Lingcod

Places like Florida, Texas, and Baja California are all celebrated for their tasty white fish like grouper, red snapper, and white seabass. While here in the Northwest, the fatty red or pink meat from a chinook or coho salmon is often what comes to mind when we think of seafood associated with our coastal and inland waters. The truth is, we also have all the necessary resources to make a mean fish taco. That is, the Pacific Northwest bottomfish. 

Don’t let the name “bottom fish” give you the wrong idea about where they might fall on the Hierarchy of seafood delicacies. The bottom fish mentioned in this article make for excellent table fare and can be utilized for a simple fish fry, tacos, or can be combined with some of our abundant shellfish for a seafood stew like a Cioppino. 

Our bottom fish range from large, dragon-like predatory fish like the Lingcod, to the massive halibut, which can get well over 200 lbs. In some cases, you can catch these fish from shore, but most often a boat of some sort will be necessary for success in these fisheries. 

Lingcod 

Straights of Juan de Fuca 

Marine areas 6, 5, and 4 along the Straits of Juan de Fuca all provide great opportunities for lingcod. In MA 5, you can launch a boat at Clallam Bay from the town of Sekiu at Mason’s Resort boat launch. From there, you can head west towards Kydaka Point, where ample amounts of rocky underwater structures and reefs hold healthy numbers of lingcod. Soft plastics work well here, but if you're aiming to land a giant, try hooking up a small greenling as bait and sending it down to the bottom.  

Puget sound 

Conservation efforts make the Puget Sound a much more restrictive area to target lingcod. The 2026 season runs from May 1st through June 15th and allows the retention of 1 fish per day. Size restrictions are in place as well, and you can only keep lingcod that are between 26 to 36 inches.  Possession Bar, Tavola Shore, and Alkai Reef all hold lingcod. 

Cabezon 

The cabezón. Loosely translated to “large head”, is aptly named for this exact reason. Cabezons, when larger, have giant heads and are built like a tank. When hooked, they will take off with your line and head-shake like a large lingcod. They’re a blast to catch and can be found all over the Straits of Juan de Fuca and the Washington coast. My favorite spot to fish for these is near Hobuck Beach in Neah Bay. This spot can be accessed via shore if you are using a kayak, otherwise you will have to launch your boat from the Big Salmon resort in Neah Bay. 

Rockfish 

Westport

Rockfish are abundant all throughout the Straits of Juan De Fuca and the Washington coast. With that said, if you’re looking for easy access, Westport provides a unique opportunity to catch these fish off of their one-mile-long jetty at Westhaven State Park. If climbing the rocks isn’t your thing, you can also hop on board one of the many charter boats that take off from the Westport marina to target salmon and bottom fish.   

Halibut 

Pillar Point

Pillar Point is about 15 miles east of Sekiu and has a small boat launch that is favored more by kayakers than those with larger vessels. For those looking for a larger boat launch, this area can be accessed by launching out of Sekiu and motoring east. A long sloping underwater ridge provides prime habitat for halibut, and it’s not uncommon to see 80+ lb halibut pulled out of this area. 

Greenling 

Neah Bay 

The old Snow Creek resort on the northern part of the Straits of Juan de Fuca, just outside of Neah Bay, holds healthy populations of Kelp Greenling. Though these fish are often thrown back by anglers targeting lingcod or rockfish, they are incredibly tasty and can be found in the kelp beds only a few hundred yards offshore. This area is open year-round for kelp greenling so long as you stay east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line.  

Flounder 

North Hood Canal 

The flounder fishery is often overshadowed by some of the larger game fish species in the Puget Sound, yet these fish offer a fun year-round fishery that can be a great way for kids to get excited about fishing while at the same time making for excellent table fare.  Flounder are found all throughout the Puget Sound and Hood Canal on sandy or muddy bottoms and are quite easy to catch using artificial sandworms, clams, or chunks of flounder meat. Dabob Bay, just south of Quilcene, is the only part of the Hood Canal that is open to flounder fishing. The bay can be accessed via the Quilcene Bay boat launch to the north or Tritan Cove boat ramp to the south.

