A tour and a halibut

eelgrass

Long Time Member
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I very seldom take photos but I thought I would try to share yesterday. I took my kayak on Humboldt Bay on the first halibut fishing of the year. The weather was foggy and overcast all day.

After launching from the boat ramp about the first thing you see is the fisherman statue that was erected in memory of all the fishermen who lost their lives on the water.

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Heading up the bay between Woodly Island and Gunther Island and some local wildlife.

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Heading out into the open north bay this is how a kayaker likes to see the water, flat calm.

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It wasn't long before I hooked up on a halibut. I didn't realize how hard it was to land a fish and take a photo at the same time.

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I had two more take downs but they didn't stick and then the tide turned so I fished my way back with the current. I fished alongside of Gunther Island with no action.

Ever since I was a kid hunting and fishing on the bay, I wondered why there were piles of rocks stacked along the shore of the island. There's never been any development on the island. Then an old timer told me that back in the day there was a sawmill on the mainland and schooners from San Francisco came to the mill and when they arrived, they dumped their ballast of rocks to take on lumber for the return trip. I thought that was interesting.

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Back in the day some people lived on the island, and I found out that this run down building was their church. I always stop and offer up a prayer of thanksgiving. I've also caught halibut at this location.

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Back at the ramp the "fish counter" told me my fish was the first one he'd seen all morning so I felt pretty lucky. It weighed just under 8 pounds, just like the ones in Alaska. :)

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All in all it was a nice day on the water.
 
Nice pics and stories eel, have you been perch fishing? went a couple weeks ago down my way did pretty good.....
 
Thanks for taking us along eel. You did great, with halibut and the photography.

How long have you been chase fish this way? Prior to poly kayaks were you out there in the Bay on homemade craft of some sort.

Cool old church…….. lots of pretty sincere conversations took place there over the years.

How often are there other kayak fisherman out on the Bay, when conditions are right?
 
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Pretty Cool. What's a fish counter?
A fish counter is a guy or girl who asks fishermen where they fished and asks if they can measure and record your catch. They pass that info on to F&W. They don't have authority to check licenses or enforce laws. And it's all voluntary on the fisherman's part. I always cooperate. Most of them are college students and I don't know if they are paid or not.
 
How often are there other kayak fisherman out on the Bay, when conditions are right?
It's more crowded on the weekends but during the week I usually see one or two around. The college has a rowing team and I see them almost every time. They came close by one time and I challenged them to a race, but they didn't even acknowledge me as they went by.
 
I very seldom take photos but I thought I would try to share yesterday. I took my kayak on Humboldt Bay on the first halibut fishing of the year. The weather was foggy and overcast all day.

After launching from the boat ramp about the first thing you see is the fisherman statue that was erected in memory of all the fishermen who lost their lives on the water.

View attachment 113043

View attachment 113045

Heading up the bay between Woodly Island and Gunther Island and some local wildlife.

View attachment 113046

Heading out into the open north bay this is how a kayaker likes to see the water, flat calm.

View attachment 113047

It wasn't long before I hooked up on a halibut. I didn't realize how hard it was to land a fish and take a photo at the same time.

View attachment 113049

I had two more take downs but they didn't stick and then the tide turned so I fished my way back with the current. I fished alongside of Gunther Island with no action.

Ever since I was a kid hunting and fishing on the bay, I wondered why there were piles of rocks stacked along the shore of the island. There's never been any development on the island. Then an old timer told me that back in the day there was a sawmill on the mainland and schooners from San Francisco came to the mill and when they arrived, they dumped their ballast of rocks to take on lumber for the return trip. I thought that was interesting.

View attachment 113054

Back in the day some people lived on the island, and I found out that this run down building was their church. I always stop and offer up a prayer of thanksgiving. I've also caught halibut at this location.

View attachment 113055

Back at the ramp the "fish counter" told me my fish was the first one he'd seen all morning so I felt pretty lucky. It weighed just under 8 pounds, just like the ones in Alaska. :)

View attachment 113056


View attachment 113057

All in all it was a nice day on the water.
Very nice write up. Looks like fun. I am just getting into kayak fishing in small lakes and ponds. Don’t think I am ready to take on the ocean yet.
 
It's more crowded on the weekends but during the week I usually see one or two around. The college has a rowing team and I see them almost every time. They came close by one time and I challenged them to a race, but they didn't even acknowledge me as they went by.
Cowards!
 
Nice fillet action there Eel looks like you know what you are doing. You can see right thru the carcass no waste.... Going to be up your way with the Reel Steel on the 30th if you want to join us call Sherri
 
I very seldom take photos but I thought I would try to share yesterday. I took my kayak on Humboldt Bay on the first halibut fishing of the year. The weather was foggy and overcast all day.

