Frustrated Seward

[fishing nut]

Hi,
I have a 19 1/2 Alumaweld Stryker. I've been out close to fox island and past caines head. Turned back due to the wind and water conditions this weekend. Unable to head out far like the other boats. Can some please email some spots to try for halibut and rock fish for my family and I to catch. I know I'm not able to get big halibut in the bay. I'm having the hardest time trying to find where they hide out. I've been lake and river fishing so long, this is pretty new. I've been fishing incoming tide, just not sure where and how to read locations? Much appreciated for the help!! Email: glickstr@gmail.com

[AlaskanSD]

Go to Homer. Here's a good thread for you:

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/...er-for-Halibut

[fishing nut]

Really appreciate it! Thought of Homer, but figured the person needs a big boat. Comfortable in the water, drift boat fished commercially for a awhile, but every tide is different 😁 I have 3 1/2 ft sides, 19 1/2 foot. 05 Yamaha high thrust 50 horse 4 stroke on it for now (still wanting to fish the Kenai) for now.
Anyway, just wasn't sure. Just been trying to get something and it's just been discouraging. Really want wife and kids to catch more than me. 2nd attempt and nothing. Not sure what else to do. Thanks!

[Paul H]

On a good day Kachemak Bay is glass calm in the morning. You can almost be guaranteed to have an afternoon breeze kick up around 2-4 pm, so make sure you're heading back before the breeze kicks up.

There's a world of difference between catching fish on a charter and going out on your own boat. Figure it will take you a season or two before you get a hang for finding fish on your own.

[akdeweyj]

Hi,
I have a 19 1/2 Alumaweld Stryker. I've been out close to fox island and past caines head. Turned back due to the wind and water conditions this weekend. Unable to head out far like the other boats. Can some please email some spots to try for halibut and rock fish for my family and I to catch. I know I'm not able to get big halibut in the bay. I'm having the hardest time trying to find where they hide out. I've been lake and river fishing so long, this is pretty new. I've been fishing incoming tide, just not sure where and how to read locations? Much appreciated for the help!! Email: glickstr@gmail.com

Because of the fishing pressure applied to the bay there are not too many places close inside Resurrection Bay to bottom fish. Later in the year you can find spotty halibut fishing around the mouth of Tonsina Creek or 4th of July Creek. There are some small black rockfish to be found around Thumb Cove, Hat, Fox or Hive Islands. If its really poopy weather you can try going into the Eldorado Narrows to fish the rocks on the backside of Fox Island but there is no easy fishing unless there are salmon in the bay and you're still a couple of weeks away from that event.
Out of curiousity, what day did you try to go out? Saturday morning was a little slow & lumpy getting out to Cheval, but after about 11 am it was really nice past Caines Head.

[fishing nut]

Awesome!! roud: Really appreciate it! I can't wait till silver fishing! I've always wondered if the fishing would be better later in the summer than earlier, for halibut. I researched that they come into shallower waters in May and June. After that, they can only be caught in about 250 or deeper. I mostly interested up to #60. Not looking for real biggies.
My family and I had fun. Saturday weather was great. The water around 1 pm started swelling up and the winds got up to about 20-25 mph. Choppy, but not real bad.
No wind on Sunday at 7am. Nice ride 20 minutes to thumbs cove. Went a little ways past Thumb, near a single island near Fox. 11:15am headed back it was a 45 min intense ride to harbor. With winds at 25mph, and gust up to 30mph. With waves from other charter boats, swells and the wind pushing,...it was nerve racking for me. Just purchased this boat a month ago, wasn't sure what it could handle. Now I know. I also know, what the change in tide and winds look like. I was recommended to be out by noon always, but the weather started at 10:30am.
I really enjoy exploring, but it will just take more patience to see what kind of area's they lye. I heard they can move all around.

[Rob B]

A lot of times, if you can take the beating until you make the left turn past Barwell Island, you will get into better water and good fishing in front of Day Harbor. Might have some swells, but I've found that it gets better that the bay sometimes. Saturday was just this case.

[limon32]

Frustrated Seward

Give homer a try, if I had your boat I would start trolling a flasher and herring combo right at the green can and then head northwest. My wife and I caught several limits of 20lb halibut doing that trying to catch silvers one fall in a 16' Klamath. Down riggers or deep six divers will help.

Starting mid July you should have no trouble taking that boat to fox island and trolling up pinks and silvers all day long. Sometimes they are thick enough we just start mooching in there, usually on the north and west side.


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[AKCAPT]

Look me up when you are in Seward and I Will give you a few spots that you can pull a decent fish out of the bay, if you put your time in.

