Bottomfishing

One of the most sought-after ocean-dwelling fish is the bottomfish, also called rockfish and groundfish. Anglers also refer to some of the species as “sea bass” as they resemble freshwater largemouth bass. Regardless of what you call them anglers who target these fish all call them “tasty” which is why they are so popular. But do not expect the various species of bottomfish to take up a lot of space in magazines or flood your social media feed with lots of sea-bass photos and “how to’s”. Maybe it is because they are often a bycatch or used to fill the time between salmon bites or maybe it is because most daily limits offer enough fish to fill a freezer fast so anglers only fish for them a few times a year. If it is the latter, then be aware that regulations and fisheries are changing quickly.

A few years ago, back in 2010, the yelloweye rockfish was listed on the Endangered Species List as threatened and remains there today in Washington and Oregon waters. This is because it is one of the largest rockfish species which means it lives an exceptionally long time, like over 100 years, with the oldest living yelloweye aged at 118 years and estimated to be able to live 147 years.

This long life means they mature slowly and do not reach adulthood until they are 19-22 years old. When it takes a species this long to mature, the over-harvest can be problematic. One of the saving graces for this species is that they live very deep, averaging 300 feet and can live as deep as 1,500 feet in the abyss. This is also a common detriment to most rockfish species and that is they are prone to barotrauma which is when the swim bladder becomes distended as the fish comes up from the high-pressure deep water. Using a descending device will help reduce mortality.

Like the yelloweye rockfish, most of the rockfish found in Puget Sound are off-limits due to the loss of species. There are some Marine Areas where rockfish can still be caught and kept including the ocean areas such as Marine Areas 1 through 4. Daily limits here were reduced a few years ago and now 7 rockfish of certain species combined such as black rockfish, blue rockfish, canary and vermillion, and a few other species.

Also new last year is a restriction for certain species between June 1^st and July 31^st, including copper, canary, and other popular species. There is also a depth restriction of 20 fathoms except for halibut days which can be a bit confusing. As of this writing the current regulations have not been published for the upcoming license season so be sure to check the WDFW website for updates.

In Marine Area 5 which is the only other marine area where rockfish can be retained in Washington, the limit is 1 or 3 depending on which side of Slip Point you are on, and only black or blue rockfish can be kept. You also must use barbless hooks, even for non-rockfish bottomfish, such as halibut and lingcod which most anglers do not realize is required. After a quick chat last year at the dock at Sekiu with a WDFW Game Warden we learned that the only thing she wanted to check was our hooks. Not worried about our licenses or catch record cards, she just wanted to make sure we were using barbless hooks in the halibut we caught.

The last one had swallowed the bait and hook, and it was easier to just cut the leader, so we obliged and allowed her to cut the hook out which was barbless, and she was happy. Turns out that anglers did not know about the new rule, so it was more of a day of education for them. Luckily, we knew the rules. We also showed our licenses and catch record cards just to really put an exclamation point on following all the rules. She was thankful and it was a good interaction, always a plus when talking with WDFW staff.

Oregon has simplified regulations compared to Washington but has even more restricted bag limits. As of now, the season is open year-round with no depth restrictions but a daily limit of 5, as well as a coastwide closure of yelloweye and quillback rockfish. Oregon also has a unique gear restriction when fishing deeper than 40 fathoms which is the use of “long leader” gear. Their website has tutorials on what this means and how to rig it. As always be sure to check current regulations before you go out fishing. 

Both states have safety zones or rockfish conservation areas which are off limits to fishing for rockfish or any bottomfish. The reason for these conservation areas is to set aside a breeding and nursery area of sorts where rockfish are threatened, including the yelloweye. All rockfish species take a while to mature and since they tend to school up and live along structures such as underwater pinnacles, reefs, and rocky ledges they can be easy to locate and target.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council keeps tabs on various fish species along the west coast including groundfish. Since these fish live a long time and can be subjected to over-harvest the Council provides a stock assessment and guideline regarding certain fisheries. When it comes to bottomfish, which again they refer to as groundfish, the Pacific Fishery Management Council realizes the importance of these fish. Popular in both commercial and recreational fisheries, bottomfish are prized for their great eating and provide a valuable economy to the fishing industry.

A quick walk around the boardwalk and harbor in Westport, Washington does not take long for someone to see how many charter fishing boats there are. Offering an opportunity for anglers who do not own a boat or have the savvy to head to the open Pacific Ocean, anglers can book a day trip on one of the many charters and have a good chance at catching some tasty rockfish. This is the same for every seaside town up and down the Washington and Oregon coast, and several towns in California.

