Finally

[Nick Clayton]

Those are perfect lings.

In the charter world most of our customers get excited over the big ones naturally, and of course they make great photo ops. But the meat quality just isn't the same.

A 12 lb lingcod is the finest eating white meat fish in the PNW IMO.

 

[Nick Clayton]

Nice tiger!! Such a cool looking fish. Finally put my first onboard this last season.

Its funny how the various rockfish species can differ so much when it comes time to fillet. They're all built the same, but some are just a pain to deal with.

Always hated filleting quilback myself. I could fly threw a pile of yellowtail like nobodies business, and then a single quilback would take me the same time as a half dozen YTs.

Boccaccio are also a pain in the arse. Especially bigger ones. Not a big fan of eating them either.

 

[Evan B]

Nice tiger!! Such a cool looking fish. Finally put my first onboard this last season.

Its funny how the various rockfish species can differ so much when it comes time to fillet. They're all built the same, but some are just a pain to deal with.

Always hated filleting quilback myself. I could fly threw a pile of yellowtail like nobodies business, and then a single quilback would take me the same time as a half dozen YTs.

Boccaccio are also a pain in the arse. Especially bigger ones. Not a big fan of eating them either.

Know what's easy af to clean and tastes better than anything?


REALLY hope I can find more this year. Was so pumped I got them on more than one trip last year, and doing totally different things (one trolling coho, one hit a coltsniper jig near the surface when pulling up to re-set for bottom fishing)

 

[Nick Clayton]

I have every intention of keeping the next few I encounter. After reading your initial post over at that other place I've been dying to try one.

I've caught piles of them but never tried to eat one. I'm kicking myself for that.

 

[Nick Clayton]

Know what's easy af to clean and tastes better than anythin

REALLY hope I can find more this year. Was so pumped I got them on more than one trip last year, and doing totally different things (one trolling coho, one hit a coltsniper jig near the surface when pulling up to re-set for bottom fishing)

Have you ever tried skate? I always hear about people cutting meat out of the wings claim it tastes a lot like scallops, but I've never been able to make myself keep one. Honestly they kinda disgust me.

 

[Evan B]

Have you ever tried skate? I always hear about people cutting meat out of the wings claim it tastes a lot like scallops, but I've never been able to make myself keep one. Honestly they kinda disgust me.

I have not. Not opposed to a taste test, though. I've heard very mixed reviews.

 

[Paige]

We kept a skate once, talk a pain in the ass to fillet/clean, won't do that again! It tasted ok but not worth the effort, by a long shot.

Cabazon's are another PIA I won't keep!

 

[Nick Clayton]

We kept a skate once, talk a pain in the ass to fillet/clean, won't do that again! It tasted ok but not worth the effort, by a long shot.

Cabazon's are another PIA I won't keep!

Oh man I totally agree about cabbies! I quit keeping them myself long ago. I'm really not a huge fan of the meat to begin with, but then add in what a giant PIA they are to cut, and the low meat yield for their size and its just not worth it to me.

They are a super cool fish though

 

[brownheron]

Mmmmmm, this thread feels like I'm wearing my camo Snuggy.

90 days until springer season on my home water. The blood will flow...

 

[Stonedfish]

Was looking at some old steelhead pic last night.
Nightmare for the bbq summer steelhead win.
Looks like I might have been a bit late on the bobber down…..
SF

 

[Ian Broadie]

Last weekend Melissa and I were showing a friend how to float fish for man made steelhead.

 

[Paige]

You where on the wrong rock!

 

[Evan B]

Got all my spoons packed and organized, and ready for 1wk our in Tillamook. Hopefully this rain storm brings more flows than are forecast. We need water.

Where I'm staying on the Wilson:

 

[Tom Butler]

Was looking at some old steelhead pic last night.
Nightmare for the bbq summer steelhead win.
Looks like I might have been a bit late on the bobber down…..
SF

View attachment 826

Yeah, the nightmare jig under a float. What an absolute dirtbag.

 

[Rob Allen]

so now I can finally talk about floating Berkley pink worms with my spinning outfit during steelhead season?

What's with all this talk of worms and spinning rods? Don't you guys know how to borax cure coho eggs and drift with them an old rosewood handled Shimano bait caster?

 

[HOG]

Got all my spoons packed and organized, and ready for 1wk our in Tillamook. Hopefully this rain storm brings more flows than are forecast. We need water.

Where I'm staying on the Wilson:
View attachment 1092

can you just cast a plunking rig out the window and watch a movie on the second story? make some lacky net the fish?

 

[Evan B]

can you just cast a plunking rig out the window and watch a movie on the second story? make some lacky net the fish?

My friend I do this annual trip with will be doing exactly that

 

[Mtnwkr]

I gotta admit, I gear fished the majority of last year. I messed up my arm and cant cast a fly rod too well for any length of time. A buddy took me out bass fishing during the spawn and I was hooked. I now own a pile of casting rods and boxes of lures and plastics. I bought myself a Tracker Grizzly 1754 and am rigging it for bass fishing.
Anyone want to go out let me know!

 

[skyriver]

One of my most satisfying steelhead was on the OP as the drift boat driver, not the fisherman. Bogey or the Duc. Can't remember. I was the pilot of my buddies drift boat since I was the only experienced rower in the group. We had all fly fished upriver, but we were also pulling plugs in the bigger runs. In a nice run that bends to the left, just before the take out if I remember, I pushed that plug to the far right corner thinking "I've pushed these bastards all the way down the run, it's now or never" and ding dong, rod down. I have a pic of the damn fish & fisherman somewhere, but I wished someone would have taken my pic as I was pumped!

We fly fishermen (and ladies) tend to get in the mindset that our way is the toughest or most intricate. There are many skills out there required to catch fish and there are lots of damn good gear (and bait) chuckers that just want to have fun like us. As long as they are good with the resource I wish them well.

If my shoulders (I will use my left when the right one goes out) ever get to where I can't fly cast I'll be happy to chuck gear.

 

[Lue Taylor]

About 4 or 5 Pink seasons ago I was talked into getting a gear setup to fish Pink's I spent my $160 on a setup an lost $30 worth of Buzz Bombs in 5 minutes, never was a good gear caster.