Well actually jigging. Jigging is a fishing technique where you drop a weighted fishing line to the ocean bottom, lifting and thumping on the bottom over and over. After about 20 minutes or so bottom feeding Halibut will smell the bait and come looking.

We weren't the only ones enjoying Mother's Day this way

The thing is, Halibut aren’t the only fish that will take the bait in these conditions, as we saw the other day. In the 114 foot water about 12 km from Prince Rupert, we caught three Pacific Grey Cod, a Dogfish and one Halibut.

The Pacific Grey Cod are also called True Cod and apparently the best choice fish for Fish and Chips. This one didn’t even get to swallow the bait.

Didn't even get to swallow the bait

A look through the gills.

A look through the gills

Oh no, a Dogfish. Apparently these guys are too easy to catch and it can become tiresome to let them go again and again. Fortunately we only caught one which is enough to get a good look at these small sharks.

Oh no. That's not what we want to catch!

Releasing the dogfish

I’ll never tire of how interesting Halibut are to look at. With their flattened, sideways face and light under body.

Halibut

We stopped at a cleaning station before heading home. Cleaning the fish can be a bit gruesome at first but it’s also an excellent way to learn a bit more about fish anatomy. You can click on the picture to see some of the anatomy pointed out on the photo.

Inside the Cod

We had many interested visitors who show up whenever they see a boat at the cleaning station. Seagulls flying straight at us to have a closer look, ravens, maybe fourteen eagles sitting in the trees or on building near by and occasionally flying past and harbour seals popping up out of the water.

Seagulls flying close for a better lookAnd the eagle has landed

Harbour Seal patiently waiting

Another fisherman using the cleaning station offered to give us a little show, slapping the carcass of one of our now cleaned fish for the harbour seal to come and take from his hand. You can click on the picture to see the next three pictures I took of this moment.

Harbour Seal, where are you?

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8 Responses to Doing A Jig For Halibut

  1. angelina says:

    amazing shots: wonderful day, thanks for sharing!xx

  2. jenny says:

    Yum. I so need to get out on a boat! I saw a bumper sticker today that said “girls fish too!” and I thought of you.

  3. Erin says:

    What an amazing trip around the coast! I love how your unschooling happens, with such a focus on the outdoors. Beautiful, lived life!

    I’ve read along on your blog for a few months now, I discovered it through Krista’s, I think, and it is really refreshing to be finding such like-mindedness in the blogosphere. We live on the mainland, a long ways from the city now and love that! We’re in SD, too, third year. Small world. :-)

  4. Lindsay says:

    Very cool! I bet it was a great experience for the kids. =)

  5. Nancy says:

    I bet those birds (and other creatures) loooove that cleaning station! Fascinating post.

  6. Steve says:

    What an amazing trip around the coast! I love how your unschooling happens, with such a focus on the outdoors. Beautiful, lived life!

    I’ve read along on your blog for a few months now, I discovered it through Krista’s, I think, and it is really refreshing to be finding such like-mindedness in the blogosphere. We live on the mainland, a long ways from the city now and love that! We’re in SD, too, third year. Small world. :-)

  7. Emily says:

    What an amazing trip around the coast! I love how your unschooling happens, with such a focus on the outdoors. Beautiful, lived life!

    I’ve read along on your blog for a few months now, I discovered it through Krista’s, I think, and it is really refreshing to be finding such like-mindedness in the blogosphere. We live on the mainland, a long ways from the city now and love that! We’re in SD, too, third year. Small world. :-)

  8. Annie says:

    Thank you so much everyone. This was an absolute steller day! Tomorrow we’re heading out on the boat again for a new adventure- to the Khutzeymateen.

    So good to meet fellow SDers!

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