Keeping management goals of conservations, economics, and utilization of these fisheries the Pacific Fishery Management Council establishes objectives for each management goal outlined for the Pacific Coast groundfish. Taking in everything from gear used by both commercial and recreational anglers to social and economic impacts. Knowing that groundfish populations can be affected by several factors including areas where caught, as fish can be migratory the need for such a council helps track bottomfish and their populations. 

If all of this seems a bit confusing that is because it is, and it is because bottomfish are highly sought after and they can be overfished. Anglers need to realize this and respect the fish population accordingly. Keep a descender device onboard, as required by regulation but also know how to use it. When you catch an undesired species then use the device. Also know your own limits, just because you can keep 7 fish per day does not mean you should keep that many.

A few years ago, while on a multi-day vacation at Neah Bay my son and I went out and limited on rockfish. Between the two of us that was 14 fish, and we also caught some salmon that day and our lingcod we came back to the dock with nearly 20 fish to clean and fillet. That made for a long day, and we decided that the rest of the trip would be spent salmon fishing and that only if it were a slow day would we switch to bottomfish. Even then we kept our personal limits to what we wanted to clean that day, and by our third day we decided we had more than enough white flakey fillets for our trip. The last two days were spent trolling for salmon and watching local wildlife. Rockfish are delicious and fun to catch but make sure to catch responsibly.

Chasing Fish in The Straits of Juan De Fuca

As summer winds to an end, readers are likely anticipating glorious tales of monster sized salmon bending rod tips over the sides of boats, while adrenaline filled anglers run about with nets in hand, hoping to assist a buddy in bringing the big-one aboard for a well earned grip-and grin photo of a lifetime. This story, regretfully, does not end in such a manner. The story does, however, dispel some myths about importance of boat size, shares some boating safety advice that pertains to smaller boats, and ends with a nice haul of tasty fish (the type that are more suited for a fryer rather than a smoker).

It was Saturday morning in the Sekiu village, and the gentle waves of the incoming tide at Clallum bay woke me in my tent at Masons Marina. Thick marine fog typically blankets the waters from Sekiu to Neah Bay during the summer mornings, however, the start to this day greeted me with glassy calm seas, and blue skies that extended from Masons marina, all the way north, across the straits, and to the mountainous shores of Victoria B.C. It was perfect weather, and it helped ease the nerves that had been accumulating over the past two days as I obsessed about all of the things that could possibly go wrong in a small boat out on the big water.

My boat is a V-hull 2008 14’ Smoker Craft Pro Mag with a 20 HP Honda. It’s a good little boat, equipped with a live well, an electric trolling motor, navigation lights, and a backup 6 hp Suzuki that I keep onboard in case of emergencies. I take her out often, with most of my destinations being on the Puget Sound, Hood Canal, and various lakes in my region. But, as with many others that own boats similar to mine, the thought of taking a small boat out onto water that behaves a lot like the ocean never really crossed my mind. Boating is fun, until it isn’t. And I’ve always figured it was better to avoid a bad situation than to plop myself directly into one. It wasn’t until I was on the Hood Canal that a friend told me about Sekiu, and how anglers were easily catching their limits of chinook and coho up there, that I began to put more thought into the idea. Thus, a seed was planted. As I researched and asked around, I found that it was actually quite common to take smaller boats out around Clallum bay. In fact, 14’ kicker boats were at one time the most common sport-fishing boats seen on the water. At least, that was the case in the 1940’s, when most people weren’t towing around larger boats and instead opted to rent the 14 footers from the marinas. The marinas still rent boats of this size today, most of them equipped with 15 HP outboards.

Sekiu is the quintessential small fishing town. It has two main marinas (both with campgrounds), a handful of motels, a cafe, a restaurant, and plenty of fishing tackle. The town got it start as a salmon cannery back in the late 1800’s, but after regulations ceased to allow commercial fishing, the cannery business crashed, and Sekiu had to look to other industries like logging, hide tanning, and sport fishing. The latter of the three being the one that worked, and oh did it work well. The fishing is world-class, and seldom will you find anywhere outside of Alaska that has this type of salmon and other saltwater fishing. The unincorporated community is situated right inside Clallum bay, in the northwestern portion of the Strait of Juan De fuca. The bay itself, and just west of the bay, enjoys decent protection from S,SW,W, and NW winds. Once you head further towards the ocean or out north into the open water, you become more exposed to the common west and northwesterly winds. Luckily, you will find excellent fishing near-shore, or without having to travel too far west in the direction of the ocean. In fact, most fisherman catch their limits of salmon just west of the bay near what is known as “the Caves”. Two main summer-run salmon routes exist in the area, and those two routes follow near shore on the Canada side and near shore on the Washington side. This is an ideal situation for a small boat fisherman who doesn’t want to venture too far out into the open water.

