Notable Catches
Shing Kwok and father, Henry Kwok reported some excellent coho action on the weekend, releasing tons of wild fish and landing 3 nice hatcherys.
Salt Water Overview – Salmon fishing is good in most areas. There have been quite a few feeder chinooks around, and the coho are here in good numbers still. Most of the coho are wild fish, with about a 5 to 1 ratio of wild to hatchery clipped fish. Halibut fishing has also been good in all areas.
Fishery Restrictions:
Effective April 1, 2013 until further notice: The maximum length for halibut is 126 cm. The daily limit for halibut is one (1). The possession limit for halibut is two (2), only one of which may be greater than 83 cm in length. There will be an annual limit of six (6) halibut per license. All halibut retained by the license holder shall be immediately recorded in ink on the Tidal Waters Sport Fishing license. The area from which each halibut is caught and its length shall immediately be recorded on license.
For the latest updates in DFO regulations go to http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/xnet/content/fns/index.cfm?pg=search_results&lang=en&ID=recreational&Year=2013
Port Renfrew – Salmon fishing has been good for coho both inside and outside the bay.
Sooke – Salmon fishing remains good in Sooke. Plenty of Coho but the ratio is approx. 5:1 on wild to hatchery. The preferred depth is 40’ to 75’, however iIf you aren’t getting them, try 120’+. Fishing the 2nd to 3rd tide line seems to be the most productive. Glow and UV Hoochies, Coho Killers and G-Force spoons seem to be working the best.
Halibut – Halibut fishing continues to be good using extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus are the most popular baits for halibut. Berkley Gulp and Powerbait soft plastics also work very well. You can also use a large spoon fished off a spreader bar, Mudraker or Lucky jigs or other large jigs if you want to stay away from the dogfish.
Beecher Bay – Fishing was great for coho. The coho are mostly wild (unclipped) fish, but there are some hatchery ones too, especially out on the second and third tide lines. Shing Kwok and father, Henry Kwok reported some excellent coho action on the weekend releasing tons of wild fish and landing 3 nice hatcherys. Spring fishing also pretty good for smaller “feeder” fish. The best fishing for springs was at the Trap Shack and then eastward to Aldridge Point. Also right in the bay and in front of the Bedford Islands. For coho fish 30’ to 100’ and for springs try 120’+. Many anglers are having good success fishing anchovies. However, artificial lures such as UV squirts, coho killers, and G-Force spoons have been working great as well for both coho and chinook!
Pedder Bay – Salmon fishing was GOOD again for coho this past week. The coho are mostly wild (unclipped) fish, but there are some good size hatchery ones being caught to make coho fishing worthwhile. Most of the coho are out in 300 to 500 feet of water and near the tide lines in the strait and fishing 30’ to 120’ on the downrigger. It has been fair for springs in the 5 to 15 lb size range in Whirl Bay and near Church Rock fishing 80+ feet deep. Anchovies were the most productive bait with Green Glow, Bloody Nose and Purple Haze teaser heads. Squirts will work too with UV colors like the Jellyfish, Purple Haze and Electric Chair the best patterns. The best flashers have been the Purple Glow and Purple Haze. Coho killers and G-force spoons have been working well too!
Halibut – Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
The DFO and Sport Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB) Halibut Committee meets monthly throughout the season to review estimated catches. At the most recent meeting, it was determined that the recreational fishery harvest to August 31, 2013 is approx. 807,000 pounds of the recreational fishery’s Total Allowable Catch of 1,080,450 pounds. This leaves a balance of approximately 273,000 pounds.
As a result, recreational fishing for halibut will continue through to December 31, 2013
under the current fishing regulations. The current size and numbers of fish cannot be changed
in-season, as they are authorized for the entire year as Conditions of the 2013-2014 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing License. DFO will review the 2013 fishery (catches and management measures) and will consult through the SFAB consultation process this fall/winter to consider management options for 2014. Management measures will be announced in the early spring.
Halibut fishing was good in the Race Rocks area. The 27 and 17 fathom banks and the reef off of William Head all produced halibut. Extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus are the most popular baits for halibut. Berkley Gulp and Powerbait soft plastics also work very well. You can also use a large spoon fished off a spreader bar, Mudraker or Lucky jigs or other large jigs if you want to stay away from the dogfish.
Victoria – Fishing has been excellent for feeder springs this past week near Victoria. On Constance Bank anglers were catching the most fish, coho and springs, trolling close to bottom. Closer in by the harbour, it was slow for springs. Some coho salmon are being caught closer in to shore too, usually near the end of the ebb and the start of the flooding currents, especially off Brotchie Ledge and the Flag pole. The best depth close in has been around 60 to 80 feet. Most anglers fishing Constance Bank are using artificial lures, usually with Coho Killer (chrome or watermelon) or G-Force spoons. Good choices in plastic baits are the Electric Chair, Purple Haze and the Glo Blow. Gibbs Coho Killer, Kingfisher and Coyote spoons in all colours have been very effective. Good flashers have been the Purple Gold, Chart Glow & Purple Onion.
Halibut fishing was also good over this past week! Larry Dalziel and his fishing partner did well. They came back with a pair of flatty’s between 40 and 45 lbs! Extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus are the most popular baits for halibut. Berkley Gulp and Powerbait soft plastics also work very well. You can also use a large spoon fished off a spreader bar, Mudraker or Lucky jigs or other large jigs if you want to stay away from the dogfish.
Oak Bay – Salmon fishing was spotty this past week. There were springs to be caught, but not too many and mostly feeder size springs. The most popular method for catching springs is trolling near the bottom in 75 to 130 feet of water with squirts or spoons, Baitrix tiny strip, or small anchovy. Even anglers jigging have reported slower action. The fish that were being caught were on Coho Killer spoons in Glow/Green, 3” to 4” G-Force & Gypsy spoons. Good squirts were the Electric Chair, Pickle Green, J-79 and Jellyfish.
Halibut fishing was good over the past week! Extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus are the most popular baits for halibut. Berkley Gulp and Powerbait soft plastics also work very well. You can also use a large spoon fished off a spreader bar, Mudraker or Lucky jigs or other large jigs if you want to stay away from the dogfish.
Sidney - Salmon fishing continues to be good off the Pender Bluffs. There were lots of coho there, mostly wild, and a few springs. The springs were as large as 15 lbs. There are smaller springs being caught by the red can in the Sidney Channel and near James Island. Many anglers have been fishing for springs using anchovies in Bloody Nose, Purple Haze and UV Green teaser heads. Squirts have been out producing hootchies recently and the hot patterns for springs now are Purple Haze, Glow Below and Electric Chair. Coho Killer spoons have also been working well, especially in double glow and 50/50 colors. Crabbing has been excellent.
Notable Catches – Shing Kwok and father, Henry Kwok reported some excellent coho action on the weekend, releasing tons of wild fish and landing 3 nice hatcherys. Larry Dalziel and his fishing partner did well. They came back with a pair of flatty’s between 40 and 45 lbs!
Please send photos (in jpeg format) and descriptions of your notable catch to our email info@fishingvictoria.com