Mothership trips

I flagged down this commercial boat when i was trying to find Baltimore Rock last year. He took us too it, i can imagine him sayin on the radio,"two kayakers are following me to Baltimore Rock", and the reponses he got from his commercial buddies. We said our thanks and off sailed the "Mysty banks" into the distance.

Well, a few months later i was going down to try to jig some herring at the docks and looked down one dock and there was the "Mysty Banks" moored in a slip and i could see the Captain was aboard. I walked down and introduced myself and we had a great talk about kayaking, fishing, his beautiful old boat and mothershipping. He was very interested and his vessel just happens to have a nice stern platforn very low to the water...

Just got off the phone with this Captain today and it's a go for one or more mothership trips this year. We are thinking a Maximum of 4 people/Kayaks. Tentatively One trip in May/June for Halibut/LingKong, which would just be a day trip. and one in August/September for Tuna!!... , which could be two days, maybe more?

For now i need two spots on each trip for me and one other local, but if Ralph or Roy don't wanna go, i need just one. So, looking for 2 others for each trip. Send a PM with your Number so we can coordinate a weekend/weekday?, Also post up your interest level in these trips, maybe we can get more trips setup

Roy,
Any idea of the cost?

Well, This guy is super cool and only wants to charge the fuel cost. I'd like to make sure he gets what's fair.

I was thinking 50 bucks a piece for the hali trip, thats not too far out. Does that seem reasonable? Too low?

Maybe 100 for the Tuna trip?

Sweeeeeeet!!!! 

I would be very interested in a tuna mothership trip.  Get some solid details ironed out and I could be there in a heartbeat...

These are the days for the off-shore spring Halibut season. If we want to go offshore for Hali, these are obviously the days. But we can still fish for big lings/rockfish offshore. It is 300+ feet out there, my arm hurts just thinking about it, but an offshore monster Hali would be epic!

 Spring: May 13-15, May 20-22 and June 3-5, with extra back-up dates of June 17-19, July 1-3, July 15-17, and July 29-31 available as long as the total catch does not exceed 105,948 pounds.

i think the inshore fishing is done mostly in the 100-150 foot range and is open 7 days a weeks starting May 1st.

so, i am thinking the trips will most likely be:

May 9th with The Nothing,steelheadr, myself and one other yet TBD... Inshore for Possible Hali and nice Lings/Rockfish

May 22nd with Yakinitup(hopefully), myself and two others.. offshore for monsters!! and shoulder surgery..

will start seriously planning a tuna trip in July for Aug/Sept.

what about the outside 40 fathom curve closure? No rockfish or lings outside 40 fathoms..  The closure extends that far south doesn't it?  Halibut only outside 240ft only on "all depth" days.. Halibut inside 240ft open 7 days a week until quota is reached.

what about the  outside 40 fathom curve closure?

Hmm, unless it came out today, i've heard nothing of that?

I got my info here, up to date as of middle of march.


http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/reg_changes/marine.asp

Been the law of the land for almost a decade...

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/finfish/groundfish_sport/index.asp

oh ok, gotcha, no groundfish outside...I thought you meant Halibut.

so , you can only keep Halibut outside of the 40 fathom line? What else? Sharks(legal ones)?Humboldt Squid? of course Tuna's.

I could be off on this, but I don't think $50 each is gonna cover fuel.

Depending on the size and (in)efficiency of that boat, you could burn through quite a bit of fuel.

oh ok, gotcha, no groundfish outside...I thought you meant Halibut.

so , you can only keep Halibut outside of the 40 fathom line? What else? Sharks(legal ones)?Humboldt Squid? of course Tuna's.

Groundfish is totally closed outside forty fathoms..

They set "all depth days" for halibut, I haven't looked but I assume these are the days you listed as the "season dates". On these days halibut is open from the beach to infinity, but the retention of ground fish is prohibited on these days if you have a have a halibut on board.  Aka you can't stop for some rockfish on your way in from the halibut grounds..  Other wise halibut is open inside 40, seven days a week. Just trying to help you stay straight with "the man".  They get real particular when folks show up with the "wrong fish".     

I could be off on this, but I don't think $50 each is gonna cover fuel.

Depending on the size and (in)efficiency of that boat, you could burn through quite a bit of fuel.

Yea, i agree. it could be more, for any off-shore trip i would imagine more. Inshore, i think there is some quality fishing 3-5 miles off cape arago

The first run will basically be a shakedown run for the whole process, to get it figured out..

Groundfish is totally closed outside forty fathoms..

They set "all depth days" for halibut, I haven't looked but I assume these are the days you listed as the "season dates". On these days halibut is open from the beach to infinity, but the retention of ground fish is prohibited on these days if you have a have a halibut on board.  Aka you can't stop for some rockfish on your way in from the halibut grounds..  Other wise halibut is open inside 40, seven days a week. Just trying to help you stay straight with "the man".  They get real particular when folks show up with the "wrong fish".     

Ok, i know about the groundfish now. And i knew about the no other fish when you have a Halibut on board rule, don't get it, but i knew about it.

The days i listed are for offshore Halibut, 9 days only in spring..

Pole,BS, or anyone else who has Ocean fishing experience.

What is the deepest you have fished on a Kayak? How the heck do you fish 300+ feet without just having a miserable time hauling a big fish up from that depth.

I was thinking a 300 yardspool of 30 pound or so Power Pro on a big reel on my 5 ft stout tuna pole. still gotta reel 'em up though.

What about something like this for the weight, you could fashion some 1-2 pound weight from cheap metal to get down there and it will(hopefully) release when you get a fish on? or maybe to change bait, if you use bait

http://www.lakemichiganangler.com/store/Legendary_Products_Pin_Popper_Release.htm

I don't know, just  considering options. I don't want to have to drag any rockfish up from that depth to have to throw back to die also. Might just make the trips inshore, until Tuna, that way we can catch anything.