Fishing Report March 20

Fishing Report for Week Ending March 20, 2011

SALTWATER

OVERVIEW – Salmon fishing was FAIR around Southern Vancouver Island. A slot limit of 45 cm to 67 cm is in effect now for wild (unclipped adipose fin) Chinook to protect the early Fraser River Chinook. Halibut fishing was FAIR although not a lot of them were caught. High winds and bad weather are still keeping most anglers off the water so there’s been a low fishing effort.

SOOKE – Salmon fishing was FAIR this past week. Anglers were catching winter springs near Secretary Island, the Harbour mouth, the Sooke Bluffs and the trailer park. The majority of the salmon were in the 6 to 10 lb size range. Most of the fish have been taken close to the bottom in 120 to 140 feet of water. The fish are being caught on all types of gear, although we would give a slight edge to bait this past week. That said, one combination that has been doing very well is the Purple Haze squirt behind a Purple Onion flasher. Anchovies have been working best in glow or Purple Haze teaser heads. Hootchies and squirts were good in Tiger Prawn, Glow Below and Lemon Meringue. Green/Slow or Black/Glow spoons have also been good for springs.

HALIBUT – Some halibut were brought in from the Jordan River area but nothing big.  Extra Large herring and/or Octopus are the most popular baits for halibut. Berkely Gulp and Powerbait soft plastics also work very well. You can also use a large spoon fished off the spreader bar, Mudraker or Lucky Jigs or other large Jigs if you want to stay away from the dogfish.

BECHER BAY – Salmon fishing was PICKING UP this past week. Talking to the marina, they said that most boats were heading over to either Church Rock or the Bedfords. A few fish are coming from inside the bay, but not many anglers are fishing there and that could be the reason. A few salmon have been caught by Beechey Head. The springs have been found close to bottom in 120 to 160 feet of water and are typically 9 – 10 lbs in size. The fish are being caught on all types of gear, but have shown a preference for bait. The best teaser heads for bait were the Bloody Nose and the Purple Haze. The best flashers have been the Purple Onion, Red Glow and Purple Haze. Hootchies and squirts were good in Tiger Prawn, Glow Below and Lemon Meringue. Cop Car or Green/Silver Coyote spoons have also been good for springs. It’s more important to find the fish than to find a magic lure.

PEDDER BAY – Salmon fishing was FAIR this past week but once again not too many anglers went out. Of those boats that did go out, a couple caught springs up to 10 lbs. The hot spots were Whirl Bay and near Christopher Point. The fish are deep and depths of 100 to 180 feet are where anglers are finding the fish. The fish are not very selective and are being caught on all types of gear. Anchovy and herring have been very productive baits for springs. Bloody Nose and Purple Haze teaser heads have been the most popular when using bait and the best flashers have been the Purple Onion, Red Glow and Purple Haze. Hootchies and squirts were good in Purple Haze, Electric Chair and Lemon Meringue. Cop Car or Green/Silver Coyote spoons have also been good for springs.

HALIBUT – Halibut fishing was FAIR with only a few halibut coming into the marina during the weekend. Extra Large herring and/or Octopus are the most popular baits for halibut. Berkely Gulp and Powerbait soft plastics also work very well. You can also use a large spoon fished off the spreader bar, Mudraker or Lucky Jigs or other large Jigs if you want to stay away from the dogfish.

VICTORIA WATERFRONT – Salmon fishing was FAIR much of this past week when the weather wasn’t too windy. A slot limit of 45 cm to 67 cm is in effect now for wild (unclipped adipose fin) Chinook to protect the early Fraser River Chinook in this area.  Anglers fishing at Constance Bank reported catching springs in the 4 to 15 lb size range and some of the bigger ones wee hatchery fish. Closer in, we heard that springs have been taken all the way from the Albert Head to Clover Point.

Like everywhere else, the fish are being caught on all types of gear. The fish have been feeding on both herring and needlefish. Anchovies and herring are still top producers this time of year for springs too, especially in the medium and large sizes. The best teaser head colors are the Bloody Nose and the Purple Haze. The majority of anglers though are fishing squirts and spoons along the bottom at 120 to 160 feet. Good flashers have been the Green/Glow and Purple Onion. The seals are still causing problems in many locations.

HALIBUT – A modest amount of boats were out for halibut this past week but not too many halibut were caught. That said, some halis up to 85 lbs were taken by top anglers. Extra Large herring and/or Octopus are the most popular baits for halibut. Berkely Gulp and Powerbait soft plastics also work very well. You can also use a large spoon fished off the spreader bar, Mudraker or Lucky Jigs or other large Jigs if you want to stay away from the dogfish.

