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Happy Montaukers: It doesn't take much
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ContinuousWave Whaler Moderated Discussion Areas
ContinuousWave: The Whaler GAM or General Area
Happy Montaukers: It doesn't take much
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| Author | Topic: Happy Montaukers: It doesn't take much |
| elaelap |
posted 04-23-2012 08:47 PM ET (US)  
Early season salmon fishing is red hot south of San Francisco; further north we're getting them, but small and scratchy. Here's a shot of some Montauk fishermen inordinately happy with their barely legal "trout," caught yesterday six miles south of Bodega Bay harbor in 200 ft of water: http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b309/elaelap/Sundaysalmon005.jpg I got a slightly larger one as well as several "shakers" (under-limit fish), fishing alone for a couple of hours in that location. Rain's coming for the next few days; then back out for a -- hopefully -- more substantial king. Tony |
| domlynch |
posted 04-23-2012 09:52 PM ET (US)
Nice pic Tony, sure looks cold over there, here in Sydney right now it's beautiful and sunny in Autumn (Fall). Hope you knock 'em (the salmon) dead i.e. do well with the fishing.
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| gnr |
posted 04-23-2012 10:12 PM ET (US)
I'm not trying to be a smartass here. Just commenting on something I've wondered about. Why are the Pacific kings relatively small compared to Ontario kings? Its almost disappointing to get a king out of lake o smaller than 20 lbs and one generally doesn't start bagging until over 30 lbs. The fish in the pic looks like it would make a nice Champlain landlocked but not derby winner. Do you ever get into any 30+ pounders? |
| andygere |
posted 04-24-2012 01:59 AM ET (US)
Pacific Kings get plenty big, but most of the slugs don't seem to show up until later in the season. Here's a smattering of some fish I've landed this year and over the past few seasons. Perhaps they aren't worth bragging about, but they are caught on light tackle, using barbless hooks often in rough offshore conditions. They probably don't live up to the trophy transplant fish in the Great Lakes, but out here, we're still happy to catch them. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/andygere/Santa%20Cruz%20Salmon/ P4210470.jpg[\url] |
| andygere |
posted 04-24-2012 02:12 AM ET (US)
fixed links: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/andygere/Santa%20Cruz%20Salmon/ P4210470.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/andygere/Santa%20Cruz%20Salmon/ IMG_0595.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/andygere/Santa%20Cruz%20Salmon/ P4090115.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/andygere/Santa%20Cruz%20Salmon/ IMG_2306.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/andygere/Santa%20Cruz%20Salmon/ 793dae8b.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/andygere/Santa%20Cruz%20Salmon/ IMG_2289.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/andygere/Santa%20Cruz%20Salmon/ 01236d3c.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/andygere/Santa%20Cruz%20Salmon/ cd88b0b2.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/andygere/Santa%20Cruz%20Salmon/ IMG_2288.jpg |
| elaelap |
posted 04-24-2012 02:49 AM ET (US)
Here's a decent one for you: http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b309/elaelap/33_pounder.jpg |
| PeteB88 |
posted 04-24-2012 02:57 AM ET (US)
Andy - thanks for posting those photos. I grew up in the Great Lakes and fished and fish bummed hard back in the day before I moved to Oregon in early 80s. Fished and bummed hard out there too - big time. Back in the prime fishing days in Michigan the biggest claim to fame was the numbers and ease of catching a lot of fish every day. Chinook and Coho were bigger then too. There were five/day limits and the numbers were incredible. Ain't that way no more! My fishin pals and I were primarily river fishermen with occasional boat trips. We had tons of fun but when I moved to OR I had incredible days there too - and much more to the experience for many reasons. Michigan produces fish.... However, and I'll start the throwdown right now - there ain't no Great Lake salmon that can compare to what we Michigan and Minnesota transplants to PWN used to call REAL salmon. No way. No way in quality of meat, size potentials and more. That includes Steelhead. No way do Great Lakes salmon have the