Fishing at Westport

Thursday, August 16, 2007


SOUTH BEACH Bulletin






August proving to be a great month for fishingl





Tuna Derby now

has a new leader

By Mark Cedergreen

CEO, Westport Charterboat Assoc.

August has been our peak month during the past num*ber of seasons and this
one looks to be no exception. Salmon fishing was excep*tional last week -
mostly Coho in the 7-10 pound range but a nice scattering of Chinook that
seemed to increase as the week pro*gressed. Fishing was mostly within 10
miles of our back*yard up through Thursday last.

Sunday's best catches were back up the hill quite a ways again. Didn't spot
any drift ice but a fair piece to travel. By the time you read this they'll
probably be in the back yard again.

Our derby-winning Chinook have averaged 30 pounds dressed (34 in the round).
We are still patiently waiting for that elusive Coho, which will surpass
10-14, dressed and replace our cur*rent Coho leader. The 10-14 has been on
the board for 27




days now! Wow! It musta been on steroids!

New tuna leader

Rockfish and Lingcod trips have been highly successful. Limits of rockfish
with 1 or 2 lings on many days. Our aver*age Lingcod derby winner was around
20 pounds last week. Not too shabby for August!

Albacore Tuna fishing is now in full swing. Two-day trips are producing a
pile of sleek albacore for anglers. Fishing is occurring in the 60*mile
neighborhood for most vessels although there are fish closer than that. Our
Tuna derby leader has jumped from 33 to 39-2 this week. Gavin Jury of Tacoma
landed that critter on Friday. Gavin was fishing with Randy Ratliff on the
Rampage. (See photo.)

Catch statistics

Catch ~tatistics from July 1st through last Sunday, August 12 (6 fishing
weeks), are as follows: 14,983 anglers have landed 14,746 Coho (quota -
43,510) and 3,689 Chinook (guideline - 9,400) for an overall catch per
angler



of 1.23. Last week was our best week of the season with a catch per person
of 1.61. We're still on track to get through Sunday, September 16, if we
stay with a 5-day fishing week for the present.

Derby sponsors

Many thanks to our 2007 grand prize sponsors. Prizes and sponsors are as
follows:

-Largest Chinook: $2,500 sponsored by Basket House Gift Shop, Brady's
Oysters, Beach Clinic, Seafood Connection, and Shoalwater Bay Casino.

-Largest Coho: $1,500 spon*sored by Lanco, LLC and WestportInvestments

-Largest Lingcod: $1,500 sponsored by Gifts Ahoy, Sea Shanty Candy & Gifts,
and Merino Seafoods.

-Largest Halibut: $1,000 sponsored by Bank of the Pacific, Englund Marine
Supply, and Vacations-by-the*Sea.

-Largest Tuna: $1,000 spon*sored by Albatross Motel, Price & Price Inc, and
Timberland Bank.

-Largest Chinook caught in July: $1,000 and the Largest



Chinook caught in August: $1,000, both sponsored by Shoalwater Bay Casino.

Additional sponsors include: American Sunset RV Park, Alaskan Motel,
Barbara's by the Sea Restaurant, Bayview Building Materials, Boat Seafoods,
Brown, Lewis, Janhunen, & Spencer, Chateau Westport, Coast Title & Escrow,
Cowboy Bob's, Dave Johnson Insurance Co., Holiday Motel, Ingrid's Kaffe
Stuga, Kila Hana Camperland, King's Pancake & Steakhouse, Lindley Financial,
Lucky Eagle Casino, Masco Petroleum, McBee's Silver Sands Motel, Ocean
Avenue Inn, Original House of Pizza, Pacific Motel & RV Park, Preszler,
Larner, Mertz, & Co, Surf Spray Motel, Swanson's Supermarkets, Takohachi,
The Point at Westport Harbor and Cohasset Beach Luxury Homes, Totem RV Park,
Viking Bowl and Restaurant, Washington Crab Producers, Westport-Ocean Shores
Ferry, and Windermere Real Estate/Westport Investments.




Gavin Jury of Tacoma landed A 39 lb. 2 oz. Albacore on Friday. August 10th.
fishing with Randy Ratliff on the Rampage. He is

now the Tuna Derby leader. Westport Charterboat Assoc.
Photo