South Puget Sound 

If fishing the Puget Sound, you can find flounder in large numbers in MA 9 at Jeff head or fishing from the shore at Point no Point in Hansville. Further south in the South Puget Sound, good flounder fishing can be had at Dash Point in King County, where a fishing pier and easy kayak is launching from the beach. Going further down towards Olympia, you can find flounder from Dana Passage to Boston Harbor. Always check the Department of Health’s website for current information on flounder consumption safety guidelines. 

With many bottom fish seasons opening this spring, and the year-round opportunities that these fish provide us with, there’s never a wrong time to get out there, get your cooler filled, and enjoy another one of our great fisheries here in the Northwest. 

What Anglers Can Expect While Fishing Washington's Saltwater Frontier 

It was mid-June, and we rolled into Neah Bay just before evening. Our scenery was fishing boats packed into the marina and the heavy smell of fireworks, as the local kids ran the waterfront. Surrounded by lush rainforest and steep cliffs, the village sat within the Makah Reservation and served as a hub for recreational and tribal fishing. June marks the start of the busiest season here. As waters warm and baitfish like sand lance, herring, and anchovies flood the area, predators follow in force. From the protected inshore waters of the Strait to the jagged pinnacles and kelp beds offshore of Cape Flattery, anglers have options for nearly every style of saltwater fishing imaginable. So we got some sleep, cause early the next morning we had a meeting at the dock with Captain Fred Walker of SeaWalker Charters. 

Waking up early to the smells and sounds of the harbor is something I love. Walking down to the boat, seeing all the hustle and bustle so early, watching everyone load gear, and exchanging stories will get you excited for the day. Finding the "SeaWalker" boat was easy, and the captain and deckhand were eager and ready to go. Our captain for the day was Captain Fred Walker, and he had one of the cleanest and most organized boats and operations, which immediately put us at ease, knowing we were in good hands. Not to mention he's been fishing these waters for over 30 years. The top-notch Kingfisher boat was loaded with the highest quality of gear. From the Tanacom electric reels to the Custom Prolite Rods, we had everything from mooching, trolling, and bottom fishing covered. And he and his deckhand, Max, take safety very seriously, and the success comes with it. 

●Lingcod And Rockfish 

As we motored out, we were anywhere from 50-60 miles from shore and had everything prepared for the long day. Neah Bay is legendary for bottomfish, and June is prime time. Lingcod are aggressive and plentiful, often lurking around rocky reefs, underwater pinnacles, and kelp edges. These toothy predators just hammer the jigs, or whatever offerings you're presenting, with equal enthusiasm. It's not unusual for anglers to catch their 2 keeper-sized lings in a day, along with a chance at a true trophy over 30lbs. Rockfish, both black and yelloweye, fill out the action, providing near consistent bites for those dropping smaller spoons and jigs into the schools, making them furious while filling limits quickly. With daily limits generous compared to other parts, anglers can usually count on a cooler of rockfish to complement those lingcods. 

●Halibut 

By June, Washington's Halibut season is still underway, though regulations shift year to year. When opened, halibut is a major draw. Neah Bay is one of the few places in the state where anglers can run relatively short distances offshore to productive halibut grounds. Places like Swiftsure Bank and areas West of Tatoosh Island hold halibut ranging from 20lbs "chickens" to "barn door" halibut topping 100+ pounds. Fishing for halibut here is not only an exercise for the body, but an exercise in patience and persistence. Heavy lead and big baits waiting for the unmistakable thump of a halibut inhaling your offering. The payoff, however, is unmatched table fair and a true trophy to catch. Couldn't be more thankful for Captain Fred having them Tanacom 750 reels on board to winch up these flatfish from the depths of 380ft-500ft.

