Northwest Fishing Reports

This has been a great month for videos on the site! Hopefully my latest offering will help add to that. I have not one, but two, new digital widescreen shooting cameras! I'm beside myself with joy about that. Up until now my videos were shot on little VHS tapes. Converting 2 hours of analog footage to digital would add 5 hours to the editing process. Plus now I won't lose footage to air moisture and I don't have the black side bars!

At anyrate, this is a redtail surfperch trip from last weekend. I really enjoy the fishery-- they taste great, fight very hard, and you're on your toes the whole time due to the waves. It is very fun.

PS: The "poor man's go pro" I made only cost $50, for the refurbished waterproof camera. I had the helmet, piece of scrapwood, screw, and zip ties just taking up space in my garage. It may not be as high quality as a real go pro, but for 50 clams I will take it!

great vid, Blake! best production yet... gettin after it...... there we go!

I need to try that next time i'm ocean side.. looked fun! thanks!

Good job Fish or Man ...So did she say yes ?

Augwen, thanks! Yep, she said yes! We don't have the money for a wedding for at least two years, but what is important is she's off the market.

Thanks a ton OneShot! That is really great to hear-- I put a lot of effort into this one. Two important things I forgot to mention in this video:

Sand shrimp (wrapped with stretchy thread) and quite a few different Berkley gulp products (sandworms, saltwater shrimp, peeler crab) also make great bait. I'm not sure if there is a best bait, the redtails are pretty opportunistic. I think if they come across something they like they'll eat it.

Also really serious surf perch anglers tend to use small circle hooks, and just let the fish hook themselves. I know a guy who used to fish for them commercially in southern Oregon/northern California where a commercial fishery does or did exist, and he used circle hooks exclusively. I personally enjoy the setting the hook enough that I am willing to lose a couple on a trip for the privilege of jerking. I've found if they're hooked in the mouth and get even a small reprieve from the pressure (which can come from a wave at their back, if they cut towards you, or change direction really quick) they'll throw the hook.