The boy want's to bottom fish

[DoubleJ]

After watching top hooker, my oldest wants to go bottom fishing.  Only fished for sole off of Blake Island and that was 20+ years ago.  We are currently in Area 13.  Anyone familiar with a spot to go to pick up some legal bottom fish of size?  PM's welcome    Please keep in mind I have a 12ft fiberglass with 7.5hp motor so I am leery of going way out into open water

Also, if I stay in the legal range of 120ft or less, is there any chance I catch one of the illegal to catch rockfish?  There are so many colors and body styles with all the species that I am fearful of inadvertently keeping a fish I shouldn't.  As far as bottomfish goes, It looks like "Bottom fish as defined on page 10 of the regs" and Cabazon is all that is currently open.  New to this and looking for pointers.

Thanks

[Mfowl]

Unfortunately, in the Sound your reduced to fishing for flounders/sole as the only legal bottomfish right now. In the spring you can target ling cod but that season has passed. You could try for dogfish(sharks) if you just want to catch something. Use bait, like whole herring or herring chunks on a mooching rig. If your dead set on some bottomfish look into a charter out of Westport. They are reasonable in price and you'll get your fish. Not sure if they are all focusing on salmon/tuna right now though.

[DoubleJ]

Flounder would be fine if we could get a limit or two of non-wormy fish.  I seem to remember that flounder without worms were very hard to come by though

[Smossy]

Flounder would be fine if we could get a limit or two of non-wormy fish.  I seem to remember that flounder without worms were very hard to come by though

I've caught tons without worms. If you can make the trip out to the nisqually delta, there's a very good population of starry flounder out there. They get pretty good sized to.

[Mfowl]

I think the sand dabs have a tendency to be wormy. They're a left eye dominant flounder. If you can find a place to catch starry flounder ir rock sole you have a better chance at getting some good fillets. Starry's and rock sole are right eye dominant. I don't know why it make a difference but it seems to. I haven't been able to find any right eye dominat flounders in the Sound. I've only caught them in the Strait/ocean while fishing for halibut and other bottomfish.

[DoubleJ]

I'm guessing just cut herring on a leader and hook off of a 3 way swivel about a foot above a sinker?  Any depth recommendations?

[DoubleJ]

I think the sand dabs have a tendency to be wormy. They're a left eye dominant flounder. If you can find a place to catch starry flounder ir rock sole you have a better chance at getting some good fillets. Starry's and rock sole are right eye dominant. I don't know why it make a difference but it seems to. I haven't been able to find any right eye dominat flounders in the Sound. I've only caught them in the Strait/ocean while fishing for halibut and other bottomfish.

Eye dominance equates to what side of the fish both eyes are oriented when looking at the with the tail closest to you and the head pointing away, correct?

[h20hunter]

My go to bottom fish is a little cannonball on the line, a swivel, a few feet of leader and a pink and white small steelhead jig tipped with a bit of chicken or turkey from the crab bait. Just drag it along. My theory is it looks like a shrimp.

[Smossy]

I'm guessing just cut herring on a leader and hook off of a 3 way swivel about a foot above a sinker?  Any depth recommendations?

I just set my bait right on the bottom.

This is how I rig up, only thing different Is i put a bead inbetween my swivel and weight.

[DoubleJ]

Sinker weight?  We have 6'6" medium action (6-12lb line) ugly sticks with spinning reels

[h20hunter]

No idea....about the size of a marble for my rig....maybe a little bigger....

[Smossy]

Sinker weight?  We have 6'6" medium action (6-12lb line) ugly sticks with spinning reels

I use 12lb also, I use a 1oz pyramid, sometimes it moves though.
If you can find any weights like these ones, they really work awesome and sometimes u can get away with less weight.


I have a really hard time finding them though myself.

[Smossy]

No idea....about the size of a marble for my rig....maybe a little bigger....

Yeah when from a boat its alittle easier, you dont gotta really worry about the tides and waves crashing your gear around from shore like I do. Im speaking from shore experience so DoubleJ you could probably get away with alittle less weight. 3/4oz egg sinker

[DoubleJ]

Gotcha.  Thanks guys.

Nisqually is a bit far I think.  Maybe going to try Case Inlet

[Mfowl]

Left eye dominant = left eye centered in the head, right eye dominant = right eye cenetered in the head when looking from the angle you described. I would bring a variety of weights up to 3oz. In a boat you may be drifting with the tide fairly fast. A heavier weight may be needed to keep your bait down. Don't overlook nightcrawlers as well, they are cheap and stay on the hook well versus herring.

[Smossy]

Gotcha.  Thanks guys.

Nisqually is a bit far I think.  Maybe going to try Case Inlet

Cool man goodluck, post pictures. That same setup should get u fish just about anywhere. Small pieces of cooked/uncooked shrimp work also if bait fish is hard to come by.