variety of ocean born feed that Pacific salmon do - no way do you see the bright to brilliant red flesh in Great Lakes salmon like we do in Pacific. We had fresh caught chrome bright Lake Michigan chinook tonight for dinner - caught yesterday off Holland MI - dull orange is best way to describe flesh. Then you get the argument that tires me out -- "Great Lakes fish fight harder..." Right. The Michigan fishery is an anomaly that has began in the late 60s and had had a 50 year run. It's been amazing and resulted in a $7 Billion dollar industry - prior to Pacific salmon and Steelhead the Great Lakes were not considered a sport fishery at all. Commercial fishing (nets) for native species thrived and sports fishermen did not even need a license to fish the Great Lakes - per Dr Howard Tanner who is credited with introducing salmon to Lake Michigan. Cool dude and pushing 90 years old - my buddy Mark Stephens will be fishing with him on Friday for walleye Eastside of the state. S |
| PeteB88 |
posted 04-24-2012 02:59 AM ET (US)
Tony, how much did that hog weigh?? |
| elaelap |
posted 04-24-2012 03:08 AM ET (US)
Joe Kriz caught this one (I netted it): http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b309/elaelap/KrizRogueRiverSalmon020. jpg Yeah! Warren/WT picked this one up off the mouth of the Russian River: Placerville/Matt's hog: Dinner: Matt again: Etc., etc., et cetera... |
| elaelap |
posted 04-24-2012 03:14 AM ET (US)
The photo tag says 33 lbs, Pete. But look at the smiles on the faces of the guys in the Montauk with that little, barely legal king. They got the skunk off their boat, the season's just beginning, and who knows what the next strike will bring. Tony |
| littleblue |
posted 04-24-2012 04:36 AM ET (US)
Since we're sharing Salmon photos... :) Here's my biggest one to date, caught in the Summer of '99, actually inside S.F. Bay in a spot known as "California City". When the runs of salmon are hot, they will stage here before continuing their trek up the bay, through the delta, and up the rivers. http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/Triton_38/Fishing/?action=view& current=TrophySalmon2.jpg Here is a mid to low 20' lbr from last summer We'll take the pink meat big or small. Can't wait to start fishing this year!! |
| K Albus |
posted 04-24-2012 08:57 AM ET (US)
Ten years ago the "big" kings in Lake Michigan were in the high 20-pound to low 30-pound range. Many of the fish we caught then were in the high teens and low 20s. Nowadays, 20 pounds is considered a "big" king. The Michigan DNR has been planting less fish in recent years, however, and average sizes are supposed to increase as a result. My biggest ever was 23 pounds, about 10 years ago - sorry, no pictures. |
| gnr |
posted 04-24-2012 09:23 AM ET (US)
"Still happy to catch them" Well that is what it is all about. I would love to not have to drive 300 miles to get into fish like that. A super nice Atlantic Landlocked on Champlain starts at around 6.5 lbs. The record (broken not that long ago) is just over 12lbs. Five years ago an 8 lber would get your picture in the paper. Last couple years you need an 8+ to be in the money. I bet those pacific kings pound for pound fight harder than the freshwater kings we get after. Seriously not trying to start a pissing match here. Genuinely curious is all. I'll try and dig up some of the Ontario pics I have this weekend. Tight lines |
| tombro |
posted 04-24-2012 10:04 AM ET (US)
Wow, those are NICE fish! We have none of the salmonid family here in New Jersey coastal waters. Striped bass (which SF bay also has) are the stars here for inshore folks. My only salmon were caught by accident and surprised me when I got them. Three Atlantic Landlocks over the years, from Long Pond, Belgrade Lakes, ME...and Lake George in upstate New York. I kept and ate one of the three; it was good. ~Tom |
| martyn1075 |
posted 04-24-2012 10:34 AM ET (US)
Man times must be tough really? In some fairness it's a little hard to tell by the photo how large they really are at times but by my estimate your right that's nearly legal if it is a spring afterall. I would hope that's it's a coho. Why do people do that? Most of us aroud here just throw those back 100% of the time. Even when fishing is poor and your not catching a thing for days. I see it a bit as well and it's more or less a meat hunting thing rather than sports fishing. Now I am sure there are vastly different opinions on what to keep as some will say a fish is a fish what's the difference if you kill it in it's first year and a half or it's last year 5-6 years depending on the region. The other factory is as most of you probably know and that is some chinook just don't grow that large so maybe that is one of those Jack Springs however you normally don't seem them until there last year mixed in with the bigger fish ready to spawn out. Many hatcher chinooks are on the smaller side somethimes as well so it's a little hard to be critical but generally whatever that is it's considered a throw back and move on with it. Martyn |
