Ocean window this Sunday...

Yippiekaiyak and I will be beach side at around 0630 if it don't look friendly we will hit Tillamook bay. 

Updated: if yippiekaiyak gets his trailer back together in time... if not more welding for me.

Don't forget those Fish Descenders, if this is your first time out this year.

Don't forget those Fish Descenders, if this is your first time out this year.

Good reminder mine is in my tackle bag 

Don't forget those Fish Descenders, if this is your first time out this year.

Good reminder mine is in my tackle bag 

+1.  Thanks!

Don't forget those Fish Descenders, if this is your first time out this year.

Good reminder mine is in my tackle bag 

+1.  Thanks!

important detail on the new functional descender requirement for "Any vessel fishing for, or possessing, bottomfish in the ocean" is that a  "Functional descending device means one that is ready to be used."

important detail on the new functional descender requirement for "Any vessel fishing for, or possessing, bottomfish in the ocean" is that a  "Functional descending device means one that is ready to be used."

The guy at Harry's Bait and Tackle in Newport told me the same thing, and said he had 100 feet of cord coiled in a coffee can that was tied to his descender.  I'm wondering if I could forego that route by having a quick-snap attached to the descender and my "heavy" rod.  I could snap the descender onto my line in seconds.  I'm thinking this would qualify it as "ready to use", right?  I'd rather not have to haul a coffee can with a bunch of cord...

I'd say yes.  It's one of the examples of how to descend a fish that ODFW uses.  Sadly, I'm not the Marine Patrol.

important detail on the new functional descender requirement for "Any vessel fishing for, or possessing, bottomfish in the ocean" is that a  "Functional descending device means one that is ready to be used."

The guy at Harry's Bait and Tackle in Newport told me the same thing, and said he had 100 feet of cord coiled in a coffee can that was tied to his descender.  I'm wondering if I could forego that route by having a quick-snap attached to the descender and my "heavy" rod.  I could snap the descender onto my line in seconds.  I'm thinking this would qualify it as "ready to use", right?  I'd rather not have to haul a coffee can with a bunch of cord...

I haven't confirmed this yet with any of our local Troopers but my understanding is that if the descender is all set-up to use and just needs to be clicked onto a swivel on a rod, that is 'functional'. 

I wouldn't work up a fret on how to stow or prepare your descending device to fit the "on the ready" mantra you read in the regs.  Clipping it on to your current fishing rig is just fine.

Also, there is a very very small chance you would ever fish in deep enough water in a kayak out of Depoe Bay to catch a fish with barotrauma.  There is a deep 110 foot deep hole between the harbor entrance and the 1/2 mile buoy marking, but it is mostly sand on the bottom without structure/fish.  And usually not enough time to really fish it, as you shouldn't be hanging out there anyways due to it being part of the boat channel.  That is the deepest area I know of out there.

The rest of the area north or south of the buoy is actually pretty shallow and is kayak friendly, with structure holding fish.  By saying pretty shallow, it's anything from 30-60 feet deep in 95% of where you will fish.  Sure, anyone could challenge these numbers and say there is deeper water to find fish in, but from the many many many times I have fished there, it absolutely isn't necessary to bottom fish in any deeper water from a kayak.

Just watch out for the north and south reefs as they are really shallow and have standing waves that can ruin your day quick.  Just make sure you go straight out to the first buoy and either go north or south from there.  With a depth finder you can see the rise in the reef really easily and avoid it more accurately.

Thanks for the info guys, especially INSAYN.  I agree on the descender and doubt I'll need to use a descender in the depths you're describing, but it'd sure suck to get a ticket for something trivial like not having my descender "functional".  Just want to make sure I'm in line with the regulations  .

There is a deep 110 foot deep hole between the harbor entrance and the 1/2 mile buoy marking, but it is mostly sand on the bottom without structure/fish.  And usually not enough time to really fish it, as you shouldn't be hanging out there anyways due to it being part of the boat channel.  That is the deepest area I know of out there.

I was eyeing that hole on Navionics, thinking it could be a good flounder/sole spot.  But no fishing allowed there?  Dang.  Well maybe the western edge of the reef would be worth a look for the flatties.  I've targeted various soles and starry flounder in NorCal and prefer them for the table over most rockfish.  Figured I'd make a few drifts for those over the course of the day, unless the current is really ripping.  I like to look for sandy channels in between rocky reefs in 40-60 FOW.

