Hello from the PNW

[Willapa]

Hey everyone, I'm from the southwest Washington coast, Near the mouth of the Columbia River and the Willapa Bay. I participate in the Washington State Gill net fishery, Washington State Coastal Dungeness Crab Fishery, and I've worked on both oyster and clam farms in the Willapa Bay.

I'm interested in expanding my participation in west coast fisheries here, as well as buying into Alaskan fisheries. I know most folks here are from the east coast and the gulf, but I hope we'll see more people from out west signing up.

If anyone has any questions about any of the west coast fisheries, I'll give you the best answer I can given my knowledge of it.

[daybreak]

Thanks for joining. Your input will be a great asset to the site. If you take any pics of Pacific seafood, they would be welcome in our gallery.

Can you tell us about the species of fish that you gill net there?

Is salmon fishing a big part of fishing there? Which species?

[dancingetard]

Welcome to the site. I am looking into gillnet haulers. What style do you guys use? We use crosley or spencer carter deep water fast hualers. I have noticed rapp marine from norway & that they have a distributor in seattle & dutch & would like to hear about them & or other net lifters around. Perhaps you could use the sale/wanted to post used gear,haulers, etc for sale. Kevin

[Willapa]

In the glory days salmon fishing on the Washington/Oregon coast was a full time job and a huge part of the economy, but changing ocean conditions, human development in vital habitat, and a large sport fishing fleet has shaped the fishery into what it is today. Its become more of a derby-like fishery where you get what you can while you can.

Gill netting is highly regulated in Washington State and with declining stocks in the lower 48 opportunities to fish are limited. That being said, on a year with good returns such as this summer, it can be fairly lucrative. The fishery targets primarily Silvers (Coho Salmon) because of their good survival rate and abundance. We also do get a number of Kings (Chinook Salmon) as well as Dogs (Chum Salmon). Each year the state sets the seasons and dates according to their predictions of when the fish will run, and how many are expected to return. The fleet as a whole has a quota that is set before the season.

Gill netting is also permitted for Pacific White Sturgeon, while retention of Green Sturgeon is prohibited, due to declining Southern Green Sturgeon stocks, and the states inability to tell the difference between a Southern Green Sturgeon and a Northern Green Sturgeon.

Regulations and unpredictable runs has made this fishery quite the challenge, but its still as fun to pull a fat salmon over the edge of the boat as it ever was.

[Willapa]

Kevin, I wouldn't know much about which brand is better, We are more of "use whatever is free or cheap" operation when it comes to gill netting down here. We do use a similar styles to those, but a lot of them are custom jobs.

[dancingetard]

We are the same way & not really concerned about best or better brands. More looking to find replacement lifters for crosley since they are no longer making them. I am interested in hearing if anyone else uses the rapp marine auto haulers for small boats. I assume they arent cheap & am not against shipping something from the west coast or beyond if the price & product make sense.

[daybreak]

I was hoping you did some salmon fishing. Unfortunately in the last year or so I have spent a lot more time behind a computer or a camera than handling fish. For this site, fresh-seafood.net and some other projects I have had to do a ton of research on salmon, including information about regulations as well as species info. They seem to be EXTREMELY popular fish with consumers (I had smoked Pacific salmon for lunch).

I am very fascinated by some of the fishing the Pacific has to offer. I would love to visit but for now I am limited.

I live on the east coast where commercial fishing has been really limited in the recent years. Luckily I have been exposed to some of the local fisheries such as scalloping, lobstering and a few other fisheries. Probably the highlight of our last few seasons was a trip to New England, which is where the bulk of the east coast fishing is based.

[c.austin]

hello willipa i grew up in wa state i have fished salmon in wa and ak  for many yrs did a little crabbing and shrimp in your area out of astoria and warrenton  would love to chat

[Willapa]

Hey there, are you still fishing in the area?

[c.austin]

when i can i have been running boats in ak the last couple yrs. am currently looking for a boat

[Willapa]

Well best of luck to you. Mind me asking what kind of boat you were running in AK?

[c.austin]

the last two seasons ive been running a 100 ft tender/crabber