds....