When lingcod are around Sekiu
Lingcod fishing out of Sekiu runs on a short window: typically May and June in Marine Area 5. Sekiu sits at the west end of Clallam Bay in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and that is the water you fish from the dock. This guide covers the port itself. Habits and biology of lingcod are on the species page. The same fishery along the rest of the coast is in the Pacific Northwest offshore fishing guide.
Below are the grounds from west to east, the methods used locally, and who fishes the port. It can’t promise fish, but it should help you decide where to look.
| Area | Where it sits | Lingcod season |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Area 5 | Sekiu, Clallam Bay, Pillar Point | Typically May and June |
| Marine Area 4 | West of Sekiu | More flexible season |
Marine Area 5
Marine Area 5 is the water right off the docks, with a lingcod window of typically May and June. Dates and limits are in the Regulations section below.
West into Marine Area 4
Marine Area 4, west of Sekiu, has a more flexible season. Its rules differ from Area 5, so read the Regulations section before you head west.
Where boats run and what holds fish
Lingcod hold on rock. Boats work reefs, points, ledges and rock piles, and the table below runs west to east so you can lay it over a chart.
| Ground | Structure | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Hoko Flats | Named ground | |
| Kydaka Point reef | Reef. Rockfish on the west side, lingcod in the rocky areas | |
| Big Mussolini Rock | Rock | |
| Little Mussolini Rock | Rock, on a westerly troll from the Coal Mine | 130 ft |
| The Caves (Sea Caves) | Just west of Sekiu Point | 120 ft |
| Slip Point ledges | Steep ledges, east end of Clallam Bay | |
| Pillar Point | East of Sekiu. Mainly halibut, some lingcod | |
| Halibut ridges | Sloping ridges off Kydaka Point, Clallam Bay and Pillar Point | 200 to 400 ft |
Hoko Flats
Hoko Flats is a named ground at the west end of the run, ahead of Kydaka Point.
Kydaka Point reef
Rockfish school on the west side of the reef, and lingcod hold in the rocky areas. When the rockfish are thick, look for lingcod on the rock around them.
Big and Little Mussolini Rocks
Little Mussolini Rock sits in 130 ft, and boats reach it on a westerly troll from the Coal Mine. Big Mussolini Rock is a named ground on the same list.
The Caves
The Caves, also called the Sea Caves, sit just west of Sekiu Point in 120 ft.
Slip Point ledges
Slip Point has steep ledges at the east end of Clallam Bay, and the water there can be rough.
Check conditions before you commit. Wind, wave height and period are available at NOAA NDBC station 46087, Neah Bay, 6 NM north of Cape Flattery. That buoy reports the west entrance of the Strait, not inside Clallam Bay, so pair it with the official west entrance forecast.
Pillar Point and the halibut ridges
Pillar Point lies east of Sekiu. It is mainly a halibut spot, with some lingcod.
The sloping ridges off Kydaka Point, Clallam Bay and Pillar Point sit in 200 to 400 ft, which WDFW lists as popular halibut ridges. Halibut days and lingcod structure sit close together here, so a combo day is a short move between grounds.
Chart Contours shows the 200 to 400 ft ridge band off Kydaka and Pillar Point. Chart layers are not for navigation.
How lingcod are fished out of Sekiu
Three methods cover most of it, so match the method to the structure above. For rigging and deeper ridge work in the 200 to 400 ft range, see the bottomfish and deep-drop rigging guide.
- Mooching frozen herring. A standard local method that works the drift across structure.
- Jigging plastics or metal lures. Suits vertical work over reef edges and ledges. Fat Otter jigs for lingcod and rockfish on its offshore bottomfish trips.
- Live bait. Kelp greenlings or sand dabs, fished on rocky structure. It is also the bait switch when you leave the halibut ridges for nearby rock.
Who fishes lingcod here
Private boats run the grounds above, and lingcod fishing out of Sekiu also runs through local charters.
- Outlander Charters Sekiu trips list lingcod. Its rates page names the boats Uitlander and Okvidinn.
- Fat Otter Fishing Charter jigs lingcod and rockfish on its offshore bottomfish trips.
FAQ: lingcod fishing out of Sekiu
When is lingcod open out of Sekiu?
Typically May and June in Marine Area 5, the water off Sekiu and Clallam Bay. Marine Area 4, to the west, has a more flexible season. Seasons change, so check WDFW before you fish.
Where do boats go first for lingcod?
Boats run to Kydaka Point reef, where rockfish school on the west side and lingcod hold in the rock. They also work the Sea Caves west of Sekiu Point, the Slip Point ledges at the east end of Clallam Bay, and Pillar Point.
How deep are The Caves?
The Caves, west of Sekiu Point, sit in 120 ft. Little Mussolini Rock sits in 130 ft and is reached on a westerly troll from the Coal Mine. Both are rock structure near the port.
Which buoy should I watch?
NOAA NDBC station 46087, Neah Bay, 6 NM north of Cape Flattery. Read wind, wave height and period. It reports the west entrance of the Strait, not inside Clallam Bay, so pair it with the official marine forecast.
Which Sekiu charters list lingcod?
Outlander Charters lists lingcod, with the boats Uitlander and Okvidinn named on its rates page. Fat Otter Fishing Charter jigs lingcod and rockfish on its offshore bottomfish trips out of Sekiu.
