WA Fish Quest EP 53: Kelp Greenling

[@davidpunzalan6408]

Great video! I very much appreciate it because I paddle(board) in similar habitats (Vancouver Island), and just started thinking about fishing (for dinner). Helps me think about what to expect.

[@JohnnyLawBMC]

Awesome episode. Was searching for a good PNW salt water fishing channel and found you. Great video, great information, too. Thanks for sharing

[@ShanePingStyle]

LIKED this video, so great fishing spot and cool jetty location, tide up your line ......

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks as always Shane!

[@bernieburns4416]

Solid. I'm gonna head out there!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thank you sir and good luck!

[@PNWRailsandTrails]

I really like the 2013 flashback to this video! #oldtimes

[@WAFishQuest]

Thank you Patrick! You are a true fish quest OG!

[@PNWRailsandTrails]

@@WAFishQuest let's go fishing sometime! HMU!

[@j-swizzyswoll8000]

CLASSIC WFQ! Really awesome music placement and everything!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks a ton J-Swizzy!

[@dude999642]

One of my top 3 favorite of ALL KZbin channels! Buying a $700,000 boat, hiring a crew, and fishing 130 miles off of Costa Rica for huge Blue Marlin, ok, that's the best fishing in the world.....but I can fish what YOU fish - Western Washington, no monster boat needed, and "alternative species" deserve more respect.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thank you Dale! Super appreciate it. You get what I'm trying to do. 🙏

[@Augie-57]

Was there end of August! Really in joy your channel

[@WAFishQuest]

Thank you so much Patricia!

[@davehconner]

Thanks for the video. I was out at Freshwater bay this afternoon and got skunked. I will go a little further west next time. I was using a 1/8 oz White sonic baitfish by Mack's Lures. I guess that was not the flavor of the day today.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks David! Maybe they just weren't there for whatever reason. Even in MA4, when Chris Sampson and I freedove there in July, we didn't see any greenlings. So at least I the kelp beds, maybe they actually do move around a little.

[@jamesbrown3920]

Great episode, as all of them are. I really enjoy the simplicity of your approach to fishing. Getting tired of all the fancy boats and equipment which I can't afford nor relate too. That's my favorite feature of your channel, totally relatable. Thank you Blake for all your hard work and giving the rest of us hope that we can get out there and see some success without breaking the bank. Huge fan!!

[@WAFishQuest]

Wow I won't need to eat for a week after this compliment. (It will sustain me)! Thank you so much for the kind words! Super appreciate it!

[@PNWSamson]

4.42 lbs! Wow. Greenling make amazing Ceviche. I think that was a copper rockfish. Awesome scenery, information and video!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Chris! I think you're right (ok the rockfish ID). This is right where we dove, just a little deeper.

[@bhanson28]

Always super informative. Love it. Had no idea king cod was actually greenling. Still need to catch one.

[@WAFishQuest]

Awesome! Glad I give you a new fun fact. Thanks as always for watching!

[@brads5600]

Love your videos man! As someone who loves fishing the kelp beds, one tip I’d suggest is grabbing a bundle of kelp and tying your boat to them to act as a natural anchor so you don’t drift too far👍🏻

[@1fishingdog]

Hey, quick comment on tackle. When using those jigs. Put a swivel about two feet up the line. That way you have something to grab instead of the jig. Great show, thanks.

[@WAFishQuest]

Great point. I did have a swivel but it was more like 4 feet up. Thanks for the kind words!

[@WAFishQuest]

Oh nevermind, looks like I just had the braid and the poly tied together with an Albright knot this video. The day before I did have a swivel, but snapped my line and must not of replaced it. My mistake!

[@ronjones1414]

Was up there a couple weeks ago for halibut and ling. We hooked a couple greenling in 4A, but nothing as big as those!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Ron! I hope you slayed some 4A sized bottomfish!

[@ronjones1414]

@@WAFishQuest It was an EPIC trip! Our guide knew of a deep water black rock fish hole that paid off huge. I froze filets that were almost 2 pounds each. We beat the wind and got lings and halibut inside the C closure. Quite a trip.

[@spiltmilt]

Nice Marbled Murrelet!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Tyler! Always there with the bird IDs I crave!

[@ThePiscatorian360]

Yeah, Kelpies and lingcod are both in family hexagrammidae. I love eating them they are one tasty fish!

[@WAFishQuest]

Yes sir. I thought these were big but that one you got out of the San Juans was a brute!

