Grays Harbor and Westport

P

potter water

New member
Still trying to plan a grand kid time in late July in Washington State that will let me get the C-dory in salt water and have some fun with the grands. My son has a time share in Westport. It looks like there is a good ramp and marina there.

I'm not fancying going out on the open ocean, but it looks like the whole bay is pretty large and may be a place I can be in somewhat protected waters and also do some sport fishing. (my son is the fisherman in the family).

A. How are the marina facilties?
B. What can I expect inside the harbor and bay in terms of seas?
C. Is there some fun fishing and for what in the protected bay area?

My wife and I would plan on staying on Still Crazy overnight for about 3 nights. Do I need heat? If so, do the transient docks have power for a small space heater?

I've looked at the web info on the place, and it paints a lovely picture as most tourist web sites do, but I'd like to know if any of the Brats have some first hand info.

Thanks ahead of time.
 
Harry,

I have not boated there, but I can tell you that sometimes it is really nice, and sometimes you don't go out of the bay. I have had some experience with the Tillamook bay. Pretty much the same.

Times share may be portable. Maybe the there is one that could be traded to. World Mark up here on Discovery Bay for instance, or others might work. Look around Astoria, there you can boat up the river, if the bar is ahh "Iffy".

Just another thought. Good luck. there should be some other brats with better local experience there chiming in soon.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
A. The marina is top notch but it is a working marina/port. Probably not what you're use to. Can be noisy with all the commercial boats leaving at all hours.
B. Depends if you go east or west. East is flat. West can be flat or down right nasty.
C. Any good fishing is outside. The harbor is closed for salmon and if you catch a bottom fish it will be undersized. Salmon can be really close in or they can be out 10 to 12 miles. You have to go about 15 nautical miles north to get into good bottom fishing.
 
That bay is really huge, and like said, the west end can get really choppy. It is a fun place though at times, and most services are available. Good transit. Good food.
 
I have been there the last 4-5 years in July/August. I have overnighted on a boat - no heat needed. There is generally the coastal overcast, so somedays no sun.

Here is a video of last year and sea conditions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDp2asLg6DU

We generally follow the fleet out in the morning to get on numbers and biomass. That said, we go on a heavy hull Trophy with a 225 and a good kicker. The bay I have mostly seen as calm.

BTW> There are many C-Dorys at the marina that time of year (look towards the end of the video). I have not seen any on the open ocean, although many look like they go out.
 
Chromer,
The guy holding the fish at 2:02 in your video is also in the picture with the limit of kings in Roger's Neah Bay Thread. He's a darn good fisherman. Sometimes fishing can really be strange. He is a better fisherman than all the rest of us in that picture (I was taking the photo) yet we were all limited before he had one fish in the boat. If you see him down there, follow him and you'll catch fish. You also have a picture of my boat in your video.
Forrest
 
Finally a topic that I love! Westport. I've spent many years fishing out of Westport. Don't let anyone tell you a 22' C-dory isn't enough boat to fish the ocean, mine is out there a lot.
The launch is one of the best that I've used and the slips are great, the rest rooms.....well it's a working port. The rest rooms behind the charter office's are very nice, just a little farther away from the dock.
Wind and tide are both very important to watch. Max. ebb on a big tide with a west wind is usually worth waiting out.
 
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