CartFishing Report for Week Ending December 21, 2014
SALTWATER
OVERVIEWS – Weather put a damper on the fishing effort this past week and very few anglers ventured forth. Winter chinook fishing has been GOOD and fish up to 15 lbs were caught this past week. Halibut fishing was GOOD this past week.
Be sure to take in our Boxing Day sale this Friday. Pick up all those items that Santa did not bring you this year and that you really can’t live without. Check out our web site and facebook page for all the great deals!
Visit our facebook page to enter our fishing picture contest, and see reports, news and videos by our guides and staff from their most recent trips!
SOOKE – The fishing for winter springs was SLOW this past weekend. Very few boats went out due to the weather and not much was caught. The boats were fishing from the harbour entrance and over by the Sooke Bluffs. 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. Halibut fishing was excellent and fish up to 45 lbs were seen on the docks.
BECHER BAY– Salmon fishing was GOOD in East Sooke. Over the weekend, chinooks as large as 15 lb spring brought in at Cheanuh marina. Most of the fish were caught either in Whirl Bay, off the Bedfords or from inside Becher Bay. Many anglers are having their best results fishing anchovies trolled just off the bottom. The most productive teaser heads for anchovies were the UV Green and the Bloody Nose. That said, spoons and plastic baits have also been working well. Spoons such as G-Force in the smaller sizes have been working as well, both in Cop Car or Glow/Green. Squirts are working too with Pistachio, Purple Haze and Glow white the best patterns. For flashers, the Madi and the Purple Onion have been very good lately.
PEDDER BAY – Chinook salmon fishing was GOOD in Whirl Bay and near the Can Buoy at the entrance to the bay. Anchovies were productive for springs with UV Green and Bloody Nose teaser heads being top choices in teaser heads. Anglers are getting springs 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 Pistachio, Purple Haze and Glow white the best patterns. The best flashers have been the Purple Onion, 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 for winter springs was VERY GOOD off Victoria. Anglers have been catching chinooks both close into shore and out at Constance Bank. The bait is being pushed around by the tides and the salmon are following the bait. Wayne Zaccarelli caught a 12 and 7 off Brotchie Ledge, and Ed Beatty had pair of 8 to 10 lb chinooks off the flagpole. Anchovies have been working well in green and UV Chart/Flash colors outside the harbour. 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. Seals are once again a problem, especially near Clover Point.
Halibut – Halibut fishing was GOOD this past week out at Constance Bank and off Albert Head when it wasn’t too windy. 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 FAIR for those trolling out on the Flats and in the Gap. Some winter springs are being caught but not many big ones. 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 EXCELLENT this past week. There were a few places where one could get out of the wind and they produced fish. 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 GOOD near Sidney this past week. The middle section of the Sidney Channel was the hot spot again this past week. Bob Haney landed an 11½ lb spring in the channel there this past weekend. Most of the winters are just over or under the minimum size for retention but fish as large as 10 lbs have been caught this past week. 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, J-79 and Electric Chair. Coho Killer spoons have also been working well, especially in double glow and 50/50 colors. Halibut fishing has been good near the Darcy Island shoals.
Notable Catches – Wayne Zaccarelli caught a 12 and 7 off Brotchie Ledge, and Ed Beatty had pair of 8 to 10 lb chinooks off the flagpole. Bob Haney landed an 11½ lb spring in the Sidney channel this past weekend.
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 because of the recent stockings. 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. Only single barb less hooks are allowed for all fishing on island streams and rivers.
COWICHAN RIVER – More rains this past week caused more flooding. The water level has been dropping since then and is at 2. 0 meters by the lake and downstream near Duncan it is 2 meters. It’s still too high for most fishing. The river is open for both coho and chum salmon retention until December 31st. You’re now allowed to keep two chums per day. The daily limit for coho is one. Fishing has been good for both species of salmon. The Bible Camp has been closed to fishing. There are some steelhead in the river now as the winter run is just starting to come into the river. The trout fishing in the mid and upper river is excellent. There are rainbows, cutthroats and resident brown trout that are actively feeding on salmon eggs. Egg patterns are the way to go now, and they are very effective when drifted behind a salmon redd.
TROUT – Trout fishing was FAIR on most lakes in the South Island area this past week The Vancouver Island Fish hatchery has started its fall stocking program and has so far released 58,850 catchable rainbow trout on the island. On November 20th, Prospect Lake received 250 catchable rainbow trout and Elk Lake received 757 catchable rainbow trout. On November 14th, Langford Elk Lake received 4,000 catchable rainbow trout. On November 7th, Colwood Lake received 250 catchable rainbow trout. On November 6th, Prospect Lake received 1,750 rainbows, Elk Lake received 1,200 rainbows, Durrance Lake received 500 rainbows and Lookout Lake received 250 catchable rainbow trout. On November 3rd, Thetis and Kemp Lakes each received 1,000 catchable rainbow trout and Glen and Matheson Lakes each received 500 catchable rainbow trout. On October 30th, Elk Lake received 2,000 catchable rainbow trout. On October 28th, Lookout Lake received 250 catchable rainbow trout. On October 27th, Spectacle Lake received 1,250 catchable rainbow trout. On October 20th, Ida Anne Lake received 250 catchable rainbow trout. On October 16th, Shawnigan Lake received 2,000 catchable rainbow trout. On October 15th, Prospect Lake received 2,000 catchable rainbow trout.. On October 14h, Kemp Lake received 500, Matheson Lake 500, Lookout Lake 250, Prior Lake 500, Thetis Lake 1,000 and Glen Lake 500 catchable rainbow trout. On October 8th, Durrance Lake received 2,000, Elk Lake 2,000 and Spectacle lake 250 catchable rainbow trout.
