What month to have boat out of commission?

Waterfish · 01-09-2003, 06:50 PM

I've only been a boat owner for a little over a year and a half, and have yet to fish for sturgeon or salmon (I may be sturgeon fishing this weekend). I don't want to miss any of the best fishing seasons, such as for keeper sturgeon or springers. I want to do some more restoration on my boat, which is a 17.5 cuddy cabin (1964 Glasspar Seafair Sedan). The work I want to do is purely cosmetic (refinishing some mohagany and repainting the motorwell). I will need to pull both motors to restore the motorwell, and I think the work will take about a month (working on it on weekends). Since this work isn't critical, what time of year would be best to NOT have my boat ready for fishing?

Hogmaster · 01-09-2003, 06:51 PM

Any month that ends with "Z"

:grin:

Hogmaster · 01-09-2003, 07:04 PM

OK, I'll give it a (real) shot:

Given you have a cuddy that lends itself best for Columbia/Willamette fishing, you might want to target June for your work.

Now is getting good for Sturgeon (through Feb)
Springers are right around the corner after that until May.
Shad are great fun and super bait for crab or gators, but the mid-June on until August gets r4elatively quiet for boat fishing. The sturgeon fishery will be C&R then anyway...

But you want it back in comission in August for Buoy 10 and the URBs!

That's when I would do it anyway....

Green Machine · 01-09-2003, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Not have my boat ready for fishing.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">What? :shocked:
You said it Hog :grin:

Depends if you have a big shop or not. Doesn't sound like fun refinishing this time of year outside.

Green Machine

Green Machine · 01-09-2003, 07:10 PM

What about the diamonds in the estuary Hog?\

Green Machine

Hogmaster · 01-09-2003, 07:13 PM

Good point, GM.

But he has to do the work sometime, right? I still bet it will be C&R. If you are willing to wait and have the indoors option next October/November would be probably be the best time for your boat to be down. By then you'll probably have to get all the salt wounds out anyway!

Mojo · 01-09-2003, 07:21 PM

Just make sure you have a ride set up with a buddy when your boat is down. Offer him a ride anytime he has to do maintenance on his. Ought to work out well for both of you.

Post pics when you are done. I always love classic boats!

crabbait · 01-09-2003, 08:27 PM

December. MuHahahahahahahahahah!

January-February: Sturgeon
March through November: Salmon

OR recruit ifish buddies with promises of boat rides and do it in a weekend!

Waterfish · 01-09-2003, 09:21 PM

Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like I better wait for a while, I sure don't want to miss the best keeper sturgeon or springer fishing. Hogmaster, what does URBs stand for? Green Machine, I do have a shop, and I always keep the boat inside when I'm not using it, so restoration in bad weather is no problem. Mojo, I will post some photos of the completed job when it's done. So far I have restored from the bow, working my way back towards the stern, which is the last area I need to restore. Here is a link to my first post, with photos of the boat:
http://www.ifish.net/cgi-local/ultim...c;f=1;t=018246 Scroll down through the post: there are two photos.

[ 01-09-2003, 10:24 PM: Message edited by: Waterfish ]

Hogmaster · 01-09-2003, 09:35 PM

Ahh, yeah, I remember your post. The boat's a beaut!!!

URBs are UpRiverBrights. The Chinook that make their way up the Columbia in the late summer. Big pigs that most fish for while sitting on anchor.

For detailed instructions see ******. :grin:

crabbait · 01-09-2003, 09:44 PM

Hog would tell you WHERE to see ****** but 'nook would probably beat him to death with one of last years salmon carcasses. [img]graemlins/icon_argue.gif[/img]

dogfishboy · 01-09-2003, 10:30 PM

Hog, He won't want to miss steelhead fishing on the Columbia in June and July. Don't forget the summer chinook we got to fish for last year in June and July too. Those were some NICE fish.

Cool boat and a belated welcome Waterfish. I missed your original post and pics. You'll get a lot of enjoyment out of that baby.

Looks like you'll need to wait until next October and November for down time. :grin:

bigshark · 01-09-2003, 11:07 PM

Now til the first week in March,

Fishplay · 01-10-2003, 12:51 AM

I'm with BigShark. Do it now. Right Now! You have till the first- last of march before the smelt run shows in any numbers. They were late last couple years now.

bait boy · 01-10-2003, 08:12 AM

I concur with the last 2 guys do it right now and you still get feb-march to do sturgeon and april may for springers and then shad.....

Pilar · 01-10-2003, 08:23 AM

Doing it right now! The summer is for the saltwater and Sturgeon is going to take off soon.

So far I have all the cover boards sanded and ready for some more urethane. The outdrive is in the shop getting the cavitation plate fixed. The windshield mounting is being replaced and one of the side curtains on the top needs a repair.

I wouldn't even consider doing this in the summer. December - January is the best time to take a boat down for repairs.

Jan - Mar. Sturgeon
Feb - Mar. First bottom fish trip
Mar.- May. Salmon, shad
May. Halibut
June. Halibut, Rockpile chinook
July-Sept. Tuna, Tuna, Tuna! (mmm maybe Halibut)
Aug-Oct. Coast Salmon
Nov. Sturgeon

SureSet · 01-10-2003, 08:31 AM

Obviously, it's the month you tag out for the year!

SureSet

Waterfish · 01-10-2003, 05:42 PM

Sounds like there is a window of a few weeks between now and when the sturgeon fishing gets better -- I think I will go for it and try to get the work finished, and have the boat back on the water by the first week of February. Thanks for helping to sort this out!