With the forecast the way it looks I've got no desire to get up in the middle of the night. I'll probably be OTW around 10am.

On the VHF, announce your exit/entry on 80, misc communication on 69.

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As far as fishing on Easter, it's better to be sitting in a kayak thinking about God than sitting in church thinking about fishing. 😀

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As far as fishing on Easter, it's better to be sitting in a kayak thinking about God than sitting in church thinking about fishing. 😀

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

This ought to be one of those pithy sayings that appear in one's Facebook feed.

Thanks for the info guys, especially INSAYN.  I agree on the descender and doubt I'll need to use a descender in the depths you're describing, but it'd sure suck to get a ticket for something trivial like not having my descender "functional".  Just want to make sure I'm in line with the regulations  .

There is a deep 110 foot deep hole between the harbor entrance and the 1/2 mile buoy marking, but it is mostly sand on the bottom without structure/fish.  And usually not enough time to really fish it, as you shouldn't be hanging out there anyways due to it being part of the boat channel.  That is the deepest area I know of out there.

I was eyeing that hole on Navionics, thinking it could be a good flounder/sole spot.  But no fishing allowed there?  Dang.  Well maybe the western edge of the reef would be worth a look for the flatties.  I've targeted various soles and starry flounder in NorCal and prefer them for the table over most rockfish.  Figured I'd make a few drifts for those over the course of the day, unless the current is really ripping.  I like to look for sandy channels in between rocky reefs in 40-60 FOW.

That hole isn't necessarily off limits to fishing, you just need to be mindful of where you are and where the boats are running.  You can do fine on either the northern or southern most edges of this hole for bottom fish.  I've never seen a flounder come out of there, but then again I've never seen anyone target them there.  It's entirely possible!   

If you are interested in flatties, here is where I have found them.
I went straight out west to 90 feet which for the most part is directly between the two buoys out there (the 1/2 mile and 1 mile markers). 
Once you are in that area, just drift or keep your bait moving and bouncing slowly on the bottom.  I was successful on the southern side as that was the direction the current took me on my first drift that day, so I just made a few drifts from my mid buoy line towards Newport for maybe a few hundred yards and pedaled back to my starting point to repeat.  It's all sand out there BTW.

Thanks for the info guys, especially INSAYN.  I agree on the descender and doubt I'll need to use a descender in the depths you're describing, but it'd sure suck to get a ticket for something trivial like not having my descender "functional".  Just want to make sure I'm in line with the regulations  .

There is a deep 110 foot deep hole between the harbor entrance and the 1/2 mile buoy marking, but it is mostly sand on the bottom without structure/fish.  And usually not enough time to really fish it, as you shouldn't be hanging out there anyways due to it being part of the boat channel.  That is the deepest area I know of out there.

I was eyeing that hole on Navionics, thinking it could be a good flounder/sole spot.  But no fishing allowed there?  Dang.  Well maybe the western edge of the reef would be worth a look for the flatties.  I've targeted various soles and starry flounder in NorCal and prefer them for the table over most rockfish.  Figured I'd make a few drifts for those over the course of the day, unless the current is really ripping.  I like to look for sandy channels in between rocky reefs in 40-60 FOW.

That hole isn't necessarily off limits to fishing, you just need to be mindful of where you are and where the boats are running.  You can do fine on either the northern or southern most edges of this hole for bottom fish.  I've never seen a flounder come out of there, but then again I've never seen anyone target them there.  It's entirely possible!   

If you are interested in flatties, here is where I have found them.
I went straight out west to 90 feet which for the most part is directly between the two buoys out there (the 1/2 mile and 1 mile markers). 
Once you are in that area, just drift or keep your bait moving and bouncing slowly on the bottom.  I was successful on the southern side as that was the direction the current took me on my first drift that day, so I just made a few drifts from my mid buoy line towards Newport for maybe a few hundred yards and pedaled back to my starting point to repeat.  It's all sand out there BTW.

Awesome info, thank you so much!  I'll give it a whirl in that 90 foot zone and see if I can pull up some flatfish to take home.

Forecast is looking better now than it was yesterday.  Getting all my stuff ready to roll...last time I took my kayak out was back in January so I'm stoked for tomorrow!