Neah Bay 2011

R

rogerbum

New member
All, I'm planning a couple of trips to Neah Bay this year. The first will be June 24-26th for some king salmon and bottom fishing. The second will be from about Aug 12-21. I'll probably leave the boat out there in July/August and make a number of weekend runs out. Is anyone interested in making a gathering out of a Neah Bay trip? We did a mini gathering a couple of years ago (2 boats) but didn't really develop a full outing. Fishing locations, tips and techniques will be shared.
 
Roger,

Count me in this year. That week works for Caryn and I. We'll be at Chelan from Aug 14-17 and may as well take the rest of the week off and go to Neah Bay!! :smilep

We have been wanting to get up there the past few years and this is the excuse we're looking for.
 
I don't know if I'll drag my boat out there again; a lot will depend on what the price of fuel does this summer. But I'd sure love to fish out of that Tomcat if you need a deckhand.
 
Let me check with the social director, some more salmon and rock fish would be just wonderful. Doubtful I would tow the boat, would need to be a guest on the TC. Does that work?
 
Since this is the first year that I have been a co-owner of a boat and not the sole owner, it's a bit harder for me to make commitments as to what space I will have for others to fish on board the Tomcat. I'm sure I'll have some space on random weekends here and there but I don't really know. Brad (the co-owner) and I will be taking his son fishing for a lot of the summer. That takes up 3 out of 4 available fishing spots so it would be better if we had a regular gather out there. However, I do recognize how much time (and money) it takes to get a boat out that way so I understand if few others want to join with their own boats.

I'm really looking forward to fishing with Brad's son. It will give me an opportunity to introduce a young man to fishing and hopefully do a better job of it than I did with my own son. I didn't have a boat when he was really young and I was probably too interested in catching fish (as opposed to making it fun), when I did get a boat. Hopefully, I can put some +'s back into the parent karma jar by doing this fishing thing right with Brad's boy.
 
Pat and/or Rick,

If we firm up our dates (upon Admiral's approval) and you're available on the same date(s), you can always hitch a ride on C-Dancer. We're tentatively thinking Friday Aug 19th and/or Saturday Aug 20th. It would be nice to have someone on the boat who has actually taken their boat out in the open ocean. :shock:

Peter
 
rogerbum":3qrqq8qc said:
<<stuff clipped>>I'm really looking forward to fishing with Brad's son. It will give me an opportunity to introduce a young man to fishing and hopefully do a better job of it than I did with my own son. I didn't have a boat when he was really young and I was probably too interested in catching fish (as opposed to making it fun), when I did get a boat. Hopefully, I can put some +'s back into the parent karma jar by doing this fishing thing right with Brad's boy.
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I hear you Roger. I tried getting my kids interested in fishing when they were young but we NEVER caught anything except at the trout farm and hence, zero interest. I guess I'll have to do a better job when the grand children come. :wink

Peter
 
Let me check on that one, Peter!

Jazzmanic":3si3atf9 said:
Pat and/or Rick,

If we firm up our dates (upon Admiral's approval) and you're available on the same date(s), you can always hitch a ride on C-Dancer. We're tentatively thinking Friday Aug 19th and/or Saturday Aug 20th. It would be nice to have someone on the boat who has actually taken their boat out in the open ocean. :shock:

Peter
Click to expand...
 
Jazzmanic":myziivnw said:
It would be nice to have someone on the boat who has actually taken their boat out in the open ocean.
Click to expand...
Peter,
I'll have my boat in the ocean out of Westport before then, so if you'd like to join me and my fishing partner, you're more than welcomed. It will give you a good idea what it's all about. And Neah Bay is "easier" than Westport, relatively speaking.
 
Jazzmanic":4i3114kl said:
Pat and/or Rick,

If we firm up our dates (upon Admiral's approval) and you're available on the same date(s), you can always hitch a ride on C-Dancer. We're tentatively thinking Friday Aug 19th and/or Saturday Aug 20th. It would be nice to have someone on the boat who has actually taken their boat out in the open ocean. :shock:

Peter
Click to expand...

Peter, as regards the "open ocean":

1) We'll be out there so you'll have another "safety boat" with you (we'll just have to make sure we go out at similar times or meet in a defined location).
2) Most days in July and August, the ocean is actually nicer than the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The strait has a lot of current and tends to funnel the westerly wind a bit. The ocean can be like a pond when the strait is a little bumpy. The entrance to the strait is not a bit deal but is often sloppier than the ocean. You don't really know what the ocean is like until you're about a mile away from the entrance to the strait. E.g. don't let the mile near the entrance convince you that it's too nasty to fish on the outside.
3) I've had you on my 22 in the open ocean so you know what it's like or can be like. E.g. you'll have someone in your boat (YOU) who has been on a 22 in the open ocean.
4) I must admit I was a bit fearful of going into the ocean the first few times I did it. After that, I learned what it was like and how to correlate the wind, wave height, wave period reports with what the water will look like. Now it doesn't bother me at all. I just don't go into the ocean when the water is nasty. Simple.

Now as for Westport being easier than Neah Bay..... Neah doesn't have a bar to cross so it's almost never as nasty at the end of the Strait as it can be at Westport with a good outgoing tide. Also, there's a lot more structure in the waters around Neah Bay that provide upwellings and good rockfish habitat. Hence I think it's a lot easier to locate fish at Neah Bay than at Westport (especially without other boats telling you where the fish are).
 
