Fishing Report for Week Ending October 12, 2014

 

 

 

 

SALTWATER

OVERVIEW – Coho fishing is GOOD in most areas with the fish running up to 15 lbs in size. A few winter springs up to 12 lbs have also been caught, but the mature spring salmon run is over. Halibut fishing was GOOD this past weekend.

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There are new openings for halibut and coho starting September1^st. For the latest updates in DFO regulations go to http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=search_results&lang=en&ID=recreational&Year=2014

SOOKE – Coho salmon fishing was GOOD this past week. The coho numbers have been strong but the schools are more scattered than in previous weeks. Anglers were having their best success out in the strait in 500 to 600 feet of water and near the US border. We heard that the boats out the farthest produced the most coho. If you can locate the fish, you will catch a bunch, but it is important to try and stay with the school.. Spring fishing is virtually over and the winter springs have not moved in yet in any numbers. Choice of lures has stayed very similar to last week; Anchovies are working well with Green and Bloody Nose teaser heads being good colors choices. G-Force spoons in Irish Cream and No Bananas have been catching their fair number of fish. The most popular flashers recently have been the Gibbs Madi, the Outfitter and the Jellyfish UV.

 



BECHER BAY– Salmon fishing has been GOOD in East Sooke. Coho salmon are being caught in good numbers and Harvey Fairfield brought in a 15 lb coho. Successful anglers are going to the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th tide lines to find the fish and fishing at 90-110 feet on the downriggers. Most of the coho have been wild, unmarked fish but there are enough hatchery fish that you can get your limit if you release the wild ones. Most anglers are having their best results fishing anchovies. Some winter springs up to 13 lbs have been caught, but not too many. The most productive teaser heads for anchovies were the Green and the Bloody Nose. For flashers the Madi and the Purple Onion have been very good lately. Spoons such as G-Force in the smaller sizes have been working as well, both in Cop Car or Glow/Green.



PEDDER BAY –Coho fishing has been VERY GOOD out in the strait in 450 to 660 feet of water. Most anglers have been trolling at 90 – 130 foot depths, but we’ve also heard of fish taken at 30 feet. Te majority of coho have been unclipped ones. Spring salmon fishing was SLOW for winters, but a few as large as 12 lbs have been caught. Anchovies were productive for springs UV Green and Purple Haze teaser heads being top choices in teaser heads. Anglers are getting coho while trolling 3” to 3.5” spoons. Coho Killers and G-force spoons with both glow and green have been working the best. Squirts are working too with Yellow, Purple Haze and Gray Ghost the best patterns. The best flashers have been the Silver Betsey, Green/Silver Hot Spot and Jellyfish UV.

Halibut – Halibut fishing was GOOD over the weekend.. Anglers that were fishing were using extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus for bait. 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 FAIR off Victoria.  A few days saw good numbers of coho being caught out by the Yellow Marker buoy and in 200-300 feet of water.  Anchovies have been working well in green and Purple Haze colors. Good choices in plastic baits are the Cloverleaf, Purple Haze and the Glo Below. Gibbs Coho Killer, Kingfisher and Coyote spoons in green and glow colours have been very effective.

Halibut – Halibut fishing was GOOD this past week out at Constance Bank. Anglers are using extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus for bait with octopus being the most productive bait this past weekend. 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 SLOW for those trolling out on the Flats and in the Gap.  There were very few winter springs being caught this past week. Anglers were using squirts, spoons, or tiny strip. The fish that were being caught trolling were caught on Coho Killer spoons and 3” to 4” G-Force & Gypsy spoons. Good squirts were the Pickle Green, J-79 and Jellyfish. Good flashers have been the Purple Onion, Green/silver or Green Jellyfish.

Halibut – Halibut fishing was GOOD this past week. Thomas Thiele reported catching a 42 pound (118 cm) Halibut near Discovery Island. Anglers are using extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus for bait with octopus. 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 was FAIR near Sidney this past week. Coho have been caught near the Pender Island Bluffs. Hambley Point and the Sidney Channel have slowed down for springs. Many anglers are fishing using anchovies in 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.

 



 

Notable Catches – Harvey Fairfield brought in a 15 lb coho at Becher Bay. The Royal Canadian anglers’ Association held their annual coho derby this past Saturday. First place went to Bob Sibbald for a 7 lb 6 oz coho. Second place went to Tracy Barton for a 6 lb 14 oz coho. Third place went to Ryan Arsenych for a 6 lb 8 oz coho.

