Squid? Giant Humboldt

Anyone catch one?  Didn't they come in close along the coast and die off last year?  I saw an article in the newspaper about the squid coming in close again this year.  There was a nice pic of a huge one a fellow caught.  Just wondering if anyone read the article too, or caught any the last time they came in.
-Scott   

I wouldn't want to try and land a Humboldt squid on a yak, or on any boat.  Angry Big squid with teeth on their suckers and a bigass beak?  Not on my menu.

I wouldn't want to try and land a Humboldt squid on a yak, or on any boat.  Angry Big squid with teeth on their suckers and a bigass beak?  Not on my menu.

Just think how long it would take to fry all that meat up!   

I don't think I'd want to tangle with one of them monsters either.

Where do you bonk them? Hey, gimme that back!

Sounds like the kind of fishing you'd have to bring a 12 guage to.

From what I saw last year they came in close in Wa. waters but the current changed too quick for them to keep up.  The cold caused the die off.  There wasn't much fight left in them and as long as they were "alive" they were still good to eat.  That is a lot of Calamari! I wouldn't mess with a Humboldt, not from what I have seen on DISCOVERY.
-Scott

I've seen (and took a few pics) of humboldt in shallow waters here in the last couple of weeks.  They are there.  

Great pic.. Good to see you still around.  I am jealous that you get to hitch a ride on those trips and get paid for it, I would almost pay for the experience, so many neat things to see you won't see anywhere else.  I would have no problem looking at more pics of anything interesting you have from your work..

I second PP's request.  Bring on some pics.

I stay pretty covered in slime on the back deck and don't get to take as many pics as I like, but I do have a few you guys might like.  This Lingcod a little while back and is the biggest I've seen so far.  (42 inches if I remember correctly.) These are also a couple I took when I did this on the Bering Sea.

Whoops.  Forgot the Alaska photos.
Salmon Shark


Pigeons of Dutch Harbor


A wolf eel and another organism never identified.


Dutch Harbor in Winter. Pic taken atop Ballyhoo mtn. which overlooks the harbor.  It was quite a hike.

  WOW!! That stuff is awesome!!!  

Thanks for those pics!  That picture above Dutch Harbor is really great.  I appreciate the Humboldt pic (validation!).  I will gladly submit a squid for the derby at Depoe this year. 
Thanks again for the pictures C!
-Scott

Bottom trawls?  Whats the bi-catch like?  Is it a bad as I have read about?  The pic of the Eagles is crazy

Bottom trawls can be very dirty (lots of bycatch).  The trips I have been on have been with very skilled fishermen.  They know where to go to get what they are targeting.  I think the fact that many species that they try to avoid still get caught speaks to the abundance of fish out there.  It really is a shame when a bag comes up and fish have to be put back over in large numbers.  The pineapple upside-down nets (or Oregon set back nets) bottom draggers are using now seem to work at allowing rockfish to excape pretty effectively.