Fishing Report for Week Ending October 21, 2012

SALTWATER

OVERVIEW – Coho salmon fishing was VERY GOOD in most areas this past week and winter springs are also being caught.

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Sooke – Coho salmon fishing has been PRETTY GOOD in the area. Anglers are getting the coho up to 12 lbs, mostly out into the strait, but others are still getting some closer in to shore. Most anglers are fishing between 50 to 125 feet on the downrigger in 330 to 500 feet of water. There have been a lot more unmarked fish than marked fish recently, but both types are still around. Good lures for coho have been the Coho Killer spoons, Cloverleaf hootchies and Coyote spoons with green being the color to use. A few winter springs are also being caught, and their numbers should be increasing. Anchovies and herring will catch the most springs, but since the winters are very active feeders, just about any gear will catch them. Bloody Nose and Purple Haze teaser heads are the most popular when fishing bait for winter springs.

Becher Bay – Coho salmon fishing has been PRETTY GOOD with fish up to 14 lbs caught. Anglers are getting the coho further out into the strait, (500+ feet depths) but some are being caught closer to shore. The best depths for trolling have been from 60 to 125 feet. There is a mixture of both marked and unmarked coho, but predominantly unmarked fish. Mongoose Coyotes or Green/Silver Coho Killer spoons have been good for coho. The best flashers have been the Silver Betsey, Silver Fever Hot Spot and Purple Haze. Hootchies and squirts were good in Cloverleaf, Purple Haze and Glow Below, The Head and the Bedfords have been the best spots for winter springs up to 10 lbs. The majority of anglers fishing for springs are now using bait, with anchovies being most popular. The best teaser heads for bait were the Purple Haze and the Bloody Nose.

Pedder Bay – Salmon fishing was GOOD for coho into the low teens this past week. Anglers are finding the best fishing for coho out past Race Rocks at the third tide line, or even farther out in the strait, in deep water (500+ feet) near the shipping lanes. Most anglers fishing coho are using hootchies and spoons, usually with lots of green color. Watermelon and Mongoose Coyote spoons and Coho Killer spoons are working well for coho. There is a mixture of both marked and unmarked coho, but predominantly unmarked fish. Anglers were catching some winter springs near Church Rock and in Whirl Bay. Bloody Nose and Purple Haze teaser heads have been the most popular when using bait and the best flashers have been the Silver Betsey and Purple Haze. Hootchies and squirts were good in Purple Haze, Army Truck and Clover leaf.

Victoria Waterfront – Salmon fishing was PRETTY GOOD this past week. Constance Bank has a lot of winter springs up to 12 lbs on it right now, with lots in the 6 to 8 lb size. Action has been pretty good there, especially on Army Truck, Purple Haze and Glo Below squirts. Many of the boats are having no trouble getting their limit of winter springs. Anglers are catching coho both near the shore and out in the deeper water near the Yellow Can Buoy. Most anglers fishing coho are using hootchies and spoons, usually with lots of green color. Wayne Zaccarelli won the Royal Canadian Navy Anglers’ Association’s annual coho derby with a 9 lb 5 oz unmarked coho caught on anchovy near the harbour entrance. Wayne also caught a 7 lb 6 oz hatchery coho. The best teaser head colors are Purple Haze and the Bloody Nose. Good choices in plastic baits are the Army Truck, Cloverleaf and the Glo Below. Good flashers have been the Green/Glow and Green/Silver Hot Spots.

Wayne Zaccarelli with his derby winning coho

Oak Bay – Salmon fishing has been FAIR on the Flats. Anglers were catching small winter springs while fishing close to the bottom. The best bet for springs is trolling right on bottom in 60 to 120 feet of water with squirts, Baitrix tiny strip, small anchovy or Coho Killer spoons. Good squirts were the Electric Chair, Pickle Green, J-79 and Jellyfish. With spoons, 3½” or 4” Gypsy, Titans, and Coyotes in Cop Car or Silver/Green colors and the Gold Star Coho Killer. Glow in the dark flashers would be the best choice for springs now. Also, jigging can be productive as there are lots of areas with good bottom structure that hold salmon. Gibbs Minnows are a good choice when fishing these spots.

Sidney – Salmon fishing was GOOD all around the area. There have been lots of coho, mostly unmarked fish up to 14 lbs. The coho have been at 90 to 125 feet and are in 250 to 300 feet of water. There have been some undersize springs in the Sidney Channel and a few bigger ones up to 8 lbs. The Sidney channel has been the best spot for winter springs. 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. Mongoose Coyote spoons have also been working well.

