Island Outfitters
Vancouver Island Fishing Report - Sept 10/17
Ky Baumler with his 34.5 lb spring.
Island Outfitters
SALTWATER OVERVIEW – The chinook fishing has definitely slowed down. The Pink salmon run is slower as well. Coho fishing is picking up. Halibut fishing was closed for the year 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
PORT RENFREW – Salmon fishing remains HOT N COLD for springs between 10-20 lbs with the occasional larger fish into the upper 20’s. Off shore there are lots of coho. Inshore, it’s been best from East Point to Camper Creek. Bottom fishing has also been GOOD.
SOOKE – The salmon fishing was FAIR this past week. The best locations to fish have been Possession Point, Otter Point and Muir Creek. Most anglers fishing for springs are using bait, with anchovies being the most popular choice. The larger springs have been deeper, between 80 to 120 feet on the downrigger. The pink and coho salmon fishing was best in the 600+ foot depths.
BECHER BAY – Salmon fishing was FAIR this past week for mostly smaller stuff. The springs are spread out from the Bedfords to the Trap Shack, but the best fishing has been in the afternoon and evening on the flood tide off Aldridge Point and the Bedford Islands. The best depths to fish for the springs have been from 40 to 80 feet. The pink salmon have been running from 7 to 9 lbs on the average and best fishing for them has been far out on the tide lines. Coho are also showing in good numbers offshore in over 600 feet of water. Anglers casting off the rocks are also getting into some nice fish.
PEDDER BAY – Pedder Bay Marina reports FAIR salmon fishing. All areas from Church Rock to William Head produced some Chinook salmon, but there was no real hotspot. There were more fin clipped coho coming in and they, as well as the pinks, were mostly caught in 500+ feet of water out from Whirl Bay. With the coho and the pinks, you were either in them or not. You just had to search for the schools and then try to stay with them. For chinooks, trollers are doing best trolling close to the shore and the kelp, from 30 – 70 feet on the downrigger and with anchovies for bait.
HALIBUT – Halibut fishing was EXCELLENT this past week before the season closed.
VICTORIA – Fishing for salmon was SPOTTY off the waterfront this past week. The most productive area was from the Flagpole to Clover Point. Most of the salmon caught were chinooks with some as large as the mid 20’s. Some pink salmon are also being caught and they have been from 4 to 9 lbs in size. The best fishing for pinks was way off shore around Constance Bank.
HALIBUT – Halibut fishing was EXCELLENT this past week before the season closed. Ron Howard used herring to pull a 70 lb, 132 cm, halibut off Constance Bank the day before the season closed. This fish is the third largest weighed in at the store this year.
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 not very many. Anglers jigging have been catching more and larger salmon than those trolling. The salmon are feeding on needlefish and have been at depths from 40 to 135 feet, depending on where the feed is located. Most of the anglers have been either bottom bouncing or jigging close to the bottom. Only a few coho and pinks have been caught here.
HALIBUT – Halibut fishing was EXCELLENT this past week before the season closed.
SIDNEY – Salmon fishing was SLOW TO FAIR in the Pender Bluffs area. We did hear that there were some large pink salmon off Pender Island at 90 feet to 120 feet but not as many as usually found at this time of year. A few springs were also found from 110-180 feet. Ky Baumler landed a 34.5 lb spring off Pender on September 10th. Ky was using an anchovy trolled at 117 feet to catch the largest spring weighed in at the store this year. Anglers also reported lots of small grilse in the area. Hambley Point also held some springs weighing into the teens. Anglers jigging were also catching some fish.
FRESHWATER OVERVIEW – Fishing was FAIR in most lakes for trout, and GOOD for bass.
COWICHAN RIVER – The Cowichan River’s water level is at summer levels, just under 0.4 meters. Fishing for trout in the fly only area has been GOOD at dawn and dusk.
TROUT – Trout fishing is FAIR on most lakes in the South Island. Trollers should fish at the thermocline, where the fish are suspended during the day. 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 Micro Leech patterns on full sink fly lines most of the time to get into the cooler water levels. Trollers are catching trout with worms fished behind Gibbs Gang Trolls and on Gibbs Wedding Bands. James Baluch caught a 3 lb 5 oz Rainbow trout at Langford Lake on a Big Gulp Leech on September 4th.
BASS – Bass fishing is GOOD as we end the summer months. There have been many reports of good catches of fish as large as 6 lbs all summer. 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
Lots of anglers are now targeting hatchery coho as the fish of choice. Be sure to increase your trolling speed, shorten your leaders and fish shallower if you want to get in on the coho action. Coho feed much closer to the surface and like a much faster moving lure than Chinook. And for some real excitement, try trolling bucktail flies right on the surface in the wake of the boat.
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