[@ThePiscatorian360]

@@WAFishQuest yeah, but you got a nice pile of them. I need to try going out to that area you were in. Looks Awesome

[@kingbee1691]

Awesome video. Calm water! Makes me want to make the 4 hour trip.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks King Bee! I only spent one night. But it was worth it!

[@khanhtuannguyen]

I agree! Kelp greenling is really underrated. Some of our best memories are on the jetty fishing for greenling.

[@WAFishQuest]

Heck yeah Khan. Same with my buddy Kacy and me. We've had a lot of fun just catching greenling.

[@ickycarp7232]

Awesome video!👍

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks a ton Ickycarp!

[@chadmotors940]

this was a great episode, one of my favorites.

[@WAFishQuest]

Whoa, thanks a ton Chad!

[@gordonv2456]

My brother was a diver and we would fish for greenling between his dives. Nice action and they fry up well.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thank you Gordon! That's a good idea for me too between freediving!

[@gordonv2456]

@@WAFishQuest Throwing out a crab pot when legal adds to the fun/food too.

[@Olympic_Survival_and_bushcraft]

My favorite fish and chips fish! Live in forks wa and love kelp greenling!

[@WAFishQuest]

Heck yeah, thank you William and my family and I totally agree! 💯

[@adamjensen795]

Awesome video Blake. Do you think you can do a video on your boat and gear you use..

[@WAFishQuest]

For you Adam? Yes! I'll do one this winter. I've been asked by a few people to for this!

[@adamjensen795]

@@WAFishQuest I'm looking at getting a boat in January and looking for ideas and the things I will need. Thanks Blake.

[@WAFishQuest]

@@adamjensen795 oh cool, I'll get it out by or during December then.

[@troytwibell6876]

You just hit one of my favorites Blake! Its a sustainable fisheries as well (for the moment). The Narrows has EXCELLENT greenling opportunities. Gulp Sand worms work great too.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks for the hot tip Troy! Glad we're of a like-greenling mind!

[@garroncrashhaun5533]

Great video! That's a good day of fishing ☺️

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks as always GCH!

[@mattdavis822]

I used to catch kelp greenling off golden gardens pier in my younger years

[@WAFishQuest]

That's awesome recent Pget Sound history! Thank you Matt!

[@eatsleepbreathefishing9632]

Love fishing for and eating rockfish here in the Bay Area. But IMHO nothing beats the kelp greening for steaming Cantonese style

[@HobbiesHobo]

Excellent haul, excellent trip, great info. Fishing really isn't that good up here normally.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Mike! Yes sir, what a blast!

[@PeelingLine]

Great fishing. Funny that is exactly where I went and got the halibut. I kept a greenling too, better than lingcods to eat. Awesome that you got a cabezon. I still haven't got one but I did get canary rockfish. The point at the end of area 5 is all rocks but has lots of smaller kelp greenlings. Perfect size for catching bigger lings. 👍

[@WAFishQuest]

Excellent Intel Brett! Thank you. I almost targetted halibut too! But went back out for Coho instead.

[@PeelingLine]

@@WAFishQuest I didn't even target them. The hali just took my jig I was bottom fishing with. Were you getting hatchery coho? All we were getting were wilds. Hardly anyone came back with meat according to the fish survey guy.

[@piscatoryassassin2079]

I know rockfish, Lingcod, and greenling from NorCAL. With my intended move north, I'm following you to get a better idea of the area.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks a ton Piscatory assassin!! I appreciate your comments as of late!

[@Bo_in_Seattle]

Such a classic WFQ episode! Appreciate the time and effort put into production Blake. King of the kelp!

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks a ton Bo! Back to basics with this one.

[@RockMonger]

Wow! I always use a drop shot with coon shrimp. I'll have to try jigs! So cool!

[@WAFishQuest]

I like to use shrimp as well! That jig did slay tho! Can't believe I didn't lose it.

[@TheReefRobber]

You really hammered them! I usually throw them back unless they are big. I am not overly fond of their texture.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Earl! That's okay by me, just slide some of those greenling you ain't eating my way!

[@RN67POST]

Very nice , love those fish ! What kind of Dolphins are those ?? I fish the ocean and only see glimpses cause it’s rougher conditions! Nice video 😬👍

[@WAFishQuest]

Thank your Roger! I think that was a gigantic pod (maybe multiple pods?) of harbor porpoise. They were just kind of frolicking. In heat maybe. But they stayed around the area.

[@micahgelfand8282]

They are very tasty indeed. Fined grained flesh well worth keeping! I've noticed the larger ones can be wormy but the 12-16ers are perfect for eating

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Micah! That makes sense. Kind of like a long or a rockfish I suppose.

