What is this fish?

when you head this way for a visit and a fishing outing...we'll go catch some BULLHEAD (aka staghorn sculpin) and use them for the Sea-run Cutty's

busted......

LOL, Darn you guys that pay attention...

when you head this way for a visit and a fishing outing...we'll go catch some BULLHEAD (aka staghorn sculpin) and use them for the Sea-run Cutty's

All the bullheads i've caught up here are kinda big(and no wiskers) for Cutty bait? what is a good size to use?

Roy.. you'll catch larger sculpin out in the ocean, cabezons being an extreme example.  In the coastal rivers there a lot of smaller sculpins which I believe boxofrain is referring to for "cutty bait".

Brian

Here's the one i caught trolling for springers in the Marshfield channel. Is that Cutty bait size, or too big?

I don't think you can go to small on the BULLHEADS for cutty bait.  But a bigger one like that, I might fillet a strip bait out of it.

-Allen

I don't think you can go to small on the BULLHEADS for cutty bait.  But a bigger one like that, I might fillet a strip bait out of it.

-Allen

Good idea, I've never targeted Cutthroat before just caught a few incidentally. Do you use them live when there smaller?

I don't think you can go to small on the BULLHEADS for cutty bait.  But a bigger one like that, I might fillet a strip bait out of it.

-Allen

Good idea, I've never targeted Cutthroat before just caught a few incidentally. Do you use them live when there smaller?

I usually don't target them with bullheads unless an unlucky one happens to harass me.     Nothing wrong with live, but I'll also fish them dead.  As a kid I used to catch a lot of bullheads just to pass the time when we used to camp out on the beaches of Puget Sound.  A small chunk of chicken fat on a small hook works wonders as bait and lasts a long, long time. The chicken fat was scrapped from chicken backs we'd use for crab bait.  Every now and then a cuttie would hit the chicken fat, or more often strike a small bullhead I hooked up usually holding on long enough for me to see them, but not long enough to land them.  It was great fun for a 10 year old!!!

-Allen

Sounds like a good time

Hey Pole, You must know where the cement ship is in Aptos Ca. ? since you go to Santa Cruz alot.

off that pier is where i did most of my fishing when i was younger. We would catch alot of 4 inch BULLHEAD. I was always surprised at the size of bait they could stuff in there maw...

Lot's of fish caught of that thing.

Sounds like a good time

Hey Pole, You must know where the cement ship is in Aptos Ca. ? since you go to Santa Cruz alot.

off that pier is where i did most of my fishing when i was younger. We would catch alot of 4 inch BULLHEAD. I was always surprised at the size of bait they could stuff in there maw...

Lot's of fish caught of that thing.

I know exactly where you speak of.  Some decent fishing out of that area for CA halibuts when them come in.  And there is a resident school of ghosts (white seabass) that hang our in the kelp beds there.  I've never been lucky enough to catch one though.

And yes, sculpins can be aggressive on the largest of baits.  I've always wondered how an 8 inch Red Irish Lord could attach a 10 inch herring and get hooked on a 16/0 circle hook when fishing for halibut.  Damn pests!!!

-Allen

yea, lot's of butt's,Salmon,Shark,Stingray,Mackerel,Huge Rubberlip,pile perch,Pelican, caught of that pier. I never caught a pelican, thank god, but seen it a few times, not fun.

We even caught Bonita one year during the El Nino. That was awesome!!

Sounds like a good time

Hey Pole, You must know where the cement ship is in Aptos Ca. ? since you go to Santa Cruz alot.

On the DL.. that area is mad for striper surf fishing.

Z

yea, lot's of butt's,Salmon,Shark,Stingray,Mackerel,Huge Rubberlip,pile perch,Pelican, caught of that pier. I never caught a pelican, thank god, but seen it a few times, not fun.

We even caught Bonita one year during the El Nino. That was awesome!!

Hah!  I've caught a few pelican.  Like reeling in a bucket as they open their mouths and fill em up with water.  It's amazing how they go limp when you grap them around both bills.  They just hang there while you try to unhook them.  Poor things.

-Allen

Sounds like a good time

Hey Pole, You must know where the cement ship is in Aptos Ca. ? since you go to Santa Cruz alot.

On the DL.. that area is mad for striper surf fishing.

Z

seen a few wrestling matches in the surf.....

Roy, I think there are some striped bass down in your neck of the woods.  Do you ever year of anyone catching any?