●Salmon 

June is often the month when salmon begin filtering into the region. Chinook (Kings) are the headliners, while the main summer salmon season in Neah Bay typically kicks off later in July.  Early arrivals show up in June, especially along kelp lines and nearshore structure, where we seemed to find ours. These early-season Kings are strong, chrome bright, and are prized by many anglers. Mooching can be a very exciting way to fish; having the knuckle-busting action can be just part of the fun. Coho may also be appearing offshore, although they are usually more prevalent in July and August. For those lucky enough to hook up in June, Coho provide acrobatic fights, and a taste you'll return for. 

(Also, don't forget the opportunity for Albacore Tuna in late June, depending on water temps)

●Tactics And Techniques 

•Bottomfish: Most anglers target lingcod and rockfish by jigging heavy spoons or jigs tipped with bait or soft plastics near rocky structure. Larger, similar profiles work very well for lingcod. GPS and electronics definitely help you stay directly on productive reefs and rocky structures. 

•Halibut: Halibut set-ups typically consist of a stout rod, like the Prolites we used specifically for the bottom fishing. Heavy-duty reel, like a Tanacom, is ideal for the depths, matched with a quality braided line. Often drifting over humps and flats, bouncing pipe jigs and larger offerings, tipped with herring, squid, scents, drawing in fish at depths of 200-500 feet.  

•Salmon: When targeting salmon, trolling is the go-to method. Downriggers with flashers and hoochies, spoons, or herring rigs dominate the setup. Inshore, mooching with different offerings can be deadly, particularly when schools of bait are thick near kelp lines. Definitely a "Knuckle Busting" Mooching reel can be so fun, and very sporty at times. 

●Conditions And Weather 

June weather at Neah Bay can be notoriously unpredictable. Anglers should expect anything from flat calm seas to fog, rain, and possible stiff winds. Mornings are often the calmest,  as wind typically builds in the afternoon.  Having the flexibility to fish on shorter notice, when the forecast cooperates, can make or break a trip. Fog can be a factor; the Strait and nearshore waters can sock in with heavy fog, making it invaluable for navigating, even with GPS and radar. Always plan for safety, as the Pacific can turn hostile quickly. Being on a guide’s boat, such as the SeaWalker, and knowing it was equipped with the best crew and safety gear, makes the trip so much more enjoyable.  

●Regulations And Access 

Neah Bay is subject to both Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) regulations and tribal considerations. Seasons for halibut and salmon can change annually,  even for bottomfish. So anglers must review the most current rules and regulations before making the trip. Size limits, bag limits, and barbless hook requirements are strictly enforced. Access also requires awareness, as you are on a reservation. As a visitor,  always respect the policies and rules of the tribe. And while launching and returning to the Big Salmon marina, there is a cleaning station to clean your catch daily. Or pay a couple bucks to have a couple locals do it for you. 

Fishing Neah Bay in June is an adventure into one of the richest marine environments on the West Coast. With stunning scenery from the rugged cliffs of Cape Flattery, the westernmost point in the contiguous United States, to the pristine beaches and rainforest nearby. Wildlife is abundant, and so many bald eagles share the water with anglers. 

The community itself is small and welcoming, with local lodging, camping, and the Makah Cultural and Research Center offers a window into the rich history of the Makah people and the many years of fishing. It's a place where the Pacific reveals both its bounty and its raw power. A destination where every trip feels like an expedition, and every fish tells a story. For those who are looking to make the trek, expect long days on the water, a cooler of catches, and the memories you reeled in at Washington's Saltwater Frontier. 

●Tips For Success 

1. Book lodging early; June is popular, and options are limited 

2. Hire a charter for your first trip. Water can be intimidating, and a good captain like Fred Walker with SeaWalker Charters would be my choice.

3. Pack for all weather. Layered clothing, rain gear, deck boots, waterproof bag or backpack.  

4. Stay Flexible - weather and seas dictate much of the fishing.  Having a couple of backup days built into the trip always helps. 

