Any butt reports from Neah Bay this weekend?

I got 2 last weekend at neah, and one this weekend at Port Angeles. (40, 40, 25lb's so far...)

Whoops! Here is what I wanted to ask. Can you tell us where at Neah you caught those Elkrun? A freind wants to take his 16' Duroboat out there in late May. Any where to far from shore seems to big of water for such a small boat. Have to pay extra close attn. to the weather in a boat like this. What do you think?

Long time reader, first time poster. I enjoy reading the board and appreciate all info. I have taken in over the past few months.

Any other reports from the East Straights. We were considering launching at Keystone and heading to Smith Island.

Also, what do you think the odds are of holding bottom on the big tide swing this weekend? It's about a 12' swing. Should we skip it and find another weekend?

This is my first tirp out for Halibut, so any advice would be appreciated.

Fished of of westport on sunday. We managed 3 chickens and a ling for the days efforts.

Out of Neah I went to tabletop. it was about 30 miles each way. I wouldn't do it at all in a 16 footer. Consider fishing out of Port Angeles or Sekiu. The spot I hit saturday is about 5 miles from Ediz hook. If you really want to do Neah, stop in at big salmon and ask for some coordinates for spots close in. They will help you. If you want to fish near PA, let me know and I'll email you coordinates.

You can do it, depending on how much weight you want to fish with. I would wait for another weekend, I dont think the eastern strait will likely hit the quota quickly, if at all. The weather is supposed to be crummy from the forecast, however, they'll change that ten times before the weekend. good luck.

Thanks elkrun - I appreciate the advice. Unfortunatly, if we are smart we will bag it for this weekend.

If we make it out this season and the weather cooperates, we may run up as far as P.A. I will email you asking for the coordinaces you reference above if you don't mind.

What is your opinion, or anyone's, about halibut fishing in the East Straights? Waste of time? Is Partridge, Dallas, or Smith Bank the best choice, or is there a better place to go?

Thanks

Got back from Neah Bay Friday night after a four day trip there. Did well on lings and rock cod. Pounded our way out to the coordinates given to us at Big Salmon for Swiftsure on wed. All we got were big true cod before we headed back to tatoosh for lings and black rockfish. After talking to people moored next to us we found out we were 5 miles north of where they were catching halibut. Went out again friday morning and limited in a couple of hours. Lots of fish being boated. The charters were fishing the halibut area S.W. of Cape Flattery.

Jeff Dodd, to your question of the tide swings. We used to fish Partrich bank south of Smith Island alot and never had much problem holding contact with the bottom and we used to fish 180ft down. If the tide became a problem we would use the motor to back into the current and stay on bottom. You had to watch the tide change on those big swings though. Have seen it go from flat to 8 - 10 ft breaking swells. Not really a problem as long as you were careful. Never really caught too many halibut there either but then we were after rockcod. Eastern bank or Hein Bank would probably be better for halibut. Knew some guys that would use their downriggers to get their setups to the bottom.

Chaser Im glad you replied. I too, was gonna get my coordinates from big salmon. Can you reply or email me with the coordinates.
petosa@attbi.com

mines tired

Is there any decent halibut fishing around Port Townsend?

Dallas Bank just outside of Discovery Bay can be good and just across the channel are Eastern and Hien bank. Also the area just east of Keystone produces halibut. Some of the largest butts I've seen caught on the east end have come out of there. That area is an early season show as the halibut start moving out April & May

Chaser,
The area you are referring to East of Keystone. Is that the bay there, Admirlty Bay, between Keystone and Lagoon Point? Can you be more specific with where in the bay?

FISHIN! - Mutiney Bay can be good, so I hear. It is on the West Side of Whidbey, across from Foulweather Bluff.

JEFF THAT IS THE BAY. There is a hole about the middle of the bay. Sorry I cant be more specific as I dont have any numbers for it . You should be able to find it on a good chart. I'll be trying mutiny bay later this week weather permitting.

Thanks guys. Now that I have become somewhat knowledgeable about catching salmon in the sound I am ready to try another area of complete incompetence.

a few years back my stepdad caught a 54 pound butt in mutiney bay

I fished out of La Push on Friday and Saturday, the 9th and 10th of May.

Lots of boats had been trying the newly-opened "tabletop" area between Neah Bay and La Push, but it turned out to be not-so-great fishing there, the Neah Bay charter boats have been doing better at Blue Dot and 72 Square. The La Push boats are fishing further south, about 30 miles out... which, by the way, is NOT a place to be in a small (less than 24-26ft) boat... I was really suprised by the size of some of the boats out there, if a south storm were ever to blow up, lots of those small boats would really be in trouble, and I don't think a lot of them would make it back to the beach... keep in mind that fishing 30 miles offshore in May is MUCH different than fishing 7 miles offshore in August... which is risky enough.

Long story short, the halibut fishing out there was great, limits for everyone on 25-60lb fish, but if you don't have the right boat or the skills to go out there and come back safely, DON'T... play it safe and get a spot on a charter boat, there are plenty of them to go around, and no fish is worth losing your life for.

For updated reports on the rest of Neah Bay and the Straits, check out the SalmonU fishing reports page.

-N.