C-Dawg":1tg940y1 said:
Jazzmanic":1tg940y1 said:
It would be nice to have someone on the boat who has actually taken their boat out in the open ocean.
Click to expand...
Peter,
I'll have my boat in the ocean out of Westport before then, so if you'd like to join me and my fishing partner, you're more than welcomed. It will give you a good idea what it's all about. And Neah Bay is "easier" than Westport, relatively speaking.
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Rick,

I'd like to take you up on your offer. PM me when you have some dates.

Peter
 
rogerbum":3rvxi8ei said:
Jazzmanic":3rvxi8ei said:
Pat and/or Rick,

If we firm up our dates (upon Admiral's approval) and you're available on the same date(s), you can always hitch a ride on C-Dancer. We're tentatively thinking Friday Aug 19th and/or Saturday Aug 20th. It would be nice to have someone on the boat who has actually taken their boat out in the open ocean. :shock:

Peter
Click to expand...

Peter, as regards the "open ocean":

1) We'll be out there so you'll have another "safety boat" with you (we'll just have to make sure we go out at similar times or meet in a defined location).
2) Most days in July and August, the ocean is actually nicer than the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The strait has a lot of current and tends to funnel the westerly wind a bit. The ocean can be like a pond when the strait is a little bumpy. The entrance to the strait is not a bit deal but is often sloppier than the ocean. You don't really know what the ocean is like until you're about a mile away from the entrance to the strait. E.g. don't let the mile near the entrance convince you that it's too nasty to fish on the outside.
3) I've had you on my 22 in the open ocean so you know what it's like or can be like. E.g. you'll have someone in your boat (YOU) who has been on a 22 in the open ocean.
4) I must admit I was a bit fearful of going into the ocean the first few times I did it. After that, I learned what it was like and how to correlate the wind, wave height, wave period reports with what the water will look like. Now it doesn't bother me at all. I just don't go into the ocean when the water is nasty. Simple.

Now as for Westport being easier than Neah Bay..... Neah doesn't have a bar to cross so it's almost never as nasty at the end of the Strait as it can be at Westport with a good outgoing tide. Also, there's a lot more structure in the waters around Neah Bay that provide upwellings and good rockfish habitat. Hence I think it's a lot easier to locate fish at Neah Bay than at Westport (especially without other boats telling you where the fish are).
Click to expand...
Roger,

You're right, I do remember my trip with you out of Neah Bay. I remember mostly the huge roller coaster-like swells in the strait and that the ocean was fairly flat albeit foggy. I also remember the "epic" fishing day (for me) where we probably caught 20 silvers, kept 6 hatchery and I crackered a big king. I have a lot more experience and confidence in my boat handling abilities since then and the open ocean thing is probably one of the few things I haven't yet experienced as captain on C-Dancer. It sounds like a blast that's why I'm going to really try and give it a go this August.

Peter
 
rogerbum":2v3104en said:
Now as for Westport being easier than Neah Bay..... Neah doesn't have a bar to cross so it's almost never as nasty at the end of the Strait as it can be at Westport with a good outgoing tide. Also, there's a lot more structure in the waters around Neah Bay that provide upwellings and good rockfish habitat. Hence I think it's a lot easier to locate fish at Neah Bay than at Westport (especially without other boats telling you where the fish are).
Click to expand...
Yep, that's what I was getting at. Any bar can get pretty nasty depending on the tide, so without a bar to cross at Neah, it's pretty cool. Plus, you don't have to time your fishing to crossing the bar; you can head out anytime.
 
Just a reminder. I'm heading out there this Friday AM and will be fishing through next Sat. If anyone is in the area, give me a holler on the radio or via PM.

Peter - are you still planning on coming out? If so, I'll make sure I have some good wine with me AND I'll even save a little for you and Caryn to drink :wink
 
Hey Roger,

I am working out being up there around that time. Still working out the details but my trip will probably incorporate this coming weekend also. I will probably try a little of everything fishing wise including dragging some flies around.



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Brian,

Give me a holler when you're there. I'll be out on the water and also plan on dragging around a fly or two. With pinks in thick, you need to stay above 25' of water if you want to increase the coho-pink ratio. Flies on or near the surface are a good way to do that.
 
The boat is ready, the wine is selected, the clothes are packed, the snack food is ready. Now I just have to wait 7 long hours until early AM when I'll start loading the truck for an O-dark:30 departure. I'll post a few pictures of this year's fishing adventure throughout the coming week.
 
Pulled into Neah Bay around 12:30 or 1:00 PM yesterday. After transferring everything from the truck to the boat, BS'ing for 30-45 minutes with C-Brat Ken Trease, launching the boat, rinsing the trailer, etc., we didn't get to fish until after 3. We ran out to Swiftsure Bank and had lines in the water by 4. We put 5 king in the boat in the first 90 minutes or so but it took another 90 minutes to get our 6th fish. Back on the dock by 8:20 with our first limit of the trip. Nothing huge, all fish were low to mid teens. Was met on the dock by fellow TomCat owner and C-Brat Brian Please and another (shorter) B.S. session ensued. Good start to the trip.
 
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