[DoubleJ]

Depth?  do you recommend anchoring the boat or drifting?

[h20hunter]

I like to drift if it is a nice slow breeze or tide. I fish anywhere from 15 down....

[Smossy]

Left eye dominant = left eye centered in the head, right eye dominant = right eye cenetered in the head when looking from the angle you described. I would bring a variety of weights up to 3oz. In a boat you may be drifting with the tide fairly fast. A heavier weight may be needed to keep your bait down. Don't overlook nightcrawlers as well, they are cheap and stay on the hook well versus herring.

Good point, I always forget about the good ol nightcrawlers, They never fail to put something in the boat, even if its sculpin

[Fishaholic]

Sinker weight?  We have 6'6" medium action (6-12lb line) ugly sticks with spinning reels

I use 12lb also, I use a 1oz pyramid, sometimes it moves though.
If you can find any weights like these ones, they really work awesome and sometimes u can get away with less weight.


I have a really hard time finding them though myself.

why not make your own? I do and they work great.

[DoubleJ]

How many hooks can I use per line? 

[Smossy]

How many hooks can I use per line? 

3 I think.

[Smossy]

Sinker weight?  We have 6'6" medium action (6-12lb line) ugly sticks with spinning reels

I use 12lb also, I use a 1oz pyramid, sometimes it moves though.
If you can find any weights like these ones, they really work awesome and sometimes u can get away with less weight.


I have a really hard time finding them though myself.

why not make your own? I do and they work great.

Because I dont have molds lol.

[Smossy]

How many hooks can I use per line? 

3 I think.

Nvm, 1 line, 2 hooks.

[Doc Sauce]

I really appreciate this thread.

This will be year 3 of not being successful.  Took my older 2 (6 1/2 and out yesterday.  7 hours, 1 keeper.  It was a flounder and we ate it... THE KIDS LOVED IT.   So now we are trying to target Flounder as our primary fish.   I really REALLY hope we can break this dry spell.  I'm really tired of my kids saying, "Well... at least we tried Daddy..."

Thanks for the info y'all.

[Gobble Doc]

I used squid strips this weekend and it worked great.  Stayed on the hook better than herring.  Good luck.

[Smossy]

Heres a cool little setup to.

It sits on the bottom, but floats your boat just a bit.

[Fishaholic]

Sinker weight?  We have 6'6" medium action (6-12lb line) ugly sticks with spinning reels

I use 12lb also, I use a 1oz pyramid, sometimes it moves though.
If you can find any weights like these ones, they really work awesome and sometimes u can get away with less weight.


I have a really hard time finding them though myself.

why not make your own? I do and they work great.

Because I dont have molds lol.

make onne out of a 2x2. drill a hole  take wire put in 2x2  mellt the lead dump it into your "mold" and you got your self a homemade mold. lead is 60 cents a pound right now.

[Smossy]

Sinker weight?  We have 6'6" medium action (6-12lb line) ugly sticks with spinning reels

I use 12lb also, I use a 1oz pyramid, sometimes it moves though.
If you can find any weights like these ones, they really work awesome and sometimes u can get away with less weight.


I have a really hard time finding them though myself.

why not make your own? I do and they work great.

Because I dont have molds lol.

make onne out of a 2x2. drill a hole  take wire put in 2x2  mellt the lead dump it into your "mold" and you got your self a homemade mold. lead is 60 cents a pound right now.

Does it pull out of the wood easy though? and where do you find raw lead blocks? Being as I go through crap crap loads of lead during salmon season on cannonballs, Doesn't sound like a bad idea.

[Ripper]

I like to drift in 30-80 feet of water. I use a 3 oz weight, 2-3 foot leader a pink mini squid and #1 hook. I like squid because it stays on the hook a long time. Me and a buddy of mine drifted for about 1 1/2 hours during shrimp season and must have caught 50 of the things. We kept the biggest 12 and released the rest.

[Fishaholic]

Yeah you take and let the lead harden and then smack them out. The wood holds up well.

[sirmissalot]

Sinker weight?  We have 6'6" medium action (6-12lb line) ugly sticks with spinning reels

I use 12lb also, I use a 1oz pyramid, sometimes it moves though.
If you can find any weights like these ones, they really work awesome and sometimes u can get away with less weight.


I have a really hard time finding them though myself.

why not make your own? I do and they work great.

Because I dont have molds lol.

make onne out of a 2x2. drill a hole  take wire put in 2x2  mellt the lead dump it into your "mold" and you got your self a homemade mold. lead is 60 cents a pound right now.

Where are you finding lead for 60 cents a pound? I'd buy a few hundred pounds worth if thats the case...

I've never heard of using wood as a lead mold. Molten lead is pretty hot, would smoke like crazy and catch fire... I only know because I've dripped some on a wooden stool once.

