Fishing Report for Week Ending September 4, 2016

SALTWATER


OVERVIEW – Salmon fishing was GOOD much of this past week. Halibut fishing was GOOD this past week.

For the latest details on recreational fishery openings and closures in your area:

  1. A) Call 1-866-431-FISH or 604-666-2828 (24-hour phone line);

  2. B) Visit our web page http://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm to find applicable fishery notices; or

  3. C) Follow our sport fishing Twitter account https://twitter.com/sportfishingbc


Visit our facebook page to see reports, news and videos by our guides and staff from their most recent trips. 

SOOKE – The salmon fishing was GOOD last week. Muir Creek, Possession Point and Secretary Island were the hotspots. The springs seem to be either at one or the other of these locations each day. The fish have been running shallower with 20-60 feet on the downrigger the best depths. There were some big springs in the 20’s and low 30’s, lots of teens and some small ones too. The coho fishing has been good and many of them were big. The hatchery fish were running from 8–14 lbs and the wild, unmarked coho were even bigger. The wild fish outnumbered the hatchery fish this past week. Anchovies are now the top choice for bait and good choices for teaser head colors are UV Green, Chartreuse, Bloody Nose and Purple Haze.The top spoons for Sooke anglers are the White Lightening and Irish Cream Coho Killers. For flashers, you can’t go wrong with a Super Betsey, Madi or Bon Chovi Flasher. Hootchies in White, Cop Car and Army Truck have been effective recently.

BECHER BAY – Salmon fishing was GOOD this past week although spotty at times. There have been a lot of smaller springs around as well as fish in the teens and twenties. A couple of fish in the low thirties were also caught. The Trap Shack, Beechey Head and Aldridge Point were the most productive locations to fish. The coho fishing has been steady with anglers getting 7-11 lb hatchery fish as well lots of wild coho. Those who targeted coho did quite well using spoons. Anglers using bait are finding anchovies in glow teaser heads have been working best. Also good are spoons, such as the G-Force and Skinny G, in Bon Chovy or Outfitters’ colours. For flashers, the Betsey, Lemon Lime and Bon Chovi have been good.

PEDDER BAY –Salmon fishing was GOOD this past week. The best chinook fishing was near the entrance of Pedder Bay and Bentick Island. There have been loads of salmon and bait there and good bites have been early in the morning, on the tide changes and late in the evening. Some hatchery coho up to 10 lbs were also caught. Anglers targeting the coho have been quite successful trolling out in the deeper water. Anchovies were the top bait this past week. Good choices for teaser head colors are UV Green, Chartreuse, Bloody Nose and Purple Haze. Flashers that are popular include the Betsey, Lemon-Lime and Madi.

HALIBUT – Halibut fishing was FAIR this past week. The best areas were Race Rocks, William Head, 27 Fathom reef and Constance Bank. 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 Mudraker, Lucky or 9” Jumbo Squids if you want to stay away from the dogfish.

Hunter Grant caught a 50lb halibut caught on the southwest corner of Constance Bank on Sunday. Hunter Grant caught a 50lb halibut caught on the southwest corner of Constance Bank on Sunday.


VICTORIA – Fishing for salmon was GOOD this past week. The week started out with lots of springs and coho off the harbour area. It slowed down on Thursday and Friday but picked up again on the weekend. The wild coho were as large the teens in size and hatchery coho up to 12 lbs were caught. There were good bites at times and other long periods were there was nothing happening. The best depths have been 40 to 75 feet on the downrigger. There were good bites at Macauley, the V21 buoy, the breakwall, Brotchie Ledge and Clover Point. Most of the springs have been from 8 to 15 lbs in size but some in the twenties and low thirties were caught. Bob McMillan and Bob Pepper landed 4 springs Thursday off the breakwater that were 18 to 30 lbs in size.  Anchovies have been a good bait to use (12 or 10 pack) and Bloody Nose, UV Green and Purple Haze have been the most popular colors for teaser heads. Spoons have been successful in getting hook ups as well. Green Spatter Back UV Coho Killers, 3.5” Cop Car spoons or AP Tackleworks needlefish spoons have also brought good results in Victoria.

The ESQUIMALT ANGLERS BOAT RAMP WILL BE CLOSED SEPT 16 / 17/ 18


HALIBUT – Halibut fishing was FAIR this past week with the best areas Constance Bank, Border Bank and the Mud Hole. Hunter Grant caught a 50lb halibut caught on the southwest corner of Constance Bank on Sunday. Anglers that were fishing were using extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus for bait. Also working well, and discouraging to dogfish, was the 9” Jumbo Squid in Green Glow.

