Bad Ass Monsters.....

BluewaterTops · 02-29-2008, 05:15 PM

MONSTERS OF THE DEEP
by Larry Grupp

In many waters a 40-pound bottom-fish may be a proud keeper, but definitely not the case out of Alaskan waters. Unlike most other fish winched from the deep, halibut have no air bladder. Brief encounters with charter boats leave them none the worse for wear.

Halibut fishermen out of Kodiak, Alaska usually fish 95 to 160 feet of water. More civilized and much less strenuous than bottom-fishing out of some ports where 350-foot depths are common. Just checking one’s bait at those great depths is more chore than recreation.

Kodiak ocean currents are also much more benign. Rather than fishing two 1-pound lead cannon ball sinkers, a single three-quarter or 1-pound weight will generally get the bait smartly down to the bottom. The bait on these rigs is hooked up about 2 feet above the weight. Bouncing the sinker on the bottom creates a fish-attracting cloud of silt.

Visiting fishermen seldom own necessary heavy-duty levelwind reels stacked with 400 feet of braided 80-pound nylon line, or stiff, heavy-duty, 5-foot rods that are required to absorb Alaskan bottom-fishing abuse. Not to worry. Kodiak Island skippers all include requisite tackle as part of their charter packages! Charters out of Kodiak run from $250 to $350 per person, per day on boats that generally fish six people. As an aside, diesel fuel at this remote, isolated frontier runs about $4 per gallon.

This is heavy-duty, levelwind reel country. Even the largest, most rugged spin-cast outfits are often turned to useless junk even after just a day or two of heavy action off these coasts.

Catching and releasing 40-pound fish while waiting for a really big trophy is good sport. But there is more than that available to hold the interest of ambitious and curious bottom-fishermen.

It was a genuine cry of anguish. “I just can’t get it right,” a lady fisherperson to the right hollered out. Usually salmon don’t take bait fished on the bottom. Yet this lady had just landed her fourth 25-pound king salmon fishing the bottom for halibut. “I came here mostly to fish halibut,” she said, “but my fish box is already overflowing with salmon!”

Pick the right skipper and there are also abundant monster cod, sea bass, ling cod and even octopus, in addition to halibut and salmon to catch. Such a grand choice of bottom-fish is bound to keep things lively.

All of these species are taken on similar D-hook rig ups with herring or generous chunks of fresh octopus. Numerous other fish are also taken, including Irish lords, sculpin, and flounder. These latter fish out of Alaskan waters have an oily composition that hopelessly deteriorates the cooked flesh. Sculpin and Irish lord filets are frequently used as fresh bait.

Some Kodiak skippers, as well as many out of other Alaskan ports, will turn their noses at lesser bottom-fish even though some such as ling cod reach incredible size. Having made the difficult passage through to Kodiak Island, I find it is fun and interesting to add any and all of these species to the fish box.

Catching a giant octopus while bottom-fishing is not common, but it certainly is interesting when it happens. Feeding octopus make their presence known by holding onto a bait in a dead hand, strange kind of pull. They’ll often turn red as they approach the surface, giving the skipper some advance notice to get the net ready. Long, steady retrieves work best with these critters, as they will selfishly and foolishly continue to grasp the bait even though octopi are seldom actually hookedby Larry Grupp

In many waters a 40-pound bottom-fish may be a proud keeper, but definitely not the case out of Alaskan waters. Unlike most other fish winched from the deep, halibut have no air bladder. Brief encounters with charter boats leave them none the worse for wear.

Halibut fishermen out of Kodiak, Alaska usually fish 95 to 160 feet of water. More civilized and much less strenuous than bottom-fishing out of some ports where 350-foot depths are common. Just checking one’s bait at those great depths is more chore than recreation. Kodiak ocean currents are also much more benign. Rather than fishing two 1-pound lead cannon ball sinkers, a single three-quarter or 1-pound weight will generally get the bait smartly down to the bottom. The bait on these rigs is hooked up about 2 feet above the weight. Bouncing the sinker on the bottom creates a fish-attracting cloud of silt.

Visiting fishermen seldom own necessary heavy-duty levelwind reels stacked with 400 feet of braided 80-pound nylon line, or stiff, heavy-duty, 5-foot rods that are required to absorb Alaskan bottom-fishing abuse. Not to worry. Kodiak Island skippers all include requisite tackle as part of their charter packages!

Charters out of Kodiak run from $250 to $350 per person, per day on boats that generally fish six people. As an aside, diesel fuel at this remote, isolated frontier runs about $4 per gallon. This is heavy-duty, levelwind reel country. Even the largest, most rugged spin-cast outfits are often turned to useless junk even after just a day or two of heavy action off these coasts. Catching and releasing 40-pound fish while waiting for a really big trophy is good sport. But there is more than that available to hold the interest of ambitious and curious bottom-fishermen. It was a genuine cry of anguish. “I just can’t get it right,” a lady fisherperson to the right hollered out. Usually salmon don’t take bait fished on the bottom. Yet this lady had just landed her fourth 25-pound king salmon fishing the bottom for halibut. “I came here mostly to fish halibut,” she said, “but my fish box is already overflowing with salmon!” Pick the right skipper and there are also abundant monster cod, sea bass, ling cod and even octopus, in addition to halibut and salmon to catch. Such a grand choice of bottom-fish is bound to keep things lively. All of these species are taken on similar D-hook rig ups with herring or generous chunks of fresh octopus.

Numerous other fish are also taken, including Irish lords, sculpin, and flounder. These latter fish out of Alaskan waters have an oily composition that hopelessly deteriorates the cooked flesh. Sculpin and Irish lord filets are frequently used as fresh bait. Some Kodiak skippers, as well as many out of other Alaskan ports, will turn their noses at lesser bottom-fish even though some such as ling cod reach incredible size. Having made the difficult passage through to Kodiak Island, I find it is fun and interesting to add any and all of these species to the fish box. Catching a giant octopus while bottom-fishing is not common, but it certainly is interesting when it happens. Feeding octopus make their presence known by holding onto a bait in a dead hand, strange kind of pull. They’ll often turn red as they approach the surface, giving the skipper some advance notice to get the net ready. Long, steady retrieves work best with these critters, as they will selfishly and foolishly continue to grasp the bait even though octopi are seldom actually hooked.

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