Fishing Report for Week Ending April 9, 2017

SALTWATER


OVERVIEW – Fishing was GOOD for winter springs when the  weather wasn’t too windy. Halibut fishing was also GOOD.

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 has been GOOD for springs. Most of the fish are running from 6 to 10 lbs in size. The best fishing has been in 110 to 130 feet of water. Good areas have been near Otter Point, the Bluffs, and Tugwell Creek. The salmon are holding close to the bottom so you have to troll deep. Most of the anglers are using artificial lures and the Skinny G needlefish spoon in the Outfitters color scheme has been the most effective lure. The top spoons for Sooke anglers have lots of glow, red or Moon Jelly as the primary color. Good choices for teaser head colors are UV Green, Chartreuse, Bloody Nose and Purple Haze. For flashers, you can’t go wrong with a Super Betsey, Madi or Bon Chovi Flasher. Hootchies in White, Glow/Green and Purple Haze have been effective recently. Halibut fishing has also been good west of Sooke. One boat with 6 anglers on board bought in 6 halibut and 3 salmon on one trip.

70 lb halibut and others caught west of Sooke last week


BECHER BAY – Salmon fishing was GOOD this past week. The best fishing has been near Aldridge Point and in Becher Bay. Top catch of the week was a 15 lb hatchery spring caught near Aldridge Point. There were several in the 10 lb range as well as smaller 6-8 lb springs. Most of the salmon are hatchery marked. James Drinkwater reported catching a nice 10 lb. Hatchery Chinook off Aldridge Point using anchovy and a yellow teaser at 125 ft. The best depths for trolling has been 110 – 130 feet on the downrigger. Ore anglers are using bait now and are finding anchovies in glow teaser heads have been working best. Spoons, especially G-Force and Skinny G spoons, in Bon Chovy or Outfitters’ colours have been very effective. For flashers, the Red Glow Hot Spot, Lemon Lime and Green/Glow Hot Spot.

PEDDER BAY – Pedder Bay Marina reports GOOD salmon fishing for hatchery springs from 6 to 15 lbs in size. The fishing was best by the Can Buoy at the mouth of the bay. There are lots of needlefish in the area and salmon are targeting them. Most anglers are using artificial lures and trolling close to the bottom, but anchovies are also producing well. The fish haven’t been too picky about what they will strike. Spoons, especially G-Force, Skinny G and AP Tackle works spoons in Outfitters’, Bon Chovy or No Bananas colours, have been very effective. Hootchies and squirts with a green and glow color combination have been good plastic baits to use, especially with a 30” to 36” leader. Anchovies were still working this past week. Good choices for teaser head colors are UV Green, Chartreuse, Bloody Nose and Purple Haze. Flashers that are popular include the Hot Spot Red/Glow, Lemon-Lime and Madi.

HALIBUT – Halibut fishing was GOOD this past week. Most anglers that were fishing for halibut are using extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus for bait. Also working well was the 8” Powerbait Grubs and Delta Hali Hawgs.

VICTORIA – Fishing for salmon was SLOW this past week. Constance Bank was where the most consistent action occurred. Springs caught there were as large as 10 lbs. Closer in, fishing has definitely been slower. Best areas have been the harbour entrance and Brotchie Ledge. Your lure should be close to the bottom when trolling off Victoria this time of year. The same depth and technique has been working well out at Constance Bank. Spoons have been very successful in getting hook ups. Green Spatter Back UV Coho Killers, 3.5” Cop Car spoons or AP Tackleworks needlefish spoons have brought good results.

HALIBUT – Halibut fishing was GOOD this past week. Constance Bank was the best location to fish.. Most anglers that were fishing for halibut are using extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus for bait. Also working well was the 8” Powerbait Grubs and Delta Hali Hawgs.

OAK BAY – Salmon fishing was GOOD recently. There are springs up to 12 lbs on the flats near Brodie Rock and on the Flats. All of the anglers have been either bottom bouncing or jigging close to the bottom. Good trolling lures have been Coho Killers, Bon Chovi or Outfitters Skinny G spoons or AP Tackleworks needlefish spoons. Sandlance lures and squirts (needle fish) are best in pearl, white & green, or white glow. Good jigging lures have been Point Wilson Darts and the Delta Mac Fish.

HALIBUT – Halibut fishing was GOOD with fish taking salmon heads or bellies, large herring and octopus. Larry Dalziel caught a 61.5 lb halibut while fishing south of Discovery Island. Be sure to get setup about an hour and a half before the slack to catch the tide swing and to be able to stay on the bottom. Most anglers that were fishing for halibut are using extra large herring, salmon bellies and/or octopus for bait. Also working well was the 8” Powerbait Grubs and Delta Hali Hawgs.

SIDNEY- Salmon fishing was GOOD this past weekend. There was a derby held out of the Port Sidney Marina and some nice fish were caught. We don’t know the exact results but do know that he winning fish was a 17 lb spring caught by Wayne Pullen and that the top 5 salmon weighed 13 lbs or better. The best areas were Hamley, Coal Island, Saanichton Spit and the Sidney Channel. Anglers using spoons found small Coho Killers, Gibbs Needle G and AP Tackleworks needlefish spoons the most successful spoons this past weekend. Anchovies and Tiny Strip were also good producers of fish.