OAK BAY – Salmon fishing was SLOW again this past week. There were some springs up to 12 lbs caught on the flats but not too many were taken.. Good trolling lures have been Coho Killers, Bon Chovi or Outfitters Skinny G spoons. Anglers jigging have been using Needlefish Darts, Point Wilson Darts or Deep Stingers.

HALIBUT – Halibut fishing was FAIR this past week. However, most anglers that were fishing for halibut were using extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus for bait. Also working well was the 9” Jumbo Squid in Green Glow. Also working well, and discouraging to dogfish, was the 9” Jumbo Squid in Green Glow.

SIDNEY- Salmon fishing was SLOW BUT BETTER this past week. The Pender Bluffs produced springs up to 30 lbs but not very many fish. The Powder Wharf area also gave up a few fish, especially on the evening bite. Anglers using spoons found Coho Killers, Gibbs Needle G and AP Tackleworks needlefish spoons the most successful this past year. Anglers jigging have also been caught springs using Needlefish Darts and Deep Stingers. The Powder Wharf and Shag Rocks area are popular for jigging salmon.

Effective July 25, 2016 at 00:01 hours until October 14, 2016 at 23:59 hours, you may not retain Chinook salmon in the following waters: Subareas 18-6 to 18-8, 18-10.

Notable Catches – Bob McMillan and Bob Pepper landed 4 springs Thursday off the breakwater that were 18 to 30 lbs in size. Hunter Grant caught a 50lb halibut caught on the southwest corner of Constance Bank on Sunday. 

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

 

FRESHWATER


OVERVIEW – Fishing is GOOD in most lakes for both trout and bass. All streams within Management Units 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, and 1-6, except the Big Qualicum River, the Puntledge River and the Quinsam River are closed to fishing until further notice. For clarity, in freshwater management units 1-1 to 1-6 only the Big Qualicum, Puntledge and Quinsam/Campbell Rivers remain open to angling.  Effective immediately to 23:59 hours Friday September 30th 2016 the Nitinat River will open to recreational angling for chinook and coho.  The daily limit will be 4 salmon per day of which: • Two (2) may be chinook, of which only one (1) may be greater than 77 cm. in length, and• Two (2) may be coho, marked or unmarked.

TROUT – Trout fishing is GOOD on most lakes in the South Island area. Shore anglers are catching trout on Powerbait, Gulp Eggs, or worms while fishing close to the bottom. Chartreuse and Fluorescent Yellow have been good choices recently for Powerbait. Fly anglers are fishing Pumpkinheads, Wooly Buggers, Leeches and Micro Leech patterns on full sink fly lines. Trollers are catching trout with Gibbs Gang Trolls and Gibbs Wedding Bands.  2” Tomic Plugs have also been working well for Trout.

BASS - Bass fishing is EXCELLENT. At this time of year most of the bass are in the shallows.  During the day, soft plastics rigged Carolina style work well and crank baits can work well too. Soft plastics rigged “Carolina Style” are also a good choice when fishing drop offs and docks. The most productive colors in 4” Yum baits are 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. 

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 


At this time of the year you have to pay particular attention to fishery openings and closures. It almost seems as if some areas are only open for salmon on a day-to-day basis. What is closed one day may be open the next, and vice versa. So the day before you go fishing, phone federal fisheries or visit their web site to find out what opportunities are available and avoid any unpleasant surprises.


 

2016 Island Outfitters Leader Board


 

Halibut

1) 76.4 lbs – Jordyn Dornblut – Race Rocks – August 13th

2) 75.8 lbs – Walker Grant – Waterfront – Herring - March 27th

3) 73.9 lbs – Jeff Brohman - Sooke Bluffs – April 30th

4) 71.3 lbs – Marty Antcil – William Head – April 30th

5) 68.9 lbs – Kevin Hicks – Trial Island – April 30th

 

Trout

1) 5 lbs – Simon Arney – Langford Lake – Powerbait - July 24th

2) 3 lbs 14 oz – Kody Stofer – Elk Lake – Salmon Eggs - January 26th

3) 3 lbs 9 oz – Ron Flower – Quamichan Lake – Wedding Band- April 23rd

4) 2 lbs 11 oz – Matt Beeby – Duncan – Black Leech – April 30th

5) 2 lbs 4 oz – Ryan Rock – Duncan – Black Leech – April 30th

 

Salmon

1) 42.2 lbs – Kevin McKenna – Anchovy – Port Renfrew- August 22nd

2) 40.2 lbs – Kayden Tyler – Anchovy – Victoria – August 3rd

3) 38.5 lbs – Dalton Laubru – Anchovy – Sooke – July 29th

4) 36.2 lbs – Ban Tran – Anchovy – Victoria – August 1st

5) 34.4 lbs – Debbie Campbell – Anchovy - Beechey Head - July 24th

 

Island Outfitters starts and ends the year with the free for fun and prizes Salmon, Trout 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.

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