Northwest Fishing Reports

Hello,
I would like to get advice on where to fish for dogfish either from a pier, jetty or beach. I have tried to locate a a spot but hear conflicting reports. Also, what is the best bait/gear. I live in Longview, WA and have tried some spots in Oregon last year with no luck. Some folks said to try farther north.

I prefer to "troll" for dogfish.... But, 35-40 years ago, I've seen them caught from the piers around Seattle. Any ole stinky herring will do the job! The trick is to target a different species and those dogs might just come in and grant your wish.

Les Davis pier in Tacoma... we use to catch all kinds of dog fish out there...

I've been trying for dogfish at edmonds pier for a while now and have never caught one. People always tell me they USED to catch them at the Puget sound piers, but I haven't seen or heard of anyone catching them recently.

Fish from the Westport fishing pier there in the harbor. You'll catch a bunch. If you want to bring them up and in though, bring a crab pot to hoist them up! Every once in a while you'll pull one up in a crab pot in the boat basin, so try in there as well. In my experience, they bite best in July. I grew up on Steamboat Island in Olympia, and the dogs would start coming in in late June and by the 4th of July we'd be catching them all night. I've caught them off the north jetty there in Ilwaco, but you're more liable to catch lings and rockfish there. You need to cast way beyond the rocks, they're out further in the sandy bottom. Puget Sound is full of dogs, I've caught them there at the public pier in Everett and Edmonds, out in the boat in area 9-13. Edmonds has that artificial reef and I don't think dog fish like the rocks though, you're more likely to catch a rat fish there. I've caught them on shrimp while fishing for bait for the lings, so there are a few.

used to get alot on the les davis pier but havent seen as many lately, squid was our killer bait for them, they taste really good actually!

Thanks to everyone that posted a reply. Is night fishing more productive? also, can a person use chumming? I am planning a trip once the weather gets more favorable in the next few weeks

You don't need to chum, they'll be there and bite if they're there. Most folks curse them because they're a nuisance when fishing for salmon or other fish, and don't have any problem catching them. Make sure you use wire leaders, the kind you use for muskies, they bite right through 50 pound test, even braided lines. The best bait I've found when targeting dogs is freezer burned salmon. Does it have to be freezer burned? No. But why would you waste the good stuff on a dog? Any fish will do though, strips of greenling bullheads. If you use other baits, you're going to catch other bottom fish, like clam necks or herring. The only thing you'll catch with salmon will be crabs.

There are certain rules to follow for Dogfish. You need to read the rules on them. You cant catch and kill them for sport.They are protected much like the Pikeminnows. Also make sure you are catching doggies not young Basking sharks with the white dots on their backs. If you do plan on eating them make sure you follow the health dept guidelines. Shark have Urea in their meat and should be soaked in a solution . Possesion area ,Jeff Head,and Seattle piers were really good for doggies years ago. The meat on a doggie is very good if properly prepared.It can also cause really nice stomach problems if not treated correctly.

Some of my favorite times to fish for them is when we are smelt fishing july-sept on the east side of camaino island. Just to pass the time in between the smelt hitting, taking my 8'6" light action spinning rod, run a 3/0 barbless hook through a dead smelt, 12" of wire and just wing it out there and it wont take long at all. they follow the smelt into the beach. We have got black mouth and silvers fishing out there too!

Just one word of advice, if you grab them by the back of the head the can swing this neat little spine by their tail (one in the dorsal fin too) and inplant it nicely into your forarm, i usaully try to grab right by the dorsal fin.that way i dont get bite or stabbed.

Steelheadin360 wrote:Some of my favorite times to fish for them is when we are smelt fishing july-sept on the east side of camaino island. Just to pass the time in between the smelt hitting, taking my 8'6" light action spinning rod, run a 3/0 barbless hook through a dead smelt, 12" of wire and just wing it out there and it wont take long at all. they follow the smelt into the beach. We have got black mouth and silvers fishing out there too!

Just one word of advice, if you grab them by the back of the head the can swing this neat little spine by their tail (one in the dorsal fin too) and inplant it nicely into your forarm, i usaully try to grab right by the dorsal fin.that way i dont get bite or stabbed.

thanks for the tip.

When you are smelt fishing at Camano, are you dipping for the smell off the beach, or jigging for them with a sabiki rig?

Little late of a reply but....I fish for dogfish quite often during the summer to kill time, not sure about what exactly would work in your area but I use shiner perch most times for bait. But not sure if there's any of those in your area. I just get them off the side of a dock using a small egg hook and worms....Anyway chunks or half of a small herring will work as well. The rig I use, is a 2 ounce cannon ball(You can use smaller, I use those since the dog fish are pretty far out from the local dock I fish on.) slid onto the mainline, then a large(Size 7-5 should do) snap swivel and attach about a 18-22 inch steel leader onto the swivel(You could just tie the leader onto the mainline, but since I use the cannon ball like a large slip sinker, I use a larger snap swivel to stop the weight from moving onto the leader.) and attach about a 3-5/0 barbless hook onto the snap swivel part of the steel leader. I use a larger hook, since the perch I use are about 4-6 inches long, but for smaller bait 3/0 should be fine. Anyway, thats the rig I've always used, it works pretty well. Keeps the bait up above the crabs but normally right under the dogfish. Also, I've always done better at night, and only on nights when the high tide is late(At about 9-10pm) But that could be vary in different areas. Another thing is, if you catch one, then there's probably more out there. Oh, and n ot sure if you plan on keeping any, but they are actually pretty good eating if you prepare them right and make pretty good fish and chips. But like racfish said, you gotta soak them. I use a half vinegar to water solution, and soak them over night in a casserole dish with the water and vinegar. You can use other things, but I prefer the water and vinegar. So hope any of this info helps, though a lot of good information has already been said. And anything should work for dogfish really.