[Smossy]

Yeah you take and let the lead harden and then smack them out. The wood holds up well.

Gives me a good idea for making coil style lead for salmon.
Going to just take a 2x4. Drill a hole about 2 feet down straight down into the wood, then split it in half on the saw. Put a few rubber bands around the 2x4 to hold them together, Poor the lead down the mold, open up. Bam instant 2 feet of lead noodle for crimping and fishing rivers.

[Smossy]

Sinker weight?  We have 6'6" medium action (6-12lb line) ugly sticks with spinning reels

I use 12lb also, I use a 1oz pyramid, sometimes it moves though.
If you can find any weights like these ones, they really work awesome and sometimes u can get away with less weight.


I have a really hard time finding them though myself.

why not make your own? I do and they work great.

Because I dont have molds lol.

make onne out of a 2x2. drill a hole  take wire put in 2x2  mellt the lead dump it into your "mold" and you got your self a homemade mold. lead is 60 cents a pound right now.

Where are you finding lead for 60 cents a pound? I'd buy a few hundred pounds worth if thats the case...

I've never heard of using wood as a lead mold. Molten lead is pretty hot, would smoke like crazy and catch fire... I only know because I've dripped some on a wooden stool once.

Harder woods would work fine I imagine. More resilient.

[Fishaholic]

the scrap yard in my town has lead for 60 cents a pound.

Ya you can do that smossy I have done it before. screws work alot better

[Doc Sauce]

Wait a minute now...

I thought you could only keep 2 of each species for "other foodfish" in the bottomfish section of the rigs. 

Did I misread that?

 

I like to drift in 30-80 feet of water. I use a 3 oz weight, 2-3 foot leader a pink mini squid and #1 hook. I like squid because it stays on the hook a long time. Me and a buddy of mine drifted for about 1 1/2 hours during shrimp season and must have caught 50 of the things. We kept the biggest 12 and released the rest.

[h20hunter]

Year-round season. Daily limit is a total of 15 BOTTOMFISH (see definition page 10) regardless of species,
subject to individual limits and seasons shown below. See Tulalip Bay closure on prev...........

[DoubleJ]

Wait a minute now...

I thought you could only keep 2 of each species for "other foodfish" in the bottomfish section of the rigs. 

Did I misread that?

 

I like to drift in 30-80 feet of water. I use a 3 oz weight, 2-3 foot leader a pink mini squid and #1 hook. I like squid because it stays on the hook a long time. Me and a buddy of mine drifted for about 1 1/2 hours during shrimp season and must have caught 50 of the things. We kept the biggest 12 and released the rest.

Flounder, rock sole, etc. are named bottom fish (listed on page 10).  Other food fish are fish not described anywhere else in the regs.  I think.....

[Doc Sauce]

Wait a minute now...

I thought you could only keep 2 of each species for "other foodfish" in the bottomfish section of the rigs. 

Did I misread that?

 

I like to drift in 30-80 feet of water. I use a 3 oz weight, 2-3 foot leader a pink mini squid and #1 hook. I like squid because it stays on the hook a long time. Me and a buddy of mine drifted for about 1 1/2 hours during shrimp season and must have caught 50 of the things. We kept the biggest 12 and released the rest.

Flounder, rock sole, etc. are named bottom fish (listed on page 10).  Other food fish are fish not described anywhere else in the regs.  I think.....

That is where the confusion was.  I saw that line about the bottomfish, but then saw the "other food fish" line... so I was under the impression we were limited to 2 per species.  Per the regs... 

"Other Food Fish When used in this pamphlet,
this refers to species which occur in our waters
irregularly, usually in coastal areas during the
summer months and includes barracuda, white
sea bass, bonito, yellowtail, and pomfret."

So am I to understand that, since flounder and these other bottomfish are common to the sound, that they do not fall under the "other food fish" category and so I can haul in buckets and buckets of these things if I take my kids??

Good to go gentlemen, good to go!! 

[h20hunter]

In a nutshell. Yes. I keep almost all I catch for crab bait. Usually between the two or three of us crabbing we get pretty close to our limit on a decent day.

[DoubleJ]

If the fish is named on Page 10 of the regs in the Bottom Fish section, it's not "Other food fish" is my understnding

[Doc Sauce]

Awesome.

I'm not sure why I am getting excited.  Just because my family can keep these fish (and really like to eat em) does not mean we will actually be catching them.

But it's nice to know that should we find our way into a field of flounders... we go home to a feast.

[Gobble Doc]

So far I've kept for crab bait.  If one isn't wormy I'd like to cook it. 

[Mfowl]

Bey DoubleJ, did you ever go out and put these methods to the test? How was the fishing? Did you find any sole, just sand dabs?