When I motored out of the marina that first morning, I was a day behind on my already limited schedule. This had me fishing on an odd numbered day of the month. At the time, odd days were closed to salmon retention due to emergency regulations set by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. This meant that fishing for salmon that day was out of the picture. However, in Marine Area 4, just northwest of me, lingcod, rockfish, and other bottom dwellers were all very much on the table! To get to these, I had to run about 5 miles west to Shipwreck Point just east of Neah Bay. So, with calm waters on my port side, I gunned it west towards the MA-4 boundary line. The swell and wind forecast for that day were predicted to be favorable up until around 1pm, and so far, the predictions seemed to be holding up. My little boat planed quite nicely heading out with the ebb tide and gracefully skipped over the rolling swells. My first “yikes” moment occurred when I approached Kaydaka point. This large point that sits roughly 2 miles from the marina brings underwater structure out into the straits, and as a result, kicks up the wave height significantly. Though the increased wave size didn’t pose a significant threat to me, I still figured it was a good idea to run a bit further offshore to avoid the turbulence. It’s worth noting that points like these can present sea conditions that might not be tolerable for particularly small boats during rougher conditions.

The bottom fishing was hot within minutes of being inside the MA 4 boundary.

I fished a 2 oz jig head with a pearl white double tailed grub over some structure, and within minutes I was into some fish. A few good-sized lingcod found my hook, along with several rockfish and a beautiful cabezon that fought like a bull! All in all, the day was a success. I won’t bore you with the details of my next morning’s salmon trolling trip. I only had an hour to get it done, and let’s just say I’m still eating last season’s silvers from my freezer (and yes, some of it’s looking a little freezer burnt).  But the success was had in that I made it back to the marina both days in one piece. And this wasn’t accomplished in a 30’ fishing boat that’s worth more than my life savings- nope, this was done in 14’ aluminum boat with a small engine and an even smaller backup.  

Now, let’s talk the important stuff. Small boat safety. Is it safe to take a small aluminum boat onto the straits? It certainly can be! There are inherent risks that come with any type of boating, regardless of the boat size or the water that you are on. Risk assessment, risk avoidance, and preparation are all key components to keeping you safe on the water.

DISCLAIMER: I am by no means, an expert on boating safety. All I can do is share what works for me and what I have learned myself.

My first bit of safety prep comes well before I arrive at the marina. Fortunately for me, I have a work schedule that affords me the liberty to plan my trips around weather windows, so I’ll start by looking for consistently fair weather in the long-range forecasts. As I get closer to my desired departure dates, I’ll home in on the NOAA webpage and start looking at wind directions and speed, wind waves, then swell predictions (paying close attention to wave period or duration), and then tide charts. It’s important to know how wind, swell, and tide currents all work together to cause either rough or manageable conditions. I don’t have the page space to get into that here, but there are plenty of resources available online for anybody who wants to educate themselves on the nuances of ocean behavior. The calm waters typically occur in the morning, so be up and ready before sunrise. If the winds are predicted to pick up, say, by 1pm, then I’ll be heading back to the marina at least 2 hours before those winds are predicted to occur.

Safety equipment.  

Before I leave the docks I want to make sure I have life jackets (I carry an auto-inflate and a standard), a waterproof radio, working navigations lights, at least two GPS devices, a manual bilge pump in case my auto fails, a well-tuned and properly functioning outboard motor, a backup kicker, flare gun, an air- horn, and a reflector to hang up in case of dense fog.

Aside from these things, I also try to scout out beaches nearby that would be suitable for beaching my boat in case a situation calls for it. This is definitely a last-ditch option, as the risk of damaging the boat on rocks is very present. So, will I be taking my boat my boat out to Sekiu again? Absolutely! I already have my next trip planned! Do larger boats afford more comfort and protection in the event you get stuck in some adverse conditions? They absolutely do. But, if a capable small boat is all that you have, and you have educated yourself on all the safety measures necessary, then there is no reason for you to wait till you get that 100k boat to go have some fun and catch fish in arguably the most productive fishing grounds in our region.