Westport bottom fishing

joechiro30 · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 5:09 pm Post subject: Westport bottom fishing

We are heading to Westport this weekend for lings and rockfish. Any tips on tackle and location would be appreciated. I Have never fished Westport before.

Joe
Tomcat 255 2006
Twin suzuki 150

Larry Q · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 6:03 pm Post subject:

Joe, It all depends on the weather and tides as to where I bottom fish. If The conditions are good I like to drift over the sunken jetty using jigs. If I have to run north to the rock piles I usually end up off of Pacific beach.
The sunken jetty holds lings, sea bass and the rest of the tasty critters.
If I have time I like to go to the Ocean Shores side and catch a few flounders
for ling bait. Starcraft Tom got me using the flounders for ling bait. Nothing works a well as they do. When I don't have time or just tired from salmon fishing I use jigs. The best part is you never know what you are going to hook.

forrest · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 10:42 pm Post subject:

Any charters fishing this weekend will be fishing for yellow tail, seabass and lings. If they are anchored in 150 feet of water or less, they will be fishing for seabass (black rockfish) and an occasional ling. If they are out in deeper water and drifting they probably are fishing lings or possibly yellowtail. Highlite them with radar and you have their spot. Just move in after they leave. Give them space, as they are making a living. I use flutter jigs (or plastics if I'm using a spinning rod). Pipe jigs with big hootchie skirts for lings.

joechiro30 · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 11:01 pm Post subject:

Is there a depth restriction? And how heavy jigs are needed there?

joechiro30 · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 11:02 pm Post subject:

joechiro30 · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 11:03 pm Post subject:

Can you anchor out there? And if so any tips on where to anchor?

forrest · Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2016 10:29 pm Post subject:

forrest · Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 11:59 pm Post subject:

joechiro30,

Let me give you a little more understanding. First drive up into the Cascades and notice the ridges running east/west. Now pretend that all the valleys are filled in with sand and only a few high rock outcroppings are visible. That is basically like it is offshore. Now those rock outcroppings can be anywhere from a quarter to a half mile wide (some are only 20 feet wide). The school of seabass can be anywhere on that rock outcropping depending on the current and where the bait is. It's up to you to find them. There can be more than one school on a rock. The school can move while you are fishing as well. I had coordinates given to me yet never caught anything because I just went to that spot and fished. Sometimes I would get lucky but most of the time I would come up empty. I started highlighting any charter that was anchored and I would go back to that spot after they left and try to see what they were doing. Many times I would see nothing so I would look around and started using my sounder to identify rock structure and fish suspended above it. Coordinates only get you close, you have to find the little buggers. Sometimes a rock will have hundreds of fish one week and nothing the next. Don't know why. Keep in mind it is not like fishing up at Neah Bay where you can fish along the kelp beds and do well. Good luck. PS: There is always the sunken jetty or along the edge of the south jetty. You gotta watch the tides as that is called the slop hole for a reason.