| gnr |
posted 04-24-2012 11:02 AM ET (US)
Interesting story on catch and release. The steelhead have exploded in the last two years on Champlain. Used to be a very rare catch. |
| andygere |
posted 04-24-2012 03:18 PM ET (US)
I can't speak to how the Great Lakes Kings fight since I've never caught one, but I'm always amazed at the fight in the fish we get in Monterey Bay, both big and small. I like light tackle fishing, which probably results in lower overall scores, but for me it's more exciting and it makes it more of a fair fight. As for the taste of the flesh, it's like nothing else. Before I started to salmon fish in California, salmon was one of the few species that was never on my menu, perhaps because I'd never had fresh, wild salmon. The meat on these fish is deep orange to bright red, with this season's fish strong on the red side. Their bellies have been full of krill, which certainly provides the rich taste and color to the meat. As Tony said, the guys in the Montauk were stoked on their keeper, and why not? It will eat just as good as a larger fish, and the crew won't have to worry if they killed a fish by releasing it for "high grading". On my boat, if the fish appears undersized, we don't use the net, and release the "shakers" from the leader. If it's a legal fish, it goes in the box and on the grill. By the way, it's great to see all the photos of really nice fish landed from different regions of our state, especially those inside the bay. Cool stuff, guys. |
| Basshole |
posted 04-24-2012 03:21 PM ET (US)
Since we are on the topic of hogs... |
| martyn1075 |
posted 04-24-2012 04:53 PM ET (US)
Everybody loves the BBQ and the smaller salmon can taste very good for sure. I personally don't hunt them there is absolutely zero thrill in it for me at all, nothing! Down rigging 200 feet? Are you nuts?? No, thats meat hunting plain and simple nothing more to it. Sports fishing= thrill of catch. Legal? sure and I guess it that makes people happy ripping a 1 maybe close to 2 year old spring off the bottom go for it. Wheeling it in 150-200 feet almost dead fish by the time you get her up. Sounds like fun. Personally speaking the large mature salmon behave different bite differently are simply usually harder to catch and thats the thrill to me. Oh ya they taste just fine. I would take a coho before a small Spring if I was hunting for a small fish for BBQ. Seasonal unfortunately, and the small GROWING springs are ferocious feeders which is why you see them biting 200 FEET!! down. They are looking for square meal to grow up. Martyn |
| anthonylisske |
posted 04-24-2012 06:57 PM ET (US)
What gives with the montauk bashing? |
| andygere |
posted 04-24-2012 07:47 PM ET (US)
Martyn, Coho are illegal to catch and keep in California and must be released if caught incidentally. In terms of the Kings that we target, we find them at all depths. This weekend, they were up on top, and we landed several fish picked up at depths of 25-70 feet down. I fish with light rods, small reels and 15 or 20 lb test mono. Let me tell you, there is plenty of sport in landing a King salmon with that gear, and they are anything but dead when you get them to the boat. We lose a lot of fish at the boat due to our barbless hook requirements and the fact that these fish are hot, hard jumpers that are off your line with a good head shake. As far as the size goes, you'll find big slugs schooled up with the smaller fish, and you can't exactly choose who takes your gear. I don't think anybody is out there targeting small fish, but sometimes they target you. We are fishing in the open ocean, 9 miles off shore along the edge of a deep marine canyon. I think conditions are very different from what you are used to, and the fishery (and the fish) is quite different. Meat fishing? Well, anything that's not catch and release is meat fishing I suppose. |
| elaelap |
posted 04-24-2012 08:19 PM ET (US)