After launching from the boat ramp about the first thing you see is the fisherman statue that was erected in memory of all the fishermen who lost their lives on the water.

View attachment 113043

View attachment 113045

Heading up the bay between Woodly Island and Gunther Island and some local wildlife.

View attachment 113046

Heading out into the open north bay this is how a kayaker likes to see the water, flat calm.

View attachment 113047

It wasn't long before I hooked up on a halibut. I didn't realize how hard it was to land a fish and take a photo at the same time.

View attachment 113049

I had two more take downs but they didn't stick and then the tide turned so I fished my way back with the current. I fished alongside of Gunther Island with no action.

Ever since I was a kid hunting and fishing on the bay, I wondered why there were piles of rocks stacked along the shore of the island. There's never been any development on the island. Then an old timer told me that back in the day there was a sawmill on the mainland and schooners from San Francisco came to the mill and when they arrived, they dumped their ballast of rocks to take on lumber for the return trip. I thought that was interesting.

View attachment 113054

Back in the day some people lived on the island, and I found out that this run down building was their church. I always stop and offer up a prayer of thanksgiving. I've also caught halibut at this location.

View attachment 113055

Back at the ramp the "fish counter" told me my fish was the first one he'd seen all morning so I felt pretty lucky. It weighed just under 8 pounds, just like the ones in Alaska. :)

View attachment 113056


View attachment 113057

All in all it was a nice day on the water.
Amazing set of fillets, market value on those babies range somewhere between a new bass boat and a 2024 diesel pickup.
 
Most of us do something that others think is kind of crazy, but the idea of paddling a kayak out to sea is pretty crazy to me.
Eelgrass,
I did enjoy the ride along.
2lumpy,
yes you can call me a coward!
Ha…… never would do that notdon. You ain’t no coward. But them shell hustlers must be……. ignoring eelgrass that way! We can’t tolerate that crap round here!
 
How long have you been chase fish this way? Prior to poly kayaks were you out there in the Bay on homemade craft of some sort.
The halibut made a big come back about 15 years ago but I've only fished for them for about 10 years. I got my kayak right after I retired, 2012.

This picture was taken in 1971. It's me in my 8' pram that I built. I'm towing my buddy in his 8' pram that he built. This is in south Humbold Bay. I remember I bought a 4X8 sheet of 1/4" marine grade plywood for $8.50. That's a 3hp Johnson motor.

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I Don't See A Life Jacket?

The halibut made a big come back about 15 years ago but I've only fished for them for about 10 years. I got my kayak right after I retired, 2012.

This picture was taken in 1971. It's me in my 8' pram that I built. I'm towing my buddy in his 8' pram that he built. This is in south Humbold Bay. I remember I bought a 4X8 sheet of 1/4" marine grade plywood for $8.50. That's a 3hp Johnson motor.

View attachment 113084
 
Life jackets who needs Life jackets!
Eelgrass paddles a kayak out into the deep blue with great white sharks, your not going to float back to the beach.
When I first got the kayak I went off shore in the ocean but I have since quit doing that. Mostly because I still get sea sick but when sharks started taking bites out of kayaks around here that did it for me. Inside the bay is safer. A pod of orcas came by last year in the bay but not close enough to scare me. And I always wear a life jacket in the kayak because it's easy to tip over.
 
The halibut made a big come back about 15 years ago but I've only fished for them for about 10 years. I got my kayak right after I retired, 2012.

This picture was taken in 1971. It's me in my 8' pram that I built. I'm towing my buddy in his 8' pram that he built. This is in south Humbold Bay. I remember I bought a 4X8 sheet of 1/4" marine grade plywood for $8.50. That's a 3hp Johnson motor.

View attachment 113084
Dang right you built that. That’s perfect. You and your buddy head out for Japan, by way of Maui……. LOL

With my luck, I’d have jerked the transom out into the bay.

That outboard look like it was born about the same year you were???

That’s a super photo of good times in the ole days. Grandkids gonna love that one eel!! Better frame that one up for posterity. Thanks for sharing.
 
I also built this boat about the same time as I built the pram. It's a duck hunting scull. A solid fiberglass hull with a fiber glassed wood deck. I sold it a few years ago. I took hundreds of ducks and geese using it over the years.

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Boy the guy in this picture looks OLD!!! What happened to the young guy in the other picture. ??
Good to still be active as you get old. Makes you feel young inside.
 
Another work of art……… for what appears to be a specific tool for the job.

I’ll demonstrate my utter lack of knowledge. Looking at it setting inside the pickup leaves me to believe you left the other half at home?
 
Another work of art……… for what appears to be a specific tool for the job.

