Octopus

When the thing was fully stretched out it was about four feet long. I got three offers for the creature, but then I said no and they were like “Awww…what you going to do with it?” “Eat it.” “Awww. I wanted it.” So I grinned and got the recipe off them.

The Vietnamese woman advised simmering for a little while, then skinning and eating practically raw. The Italian grandma advised simmering the creature in white wine, olive oil, and basil until tender, then dousing in olive oil and oregano and grilling. I’ll try both. Tis certainly big enough

Octopus

Good afternoon's run of sole.

In areas of higher current and sand or gravel bottoms, rock sole (see species list for both north and south varieties) are large and plentiful. They are also voracious predators and respond well to chumming. I have found that they are far more common in the spring between April and May, and then in the fall between September and November. I think it has something to do with the amount of seaweed in the shallows: once the sun is high enough to support thick kelp, they leave, only to return when the kelp again disappears.

I use a double hook running leger with weight to suit the current, the less the better, and 12 lb line. Pile worms, squid strips, and small herring or smelt are all excellent baits. I have the most success with small herring, but sometimes sacrifice that for the more durable worms and squid.

Just doing a little market research here. Could you please leave comments, even short ones, when you visit the site?  That way I know what to give readers.

My next post will be on Sole: how, where, and when, with what.

Cheers and thanks ahead.

Cabezon and Kelp Greenling

One aspect of fishing in the ocean is you never really know beyond a reasonable guess what you are going to catch. Greenling and cabezon are common, but whenever  I catch them I love it — especially when they are this size.

The main rig I use is what the Brits call a “running leger”– basically a two foot snood backed by a swivel, and beyond that a 1 to 6 ounce weight, depending on the tide. For Greenling I use two fine wire, brown/bronze Aberdeen hooks in a larger size. Mustad No. 10 streamer hooks are ideal. I cut squid into two inch strips and use one of those strips on the hooks. Change your bait often. 12 lb test is perfect but 20 lb works.

For Cabezon I up the snood strength to 50 lb and use two size 2/0 Siwash salmon hooks. I sleave the top hook with the insulation from an 8 gauge length of electrical wire. The heavier line is necessary to fend off the inevitable sharp teeth of dogfish, and to withstand the shell-busting grind of the teeth in a big Cabezon’s throat. I then use a whole 6 or 7 inch squid.

Over the past week there has been schools of tens of thousands of tiny herring up against the rockwork on shore, held there by the tide. I spent most of the first couple days wishing for a net while jigging them with big treble hooks; trebles are dangerous and labor intensive. I was fortunate to find a cheap umbrella net in a local hardware store, and managed to catch several pounds of herring with it within an hour or two. 

Hook your herring with one pass of a fine wire hook. Drift it under a float over kelp and rocks. You will catch whatever is there.

For a really decent meal, take some fresh tiny herring, flour them, and fry them in deep grease. Salt them and eat them whole dipped in malt vinegar. Really, really good — like sardines and nice sweet oysters.

15 lbs of tiny herring.

This is a dogfish I caught the other evening on a whole squid and a 200 lb test handline over a 16 ounce weight. The tide was running pretty good and I didn’t feel like losing gear on, well, anything. When the dogfish are around, they just eat tackle…unless it’s wire or heavy mono. Most people hate dogfish and mistreat them accordingly — idiots who cut off their fins or kill them and toss them back — and I think those people should be charged; they’re the slobs who wreck the fishing for everyone in the long run. Dogs were the first fish I caught in the ocean, and I still get a kick out of them. Send in some photos or comments on dogfish and other sharks. I’d love to see more on catching skate, blue, and six-gilled sharks. For the purposes of this blog, I think that close inshore and inlet fishing ought to be included under the title “shore.”