Jeff and Julie":1tv2bs4h said:
Okay, it looks like we may try Neah Bay this year. We just picked up our first downrigger today and are going to try and install it in the near future.
I think we are going to try and target silvers in hopes of just getting some fish!! Do we need to get a Canadian fishing license for up in that area?
No - not if you fish on the US side of the border and generally you can find plenty of silvers that time of year. However, the quota for them is somewhat small on the U.S. side and a Canadian license would be good insurance. Although you can get a Canadian license online - the online one doesn't let you fish the best Canadian areas near Neah Bay so go to Canada to get one. Also, if you do fish on the Canadian side and take a fish, you can land it in the U.S. BUT YOU CAN'T FISH IN U.S. waters with a Canadian fish on board. If the U.S. quota is not gone by then (probably won't be), you can catch plenty of silvers just outside of Waddah island and in the tide rips to the west. Silvers are often found there in deep water (sometimes as deep as 600') but the fish are mostly in the upper 30-35' (kings are usually deeper). When the silvers are in thick, almost anything will catch them but favorites are coho killer spoons, a green hootchie behind a green or red flasher and a simple cut plug behind a banana weight. You can often jig up plenty of bait at the docks in the marina so buy a few herring jigs before you get there. Fresh bait behind a 2-4 oz banana weight usually outfishes everything else, is easier to fish than on the down riggers and provides a better fiight than catching a fish with a big flasher on the line.
Jeff and Julie":1tv2bs4h said:
Also, here is a rather strange question:
If you are on a fishing trip for several days, what do you do with the fish you catch on the first day? Do you just keep storing it in fresh ice??
I have shore power on the boat and bring my vacuum packer. I fillet or have the fish filleted. The indians on the res will fillet for you $1/salmon, $0.50/rockfish - they do a great job and are very fast. After a long day, I just pay them to do it. Their skill probably gives me a bit more meat than if I did it myself and often times the cleaning tables for personal use have long lines. After filleting, I vacuum pack, mark the bag with a permanent marker and either
a) Send the fish home with a guest or
b) Pay to have it frozen on site.
Legally, you are only allowed to have two days limit in possession (frozen or otherwise). You can have both on the boat provided on limit is cooked, smoked or frozen but that's typically not practical on our boats. The Big Salmon resort (the marina at Neah Bay) charges a nominal fee to store fish in the freezer there. If you rent a cabin or motel room, many of those have freezer fridges also. Last year, I did several days at Neah Bay and had a different friend out each day or two. I just sent fish home with them, that worked out OK - but remember the possession limit counts what's in your freezer at home. I realize some don't pay attention to this, I'm just stating the regs....
Jeff and Julie":1tv2bs4h said:
We are thinking around the second week of August? Does anyone know if the marinas take reservations?
Thanks!!
Julie
The only marina at Neah Bay is Big Salmon Resort and yes they take reservations. It's definitely the nicest marina out that way. I have heard of some having problems with vandalism or theft from their vehicles out there but I have had no problems on many stays. I do have a real beater truck and I don't leave anything of value in the truck. Also, when entering Neah Bay, you will need to stop at the general store and buy the annual makah reservation vehicle permit ($7 last year). It's required to be on the res. and I think vehicles w/o one are more often the targets of vandalism. If you want anything alcoholic to drink, buy it well in advance of getting on the res. Gasoline at the marina was relatively inexpensive last year - about $0.20 more than on land. Bait, tackle, food, soda and many boat repair items are available in town.
There's an OK pizza place a couple of mom and pop restaurant and one semi-decent restaurant. Be sure to take some time to visit the Makah museum and to take a hike on the trail at Cape Flattery. Both are worthwhile.
Also, when the water's nice, go around the corner past and a bit south of Tatoosh and search the rises for schools of black rock cod. Limit of 10/day/person and some of the best eating fish around. I will be out there in the last week of July/first week of August and will probably make a few 1-3 day trips out there in early July.