Notable Catches – Wayne Zaccarelli won the Royal Canadian Navy Anglers’ Association’s annual coho derby with a 9 lb 5 oz unmarked coho caught on anchovy near the harbour entrance. Wayne also caught a 7 lb 6 oz hatchery coho.

Please send photos and descriptions of your notable catch to our email info@fishingvictoria.com

FRESHWATER

OVERVIEW – Trout fishing is PICKING UP on most lakes in the South Island area. Bass fishing is SLOWING DOWN on most lakes.

Cowichan River – The water level on the Cowichan River is higher now, up to 0.7 meters near Duncan. Chinook salmon are in the river now, so it’s a good time to start fishing egg patterns for trout hanging just below the salmon redds in the upper reaches of the Cowichan. The best flies for resident rainbow trout are usually nymphs, especially bead headed Prince and Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear nymphs. If you want to target browns, fish with minnow imitating streamers, muddlers, zonkers or wooly buggers. Also there have been complaints of spin fishermen in the fly only section of river. Keep an eye out and report any possible poachers. Remember it is fly fishing only between the trestle at Greendale road and the 70.2 mile trestle. ALL wild trout must be released on all streams in region 1 as well. Salmon fishing remains closed from the weir to the tidal boundary until further notice.

Local Lakes – Trout fishing is PICKING UP on most lakes in the South Island area.

The Vancouver Island Trout Hatchery has started fall releases of catchable-size rainbow trout. On October Shawnigan Lake received 2,701 catchable rainbows, Thetis Lake 1,000 catchable rainbows and Langford Lake 750 catchable rainbows. On October 3^rd, both Elk Lake and Prospect Lake received 2,000 catchable rainbows. On October 4^th, Langford Lake received another 1,598 catchable Rainbows. On October 11^th, Shawningan Lake received 1,000 catchable rainbows, Long Lake received 2,000 catchable rainbows and Fuller Lake received 1,470 catchable rainbows. On October 13^th, Fuller Lake received another 100 catchable rainbows.

The cooling water temperatures are making trout more active. Some anglers are catching trout on both Powerbait, Gulp! eggs, or worms, especially while fishing from shore. Fly anglers are doing well using Pumpkinheads, Wooly Buggers, Leeches or Micro Leech patterns when fishing deep. That said, there has been a lot of surface activity lately and both Caddis and mayflies are hatching on most lakes. Trollers have been doing OK with a variety of lures but we’ve heard tat the Orange Hot Shot has been good. The Rhys Davis Baitrix Trout lures and UV Mini Strip Teasers work well for larger fish too. 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 5 to 7 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. The biggest trout continue to be caught at Elk Lake with Langford Lake being your next best bet to hook into a real “lunker”. By the way, all wild rainbows and cutthroats over 50 cm must be released in Cowichan Lake.

Bass Fishing - At this time of year the Bass move to deeper drop offs and are harder to find. During the day, soft plastics rigged Carolina style work well and crank baits can work well too. 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.

Notable Catches – Please send photos and descriptions of your notable catch to our email info@fishingvictoria.com

FISH TIP OF THE WEEK

It’s time to go out and catch your chums, salmon that is, not your buddies. Chum salmon like black or purple hootchies, and most anglers will switch to using black hooks as well, to catch these hard fighting salmon. Troll very slowly and use a dodger instead of a flasher.

Island Outfitters Leader Board – 2012

Halibut

1) 182.8 lbs – Jeff Saponja – Port Renfrew – Mackerel – August 11^th

2) 162.3 lbs – Des Hatchard – Port Renfrew – Herring - April 15^th

3) 145.6 lbs – Ken Emms – Oak Bay – Herring - April 15^th

4) 144.5.4 lbs – Trevor MacDougall – Oak Bay – Herring - May 12^th

5) 142.6 lbs – Andrew Stawicki – Haro Strait – Octopus - May 13^th

Salmon

1) 39.4 lbs – Curtis Petres – Trap Shack – Anchovy – July 2^nd

2) 34.8 lbs – Jason Whittaker – Beechey Head – Anchovy – June 23^rd

3) 30.0 lbs – Debbie Campbell – Beechey Head – Anchovy - June 27^th

4) 28.6 lbs – Duane Bertrand – Trap Shack – Anchovy - June 20^th

5) 28.5 lbs – Falon Lancey – Sherringham Point – Anchovy - May 25^th

2012 DERBIES and EVENTS

Island Outfitters starts and ends the year with the free for fun and prizes Salmon and Halibut Leader Board. Simply weigh your catch in at Island Outfitters and the top five fish in each category on December 31^st wins a special prize. Everybody who enters a fish gets a prize! Maybe it will be you bringing in the big one! Please let us know as early as possible about your up coming events in 2012!

See our event pages for upcoming events and like us on facebook!