Please send photos (in jpeg format) and descriptions of your notable catch to our email info@fishingvictoria.com 

FRESHWATER

OVERVIEW – Fishing is FAIR on most lakes in the South Island area as the temperature cools. Remember that ALL wild trout must be released on all streams in region 1. Wild rainbows and cutthroats over 50 cm must be released in Cowichan Lake. The lower reaches of the Cowichan River have been closed to all recreational uses until further notice.

COWICHAN RIVER – Water levels on the river are still very low. The lower reaches of the Cowichan River have been closed to all recreational uses until further notice. The trout fishing in the mid and upper river is good to excellent, especially very early in the morning and late in the day, but it really stresses the fish to catch and release them now. Most anglers are staying off the river so as to not stress the trout.

TROUT – Trout fishing was FAIR  on most lakes in the South Island area this past week. Ryan Rock weighed in a 3lbs 14 oz rainbow trout caught on a fly in the Duncan area on Saturday the 6th.

Bank anglers are catching trout on Powerbait, Gulp Eggs, or worms while fishing from shore and right on the bottom. Yellow and Bubblegum have been good colours recently for Powerbait. Fly anglers are fishing Pumpkinheads, Wooly Buggers, Leeches and Micro Leech patterns on full sink fly lines. Trollers have been doing well with a variety of lures. 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, Black with Silver Flake or Rainbow Pattern. Smaller Rapalas in Rainbow Trout or Brown Trout patterns also work well; the jointed Rapalas have also been great for larger fish. Larger Willow Leaf Lake trolls with a size 6 hook tipped with a small 1-2″ piece of worm always produce fish. The biggest trout usually come from Langford Lake and Elk Lake.

BASS - Bass fishing is GOOD. There have been good reports of fishing with spinner baits in Chartreuse, White and Black. During the day, soft plastics rigged Carolina style work well and crank baits can work well too. Crank baits have been effective too when fished with a fast retrieve. Soft plastics rigged “Carolina Style “is also a good choice when fishing drop offs and docks, most productive in 4” Yum bait colors Smoke or Pumpkinseed. Surface lures have been producing well in the evenings and mornings. 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. Bernard Schedler caught a 4.5 lb smallmouth bass while fly fishing at Thetis Lake.

CARP – Carp fishing is GOOD at Elk Lake. Corn and carp Boilies have been the best bait recently.

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

FISH TIP OF THE WEEK 

Cover water! Most of the time when you hit one Coho, you hit another Coho, and then another. This is because Coho usually travel in schools in search of baitfish. In order to locate some Coho, it is important to continue covering different water and depths until you nd a school. Try spreading your lines all at different depths and try not to get stuck sitting in one spot against the tide 

Island Outfitters Leader Board 2014

 

Salmon

 

1) 30.8 lbs – Lynn Pollard – Macaulay Point – July 13th

2) 30.7 lbs – Lance Foreman – Waterfront – July 10th

3) 30.0 lbs – Jesse McCullough – Otter Point – July 9th

4) 29.4 lbs – Al Teng – Macaulay Point– July 23^rd

5) 29.3 lbs – Richard Hanson – Sherringham Point– June 14^th

 

Halibut

 

1) 70.9 lbs – Adam West – Zero Rock – May 10^th

2) 67.7 lbs – Tom Schmidbauer – Rock Pile – May 11^th

3) 66.6 lbs – Harvey Francis – Rock Pile – Herring – April 23^rd

4) 65.7 lbs – Allen Lacharity – Oak Bay - Herring– May 10^th

5) 65.7 lbs – Brock Heppell – Oak Bay – May 10^th

 

Trout

 

1) 4 lbs 12 oz – Jeremy Thomassen– Elk Lake – April 12^th

2) 4 lbs 10 oz – John Redlick – Duncan area – March 25^th

3) 4 lbs 6 oz – Robert Waldner – Langford Lake - May 12^th

4) 3 lbs14 oz – Ryan Rock – Duncan area – September 6^th

5) 2 lbs15 oz - Duncan Watts – Langford Lake- Powerbait – January 25^th

Carp

1) William Oliver – 75 carp weighed in, total 345.4 lbs

2) Dan Morris – 38 carp weighed in, total 227 lbs 10 oz

3) Blair Cox - 7 carp weighed in, total 102 lbs.

4) Brandon Boudewyn - 3 carp weighed in, total 33.9 lbs

5) Kory Haanen - 3 carp weighed in, total 35.4 lbs 5

 

Island Outfitters starts and ends the year with the free for fun and prizes Salmon, Trout, Carp and Halibut Leader Boards. 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! To enter, just bring in your catch to be weighed at our store.

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