Fish & Feathers Offshore salmon fishing warming up

Published 9:45 am Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Salmon fishing off the Washington coast in Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) has picked up considerably in the past week. It is getting better by the day. Coho are only running four to six pounds, but will be putting on pounds fast at this stage of the game.

Richard Gonder, former charter boat captain, fished this week on the Coho Mooch out of Coho Charters located in Ilwaco. He picked up two nice coho and said, “You should see Capt. Mooch (son of renowned Butch Smith). He moves faster and covers more deck than the deckhand, while also running the boat.” The boat limited on fish.

Reports out of Marine Area 2 (Westport) say, “They’re here, fishing in Westport has exploded.” Boats were catching fish south of the jetty, being hooked between 20 and 40 feet deep on both divers and downriggers. Most of these fish are headed for the Columbia River and should be arriving off Ilwaco shortly.

Tuna are being caught about 55 miles southwest of Westport, as warmer water continues to move up the coast.

If you are a tuna fisherman, now is the time to book a tuna trip out of Ilwaco. The tuna trips fill up quickly in the next month. Remember — these charters carry only 10 passengers, so space is limited. These tuna trips are the experience of a lifetime for those who have not tried it. There is no limit on the fish, except for your own stamina.

The total catch of the boat is divided up among all the fishermen on the boat, so everyone gets an equal share.

Sometimes, some fisherman claims they caught more fish than another guy and want their fish. I always tell them is just unreasonable for the deckhand and captain to keep track of the fish, as they are fast and furiously brought onto the boat. The fish have to be bled and placed in iced water as soon as the are boated, then have to be then packed in ice. If you have a question about this, ask about it when booking the trip, or ask the captain what the boat’s policy is before you leave the dock. Just remember that if the boat catches 50 or 60 or 100 fish and you caught only one or two, that’s all you would get.

Ron Malast can be reached at 665-3573 or raiders7777@centurylink.net.