5. Pack snacks, drinks, meds, and motion sickness medication.  Not all charters cover a lunch, but most will have water on board.  

6. Know the rules and regulations, as they can change yearly, and enforcement can be strict 

7. Have fun, and respect the boat and the operation going on around you.

8. And most of all, "Reel In The Memories"!

Halibut, lingcod, and rockfish are the top three species of bottom fish here in the Pacific Northwest.
There are three main methods for targeting bottom fish, and the cool thing is that the tactic you use is more dependent on the depth and environment you’re fishing in, rather than the species itself. All species can be found in virtually any depth in the ocean. In fact, many of the biggest lingcod I have ever caught have been in less than 50 feet of water. This means that if you know your water, you can choose a tactic that will give you the best chance at success. 

Image

Tactic number one: Live bait rigs. Live bait is the most natural presentation to a fish. As the name implies, you need an actual prey item connected to your hook, and this often elicits the most aggressive feeding response. The flip side is that you have to spend considerable time catching bait. Additionally, it can be difficult to keep your bait alive throughout the day. I have found that live bait rigs work best when targeting ling cod on reefs that are under 150’ deep. 
Ling cod will readily take live bait of nearly any size, and often do not even need to be hooked to bring them to the boat. To decide between large and small bait, know your area. If you are fishing a particularly busy reef with lots of rockfish, and you are not allowed to keep them, try to use larger baits such as greenling or other sculpin to keep bycatch to a minimum. 
The best live bait rig I have ever seen, I learned from John Kerrigan of Seeking Limits Guide Service out of Everett, WA. John’s rig is devilishly simple. It consists of a sliding weight system where the plastic slide is connected to the weight with a rubber band, and it is stopped by a swivel to a leader (photo below). The rubber band keeps you from losing an entire rig if your weight gets stuck, and the swivel will keep the live bait tangle-free. Give it a try with surf perch on a single hook rig, or sand dabs and greenling on a double hook rig.

Image

The second bottom fishing method is jigging with soft plastics. This method allows you to go right out to the fishing grounds. Oftentimes, the soft plastic jigs come pre-rigged, so all you have to do is tie them onto a 50-pound mono leader and drop it near the bottom. My absolute favorite for jigging soft plastic is a Fisherman’s Gold Electric Eel jig. (photo below). It has caught absolutely everything from giant 50-pound lingcod to limit after limit of rockfish. The only consideration is how heavy and how big you want your plastic. Obviously, using a 32 ounce 12 inch eel won’t be the right choice for rockfish, but if you’re shallow, there is little better than catching black rocks on a 1 or 2 ounce eel. Fishing soft plastics is the most versatile of the 3 methods. You can fish them light or heavy, large or small, shallow or deep. Soft plastics can struggle in areas of intense pressure and is most difficult in areas where there are lots of toothy bycatch, such as arrowtooth flounder or dogfish that can tear up your bait. 

The last method is a combination of pipe jigs and unweighted soft plastics on a ganoin type rig. This method is great for deep drop fishing, particularly for halibut. The pipe jig not only allows enough weight for a rig in 500 feet of water, but it also can get chewed on for hours and not lose its efficacy. By running some unweighted plastics above the pipe jig, you can also take advantage of the extra color and action to bring fish to your rig. However, this method is really prone to snags, and can be expensive to lose if you are fishing the more shallow rocky reefs. 
I typically pair this method with electric reels in deep water and on flatter bars in the open ocean. You can build a ganoin by using a 3-way swivel connecting the main braided line to one end, a 6 foot ganoin of heavy mono (80 pound or heavier) to one of the other sides, and lastly a short heavy mono leader connected to a large 12/0 J hook that you hook your eel or flounder plastic to. 

