Catching pelagic fish in the NW

[a-k]

Since I’ve been tuna fishing (2016) every year I hear of different pelagic species being caught other than albacore.

Yellow tail, Opah, blue fin, bill fish, dorado, etc.

Every year seems like one species shows up, even if it’s just a little bit.

For those who have got them.

I’m curious about water temps. Are people getting them in the warmer water like above 62 degrees?

Also is it more common to get them on the troll, anchovy, jig, swim bait, surface iron.

I’m always on the look out for paddy’s. But only caught a couple mackerel so far off the paddy’s.

Anyway any intel would be appreciated.

 

[kevin a]

Generally the Exotics will be on the warmer edge of the current break,other factors are CHL and The SST charts. The baits are usually Mackerel, Sardines, and Chovies for the warm water pelgacis, It just like looking for Albacore spots, The warmer breaks and CHL will have a big factor in finding them, Keep in mind find the bait, birds and sea life will be your friend while searching for them. You can troll things such as a Albacore feather all the way up the bigger Mad Macs!

 

[mrfish11]

I have caught 5 in WA. 3 yellowtail and 2 small bluefin. The yellowtail were always under floating "stuff". 2 under logs and 1 under a pallet. The bluefin were random. 1 on the troll and 1 on a baitstop. Swim baits for the yellowtail and I think the bluefin bit a clone.

All on different years so I never noticed that the temp had anything special to do with it. Just out there right where the albies were at.

 

[Captain Decent]

Never caught a pelagic but have seen a marlin. Possibly 2. The one I can be sure of wasn’t that far out of ilwaco. 40 miles maybe less. On the edge of the break.

 

[a-k]

I have caught 5 in WA. 3 yellowtail and 2 small bluefin. The yellowtail were always under floating "stuff". 2 under logs and 1 under a pallet. The bluefin were random. 1 on the troll and 1 on a baitstop. Swim baits for the yellowtail and I think the bluefin bit a clone.

All on different years so I never noticed that the temp had anything special to do with it. Just out there right where the albies were at.

Damn nice. Congrats!

Good advice right there. I’ve never stopped on a log or pallet before. I’ll give that a go this year.

 

[Cactus Chris]

Might be looking at a better year for them up there if the El Nino predictions hold true

 

[fishbadger]

My friend caught the then-state-record (since broken) opah on a chovey during a bait stop.
fb

 

[Fish_on!]

Damn nice. Congrats!

Good advice right there. I’ve never stopped on a log or pallet before. I’ll give that a go this year.

The troll blue fin you caught was a hand line Mexican flag clone. I remember looking at it going that’s a funny looking alby.

 

[no excuses]

couple of years ago we hooked a stripped marlin out of Newport OR of Heceta Bank and fought it about 10-15 min. before the 40lb leader broke from getting rubbed by his bill. I have seen several others out of Ilwaco. We saw a nice mahi mahi under a pallet last year out of Ilwaco and could not get it to bite, of course it was tournament day. Have seen some bigger model of bluefins also last year and did not get to bite.

 

[tacklejacked]

I don't think anyone except maybe one to two bored six pack guys actually target them. It's more or less by-catch looking for Albies.
I know the commie boats bring in some crazy stuff every year and I think those all come on Albie gear. I've seen flashes of yellowtail under kelp but can never get one to bite.

 

[wdlfbio]

We don’t have sardines or macks for bait up here. The handfuls of non albies have been on a variety of gear.

 

[kimh]

Seems like I remember several years ago some guy posted up a bunch of pictures of a commercial fishing for swords up here. His son was on the boat for the summer. I've tried to find the post but I guess all that is long gone. If I remember right they were fishing the thermocline with pelagic longline gear.

Makes me wonder what would happen if guys started dropping jigs working the thermocline depths. Have to tune the sounders to see it first so you would know how far to drop. Personally I'm past the big fish thing. Too old and too painful to catch one but it'd be a kick in the ass to hook one and then hand the rod off to a crew member that's younger and stupider than I am.

 

[Fireball]

Seems like I remember several years ago some guy posted up a bunch of pictures of a commercial fishing for swords up here. His son was on the boat for the summer. I've tried to find the post but I guess all that is long gone. If I remember right they were fishing the thermocline with pelagic longline gear.

Makes me wonder what would happen if guys started dropping jigs working the thermocline depths. Have to tune the sounders to see it first so you would know how far to drop. Personally I'm past the big fish thing. Too old and too painful to catch one but it'd be a kick in the ass to hook one and then hand the rod off to a crew member that's younger and stupider than I am.

Put me in coach! Challenge accepted.

 

[effigy]

Here's a "secret" to targeting yellowtail up here. When you study the SST / chloro / current charts, look for current convergence zones. These areas, if you target / find them, will often have debris trapped in them. And the YT love that debris.

 

[xtshawytscha]

We got an opah last year on iron and a yellowtail in July 5 or 6 years ago on troll gear near a kelp patty well north of the 48 line. Seems like both were in 64+ degree water.

 

[a-k]

We got an opah last year on iron and a yellowtail in July 5 or 6 years ago on troll gear near a kelp patty well north of the 48 line. Seems like both were in 64+ degree water.

I remember seeing that Opah! Nice job!

 

[cohoho]

Heard of a 10K WTC Bluefin on chovie as one of the first fish on board the boat that day. lol

 

[a-k]

On my boat I'm kind of against trolling with hand lines... one of these days a giant BFT will hit that troll rod and if caught on a hand line I can't see getting that in the boat.

 

[J_Hickman]

I’ve thought about anchoring a “dingy” 40 or so miles offshore, hanging some stuff below to build my own personal kelp patty/structure. See what turns up…..

One of my “uncles” in Hawaii does that in 8000’ of water. he commercially sport catches fish, enough to buy a bad ass boat.

He tries to keep 5 of the artificial Pattie’s going at a time, obviously they break off and loose them occasionally.

 

[mrfish11]

I’ve thought about anchoring a “dingy” 40 or so miles offshore, hanging some stuff below to build my own personal kelp patty/structure. See what turns up…..

One of my “uncles” in Hawaii does that in 8000’ of water. he commercially sport catches fish, enough to buy a bad ass boat.

He tries to keep 5 of the artificial Pattie’s going at a time, obviously they break off and loose them occasionally.

That is a lot of anchor rope. How long does it take to hit bottom in 8000 fow.

 

[tacklejacked]

That is a lot of anchor rope. How long does it take to hit bottom in 8000 fow.

About six beers.

 

[J_Hickman]

That is a lot of anchor rope. How long does it take to hit bottom in 8000 fow.

They don’t use “anchor rope” but rolls of mule tape or something similar. They pour concrete into milk crates with rebar and crap sticking out as anchors.

Basically it’s all disposable, any storm is most likely going to destroy it, but hopefully it makes it through a season and you yield enough fish to make it worth the effort and expense.

But @tacklejacked is right in the ball park, 6-8 beers depending on conditions and delivery system

 

[jrodda]

On my boat I'm kind of against trolling with hand lines... one of these days a giant BFT will hit that troll rod and if caught on a hand line I can't see getting that in the boat.

Not that I would either.

 

[Cactus Chris]

I’ve thought about anchoring a “dingy” 40 or so miles offshore, hanging some stuff below to build my own personal kelp patty/structure. See what turns up…..

One of my “uncles” in Hawaii does that in 8000’ of water. he commercially sport catches fish, enough to buy a bad ass boat.

He tries to keep 5 of the artificial Pattie’s going at a time, obviously they break off and loose them occasionally.

Illegal in CA

 

[mrfish11]

Not that I would either.

The guy in that video is nuttier than a squirrel turd.