Notable Catches – Larry Dalziel caught a 61.5 lb halibut while fishing south of Discovery Island. Wayne Pullen won a derby in Sidney this past weekend with a 17 lb spring. James Drinkwater reported catching a nice 10 lb. Hatchery Chinook off Aldridge Point using anchovy and a yellow teaser at 125 ft.

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

 

 FRESHWATER 


OVERVIEW – Fishing was PICKING UP in most lakes for trout and bass as water temperatures are rising. Winter run steelhead fishing is slowing down in most rivers on both sides of the Island. Lots of the fish being caught now are kelts.

The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC has started their stocking of spring catchable rainbow trout into Vancouver Island lakes. On March 29th, Lookout Lake received 200 catchable trout and Ida Anne Lake 50 catchable trout averaging 247.19 grams.  On March 28th, Elk Lake received 1,750 catchable trout averaging 226.75 grams. On March 22nd, Shawnigan Lake received another 500 catchable trout averaging g 240.6 grams. On March 14th, Shawnigan Lake received 1,750 catchable trout averaging 242.6 grams. On March 10th, Thetis Lake received 1,500 trout and Colwood Lake 250 trout averaging 236.54 grams.  On March 6th, Durrance Lake received 1,000 trout and Glen, Kemp and Matheson Lakes received 500 trout averaging 231.7 grams. On March 2nd, Elk Lake and Prospect Lake were each stocked with 1,750 trout weighing 238.82 grams each. To find out about stockings all over the Island and the province, as well as the different strains being released, click on the link http://www.gofishbc.com/Stocked-Fish.aspx

COWICHAN RIVER – The Cowichan River water level blew out again. The water level is now at 2.02 meters near the lake and 1.76 meters near Duncan. There has been a slide at the Clay Bank pool and the river is discolored with low visibility downstream. Fishing for trout in the fly only area has been good, especially if you are in a drift boat. It’s still a bit too high for wading in most pools. Bead head nymphs have been working well there.

TROUT – Trout fishing is FAIR on most lakes in the South Island. Shore anglers are catching trout on Powerbait, Gulp Eggs, or worms while fishing close to the bottom. Pink, Chartreuse and Fluorescent Yellow have been good choices recently for Powerbait. Fly anglers are fishing 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.

The 11th Annual Elk Lake “Take a Kid Fishing“Derby was held this past Saturday. There were 240 adults and 60 kids participating. It was a great success for both trout and bass anglers, even if the fishing was a bit slow due to the weather. The top 5 winners in each category were:

Trout                                                         Bass

1) 2 lbs 11 oz– Duane Mousseua          1) 4 lbs 14 oz -Shilo Matte

2) 2 lbs 9 oz – Darren Kitson                       2) 4 lbs 12 oz -Chris Rempl

3) 2 lbs 8 oz – Connor Warford                  3) 4 lbs 8 oz – Brent Young

4) 2 lbs 5 oz – Brad Taylor                         4) 4 lbs 7 oz – Peter Grossman

5) 2 lbs 5 oz – Marilyn Burton                    5) 4 lbs 6 oz - Rick Matte

All of the trout caught were rainbow trout and the top bass were all smallmouth bass. The winner of the draw prize of a 14’ Lowe boat, Yamaha motor and trailer was Corey Cox.

Visit our facebook page for more pictures and details on the derby.

This 4 lb 12 oz carp was a surprise catch on a fly rod by Tom Vaida during the Elk Lake derby


BASS - Bass fishing is PICKING UP during the day. Soft plastics rigged Carolina style work best but deep diving crank baits work well too. The most productive colors in 4” Yum baits are Smoke or Pumpkinseed. Nick Skevington reported catching some nice bass while trolling in Elk lake with a short body, shad shaped, deep diving crank bait, one long cast length behind the boat at 2 - 2.5 mph in 14 - 20 feet of water. 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 


Weigh your fish right away if you are in a derby and catch a potential prize winning fish. Every year we hear stories of anglers placing second in derbies that they would have won if only they had weighed the fish in before it lost weight. Heck, it even happened to me one year and I should know better! So, don’t be foolish and wait for another one before hitting the weigh in station. You just never know how large or small a fish will be that will win that derby. And look how tight the contest was for trout and bass in this past weekend’s Elk Lake derby!


 

2017 Island Outfitters Leader Board


 

Halibut

1) 68.9 lbs – Duane Sapelak – Discovery – Herring – March 24th

2) 61.5 lbs – Larry Dalziel – Oak Bay – Octopus – April 5th

3) 58.0 lbs – Sam Anderson – Oak Bay – Octopus – March 23rd

4) 55.5 lbs – Patrick Cunliffe – Oak Bay – Herring – April 2nd

5) 51.7 lbs – Jarek Malinowski – Discovery – Herring – March 24th

 

Trout

1) 2 lbs 11 oz– Duane Mousseua – Elk Lake– April 8th

2) 2 lbs 9 oz – Darren Kitson – Elk Lake– April 8th

3) 2 lbs 8 oz – Connor Waffard – Elk Lake– April 8th

4) 2 lbs 5 oz – Brad Taylor – Elk Lake– April 8th

5) 2 lbs 5 oz – Marilyn Burton – Elk Lake– April 8th

 

Salmon

We are waiting for the first large salmon to be weighed in at the store.

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 win a special prize.

See our event pages for details on upcoming events at

http://fishingvictoria.com/events/

We are having a garage sale in our parking lot on April 1st and 2nd Come and get some great bargains!

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