Island Outfitters
Island Outfitters
SALTWATER OVERVIEW – The Chinook fishing has been GOOD around the South Island. All fishing effort is targeting winter springs. Most of the fish are from 3-6 lbs in size with some larger ones up to 11 lbs this past week.
For the latest details on recreational fishery openings and closures in your area: A) Call 1-866-431-FISH or 604-666-2828 (24-hour phone line); B) Visit our web page http://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm to find applicable fishery notices; or C) Follow our sport fishing Twitter account https://twitter.com/sportfishingbc
SOOKE – The salmon fishing was GOOD this past week. Winter springs as large as 10 lbs were caught this past week, but there were lots of small ones biting all the time. The best locations to fish for winter springs have been from the Bluffs west to Muir Creek. Most of the fish are quite close to the bottom in 100 – 140 feet of water.
BECHER BAY – Salmon fishing was GOOD this past week. Most of the fish seen at Cheanuh Marina came from Church Rock to Whirl Bay and were running up to 11 lbs in size. A few fish have been caught inside the bay, but most of them have been small shakers. Fish close to the bottom for the winter springs and in 120 to 160 depths.
PEDDER BAY – Pedder Bay Marina reports FAIR fishing. It has been slower inside the bay but better around the corner in Whirl Bay and near Church Rock. Most of the fish have been close to the bottom in 120 - 160 feet of water. The salmon have been from 3 to 6 lbs in size with the occasional larger fish.
VICTORIA – Fishing for salmon was GOOD off the waterfront this past week. Constance Bank was the best spot to fish and anglers were catching lots of salmon there. Most of the salmon have been small, but there have been some up to 10 lbs in size. Unfortunately, most of the salmon have been very small, just below or just about the minimum size, so you usually have to release a lot of small ones before you have your limit of larger keepers. Closer in, some salmon were between Trial Island and Finlayson Point in about 120-140 feet of water. We also heard of a couple of keepers caught near Macauley Point.
OAK BAY – Salmon fishing was SLOW in Oak Bay this past week. There were a few salmon coming in from the Flats and the Gap but most of them have been fairly small with an 8 lb fish the largest size that we have heard about. There was bait in Oak Bay this past week so things are looking up. The salmon are feeding on needle fish and have been close to the bottom where the feed is located. Most of the anglers have been either bottom bouncing or jigging close to the bottom.
SIDNEY – Salmon fishing was SLOW in the Sidney area. Anglers have had some success for springs up to 10 lbs near Coal Island and in the Sidney Channel. Most of the salmon in the area have been undersized though.
FRESHWATER OVERVIEW – Fishing was FAIR in most lakes for trout and SLOW for bass.
COWICHAN RIVER – The Cowichan River is still blown out and fishing is difficult. The water level is 2.55 meters near the lake and 2.05 meters near Duncan today. Coho and chum salmon fishing is now open from the White Bridge upstream through the mid river and there should be a few steelhead in the river now. Fishing for trout in the fly only area had been good with the arrival of lots of salmon in the upper river, but the high water has really put a damper on the fishing. Now is the time to fish egg patterns for trout. For salmon, jigs have been productive.
TROUT – Trout fishing has been FAIR with lots of trout to be caught as the Vancouver Island Fish hatchery fall stocking program of catchable triploid rainbow trout in South Island lakes has come to an end.
Shore anglers are catching trout on Powerbait, Gulp Eggs, or worms while fishing close to the bottom. Fly anglers are fishing Wooly Buggers, Leeches and Muddler Minnow patterns on full sink fly lines most of the time to get into the lower water levels. Trollers are catching trout with worms fished behind Gibbs Gang Trolls and on Gibbs Wedding Bands.
BASS – Bass fishing is SLOW. During the day, soft plastics rigged Carolina style work well and crank baits can work well at times. Soft plastics rigged “Texas Style” are also a good choice when fishing drop offs and deeper structure. Langford Lake, Shawnigan Lake, Prospect Lake and Elk and Beaver Lakes are the best local bass lakes. St. Mary’s Lake on Salt Spring Island is also a great lake for bass fishing.
FISH TIP OF THE WEEK
Many fly anglers put away their gear for the winter without properly storing expensive fly lines. Rather than leaving your line tightly wound onto the reel, it's best to remove the line and store it in larger loops off the reel. And a good application of line cleaner certainly wouldn't hurt your line's performance.
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