Getting excited for the ling opener

[schu7498]

I know the late hatchery steel are still coming in along with the big ol nates. But I am getting super excited for the ling season soon to begin. Fishing off the Jetty is my all time favorite. We pretty much have the Westport Jetty dialed in. Cant beat catching a limit of bottom fish and lings and only spending money on gas and food. The best part is you cant predict what fish you will catch next. We have caught salmon, ling cod, rockfish, greenling, and cabezon all off the jetty. We primarily stick to the jig heads with grubs, but those banjo minnows slay. Its all about trying to predict where the base of the rocks start and getting your jig as close as possible. Then you just jig your grub a few times and let it sit. The lings cant help themselves when they see a juicy grub sitting there all helpless, they swim out of their hole and pick it up just like a bass. I hope to meet some of you folks out there! Almost time to start stocking up on tasty white meat!

[natetreat]

I don't get to make it out there as much as I used to, but I love it out there too! Although the stormy days and waves over the top the jetty I'll pass. Some times at the beginning of the season the weather can get pretty bad.

[rcthepirate]

Totally forgot about the banjo minnow...

[rockjiggr]

How do you fish the banjo at the jetty? Do you use weight?

[The Quadfather]

Schu7498,

Can you tell me about the Jetty, in terms of would you say that it is a reasonably safe enviroment for a couple of 14 y/o boys? I've been on some jetties where you are constantly hopping rocks, and many of them are unstable with no where to really sit or stand on level concrete slabs.
Or do you feel like this one is more stable and you aren't constantly standing on weird angled pieces of concrete?
Thx. ( I am the dad.. not the 14 y/o)

[schu7498]

I fish the banjo minnow two ways. Either i slide it onto the jig head sideways so when you jig it, it looks like a wounded baitfish or on a mootching leader like a herring 3-4ft from a canonball sinker, and jig that up and down. The soft wiggly bodies of the banjo minnow creates a lot of tail action with even the slightest jigging motion. Quadfather, the westport jetty is totally do able for 14 year old boys. There is a lot of rock hopping. The rocks are giant so i havent found any unstable ones except for smaller rocks closer to shore. The only thing is they are big rocks so they arent going to be completely flat. First time you go out there dont go past your physical limits. Figure out the reasonible distance you guys can handle and bring water. Try to give yourself around an hour to get out and in. Once you try it out youll better understand how much time it takes you guys and how much energy you expend. If you guys every make a trip out there lemme know i might be able to get out there too and kinda show you the ropes. Its a great fishery cause once you get it figured out the catching is very consistant.

[Fish-or-man?]

I'll be out there Sunday and Monday! Probably won't be in town in time for the incoming tide on the Saturday opener though.

Last year was the best fishing I've seen off the jetty since I was in high school, quantity-wise (about 10 years). Hopefully it's similar this year!

[racfish]

About 4-7 years ago we had a Lingfest out of Deception Pass Park. It was 3-5 days of camping and linging out in the salt. It was a very good and fun thing to do.It was husbands, wives, singles and kids . It was a fun family weekend. On the last night we had a huge fish fry and dinner party.I miss linging.
My question on this jetty is how far out on the jetty are you fishing. Are all rock formation good . I know a guy who dives that jetty for lingers. Do divers gum up the works?

[fear_no_fish]

My dad, one of his buddies and me have a few camping trips for the opener of lings out of deception pass. We used to fish a lot of the season up there. One of my favorite places to be.
When im lucky my birthday falls on a saturday and i get to go ling fishing for my birthday, sunny weather and linging on your birthday in the san juans is always a blast.
I cant wait to find a big old linger this year! Even though the smaller ones fry up better

[schu7498]

Wish I had a boat I could ling fish in! Unfortunately I am stuck to the jetty, but lucky me at least I get to fish. You can catch lings off of both sides of the Jetty, the biggest ones I have caught have been river side, but I hit way more lings and bigger rock fish from the ocean side. We have caught lings pretty close to shore, close as in, in the waves. But usually we walk just outside where the waves break and start fishing from there. Might be maybe a 1/4 mile out. I havent found any special rock formations that the lings hold in, they are pretty much everywhere. If youre fishing a moving lure its more important to get it as close to the rocks as possible, but if you jig and let it sit on the outside of the rocks theyll come out and grab it. I havent seen any divers when I have been there, but you do have to watch out for the seals and the occasional crab pot ropes. Ive seen some kayak fishermen but most boats dont get close. Also we have had the orcas come by a few times.

[fear_no_fish]

That sounds like fun too. My dad said he used to fish jettys back in the day and catch tons of fish. His buddies and him would use there trout poles and ultra lights though. I could imagine the fun that it could bring haha

[ResQ]

So?! How did everyone do? I wasnt able to make it, as we are having a new fishing buddy next month and we have been busy getting ready for that I am planning on going out this weds though if anyones interested in meeting up. (weather permitting) Jetty fishing is my favorite. The only buzzkill is hooking a monster and watching it go away as its tough to net the ones that arent hooked! We see all size kids out there. A buddy and myself were fishing out on the old jetty (quite a ways out) and had a family of 5 pass up and keep going! Youngest looked to be about 6. pretty sketch if you ask me! Watch for slick rocks. That can create a nightmare as its like ice! And as Nate said, the waves get pretty gnarly in the first part of the season. We need a jetty picture thread!

[Fish-or-man?]

I went out Sunday and Monday. The bite wasn't really on, but it wasn't really off either. At least for me, it was a put it your time and stay mobile-type of trip. Fairly poor weather Sunday too-- off and on wind/rain but still easily fishable. When we finally got into some fish Monday it was a lot closer to shore than I usually fish. My report should be popping up soon. Got a couple of rockfish dinners out of the trip at any rate!

[schu7498]

So it looks like the weather will be cooperating next week. I will probably be out on the Jetty Tuesday and Wednesday! Nothing better than 0% chance of rain and an overcast sky. Cant wait to slay some lings!

[ResQ]

Went out there today. Squal and sun with steady wind. Not even a single bite!

[schu7498]

Oh shoot! as I was driving to work in the sun today I was thinking about how nice it mustve been at the jetty! Sorry you didnt find a fish. The front pushing in yesterday and today probably didnt help the bite at all.

['OL GREY DOG]

the Teky Kid and i got hooked up with a boat ride out of Westport last week threw some guy at work.
1st time the Kid had crossed the bar with more than a 1ft wave. and it was pretty narly seas about 10 ft 'n wind about 10 all dayyyyy we had other guests on the boat puke'n before we rounded open sores and puked the whole time

well the skipper of the tub had some spots that the charters didnt hit so off we went
about a 2 hour run and the fish were bite'n we hit 3 diff "spots" and turned about
and hit 'em again then we headed home and it took over 3 hours to get bk and
the ride was rougher than a cob

me and the Kid both got a ling about 3ft and 1 a head smaller
along with the lingers we both brought home a limit of bass
some of the biggest/nicest i've ever caught
we did a lil fish'n for the boat and sent the pukers and crew
home with some fish too
the skipper wouldnt even let us tip !!! when we got bk
what a trip the dang Kid has some good conections lol

keep ur heads low .... DOG

[schu7498]

Fished the Jetty yesterday. Just a taste of what we caught. Report to follow soon.

[Dan Boone]

^^Niiiiice^^

[Fishingadam]

Was that truly caught off the jetty. Wow. That's huge