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Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) / week at tb
« on: September 14, 2021, 02:12:38 AM »
I spent a good amount of time the last week on the water at TB while everyone else has been out searching for salmon. I've been fishing TB for about two years now and have always found it to be a challenging water system. I have had plenty of skunks out there and have learned quite a bit from my time there. Here are a few of my thoughts. I am by zero means an expert. Just wanting to share my observations and see if there are any thoughts from others.
Live bait and saki: searching the grass for live bait was a challenge for me. I hooked up with some smelt, perch, and even a good size herring! Mostly though I found the halibut we more interested in anchovies. These I would find in deeper sections away from the grass. Bait is still in the system (as of 9/12) but seems to be thinning. One thing that happened to me multiple times was hooking up on bigger stripers while jigging the sabiki. I was able to very very gently fight 3 of them up to the kayak before they got spooked too much and would snap the lines. Was always fun to have them on the very light tackle even if I knew they would likely break free.
Lights: yellow can is great and I generally start there as I can see it from Millers flashing and can start paddling out at civil daylight or if there wasn't much wind I would start in the dark. I set-up a nice running light system for my Revo with a handful of bike lights (green and red ones) that work great. I had boats coming up to me in the early hours commenting on how well lit I was. This gets me out to the fishing grounds and hopefully with a little bait by first light.
Terittory: there is a lot of good selves and drop offs all along hog that were really fun to bounce live bait along. This is the general area I got most of my hookups (here and south of yellow can). I haven't spent too much time north of the island but I hear the bite up there has been slow too.
How did I do? Overall I did pretty well. Over 8 days I had two skunks or minimal hookups, a handful of shaker halibuts, three rays (one of which gave me a great sleigh ride!), three keeper halibut (25, 30, 32.5), and one massive pb striper at 35" (thanks to that live herring)!
TB is a challenge but worth it for the beauty and excellent fishing possibilities.
What are your thoughts and observations?
Live bait and saki: searching the grass for live bait was a challenge for me. I hooked up with some smelt, perch, and even a good size herring! Mostly though I found the halibut we more interested in anchovies. These I would find in deeper sections away from the grass. Bait is still in the system (as of 9/12) but seems to be thinning. One thing that happened to me multiple times was hooking up on bigger stripers while jigging the sabiki. I was able to very very gently fight 3 of them up to the kayak before they got spooked too much and would snap the lines. Was always fun to have them on the very light tackle even if I knew they would likely break free.
Lights: yellow can is great and I generally start there as I can see it from Millers flashing and can start paddling out at civil daylight or if there wasn't much wind I would start in the dark. I set-up a nice running light system for my Revo with a handful of bike lights (green and red ones) that work great. I had boats coming up to me in the early hours commenting on how well lit I was. This gets me out to the fishing grounds and hopefully with a little bait by first light.
Terittory: there is a lot of good selves and drop offs all along hog that were really fun to bounce live bait along. This is the general area I got most of my hookups (here and south of yellow can). I haven't spent too much time north of the island but I hear the bite up there has been slow too.
How did I do? Overall I did pretty well. Over 8 days I had two skunks or minimal hookups, a handful of shaker halibuts, three rays (one of which gave me a great sleigh ride!), three keeper halibut (25, 30, 32.5), and one massive pb striper at 35" (thanks to that live herring)!
TB is a challenge but worth it for the beauty and excellent fishing possibilities.
What are your thoughts and observations?