I’ll demonstrate my utter lack of knowledge. Looking at it setting inside the pickup leaves me to believe you left the other half at home?
It's a very specialized boat designed to glide through the water without any drag and without any wake. It's propelled when hunting with a scull oar out the transom while laying on your back.

These birds at Lake Almanor never had a chance. :)
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Why doesn’t that surprise me eel. If there’s ever a thread asking the folks what specialized tools they have made to enhance their local hunting/fishing pursuits…….. I believe you may well win the blue ribbon.

Don’t see a lot of those out here on the high desert. Just pointing out the obvious… ?
 
Yes sir, 870 Wingmaster. 30" Full choke. I later switched to a Hastings barrel with Rem Chokes so I could shoot steel and cripple birds with the rest of the girls.
Prior to the 870 with the unfinished look. Love those shotguns. Looked great and put pellets where you pointed. Had a couple of those……… sold them both, to make mortgage payments………
 
Wish I lived somewhere to catch turkeys like that again. Miss halibut tacos. One fish that doesn't seem to go bad in the freezer.
 
I've Got The Same Gun But Un-Modified!

Got Mine in 76!

Ya!

When the Steel Shot Was Enforced We Started Wounding as Well!



Yes sir, 870 Wingmaster. 30" Full choke. I later switched to a Hastings barrel with Rem Chokes so I could shoot steel and cripple birds with the rest of the girls.
 
I've Got The Same Gun But Un-Modified!

Got Mine in 76!

Ya!

When the Steel Shot Was Enforced We Started Wounding as Well!
Hell, I quit duck & goose hunting when steel shot was enacted. Never really liked eating them so I started archery hunting them. This last few years have been reloading TSS and Bismuth. Might get back into some limit duck and goose hunting.
 
Too Many Quackers Maybe?
No maybe's about it. Two over the limit and I only fired one shot. The limit was 4 and I killed 6. I got the citation and the warden saw the whole thing. I told the judge what happened and he said "that will be $550 and no you don't get your gun back. Every time you pull the trigger, you're responsible for what happens,"

Yes, your Honor.
 
My Memory Is Bad Eel!

But I Remember Your Story From Years Ago!

You Sure You Didn't Get A Dozen With One Shot?:D

Did You Try & SPLAIN To The Judge You Do Not Waste Ammo?:D

I Hope Niller Doesn't Start Watching You!

No maybe's about it. Two over the limit and I only fired one shot. The limit was 4 and I killed 6. I got the citation and the warden saw the whole thing. I told the judge what happened and he said "that will be $550 and no you don't get your gun back. Every time you pull the trigger, you're responsible for what happens,"

Yes, your Honor.
 
My Memory Is Bad Eel!

But I Remember Your Story From Years Ago!

You Sure You Didn't Get A Dozen With One Shot?:D

Did You Try & SPLAIN To The Judge You Do Not Waste Ammo?:D

I Hope Niller Doesn't Start Watching You!
6 total was the official count. I think it was closer to 9. The tide on Morrow Bay saved me a few hundred dollars. ?
 
Had a lot of both. Pac Halibut and Comi Halibut. I prefer the Comi steaks, seems a little sweeter in the garlic butter.
 
I Don't Claim To Know Alot About Alaska!

But I Do Know You'd Best Be Payin Attention To Fish Rules & Regs That Can Change By The Day!

An Average DRAT Could Get Himself In To All Kinds Of Trouble Real Quick!
 
Amazing set of fillets, market value on those babies range somewhere between a new bass boat and a 2024 diesel pickup.
Lumpy you have no idea how expensive halibut can be even at wholesale prices which the day we were there was $20 so my halibut was $1200 and retail in the fish store was $39 a pound making that fish worth a small fortune.
That is the info I got on the dock as we were coming back in.
 
Saw this sign at a business the other day:

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I currently have over 100 lbs of halibut and I don’t know how many lbs of salmon. Spent maybe 50 dollars in beer to get it all.
 
Lumpy you have no idea how expensive halibut can be even at wholesale prices which the day we were there was $20 so my halibut was $1200 and retail in the fish store was $39 a pound making that fish worth a small fortune.
That is the info I got on the dock as we were coming back in.
Oh I believe ya 53…… I do. I paid $20 a pound, wholesale, at a place in Prince Rupert in British Colombia in 2012, They were still filleting them on the dock. So paying $39 retail in 2023 doesn’t surprise me I the least.

I’d make myself sick on 100 lbs of halibut…….. more than once, and that’s a fact.
 
Back when I was fishing the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers for salmon in Alaska I always stopped by a fish market in Ninilchik to buy some Squaw Candy. If I had some room in one of my fish boxes to ship home I'd buy halibut for $4.00 a pound. Usually about 20 pounds. Vacuum sealed and frozen. I like halibut but I hated paying to puke in the ocean.
 

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