Salmon Fishing

 Fishing for salmon out of Westport put this town on the map decades ago, when hundreds of charter boats, some tied side to side on the docks, headed out daily in search of their catch.

 Today, a number of factors have reduced our yearly quota of Chinook and Coho salmon, but it’s still one of the most exciting fishing trips that you can take. Once on the hook, many salmon will send you around the boat several times in your quest to land him!

 The season opener changes yearly, but in general the season runs from late June through mid-September. This year, we open on June 28th. We'll fish Sundays thru Thursdays until late July; then we'll go seven days a week. We're really excited this year because our Coho quota is almost ten times what it was last year, and we're also expecting a bonus run of Pink salmon through here...if you nab one of those, and you limit on Coho and Chinook, you go home with THREE fish, just like "In the Day!!!"

 We open the office at 4:00 am on salmon fishing days and you'll need to be on board your boat by 5:15 am.  Since salmon generally have a strong morning bite, it’s important to be on the salmon grounds early. We fish several different areas outside the harbor for Coho and Chinook; figure on a 1- to 2-hour trip from the dock in the morning. 

 We use fresh or frozen anchovies or small herring, and a 4- to 6-oz lead/leader combination when fishing for salmon. We are required to use barbless hooks. As we approach the spot where the Captain wants to start fishing, go to your selected fishing rod on the boat. We do what's called "mooching" when we salmon fish: you'll slowly drop the line down to where the Captain says the fish are, then you reel the line back up. The movement of the bait attracts the fish. Don't leave your rod on the rod holder: you won't be catching anything that way!

 Watch your rod tip and line when you’re fishing, to see when you get a bite. As with halibut fishing, once the salmon bites, resist the urge to jerk on the line. In other words, don’t try and “set the hook” by flinging your rod up quickly (that doesn’t work with no barb on the hook). You’ll more than likely lose your fish and get teased by us locals (“he crackered it off!”). 

 When you’ve got the salmon well hooked, remember two things: keep tension on the line because there’s no barb, and follow your fish. This may mean your having to circle the boat a time or two, but remember the reward when you get him in the boat!

 While moving around the boat and following your charging salmon, a rule of thumb is to keep your rod tip up (to keep it from getting tangled in others’ lines). There are a few exceptions to this rule: for example, if you’re fishing the bow of the boat, and the fish heads to the stern. If your line’s going that way, you may need to thread your rod through other passengers’ lines as you make your way to the back of the boat. In most cases, the deckhand will be helping you out. Don’t hesitate to call out “coming through!” or something like that. Most of the others on the boat will be just as excited as you to get their first glimpse of the fish you’ve gotten hooked!

 When you get your fish close to the boat so you can actually see him, tell the deckhand or captain, by saying something like “I’ve got color here.” Listen to their instructions carefully so you get the fish into the boat. For example, he might say “put your rod tip down to the water and reel until the lead is almost at the tip.” This keeps the fish confined to a smaller area and makes him easier to net. What you do not want to have happen is for the line to get caught in the prop, or for the fish to take off under the boat to the other side (that’s why the deckhand will say “follow your fish” when you first hook him…hence the comment about running around the boat several times).

Once the deckhand nets the fish, put the fishing rod in one hand, and grab your lead with the other hand. This is very important! A flying lead can really hurt someone (usually, the deckhand who’s handling your fish. This is not a good thing.) The deckhand will then unhook the fish and ask “what your number is.” (That's the number next to your name when you signed in on the notebook in the boat's cabin...you did memorize it, right?!) The fish will then get bled and put in the hold. It will stay there until the trip home, when most fish get cleaned. Big fish are checked at the Derby booth (you DID buy a Derby ticket, right?!) to see if you won big money! The deckhand can also fillet your fish for you at the dock, for a minimal charge (check the General Info section for information on tipping your deckhand).

 You don’t necessarily have to quit fishing after you catch your limit. We do what’s called “fishing for the boat” in Westport. We fish until the boat has its limit: fish for each passenger plus the crew. For example, if there are ten people on the boat plus deckhand and captain, the boat can bring home 24 fish. If you’re fishing really well, you just keep reeling them in and then take home the biggest two (or three, if you get into those Pink salmon we're supposed to be seeing) at the end of the day.