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 SLOW. Soft plastics rigged “Carolina Style “is a good choice when fishing drop offs and docks, and have been most productive in 4” Yum bait colors Smoke or Pumpkinseed. 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.
CARP – Carp fishing is SLOW 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
Seals stealing fish can be a big problem during the winter saltwater fishery. One of the best ways to avoid seal problems is to not to fish with the pack of other fishing boats, but to separate yourself and fish away from the pack. Another good idea is to use a lighter leader than your main line, so that if a seal grabs your salmon and a fight ensues, at least you won’t lose your flasher.
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) 30.6 lbs – Karen Lancey – Muir Creek – September 3rd
4) 30.0 lbs – Jesse McCullough – Otter Point – July 9th
5) 29.4 lbs – Al Teng – Macaulay Point– July 23rd
Halibut
1) 70.9 lbs – Adam West – Zero Rock – May 10th
2) 67.8 lbs – John Kirkendale Sr. – Constance Bank – October 21st
3) 67.7 lbs – Tom Schmidbauer – Rock Pile – May 11th
4) 66.6 lbs – Harvey Francis – Rock Pile – Herring – April 23rd
5) 65.7 lbs – Allen Lacharity – Oak Bay - Herring– May 10th
Trout
1) 4 lbs 12 oz – Jeremy Thomassen– Elk Lake – April 12th
2) 4 lbs 10 oz – John Redlick – Duncan area – March 25th
3) 4 lbs 6 oz – Robert Waldner – Langford Lake - May 12th
4) 3 lbs14 oz – Ryan Rock – Duncan area – September 6th
5) 2 lbs15 oz - Duncan Watts – Langford Lake- Powerbait – January 25th
2014 DERBIES and EVENTS
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 31st 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.
See our event pages for details on upcoming events and like us on facebook!
OVERVIEWS – Weather put a damper on the fishing effort this past week and very few anglers ventured forth. Winter chinook fishing has been GOOD and fish up to 15 lbs were caught this past week. Halibut fishing was GOOD this past week.
Be sure to take in our Boxing Day sale this Friday. Pick up all those items that Santa did not bring you this year and that you really can’t live without. Check out our web site and facebook page for all the great deals!
Visit our facebook page to enter our fishing picture contest, and see reports, news and videos by our guides and staff from their most recent trips!
SOOKE – The fishing for winter springs was SLOW this past weekend. Very few boats went out due to the weather and not much was caught. The boats were fishing from the harbour entrance and over by the Sooke Bluffs. 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. Halibut fishing was excellent and fish up to 45 lbs were seen on the docks.
BECHER BAY– Salmon fishing was GOOD in East Sooke. Over the weekend, chinooks as large as 15 lb spring brought in at Cheanuh marina. Most of the fish were caught either in Whirl Bay, off the Bedfords or from inside Becher Bay. Many anglers are having their best results fishing anchovies trolled just off the bottom. The most productive teaser heads for anchovies were the UV Green and the Bloody Nose. That said, spoons and plastic baits have also been working well. Spoons such as G-Force in the smaller sizes have been working as well, both in Cop Car or Glow/Green. Squirts are working too with Pistachio, Purple Haze and Glow white the best patterns. For flashers, the Madi and the Purple Onion have been very good lately.
PEDDER BAY – Chinook salmon fishing was GOOD in Whirl Bay and near the Can Buoy at the entrance to the bay. Anchovies were productive for springs with UV Green and Bloody Nose teaser heads being top choices in teaser heads. Anglers are getting springs 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 Pistachio, Purple Haze and Glow white the best patterns. The best flashers have been the Purple Onion, 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 for winter springs was VERY GOOD off Victoria. Anglers have been catching chinooks both close into shore and out at Constance Bank. The bait is being pushed around by the tides and the salmon are following the bait. Wayne Zaccarelli caught a 12 and 7 off Brotchie Ledge, and Ed Beatty had pair of 8 to 10 lb chinooks off the flagpole. Anchovies have been working well in green and UV Chart/Flash colors outside the harbour. 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. Seals are once again a problem, especially near Clover Point.
