The ups and downs of ocean fishing

By Seth Naman

May 27 2008

Eureka Reporter

On Monday, my friend and I took my two boys and his girl out for a boat ride on the ocean. We planned to fish, but considering how green my youngest son Everett, who’s almost four, got on our last trip, expectations for fishing were low.

We motored out of Trinidad with the kids, snacks and sunscreen in hand, and started a drift just west of Flatiron Rock in about 80 feet of water. I dropped my root beer-colored jig tipped with squid down to the bottom, jigged it twice, and immediately hooked up with a solid fish.

In less than a minute of fishing, we put a 30-inch lingcod on the end of the gaff. The timing was perfect because shortly thereafter, Everett said “Dad, I don’t feel good.” I had high hopes that this trip would last longer than our previous one because of the small three foot swells, but that didn’t really pan out.

It was kind of like being at a casino and winning a bunch of money — the last thing you want to do is leave when you’re on fire. But sometimes putting the money in your pocket or the rods in the rod holders is the best move to make. Otherwise, you might leave empty-handed, or wind up with a youngster that hates to fish on the ocean.

Harrison Ibach of Mad River Outfitters (707-826-7201) reports that rockfish and lingcod action out of Trinidad and Cape Mendocino is steady. The poor water clarity in the previous week seems to have cleared and people are catching fish. When I talked to the creel sampler at Trinidad , she said the hottest area for the day was near Flatiron Rock in 60 to 70 feet of water.

Harrison said that he heard reports that a halibut weighing in over 120 pounds was recently captured near the Cape . What a fish! Don’t forget to send in those pictures of your big catch to the Sports Desk!

He also mentioned that with lower river flows and improved water clarity, there has been a consistent bite for spring Chinook salmon in the lower Klamath River . Anglers plunking from boats have been finding fish using spinners on a three way swivel with some weight.

The Trinity River should also start to fish well soon for spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead because flows out of Lewiston are dropping and will be down at 2,000 cfs by June 9.

Mad River Outfitters is currently taking reservations for rockfish and halibut charters as well as spring salmon fishing. Don’t forget to book your salmon trips soon, as the Klamath River is virtually the only place in the state where you can fish for salmon.

John Gray “the Maine Guide” of Weaverville (530-623-4352) says that the hot bass action on Trinity Lake continues. He reports that there has been great top water action on white buzz baits and Heddon Zara Spooks in a variety of colors. His friend took over 20 fish in one day in two-to-six feet of water at the north end of the reservoir.

I asked Joe Houle of The Fly Shop in Redding (530-222-3555; www.flyshop.com) where he would fish for trout right now if he could pick one spot. He said that his No. 1 choice right now would be the Pit River . His flies of choice would be green drake nymphs and dry flies, golden stone nymphs and dry flies, super floss rubber legs in brown, and red copper john nymphs.

If gasoline over four dollars per gallon doesn’t bother you too much, or you own a hybrid, trout fishing one of these Central Valley streams in the warm spring sun could be a great way to spend the weekend. But, with flat seas expected for the next five days, you may want to spend the gas money on a charter trip, and battle some big lingcod and feisty rockfish.

(Opinions expressed in columns do not necessarily reflect those of The Eureka Reporter or its staff.)

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