Good start to the season

[lokidog]

Yesterday, my first drop of the day yielded up a nice 28 1/2" Lingcod.  I went to a spot where I have gotten some Cabezon before and landed another legal sized Ling that was sent back in as well as one rockfish. Unfortunately, my rockfish tagging tool was not working. I did catch a 13" Staghorn Sculpin that was added to the deep fryer.

Today, between ferrying people back and forth from Lopez, I fished a bit.  My first drop I caught another legal sized, but just barely, Lingcod.  He was pretty scrawny so I tossed him back.  I caught two more small ones, one was a nice greeny, and then moved to another spot where I have caught some in the past.  My second drift through there I hooked up and landed a monster Cabezon, 30 1/2" and 18 pounds.  Apparently the WA record is only 23 pounds. I only caught one rockfish also.  It is quite the nice ratio, five lings and a cabezon to two rockfish.

After school, my wife and I went out and caught only rockfish, four of them, before the rain and thunderstorm sent us packing.

[carpsniperg2]

Awesome My dad still raves over that ling I brought back home. Best cod we have ever ate!!!

[lokidog]

Awesome My dad still raves over that ling I brought back home. Best cod we have ever ate!!!

Always tastes better when you catch it yourself.   

[RB]

Wow nice fish! 

[carpsniperg2]

Awesome My dad still raves over that ling I brought back home. Best cod we have ever ate!!!

Always tastes better when you catch it yourself.   

I call him a cod snob now. Every time I cook cod now its like a tape recorder. "not half as good as the cod you caught with the huntwa guy"

[notellumcreek]

Nice work  That cabezon is a tank!

[jkthomps]

Sweet!

[lokidog]

Here is partly why she weighed so much.... It is surprising she bit my lure, I probably bonked her on the nose.

[bobcat]

Wow.... amazing!

[Ellensburg]

You are an inspiration to us all.

[Elk hunter4ever]

Every year I always look forward to seeing your pics of all the lingcod,cabezon,shrimp, etc... you and your son catch. I don't get out nearly as much as you do. Do you add any scent to that plastic scampi? Good luck to you this year and keep posting those pics! 

[lokidog]

Every year I always look forward to seeing your pics of all the lingcod,cabezon,shrimp, etc... you and your son catch. I don't get out nearly as much as you do. Do you add any scent to that plastic scampi? Good luck to you this year and keep posting those pics! 

No scents.  These fish are pretty much ambush predators, especially the lings. I've always had good luck with the rubber tails and it is better to lose a $3 lure than a $10 one.  Also, I can change the weight of the lure more easily for conditions.

[Hilltop123]

Nice haul, your 13" staghorn is what looks like an Irish Lord, did it have 4 rows of scales running the length of it's back? Nice Cabezon, good eats right there! I believe a Cabezon's natural prey are crabs, but like all predatory fish, they are opportunist at heart. Keep up the great work, I miss the saltwater and envious. 

[Cap.Silver]

Way to go Ed . All you need now is one nice hali.

[lokidog]

Went out yesterday for shrimp, only got 3/4 of a two person limit.  First pot had 101 spot shrimp in it so I tossed one small spot and a bunch of big coonstripes back.  The next three pots had all moved about a quarter mile and had a total of 24 shrimp including coonstripes.  Still can't figure out why these three would have moved with the little current out there. Each pot had 12-15 pounds of weight in it.

We landed 9 Rockfish and one short ling.

The sea conditions were not the most fun, my passenger was definitely glad to get back to shore.    

Still might try for the halibut on Thursday.

[RB]

We hit Lopez on Saturday as well, really rough on the way out but, did get a little better at tide change. Had an absolute horrible time with my lines and were not getting the numbers we have in the past. We did scratch out four limits but it took all day 8-4. Did not even get a chance to fish due to gear troubles and water conditions.

Keep the Ling pictures coming that is awesome love the blue ones.

[lokidog]

We hit Lopez on Saturday as well, really rough on the way out but, did get a little better at tide change. Had an absolute horrible time with my lines and were not getting the numbers we have in the past. We did scratch out four limits but it took all day 8-4. Did not even get a chance to fish due to gear troubles and water conditions.

Keep the Ling pictures coming that is awesome love the blue ones.

I didn't even suggest a second soak as my guy might have mutinyed at that point.   

[RB]

We hit Lopez on Saturday as well, really rough on the way out but, did get a little better at tide change. Had an absolute horrible time with my lines and were not getting the numbers we have in the past. We did scratch out four limits but it took all day 8-4. Did not even get a chance to fish due to gear troubles and water conditions.

Keep the Ling pictures coming that is awesome love the blue ones.

I didn't even suggest a second soak as my guy might have mutinyed at that point.   

Yeah my son did ok but on the third set I had to re-bait and about 30 seconds after I cracked the lid and that beautiful aroma went wafting through boat that was it. Told him not to worry about getting any on the boat it will wash off and later told him stories of when I was his age and having the same thing happen in the swells out on the straights. Gotta love a good adventure 

[gasman]

Nice 

Keep the pic coming 

[lokidog]

OK....

I was headed for a job and had about twenty minutes to kill.  Well, it only took twenty seconds.     Not a huge one, but legal at 26 3/4".

[Stein]

Very cool, look forward to getting up that way this year.

On the drifting pots, maybe some kelp or wood moved through and picked them up?

[lokidog]

Pulled up two limits of shrimp yesterday, mostly by hand.... 

For some reason, my pot puller is drawing the battery down at least a volt and a half when just the breaker is turned on and the pot is not even going.   

We did manage to get one keeper ling at 29 1/2" thanks to my son working the engine so we could stay with the current. The wind always seemed to be opposite whatever current there was.

[Alchase]

Nice, those are some great looking prawns.

[bobcat]

Good size ling, great picture too. Must have been a nice day to be out on the water.

[DaveMonti]

That's living the dream right there!  Man, am I envious!  Great pictures!

[lokidog]

I hate having to be on the water all the time....

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[gaddy]

We can tell by the scowl on your face 

[smdave]

We hooked into this one in your neighborhood yesterday.

[smdave]

Here is a small one 

[lokidog]

I like your measuring stick.  I just put a marker line on the floor of my old boat, but the new one doesn't have any good flat surfaces to put the nose of a fish against.

Hey, if any of you guys ever catch a Copper or Quillback Rockfish around the San Juans with a spaghetti tag on the dorsal fin, please measure it and record the location, then let me know. I've tagged about 55 of them in the last two years, and yes, I'm on a permit to do so.   

[lokidog]

Of course Lingcod season is over, in the Sound anyways.  I ended the season with twelve legal lings kept.

But, there is still fishing going on, Cabezon and Greenling are still open.

Went to town today for a lumber run, no wind and slow current made me think a couple of drifts might be good on the way home.  I switched to a smaller jig and moved in closer to the kelp hoping to get into something. Well, I landed one small Copper Rock, tag number 084, on my first drift and got a nice 22" Cabezon on my third, then headed home.

I don't think deep fried fresh Cabezon can be beat for eating, yum!

[JakeLand]

Yum !!! Some fun times

[Whitenuckles]

 Dude..... So jealous!!!

[Heartsblood]

Excellent! Thanks for posting, Loki!