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.