Image

Making a game plan for your specific environment is the best way to set yourself up for success. Always consider the time you have to fish, the depth at which you want to target, and the overall fishing pressure to help you decide between durable baits like pipe jigs or if a natural live bait is the right choice. Get out there and try it for yourself!

While I know that our local lingcod fishery closes June 15^th hopefully this will be available for the last few days of the 2023 lingcod season. If not, it will give you a head start on next year’s lingcod plans. With the exception of the Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal) lingcod closure, Washington State WDFW Marine Areas 5-Marine Area 13 are open for lingcod fishing from May 1st through June 15^th. It’s a short fishery managed with a slot limit. You can only retain 1 fish that is 26-36” long each day. With the slot limit, legal fish are hard to come by after the opener. Lingcod is excellent table fare with many preparation options. Sooo, what the heck is a lingcod?

Lingcod or Ophiodon Elongatus. They are not actual cod, but a species of greenling. Lingcod are eating machines and can weigh over 80 pounds and tape out at 60” long. They have a 5-gallon bucket for a mouth with 18 needlepoint teeth to make sure their intended meal stays put (handling, never put your hand or fingers in their mouth or try to pick one up via hand in the gills). They are a very cool-looking warrior of the depths. Their color varies but all have clusters of darker colored and copper-colored patches.

Unlike humans, male lingcod mature at around 2 years old and 20”. The female lingcod mature at 3-5 years and 24-30”. Us mortals are just the opposite; females mature earlier than men and like myself, some of us never mature beyond 12 or so. Initially, both male and female lingcod have similar growth rates and grow very quickly. At around 4 years old the female lingcod growth rate outpaces the males.

Lingcod spawn December-March along reefs and rock outcroppings during periods of strong tidal flows and wave action. The eggs are deposited and fertilized in nests in crevasses in the rock. After spawning the males protect the nests until they hatch in 5-11 weeks.

Lingcod are very vulnerable while the eggs are developing. The males are very aggressive and will attack anything considered a threat to the nest. Many become prey while guarding the nests, leaving the nest vulnerable to predators. An unprotected nest is usually decimated in a day or so. The male lingcod is essential for successful spawning.

Although some migration has been observed, generally lingcod stay in the same location most of their lives. They are typically structure-oriented and found in 30-300 feet of water. However on Mother’s Day a few years back I caught a lingcod while flyfishing from the beach (not as bad as it sounds. I was doing a big brunch on a beach and had everything set up and ready to go. Planned or otherwise I had some time before everyone arrived. I know, I know; I still had a rod and gear with me on Mother’s Day…)

Fishing for lingcod in the straights, the San Juans, and inner Puget Sound can be a very rewarding adventure. Partially because once you find your rockpile it can hold fish for years. Lingcod can be found along any surface visible structure and here locally lingcod opportunity abounds. I like to meter around to find isolated rockpiles and then mark them on my electronics (note to self, don’t try to declutter your chart while not paying attention to what you’re doing. Just recently I deleted most of my spots accidentally. I think that I was in tears…) Having a secrete rockpile can make you a lingcod Zen Master, The Ling Whisperer! 

Once you have figured out where to fish, now what? Lingcod fishing can be either a put-the-rod-in-a-holder passive affair or a highly technical means of working an artificial bait along the edge of a reef. My approach is somewhere in the middle. Typically, I actively fish artificial baits using a less aggressive drop-and-retrieve method. More on that later…

Bait or artificials? Both work and lingcod are suckers for just about anything that passes in front of them. One of the biggest lings I have ever caught was a massive beast that had latched on to a smaller ling that had inhaled a homemade copper pipe jig. That said; bait can be deadly here in Puget Sound. Although herring or squid work sanddabs are the way to go. 

