Zodiak Fishing in the Ocean??

[SperBear]

Our family has finally pulled out the Ol' 13 foot Zodiak and are finally ready for an adventure. If the seas' arent to rough out of Homer, Halibut could be caught, but other then that, we have no clue of where else to catch ANYTHING in the Ocean with a Zodiak...Does anybody have any ideas, help, do this same Zodiak adventure often? Anything helpful would be great, Thanks

Preferabbly Whitter, Seward, or Homer Area, anywhere down south of Anchorage.

[BrownBear]

Don't know how big your family is (number or volume), but it's time to get organized. I've used a 13' Achilles in the ocean for something like 20 years, and if there's any size to the fish at all 4 people is too many and 3 is way snug.

I did two things that have helped a lot. I mounted a simple tube-style rod holder on the transom on each size of the motor. Dip net stands up in one and harpoon (minus tip) goes in the other. I also made a simple wooden (2x8") "thwart seat" that spans the tubes and ties in just forward of the two big pull handles on the outside of the tubes. To the front edge of that I screwed an approximately 24" x 18" piece of plywood, on which are four more vertical rod holder tubes. At each of the 2x8 I mount either an adjustable horizontal rod holder or downrigger for trolling.

The piece of plywood screwed to the thwart seat does more than mount rod holders. It helps keep stuff and junk forward in the bow and out from under everyone's feet. I keep a bouy up there on a line, to which I can attach the harpoon head when we get a halibut too big to dipnet (no gaffs in zodiaks). Anchor and line, emergency gear, a small ice chest and tackle box go there, too.

With the rods out of the rod holders someone can sit at either end of the seat to fish, and if you're careful about organizing stuff up front a fourth can sit on the ice chest to fish.

After that, what you catch and where you fish depends a whole lot on time of year. If you're trolling close to the rocks and kelp beds where both kings and silvers feed, you are going to need a tiller extension so you can stand up to stear, because it's just about impossible to see down into the water or between your passengers while sitting in the back of a zodiak.

[skydiver]

maybe 2 places

Two places not too far out come to mind. One is Pigot Point out of Whittier. That's a popular place for silvers, maybe right about now or at least soon. The other is near the Seward harbor when the silvers come further in. Right now, most are further out, but during the silver salmon derby you don't have to go far at all. Not too sure about Homer. I do know that when I had a 16-ft inflatable, fishing 2 was comfortable and 3 was pushing it. Make sure you have room for the required (and very necessary) VHF radio, PFDs, flares, etc.

[hntdux]

Letter buck!!

I have a 16ft delphin and we fish 4 people with no problems granted everyone is mindful of oneanother. I have a little better control when I have some weight up front that and she wont buck as hard in the choppy stuff. We have pulled up some nice flounder at the mouth of Sadie Cove out of Homer along with some cod. Also have witnessed some nice kings pulled right at the mouth of the Anchor. Keep the nose into the waves and giver hell a little spray never hurt no one.

[AKMarmot]

seward silvers

Sper
We take ours out to seward a lot. In a week or two as the silvers move closer in you shouldn't have any problem catching them from thumbs cove to fox & hive islands. Also in the narrows & around the islands you will sometimes pick up chickens, rockfish & an occasional king. Best bet is to watch some of the bigger boats & just mooch for silvers.
If you go to Homer you can always try around Hesketh & in Tutka bay for the flat fish. Or go into the tutka bay lagoon on the high tide & fish it for the pinks. I' don't know when that run ends though & I have heard it won't be stocked any longer

Hntdux,
To bad you weren't able to stay a couple weeks ago, the next day the water was nice & fishing wasn't fast or furious but we did manage a 2 over 50.