Westport Fishing

[danceswithsalmon]

Hello, I am considering to purchase the R-27. I have a Duckworth 28 offshore and love to fish the ocean out of Westport and out of Neah Bay. I am thinking of more comfort and ammenities in the R-27 for myself and futer wife, but what if I want to take it on the ocean to fish for Kings in July. Is it capable of crossing the bar at westport? Can it handle the sometimes snotty rough water out in the ocean? I never see a ranger tug out there. Is there anyone that has or does fish out of westport for salmon in the ranger tug? Can you give me any feedback? Thank you for your input!

 

[Hamster]

I fish my R23 out of Neah Bay. Been doing it for quite a few years. I run out to the coast side and to Swiftsure. If you’re familiar with bar crossings, I suspect you’d know when to go or not go. It won’t be like a Duckworth 28 offshore, however. The cockpit space is likely smaller which can get crowded in swells while fishing.

 

[danceswithsalmon]

Thank you Hamster for your thoughts. I appreciate you!

 

[Jesperjo]

While I haven’t fished out of Westport on a Ranger Tug, my experience with them is that they are just as seaworthy, if not more so, than many of the boats I see going out past the bar. I’ve been out there on a 24’ Pursuit a few times and it felt more squirrelly than rough what’re was on my R-25. I’ve been out in 6+ foot waves on that boat and the boat felt like it would handle way more than we were interested in. The new twin engine option on the R-27 would make me much more comfortable going out there with it. It’s not the fishing boat the Duckworth is. The Ranger Tugs are made for something else, but they should be capable of handling the bar and the water out there.

That said, the Ranger Tugs are cruising boats more than fishing boats. If your primary use for it is fishing, you may want to look at the Cutwater C-288. It is also built by Fluid Motion, but is slightly more focused on fishing, rather than cruising, so it has a live well for your tuna bait, and comes standard with downrigger pads rather than as an option, bigger motors, and a stepped hull design that’s supposed to perform even better in rough water, for example. It is more money though, and the R-27 is a really versatile boat, so I don’t think you’ll be limited with that one either if the cost is a major consideration.

 

[ProtoSanto]

Fished for halibut and bottom fish on my Cutwater 288 out of Newport for two weeks last summer. Then Suzi and I trailerd up to Anacotes, cruised up to the Broughtons for a month. Roughest day was 7 foot seas at 11 secs, blowing 17 to 20 out of the northwest 20 miles out of Newport. It's a very stable boat.

A few things to note: The fishing dance floor on on the cutwater is best at 3 persons as it is small. Storage space for your catch is combersom, I use a fish bag and put in the deck/cockpit storage hold. I have to deep clean the Cutwater a lot more as Suzi likes a very clean boat.

Having fished out of Walport many times in my old Arima 22, The Cutwater is a no brainer.

If you want to spend quaity time, doing a verity of boating achtivities in comfort, then Fluid Motion fits that. I sold Duckworths for a couple of years it's a great fishing platfom and that is where it ends.

 

[ProtoSanto]

Fished for halibut and bottom fish on my Cutwater 288 out of Newport for two weeks last summer. Then Suzi and I trailerd up to Anacotes, cruised up to the Broughtons for a month. Roughest day was 7 foot seas at 11 secs, blowing 17 to 20 out of the northwest 20 miles out of Newport. It's a very stable boat.

A few things to note: The fishing dance floor on on the cutwater is best at 3 persons as it is small. Storage space for your catch is combersom, I use a fish bag and put in the deck/cockpit storage hold. I have to deep clean the Cutwater a lot more as Suzi likes a very clean boat.

Having fished out of Walport many times in my old Arima 22, The Cutwater is a no brainer.

If you want to spend quaity time, doing a verity of boating achtivities in comfort, then Fluid Motion fits that. I sold Duckworths for a couple of years it's a great fishing platfom and that is where it ends.