[@fjbaaj]

Indeed Mr. Blake been catching them and yes they are a tasty fish second to none, good fighters too

[@WAFishQuest]

That's great to here Happy Chef!! Totally agree.

[@benwebb1]

that looked fun

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Benjamin! It was a total blast!

[@SledorFish]

I love greenling! They can be tricky to catch sometimes on lead head jigs, probably because of their small mouths, but I also found those dart style jigs to work really well.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks SledOrFish! I agree they're great!

[@entinthetent]

That is super awesome man, great stuff.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks a ton Troy! I always appreciate your underappreciated fish enthusiasm!

[@piscatoryassassin2079]

Looks like I may run out of Sekiu at some point!

[@WAFishQuest]

It's a great place!

[@outdoorloser4340]

I love kelp greenling! They taste fantastic and the meat to bone ratio is better than most bottom fish.

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks a great point! They just have that teeny row of pin bones. Another greenling plus. Thanks!

[@Themosthumblest]

3 wolf shirt FTW.

[@WAFishQuest]

Heck yeah, I can barely contain the raw power!

[@AaronSprague1]

I really want to try that out with my kayak.

[@WAFishQuest]

Heck yeah! I'm not sure exactly where to shore launch, but I'm sure you'd find a spot if you drive to the sekiu river bridge and looked around.

[@Jarom.M]

The slow action on that rod really makes every fish look like a lunker. What about that action makes it good for casting lures to rockfish?

[@WAFishQuest]

Well really it's just the length and the sensitivity. The rockfish are suspended but kind of mull around, so I like a lonnng cast to try and find them. With those gulp minnows, the rockfish literally gulp em up. I either detect the bite by observing the line or the slightest of ticks on the end of the rod. So, the action could be faster. It's really just the cast-ability and tip sensitivity. Thanks as always Jarom!

[@Jarom.M]

@@WAFishQuest And thanks for the info!

[@Augie-57]

Going up to area 7 soon, going to try the captain Morgan out.

[@WAFishQuest]

Awesome, good luck!

[@CatchGrowPickCook]

holy cow i gotta get out there!

[@WAFishQuest]

Hope you do! Can be a ton of fun!

[@marke219]

2 Oz mooching lead....plain gray with a hook on bottom

[@WAFishQuest]

Thanks Mark E! Just a plain hook?

[@WorkingClassFishingPodcast]

Not only is a greenling the king of of kelp, it is also delicious!

[@WAFishQuest]

Absolutely! You get it! 🙏

[@lg8080]

Where do you larch your boat or kayak in that area?

[@WAFishQuest]

Mason's Resort, but it's $20 to launch (I moor it there). If you have a kayak, I think there are a lot of pulloffs you could drop in between the Sekiu River and Makah Nation.

[@chriskramer1307]

How do you avoid losing your gear &/or fish to the kelp?

[@WAFishQuest]

Honestly Chris I have noooooo idea. I usually lose 2-4 lures. That Capt Morgan jig must have been dipped in holy water or something.

[@heyjim52]

If you are planning on eating these fish check them for worms as many are full of them, by the way shrimp works well to catch them too.

[@WAFishQuest]

I've had a few people say that. I've eaten 100+ greenling in my life and have never had a wormy one. May be a regional difference. Thanks for watching!

[@heyjim52]

@@WAFishQuest That could be a good reason I live near Anacortes fish around it a lot as well as Whidbey Island . Your closer to the Ocean you may have less pollution from waste management practices It use to be excellent with good water and high plankton populations, but a lot of people have bought property where I am .

[@jasungminyoo]

Thanks for the video man! Trying to add kelp greenling to my list of species I’ve caught but no luck so far. Also, just out of curiosity, what rod and reel were you using?

[@dronedandconfused9399]

Can you catch greenling in areas 10 and 11??

[@dronedandconfused9399]

And can you catch them from the shore or a pier?

[@WAFishQuest]

Hi DnC! Yes and a pier, yes. Not sure about just shore. My favorite place to catch them is the jetty in Westport. I've caught em in MA13, they're just a lot rarer in South Sound.

[@CatchGrowPickCook]

do you anchor up when you fish the kelp beds?

[@WAFishQuest]

I do not. The floating kelp keeps me in a small area. Or if you're on the outside of them, I just drift.

[@karusokui]

Where is this?

[@WAFishQuest]

I was out of sekiu, barely past the Sekiu River in area 4.