Cruising the PNW Questions

Hi guys,
As some of you already know, I'll be cruising the San Juans and Desolation sound for a couple of weeks next month. I have some questions that I would like some help from you all with.
1) Do I need a license to catch prawns in Canada or the San Juans?
2) The boat has a 'prawn trap'. Where do I set it? and in how much water? and what do I use for bait. How long should I let it soak.
3) I come from a long line of fisherman, but personally I think its for the birds. Unfortunately for me, my 9 year old is captivated by fishing. I got him and his little brother a Canadian Fishing license, and Ill probably get one as well. My question is can my boy just drop a baited hook over the side of the boat when we are at anchor and expect to catch fish? (He doesnt need to catch halibut, salmon, or lingcod. He'll be happy just catching small fish.)
4) Do we have to worry about bugs anywhere at night? Should we pack bug repellant and be prepared to keep all hatches closed and screens in place after dusk.
Thank you.
Scott

bligh said:

1) Do I need a license to catch prawns in Canada or the San Juans?

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Yes and Yes

bligh said:

2) The boat has a 'prawn trap'. Where do I set it? and in how much water?

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Nowhere in the Sound. Prawn season is closed. There are some limited Pink and Coonstripe shrimp openings, but the depth and size of openings on the traps is important. Canada is open inn many areas over the summer, but check the fisheries website often.

bligh said:

3) I come from a long line of fisherman, but personally I think its for the birds. Unfortunately for me, my 9 year old is captivated by fishing. I got him and his little brother a Canadian Fishing license, and Ill probably get one as well. My question is can my boy just drop a baited hook over the side of the boat when we are at anchor and expect to catch fish? (He doesnt need to catch halibut, salmon, or lingcod. He'll be happy just catching small fish.)
Thank you.
Scott

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Buy them a couple of Sabiki rigs. They're very small hooked and will catch baitfish with almost no skill and the kids love them. I carry them on my boat for kids walking the dock. They always have a great time with them.

This is gonna be a large Pink salmon run year, so it should be good fun too.

for BC prawns, use rockfish heads/tails in the bait box. drop the pot in 250-400' on a shelf that has a drop off to much deeper water. be sure to allow extra line for the tide height. Let it soak - overnight if you can.
Don't use the bright yellow USA shrimp floats, which will advertise to the locals that you are not one. Nasty old fenders, or Clorox bottles make great floats which blend in better. Try to prawn in areas not recently commercially fished. You will see the commercial guys out and about in July.

good luck.

SomeSailor said:

Buy them a couple of Sabiki rigs. They're very small hooked and will catch baitfish with almost no skill and the kids love them. I carry them on my boat for kids walking the dock. They always have a great time with them.

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+1 on the Sabiki rigs.

Also, a mussel grabbed from a piling or a dock makes great bait. Throw it on a #14 or #16 circle hook on an ultralight or even toy fishing pole and you will catch dozens of little perch, flounder, and sculpin:



Also, don't forget about just a hand-net. Give a bunch of kids one net, and wait for all the things they find: