C30 - Salmon Fishing questions

[saml]

Hello Tugnuts, I've been reading the site for some time, but I think I may have found a topic that wasn't discussed extensively before, so first post here!

My father purchased a C30cb last summer and we spent the summer and fall getting familiar with it and working out a few kinks. Now that we're a bit more comfortable we've been thinking about trying our luck at salmon fishing in Puget Sound this summer. Neither one of us is a hardcore fisherman and the bulk of our experience has been freshwater fishing on the East Coast.... so we're starting at basically 0 here.

I've been reading and watching as many videos as possible on the techniques for going after salmon, but most videos and books seem to assume you're fishing from a smaller boat that was designed for fishing, not a large Cutwater.

Here's the current setup:
- Cutwater 30CB
- Cockpit controls
- Trolling valve
- Downrigger pads, downrigger to be purchased shortly.

So, those of you that fish from your larger cutwaters or RT's:
- how do you setup your cockpit and gear when fishing with 2-3 people? chairs, coolers, tackle, etc?
- Any processes or techniques that are specific to your boat that you think a newby should know about?
- where/how are you storing rods, a net and other gear when not fishing?
- Do you setup a workstation for cleaning/gutting and prep? If not, where does that happen?
- He's got a dinghy on a davits off the swim step. For a fishing only trip, I expect to leave it at the marina, but if we were fishing as part of a longer trip, would the dinghy get in the way too much?
- Any layout or action photos are much appreciated!

I found this photo of a great looking workstation, but I think a project of that magnitude is a little outside of our scope until we're really sure this is for us: gallery2.php?g2_itemId=40390&g2_imageViewsIndex=1

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Robvic]

Hi Sami,

Congratulations on your purchase (or your Dad's). We have a R31 and fish in the PNW. I was worried about the fishability of the boat, but it hasn't hampered landing any fish.

We generally leave the dingy at home. If on a longer trip, we'll anchor the dingy or tie it off on shore. Yes you can fish around it, but it is a pain. The huge net either goes up the starboard side by the helm door, or across the stern on the swim platform. All the steering is from the cockpit station. The helm seat is folded to better see the Garmin (or the TV is flipped down). If you don't have 'rocket launcher' rod holdesr on the cockpit roof, you might want to look at that. For longer term storage, we use the cave (secondary berth).

Getting your speed right with the trolling valve is tricky (the engine RPM remains constant). Make sure you watch the angle of the downrigger cable and your GPS speed.

With 3 on board, one handling the helm, one might be sitting on the aft bench seat, another on the fridge, or on a cooler in the cockpit. The C30 has that nifty flip up window. If the weather is nasty, there is normally 1-2 inside enjoying the heat.

I just hold the anchovies in my hand to fit them into a teaser head, and clean my fish at the dock. Pliers sit in a cup holder. I have a large cutting board if I'm forced to clean them on board.

For the downriggers, due to the very forward location of the pads, make sure you get the extending versions (to 60"). These are also useful when the downriggers are fully extended:http://scotty.com/product/no-3025-downrigger-weight-retriever/

Keep your raw water hose handy and clean the scales and blood off the cockpit floor quickly. Remove the drain strainers, otherwise the scales will clog them.

Happy fishing!
Rob

 

[bob daily]

Sami
You may want to look into Masson/Olson's resort in Sekiu,Washington, a great place to fish!
Most people only fish two poles, that way they spend more time fishing and less time untangling there gear. Fish are cleaned at the dock usually after the game dept has checked and recorded your catch.
I don't let any fish inside the cockpit area on my boat if I can help it, when the. Fish is netted if it's not legal it's let go, if a legal catch (size and clipped fin) it's clubbed and bled then put in the fish box, for me that's a cooler on the swim platform.
You'll have no problem checking your speed, just watch the other boats! Remember the EBB flow so your GPS speed is useless most of the time.
Good luck and remember that fishing is fun, but catching them is a whole lot funner!

 

[saml]

Thanks everyone!

 

[NorthernFocus]

First off, you can fish from virtually anything that floats on or is adjacent to the water. So yes, it can be done.

Secondly, it may be a good idea(and definitely a good financial idea) to walk before you run. Prior to investing in expensive downriggers etc you may want to start with some divers/planers and then get more equipment based on how(or if) your level of interest increases after a few attempts. If you go that route then reels with line counters on them are helpful.

Third, no one can tell you how to set up your cockpit. Sure you can check out how other people do it but in the end you need to do what works for you. If you're only going to fish occasionally you might be satisfied getting by with a sub-optimal setup. At the other extreme if it becomes a passion you might discover that you need a different boat 😀

I will second two bits of advise from prior responses. 1) get the dingy out of your way. Either leave it at the dock or tow it alongside while fishing. 2) Figure out how to handle fish without bringing them into the cockpit while flopping around/bleeding. Fortunately you've got a nice sized swim step to work with.

Most importantly, have fun!