Sanddabs are easy to find, catch, and work well dead or alive. A simple way to keep them mostly alive is to keep them in a salt brine in a cooler. A couple of bags of ice, salt water, and an extra cup of rock salt. Not always but it seems that when you take the sanddabs out of the brine, they perk up a bit. It may be a suspended animation thing, like an old horror movie “The Attack of the Killer Sanddabs”…

I like to fish sanddabs on a 2-6 ounce painted jig head and fish them like an artificial bait. They also fish well on a dropper loop rig or a hard tie heavier mooching rig. If fishing them on the mooching rig, hook the lead hook through the mouth, out through the lower jaw then about 2/3rds of the way down the sanddab’s body the trailing hook just under the skin on the dark side of the fish. Insert the hook, point towards the tail, and loop it back out letting it just dangle along the back of the sanddab. Keep a solid hand on the rod. When a lingcod sets its sights on having a sanddab snack, the takedown can be ferocious. 

My favorite way to fish lings is with a large curly tail or paddle-tail type swimbait on a jig head but any artificial bait works. I have caught lings using pipe jigs, flutter jigs, and a variety of commercially molded baits, including molded sanddabs. Fished correctly the artificials drive lingcod nuts. The picture of the big ling was caught in Rosario Strait by James Vermeer using a home-poured bait. 

Actually, a great story; he used a kid's toy plastic shark to create a mold and then poured the lure. After a few testing modifications, he ended up with a heavy-bodied lure that was balanced in the water and sent out all kinds of “come-eat-me” vibrations. More importantly, James knows how to fish lings. 

I was motoring past in the workboat and noticed a guy in a small skiff fishing lingcod. I pulled the throttle back and watched the show. He clearly knew how to properly fish lings on artificial baits. Not long after I stop, he goes bendo and had on what looked to be a serious lingcod. 10 minutes later he and the fish were posing for a picture or two. 

”Properly fish lings on artificial baits”, what the heck am I talking about? Let’s break artificial baits down into 3 categories; pipe jigs, dart type jigs, and soft baits. They each fish a little differently

Pipe jigs should be fished straight up and down in deeper water. (Unless you are fishing for lings in WDFW Marine Area 4 East-Marine Area 11 and Marine Area 13 where fishing for bottomfish is prohibited in water deeper than 120’). Meter around and find a deeper reef. Either anchor or set up a drift along the side of the reef or from the high point towards deeper water. It doesn’t hurt to do a couple of test drifts with your chart trails on to see how you’re drifting. Once on station let your pipe jigs fall to the bottom (it helps to make sure they are attached to your line), touch bottom, and then wind up a few cranks. Basically, you want to fish just off the bottom while occasionally bouncing the jig off the bottom. Don’t erratically jerk your rod tip up and down. For lings, you want a slow deliberate motion. If you go herky-jerky you just attract rockfish. 

When fishing dart type or flutter jigs think salmon. Free spool to the bottom of your intended meter mark and stop. Slowly lift your rod tip about a foot and then quickly drop it again. The bite will almost always be as the jig is fluttering down. That said; I have caught a few lings casting and retrieving a Point Wilson Dart. One of my biggest San Juan lings chased down and inhaled a jig right at the boat up at Point Lowrance in the San Juans. 

Fishing soft baits is my favorite way to catch lingcod. There is something addictive about the takedown when you are actively working on an artificial bait for lings. My routine is to position the boat then drop your offering via free spool until it hits bottom and reel up a crank or 2. Then kind of become one with the rod and allow the current to work the bait. Slowly lifting the rod tip or letting out line here and there to avoid snagging the bottom while keeping in the zone. 

Lingcod are pretty hardy fish but still be respectful and quickly release any fish not going in for a ride in your fish box. To preserve the table quality, make sure to break a gill raker with dikes or pliers and/or make an undercut at the base of its tail to bleed the fish. Lingcod freeze very well when vacuum bagged and is great for a quick healthy meal. 

Start planning for next year’s Month of Ling. Take some time learning to catch sanddabs and study a chart for your select area. Look for underwater rockpiles, structures, or hard ledges and mark them to explore next season. Stock up on gear well before the May 1^st opener and may your fish box be full in 2024. 

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.