OAK BAY– Salmon fishing had been FAIR on the Flats but the weather kept boats off the water. Anglers had been catching winter springs up to 11 lbs while fishing close to the bottom where needlefish are the major food source. The best bet is trolling right on bottom in 100 to 150 feet of water with squirts, Baitrix tiny strip, small anchovy or Coho Killer spoons. Good squirts were the Electric Chair, Cricket and Purple Haze. With spoons, 3½” or 4” Gypsy, Titans, Coyotes and Coho Killers in Cop Car or Silver/Green colors also catch a lot of fish in Oak Bay. Glow in the dark flashers would be the best choice for springs now.

HALIBUT – Halibut fishing was SLOW. Extra Large herring and/or Octopus are the most popular baits for halibut. Berkely Gulp and Powerbait soft plastics also work very well. You can also use a large spoon fished off the spreader bar, Mudraker or Lucky Jigs or other large Jigs if you want to stay away from the dogfish.


SIDNEY – Salmon fishing was SLOWER this past week and the weather was poor on the weekend preventing anglers from safely going out. Salmon are holding at most locations near Sidney and in Saanich Inlet by Pat Bay. Most of the fish are from 8 to 15 lbs in size. Some spots that produced on the weekend were Moses Point, the Red Can, Coal Island and the Powder Wharf. The best depths have been from 90 feet to 120 feet. Fishing right on the bottom is your best bet. Spoons have been good with 3.5” or 4” Green and Glow colors producing best. The best soft plastic lures to use for springs now are the J-79, Mint Tulip and Purple Haze Squirts. Anchovies and Strip are also working. We’ve also heard that a couple of halibut sere caught while trolling for salmon near the south end of the channel.

NOTABLE CATCHES – If you have any fishing info, notable catches, digital photos (please send as attachments) or tips that you would like to share or have included in our fishing report, please email us at info@fishingvictoria.com.

FRESHWATER

The new fishing regulations synopsis is now available and there are new changes for the river. Be sure to pick up a copy before going fishing in April.

LOCAL LAKES – Trout fishing is PICKING UP on most lakes in the South Island area and is looking better with recent releases of catchable rainbows into local lakes. The Vancouver Island Hatchery reported that they have started stocking Island lakes on March 1st with Fraser Valley Catchable Rainbows - average size from 229 to 250 grams or just over half a pound.  On March 1^st they released 3,284 trout into Shawinigan Lake and 600 trout into Dougan Lake. On March 2^nd they released 500 trout into Chemainus Lake and 1,000 trout into Fuller Lake. On March 3^rd they released 2,000 trout into Elk Lake, 1,222 into Long Lake and 650 into Green Lake. On March 7^th they released 2,000 trout into Langford Lake and 1,900 into Prospect Lake. On March 9^th they released another 2,000 trout into Elk Lake and 250 into Lookout Lake. On March 10^th they released 1,000 trout into Thetis Lake and 500 into Glen Lake. On March 11^th they released another 1,033 trout into Fuller Lake.

The biggest trout continue to be caught at Elk Lake with Langford Lake being your next best bet to hook into a real “lunker”. With the water temperature still low and the trout not being very active, most anglers are catching fish down deep on either Powerbait or Gulp eggs, worms, chironomids, Wooly Buggers or leech pattern flies fished close to the bottom. White, Fluorescent Pink and Chartreuse Powerbait Eggs have been popular baits recently. Trollers have been doing OK with a variety of lures. The Rhys Davis Baitrix Trout lures and UV Mini Strip Teasers work well for larger fish. Other good trolling lures are the Apex Trout Killers with the police car one of the best and the black with silver glitter spots taking second place.  Flatfish and/or Kwikfish have also been effective in sizes 7 and smaller in Frog, Yellow with Red Spots or Blue/Silver. Smaller Rapalas in Rainbow Trout or Brown Trout patterns also work well. Lastly, Willow Leaf Lake trolls with a worm-tipped GIBBS Wedding Band will almost always catch some fish. By the way, all wild rainbows and cutthroats over 50 cm must be released in Cowichan Lake.

BASS FISHING – Bass fishing was SLOW this past week. Slower presentations such as soft plastics are working as the water cools. Your best bet is fishing tube jigs and drop-shot plastic worms and sculpin imitations. 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. As winter approaches, look for the fish to move into deeper water and suspend. They might become less active and take a little more “coaxing” to bite.


NOTABLE CATCHES –If you have any fishing info, notable catches, digital photos (please send as attachments) or tips that you would like to share or have included in our fishing report, please email us at info@fishingvictoria.com.

FISH TIP OF THE WEEK

The new freshwater regulations are out and the new saltwater regulations should be out soon. There are changes in the regulations, so take some time to read and review the regulations before going out and accidentally getting in trouble. And don’t forget to get a new license if you haven’t already picked one up.

Island Outfitters Leader Board – 2011

HALIBUT

We are now waiting for the first “barn doors” of to be weighed in at the store.

SALMON

We are now waiting for the first big springs of the year to be weighed in at the store. Maybe you will be bringing in the biggest one this year!