Going to Westport

[waldocod]

Decided to make the trip to Westport for bottomfish.I understand you fish for the rockfish first, then hit the deeper water for lingcod.I have a lot of tackle from my Calif.days.What would be a good setup to bring (light?heavy?,diamond jigs?).I know they supply the rod and reel, but I may want to bring my stuff anyway.
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[EZOP]

I'll say heavy, but only because the charter most likely won't want any fish to be fought very long, because the possiblity of tangling other anglers causing messes. I also noticed with the heavy tackle no net is needed for every fish. They or you just grab the line and flip in boat. The boats I've been on put a herring on the bottom leader and a fly of some sorts on the second leader. Doubles is very common. When the boat limit is full, then they head out to get the lings. I always thought it was funny that you are out there bottom fishing, but when you are fishing for these seabass, you never fish the bottom and they tell you not to go to the bottom either, in fear the school will follow and go deeper and scatter them up to much. But of course there is always someone who does and they end up getting all the big ling cod.[crazy] The limit for seabass can go real quick(20 a piece I believe) or until all limits are caught. One thing I noticed was people were keeping every little seabass they caught, but a few of us where throwing the smalls we caught back and only keeping larger ones. Main reason was for the bigger fillets when limits were done. The charters like it when limits fill fast and back to the dock early. I just like bigger bags of meat myself.
You might want to see if the charter minds if you bring your own gear and what they recommend. Do you know who you are going with? I've always like the "Ranger". Capt Don and his deck hand Steve are great, I believe their boat is a 55 footer and it's in the first slip on the dock for easy access.
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