Yaquina crabbing and fishing

CatyMae n Steve · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 9:25 pm Post subject: Yaquina crabbing and fishing

We trailered over to Yaquina Saturday morning to find the old ramp blocked! We hadn't been over there since spring of this year, and had no idea they'd put in a brand new launch -- very nice launch, lots of parking and probably 6 or 7 wash areas in the tie-down lane that spreads the entire length of the parking area. After getting a slip, buying some frozen herring (there were none to be found in Albany) and tossing them in the brine to try to get them thawed and ready, I baited the crab pots with some yummy turkey legs and we were off for a day of fishing and crabbing. We spent the morning in the mouth area (we've never caught anything over there, so were experimenting with various areas, out of the way of the sailboat races in the bay) but found few boats and even fewer fish. We fished there for a few hours, then took off to pull the pots and just go relax at the dock for a while. The pots were empty, and there were 4 fellas we noticed just leaving the area where the pots were and we wondered aloud to each other about the huge grins on their faces -- they were in a rental boat -- so when we pulled the pots we moved them to the other side of the bay and just cruised them for an hour....picked up 9 nice large crabs and headed to the slip for a fresh crab dinner. We tried our luck fishing this morning in the upper river...more boats fishing and saw a few caught. Steve had one take down just as we were getting ready to leave...thought he had hit bottom and gotten hung up...but NOT...it was stripping line, then spit the hook. As we were doing the tiedowns on the boat, Steve watched a guy trying to catch the dock in his boat, turned around to hear a splash as the fella fell in -- he ran down and gave him a hand back to shallow water and someone else caught his boat for him. Steve asked if he was ok, and they guy said he was fine...just ticked at himself for falling in Smile

That boat surely draws attention everywhere -- Steve and I were talking about all the looks and comments on our way home....it DOES have some mighty fine lines Smile

Salmon Slayer · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 9:35 pm Post subject:

Great story! We went out this a.m. and only got 2 keeper dungeness that we had for lunch; had to come in as its scheduled to blow up to 70 mph gusts this afternoon and evening.

We often go to the Auke Bay harbor here and just sit in lawn chairs and watch the launching and retrieving while having lunch. Very entertaining at times; of course, it makes me nervous when a bunch of people are watching me!

CatyMae n Steve · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 9:43 pm Post subject:

Salmon Slayer, I don't think there's anything sweeter than crab freshly caught, cleaned, cooked and eaten within the day -- I cleaned what we and our friends didn't eat and it's in the freezer for another day Smile

70 MPH winds...not optimal for being out on the water, eh? Time to hunker down with a nice fireplace Thumbs Up

Salmon Slayer · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 9:57 pm Post subject:

Boy I agree on the crab; we just dropped them live into a pot of boiling water with some Old Bay and lemmons and had a mini feast. We are going to put out our King pots next weekend but I like dungeness the best.

Its windy here now (not 70 yet), rainy, about 39 degrees, hot dogs and beans in the oven and smelling good....nice and comfortable. I have always loved the fall.

Luna C · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:13 am Post subject:

CatyMae is a 2006?!? Time flies.

CatyMae n Steve · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:21 pm Post subject:

Well, we're leaving the crab pots home (Steve hates crabbing for some reason) and heading back to the Yaquina for the coming weekend...those fine salmonoids gotta start biting sometime! They were rolling and jumping last weekend ... I've learned that when they're doing that, they're not biting for the most part ... hoping they have all their jumps outa their systems by the time we get there Wink

416rigby · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:20 am Post subject:

We've all but given up on crabbing. We have had our pot pulled by evil-doers here time after time after time. They even have the audacity to re-bait the thing. We know the crabs were stolen because the new bait is a whole cod with the belly slit open...sure sign of the commercial boys. It's sad.

Rick

TyBoo · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:29 am Post subject:

Hey - the last time I went crabbing, I threw a brand new pot with all the rigging over the side and never saw it again!

I didn't learn much from it, though. Because today I bought two new pots with rigging and plan to give it a try in the CR this weekend. Tell me this: Do I tie the line to just one spot on the top ring of the pot, or make a three leg bridle? These are heavy 30" pots with a 1/2 flip top lid.

Mr. Fisherman · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 3:24 am Post subject:

Mike,

I used to make up the three rope bridles (or I should say buy them) until I started pulling Pilar's pots. They were tied on one side. They are far easier to pull this way. You need to be careful to position the rope on the same side as the escape hole so when you pull the pot the crab don't fall out the hole on the bottom or crawl out the hole on the side. Keeping the hole at the top really helps. Also make darn sure the door is secure.
I hope this helps... I know it works for me and I even apply this technique to the square danielson pots.

CatyMae n Steve · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:40 am Post subject:

3 or 4 leg....I've started doing 4 cuz it's easier to tie for me...but I have the foldable kind now...much lighter for our old bodies to pull and don't put a gaping hole in our IRAs if one gets lost or 'borrowed.'

flapbreaker · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 10:40 am Post subject:

You guys might take a look at this website http://www.blueoceantackle.com/trap_accessories.htm

Note the galvanic bouy timers. They sound interesting. I guess you basically submerge your bouys for a certain amount of time. Cool idea if they work.

Sawdust · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 11:48 am Post subject:

They work.

Dusty

CatyMae n Steve · Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:53 pm Post subject:

21 MPH winds forecast for tomorrow until nearly noon -- (s'posed to be raining too, so maybe those lil buckeroos'll bite!)...we're going anyway...we're weekend fishers and we must seize the moment Smile

TyBoo · Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:06 pm Post subject:

Those fishes should bite in the rain. I don't think they mind getting wet. Have fun you guys.

We are wanting to go crabdigging in the CR tomorrow. Clatsop Spit had 33 mph today, and supposed to be more tomorrow. We will see how it looks in the morning. The boat is hooked up, but I took a little nap this afternoon and didn't get it in the slip. If the wind isn't too bad, we're going.

CatyMae n Steve · Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:11 pm Post subject:

Good luck...forecast doesn't look so bad around noonish...bet the girls love crabbin....hope y'all get out and get crabby Laughing

The crabs we got last weekend were really nice sized ones...nice n meaty too..yum