[AKMarmot]

I hate to say it but halibut fishing in the bay is inconsistent at best. Two attempts with out a halibut isnt' that unusual. Where you will find them one time you might not find them there again. AKCAPT posted long ago that if you sit out a tide south of barwell you should pick up a couple. One year we had a really good day moving around barwell, since then I have never caught another one there. In August when the silvers are in you may catch a butt in Thumb cove, & then not get one there again that year. On the positive side you will be able to catch salmon on all sides in the bay & rock fish around the islands. Infact if the weather picks up like you experienced you can usally go into Thumb & anchor up & wait it out. There is a good beach to walk on the south shore as well as two public use cabins there. The cabins will usually be rented, but it will allow you to anchor the boat & get out of the water & most of the time it lays down some in the evening. The north west wall of Thumb is good for silvers & sometimes for smaller rockfish as well.
One other idea completely is Whiskey gulch / Deep creek area if you can beach launch your rig. The kayaks have been doing great with halibut there this year, & they don't go far out. If you use the tractor at deep creek you only have to run 3-6 miles out to catch chickens as well. However, I find the tractor too expensive, & my small boat is just to heavy to beach launch with out a headache & worrying about getting stuck, so it may or may not be an option.

[Kardinal_84]

I hate to say it but halibut fishing in the bay is inconsistent at best. Two attempts with out a halibut isnt' that unusual. Where you will find them one time you might not find them there again. AKCAPT posted long ago that if you sit out a tide south of barwell you should pick up a couple. One year we had a really good day moving around barwell, since then I have never caught another one there. In August when the silvers are in you may catch a butt in Thumb cove, & then not get one there again that year. On the positive side you will be able to catch salmon on all sides in the bay & rock fish around the islands. Infact if the weather picks up like you experienced you can usally go into Thumb & anchor up & wait it out. There is a good beach to walk on the south shore as well as two public use cabins there. The cabins will usually be rented, but it will allow you to anchor the boat & get out of the water & most of the time it lays down some in the evening. The north west wall of Thumb is good for silvers & sometimes for smaller rockfish as well.
One other idea completely is Whiskey gulch / Deep creek area if you can beach launch your rig. The kayaks have been doing great with halibut there this year, & they don't go far out. If you use the tractor at deep creek you only have to run 3-6 miles out to catch chickens as well. However, I find the tractor too expensive, & my small boat is just to heavy to beach launch with out a headache & worrying about getting stuck, so it may or may not be an option.

+1 on the comment. I'm no Seward or halibut expert but Seward has been hit or miss for small boat/kayak halibut fishing for me. I feel that if I sit just off of Miller's Landing or Tonsina CR off in 250 ft of water and soak bait all day long, I would almost expect to pick up at least one halibut. The only problem I have had out of Seward is the diversity of life down there. It's definitely whining but the major drawback for me fishing close in Seward is that for every halibut, be prepared to reel up a dozen other cod, arrowtooth, pollock, greenling, sculpin, skates, whatever. For me at least that's not much fun from 250 to 300 ft down. But they are there with patience.

If you are looking for easier halibut, I have to go with the Deep Cr to Homer area. So far since Mother's day, I have fished 7 days off my kayak. Total halibut kept is 12 halibut. Average weight 30lbs. Largest was 57 pounds. I could of limited on the other day's had I not been holding out for one larger fish due to a tournament. Of course as others have mentioned, one huge advantage of kayaks is no launch fees! But if I was going out once or twice and wanted to catch halibut, I'd probably suck it up and pay the tractor launch or drive to Homer if I was looking for halibut from a smaller platform.

[c6 batmobile]

We struck out in seward on the halibut too. Definitely a technique out there to be mastered. I have a slightly smaller boat than you and ventured out past rugged on monday and did really well on rock fish. You will be surprised what type of water your boat can handle if you know how to pilot it. Im not recommending testing your luck but worst case scenario if you take it easy you can make it to a safe place at least. We also picked up a few salmon near thumb and humpy cove. I am going to give it another whack as well on a good weather day and maybe round the cape and try to hit the day harbor area if I feel adventurous, have heard it gets a little better out that way.

[fishing nut]

Awesome!! I certainly will, could you email me your name? Very gracious, thank you sir!!
My email is: glickstr@gmail.com

[fishing nut]

Thank you for taking the time to reply!! I have a question about Kasilof area, could I PM you?

[fishing nut]

Great!! Thank you for taking the time to reply and share!!!
Being new to Seward, I made it almost to Callisto. The winds picked up and it got pretty choppy on the way back. Last Sunday was crazy, though. 30mph gust, with a constitant 25mph wind. I would love to fish in the Callisto area and past, just need to get more comfortable. Makes me feel good that boats our size can get down as far as Cape
Curious, if you don't mind, what size engine do you have on your boat and what style? I have a 50 high thrust 4 stroke and its about 15-18 minutes to Caines. Just curious how long the run would be to Rugged? I'm not sure where Rugged is??