One of the best parts of summer at Lawson's Landing is the two weeks when Jim and Scott Alexander and Larry Varela come to fish. Part of that is that their timing is good for the fishing, usually. This year was a bit rough with no salmon (to be kept; there's lots of salmon out there) and a population of halibut that has been ravaged by (going on) three years of frustrated salmon fishermen. They went home today, but yesterday they caught these four halibut in the afternoon on the troll off of Dillon Beach in 25 to 35 feet of water, only having to shake a dozen or so salmon. 3 to 1 salmon to halibut in the outer bay is an outstanding average. Four halibut is also pretty outstanding right now as the halibut catching has died off, waiting for a fresh batch of fish to move in from the deep. Good work, gents. The fish won't miss you but Gage and I will.
There have been some other halibut caught this weekend. Anthony Piccardo picked up a pair right off the seawall in the afternoon, and yesterday Richard Porterfield picked one up on a jig in front of the Boathouse. Steve Cato picked up a pair of halibut just this side of Hog Island on Friday after being chased off the bar by salmon (first world problems, eh?). Finally, today, right before they had to run back to the Landing to pull out with the tractor, Mike Mack and Spinner had several halibut bites and a few to the boat in a half hour. The fish they saw had spots, and as the old timers said, it could be that a batch of fish are coming in. Good, because we need them.
Man, I hope we get a salmon season next year, if only for the halibut's sake.
3 comments:
Discretion and prudence would dictate that fishermen make no mention of incidental salmon catches lest we find ourselves burdened with salmon gear restrictions mandated for, many, if not all ocean fisheries.
I can already hear the cries of the fish nazis in Sacramento, "If it saves the life of just one endangered salmon!"
"Man, I hope we get a salmon season next year, if only for the halibut's sake." If chatter about incidental salmon catches continues, instead of a salmon season what we are more likely to get will be halibut gear restrictions
Now for the real hard part-- discretion and prudence among fishermen.
Next years salmon season will be based on one thing and one thing only. Returns at Coleman. Talking about incedental salmon should only prove that they are out there. DFW has never based regulations on incedental catch chatter. Have a nice day
My intent was just a word to the wise. But you too have a nice day and bless your bright and shiny heart.
Post a Comment