Sport fishin'? I guess, if it's sport to drag oneself out of bed at four or five in the morning, drive through the rain to the launch ramp for 45 minutes, launch alone and head out into the drizzly dawn, and troll a little plastic lure with one barbless hook around for the next six hours hoping for a decent fish or two. Sometimes, like today when the rain stopped, you get a sight like this which makes it all worthwhile, whether you catch a fish or not: http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b309/elaelap/Meatfishingrainbow005.jpg Meat fishin'? Yep, if you consider six pounds or so of bright orange wild Pacific chinook (king) salmon your kind of meat. This came off one of those little guys today, 29 inches and perhaps eight or nine pounds. "Meat" dinner for a bunch of family and friends: Tony |
| elaelap |
posted 04-24-2012 08:22 PM ET (US)
Whoops! Got carried away by that sunset. Here's the meat: http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b309/elaelap/Meatfishingrainbow009.jpg |
| elaelap |
posted 04-24-2012 08:25 PM ET (US)
...by that rainbow. I better hit the sack, even though it's only 5:30 ;-) Heading out again tomorrow, this time with placerville/Matt and maybe a couple of other "sportsmen." |
| martyn1075 |
posted 04-24-2012 09:06 PM ET (US)
That does look nice and the rainbow isn't bad either. Fishing is a passion I still say its the thrill first should be always. |
| andygere |
posted 04-24-2012 11:59 PM ET (US)
That's the color Tony! Glad to hear that the bite is picking up in your neck of the NorCal woods. By the way, I love the pic of the stoked Montauk crew. They don't look like butchers to me... |
| elaelap |
posted 04-25-2012 12:31 AM ET (US)
Still slow, small & scratchy up here, Andy, while they're jumping into the boats in your neck of the woods. Our turn will come this season...maybe. Water temp has heated up some, from 48/49 degrees on opening day to today's 51/52, and that's good news. Late June through mid-August are usually our best days. We'll see what happens. Tony |
| Menemsha69 |
posted 04-25-2012 06:04 AM ET (US)
Nice to see someone is catching! Great shot Tony!-k |
| Basshole |
posted 04-25-2012 10:00 AM ET (US)
Since we are on the topic of hogs... |
| martyn1075 |
posted 04-25-2012 05:22 PM ET (US)
andygere.. well its a bit different we either can fish in tight which is what I prefer light tackle NO downriggers!! and using bait. Find me a kelp bed and I will find you a salmon well not always but it sounds good and most of all it is challenging and exciting. Strictly bait fishing as well not that you can't run plastic but again its a great chase a challenge working the boat in and out of gear dropping lines up and down working the tides for those lurking salmon which travel through. 10-12 pulls really? yes thirty to fifty feet of water max, and so clear and calm you can think you can see the bottom at times. Fabulous! The other style is much the same as yours drive 5 -10 miles out where sometimes the schools are which can still be hit and miss. On the West Coast of Vancouver Island the next stop is Japan so it is almost always rough and wet with fog and huge swells. Normally they are caught shallow off the reef if you can get your line deeper you have a shot at the larger Kings yes mixed in with the smaller runs. This is what I describe loosely as meat hunting. Its not wrong and its legal however you are more or less chasing them miles and miles to where the groups of feeding fish migrate through in huge mother schools. In close they scatter a bit and find holes and that is the salmon fishing I adore. The fish have a good shot at not getting hooked and if you know the area you also have a good shot and landing some nice catch as well and there is nothing wrong with that. If all goes well you might have a dish full just like Tony's! I fully understand the fishing all depths in certain seasons so its not a bashing the style at all for these Montauker's its just not all that fun imo dragging heavy wire around 200 feet which was described in the opening line thats all. Sometimes you have no choice and you got to do what you have to do. Martyn |
| martyn1075 |
posted 04-25-2012 05:30 PM ET (US)
Basshole.. thats a nice one! thats what Im talking about! Catch one of those in what I described in my first paragraph last post and you got it! Bingo. |
| Basshole |
posted 04-25-2012 06:44 PM ET (US)
Martyn-I try to catch one of those every time! just doesn't usually work out as planned, haha! |
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