Halibut – Halibut fishing was GOOD this past week out at Constance Bank and off Albert Head when it wasn’t too windy. 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 FAIR for those trolling out on the Flats and in the Gap. Some winter springs are being caught but not many big ones. 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 EXCELLENT this past week. There were a few places where one could get out of the wind and they produced fish. 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 GOOD near Sidney this past week. The middle section of the Sidney Channel was the hot spot again this past week. Bob Haney landed an 11½ lb spring in the channel there this past weekend. Most of the winters are just over or under the minimum size for retention but fish as large as 10 lbs have been caught this past week. 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, J-79 and Electric Chair. Coho Killer spoons have also been working well, especially in double glow and 50/50 colors. Halibut fishing has been good near the Darcy Island shoals.
Notable Catches – Wayne Zaccarelli caught a 12 and 7 off Brotchie Ledge, and Ed Beatty had pair of 8 to 10 lb chinooks off the flagpole. Bob Haney landed an 11½ lb spring in the Sidney channel this past weekend.
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 because of the recent stockings. 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. Only single barb less hooks are allowed for all fishing on island streams and rivers.
COWICHAN RIVER – More rains this past week caused more flooding. The water level has been dropping since then and is at 2. 0 meters by the lake and downstream near Duncan it is 2 meters. It’s still too high for most fishing. The river is open for both coho and chum salmon retention until December 31st. You’re now allowed to keep two chums per day. The daily limit for coho is one. Fishing has been good for both species of salmon. The Bible Camp has been closed to fishing. There are some steelhead in the river now as the winter run is just starting to come into the river. The trout fishing in the mid and upper river is excellent. There are rainbows, cutthroats and resident brown trout that are actively feeding on salmon eggs. Egg patterns are the way to go now, and they are very effective when drifted behind a salmon redd.
TROUT – Trout fishing was FAIR on most lakes in the South Island area this past week The Vancouver Island Fish hatchery has started its fall stocking program and has so far released 58,850 catchable rainbow trout on the island. On November 20th, Prospect Lake received 250 catchable rainbow trout and Elk Lake received 757 catchable rainbow trout. On November 14th, Langford Elk Lake received 4,000 catchable rainbow trout. On November 7th, Colwood Lake received 250 catchable rainbow trout. On November 6th, Prospect Lake received 1,750 rainbows, Elk Lake received 1,200 rainbows, Durrance Lake received 500 rainbows and Lookout Lake received 250 catchable rainbow trout. On November 3rd, Thetis and Kemp Lakes each received 1,000 catchable rainbow trout and Glen and Matheson Lakes each received 500 catchable rainbow trout. On October 30th, Elk Lake received 2,000 catchable rainbow trout. On October 28th, Lookout Lake received 250 catchable rainbow trout. On October 27th, Spectacle Lake received 1,250 catchable rainbow trout. On October 20th, Ida Anne Lake received 250 catchable rainbow trout. On October 16th, Shawnigan Lake received 2,000 catchable rainbow trout. On October 15th, Prospect Lake received 2,000 catchable rainbow trout.. On October 14h, Kemp Lake received 500, Matheson Lake 500, Lookout Lake 250, Prior Lake 500, Thetis Lake 1,000 and Glen Lake 500 catchable rainbow trout. On October 8th, Durrance Lake received 2,000, Elk Lake 2,000 and Spectacle lake 250 catchable rainbow trout.
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 SLOW. Soft plastics rigged “Carolina Style “is a good choice when fishing drop offs and docks, and have been most productive in 4” Yum bait colors Smoke or Pumpkinseed. 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.
CARP – Carp fishing is SLOW 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
Seals stealing fish can be a big problem during the winter saltwater fishery. One of the best ways to avoid seal problems is to not to fish with the pack of other fishing boats, but to separate yourself and fish away from the pack. Another good idea is to use a lighter leader than your main line, so that if a seal grabs your salmon and a fight ensues, at least you won’t lose your flasher.
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) 30.6 lbs – Karen Lancey – Muir Creek – September 3rd
4) 30.0 lbs – Jesse McCullough – Otter Point – July 9th
5) 29.4 lbs – Al Teng – Macaulay Point– July 23rd
Halibut
1) 70.9 lbs – Adam West – Zero Rock – May 10th
2) 67.8 lbs – John Kirkendale Sr. – Constance Bank – October 21st
3) 67.7 lbs – Tom Schmidbauer – Rock Pile – May 11th
4) 66.6 lbs – Harvey Francis – Rock Pile – Herring – April 23rd
5) 65.7 lbs – Allen Lacharity – Oak Bay - Herring– May 10th
Trout
1) 4 lbs 12 oz – Jeremy Thomassen– Elk Lake – April 12th
2) 4 lbs 10 oz – John Redlick – Duncan area – March 25th
3) 4 lbs 6 oz – Robert Waldner – Langford Lake - May 12th
4) 3 lbs14 oz – Ryan Rock – Duncan area – September 6th
5) 2 lbs15 oz - Duncan Watts – Langford Lake- Powerbait – January 25th
2014 DERBIES and EVENTS
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 31st 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.
See our event pages for details on upcoming events and like us on facebook!