Halibut West Coast

[fishbonkers]

Hi, All,
New to the forum, awed by the knowledge here! I am going to the West Coast with my father this July 16th, wondering how to get into some Halibut! We are running a 16'6" Hourston, GPS but no radar, and have heard the banks are the place to get 'em. Any advice? What about bait? I heard Octopus is good, what about herring? Are there regs on the gear you can use, such as weight size? Thanks for all and any advice!!!
Regards,
Carl aka fishbonkers

 

[scott craven]

I think the members need a better idea of where on the WCVI
you plan on fishing, then they can give you a better idea
of the hot hally spots and what is the best bait.

scotty

 

[fishbonkers]

Right, Scotty,
We are headed to Poett Nook. Was there 2 years ago end of August, but didn't try for Halibut...
fishbonkers

 

[chevyshaulass]

Banks are on fire that time of year but in a 16 foot boat???Thats almost askin for trouble. As for bait, I usually dont even bother, too hard to get away from the doggies. Go with the power bait grubs. They stink, and usually keep the dogs off.



Edited by - chevyshaulass on 04/17/2006 20:08:27

 

[fishbonkers]

what about a 5 mile bank? I have heard of one, is it accessible? Productive? Of course we will be limited by conditions, but figure fishing in closer for hali will not be worth the effort. Thoughts?

 

[nedarb2]

Although no it is not the safest, running out to swiftsure for the day as long as its not too wavy out i think would be fine. OYur chances of having something go wrong on one run is pretty slim, doing it all the time in that boat would be asking for trouble..if you kind of understand what i mean. On the east coast they consider 45+ miles off shore, up to that distnace ive heard people running 16' out..pretty crazy though in my opinion. Theres tonns of boats at swiftsure, just stay close to a pack and make some new friends for the day and they'll keep an eye on you <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

To fish or not to fish,
What a stupid question!
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish, and he will sit on a boat drinking beer for a life time
TGIF =Thank God It Floats

 

[Tsquared]

Make sure you have a working VHf and listen to the weather updates before you go and while you are out there. I personally do not go out on the bank in my 17 1/2 ft double eagle. I have spent years out on La perouse and Swiftsure commercial trolling and have seen wind come up so fast and so furious, you would be screwed in a 16 footer. No fish is worth dying for. There are lots of guys who go out several times a year to the bank and to Swiftsure in those size boats and claim its perfectly safe. It isn't.
T2



Edited by - tsquared on 04/17/2006 21:15:10

 

[fishbonkers]

thanks, Tsquared,
Any ideas of safer areas that we could try for Halibut? I know it's a tall order, but we really want to latch on to one. This is our first attempt... What about just outside the islands that run SW from Tzartus so we could run for shelter if necessary? Any hali as the floor deepens off those islands, or off Cape Beale?
Ahhh... need bigger boat...
fishbonkers

 

[fishin_magician]

Excellent advise Tsquared..yet each summer we see really dumb people doing just that, sneaking out where they shouldn't..then getting caught out there. I've fished a couple of bodies out of the water, fishermen in search of a catch...turns out they were the ones being fished.

NO fish is worth dying for. NO trip is worth taking that risk.

 

[nedarb2]

Jordan River might produce? or constance? Race Rocks?

To fish or not to fish,
What a stupid question!
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish, and he will sit on a boat drinking beer for a life time
TGIF =Thank God It Floats

 

[fishbonkers]

yeah, guys,
'tis good advice. I'm not reckless, and with the wife and kids at home I don't take unnecessary chances. So, back to the inner waters. I read that earlier in the year the Halibut can be had inside Barkley sound. What about in July? Any stragglers, or are we wasting our time?
We'll probably be doing some bottom fishing anyway. Oh, also, what about Yellow Eye Rockfish? What does one have to do to get into a few of them?
Thanks, guys.
fishbonkers

 

[fishbonkers]

thanks, Concerned Angler,
Where is "five mile"? Is it west of Poett Nook?
fishbonkers

 

[Eagle Eyes]

wouldnt be goin for yelloweyes, their in pretty rough shape these days.

try the channel in behind effingham or the rock piles of bamfield harbour mouth- not a lot of fish, but possibility of size.

 

[chevyshaulass]

whittlestone usually gives up a hali or 2 to the odd cutplugger. Saw a Bamfield local (moose) latch into something a few years back. Dragged his 16 foot boat in laps around the bay for 2+ hours. 30 boats stopped fishing to watch the fight. Finally, it either wrapped him around something or his reel seized from the pressure, and it broke off during an attempt to handline it. What a bummer. Never saw the fish.

 

[battaglino]

I would try Whittlestone. We use to pickup a Halibut just about every trip. There is also some great ling fishing near there. I agree with you Magic there are a lot of crazy fisherman out there in boats that are not seaworthy. Last year on every trip to Neah bay at least one person was hailing for help. None of them seem to have kickers or just don't check the before they go out. But maybe it is just a thining of of the herd. People that are stupid enough to fish Swiftsure in small boats probably should not reproduce.

Joey B.

 

[baddogg]

I picked one up a few years ago just outside Satellite Passage, trolling for Springs. It was early July.

As for the 5 mile bank, there are a ton of boats out there and on a sunny CALM day, stressing the word calm, you can still see land.

A 16 footer would be fine at that time. If you are staying at the Nook, make friends with someone going out and follow them around. Should be fine.

 

[scott craven]

2 years ago saw 2 guys in a 14' tin boat fly fishing
coho on swiftsure....
it was a nice day, but we thought they were nuts !

scotty

 

[chrome dome]

hehe I know that guy that was doin that crazy. Now hes guidin up at Big Time

 

[Even-tide]

I am curious, what makes a "sea worthy boat" some of the boys here clam 18 feet and under is not a sea worthy boat for the banks.No doubt it's serious out there. So what length of boat is considered sea worthy. So if you were out there and the weather goes sideways fast, what is it about a say 22 footer that makes you safer than a 18 footer. assuming all the safety equipment are on board both boats,floater suits, VHF, GPS with back up, radar, super bilge ect.
like to here it from the authorities



Edited by - even-tide on 04/18/2006 16:38:57

 

[chrome dome]

I think that beam width has a lot to do with it. I used to run a nineteen foot boston whaler out to the banks all the time. Now I run a twenty three to twenty five foot boats. Smaller boats get tossed around pretty easily. I'll tell you that bigger boats handle bigger water. There is obviously a line where the size of your boat wouldn't matter but I hope that I never see that. Hopefully I'm listening to the weather report as I usually do.