Fishing Report for Week Ending August 13, 2017

SALTWATER

OVERVIEW – When it hasn’t been too windy, salmon fishing was FAIR in area 20, SPOTTY in Victoria, Oak Bay and Sidney. The Pink salmon have been larger in size this year. Halibut fishing was SLOW.

Subject: FN0808-RECREATIONAL - Salmon - Chinook & Coho - Region l - Non-tidal Stamp and Somass Rivers - Opening August 25, 2017 : Effective 00:01 hours August 25, 2017 the Somass and Stamp Rivers will open to recreational angling for chinook and coho salmon. 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.

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.cfmto 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.

PORT RENFREW – The off shore fishing has been GOOD for fish springs averaging 10-20 lbs with the occasional larger fish, lots of coho and lots of pinks. The salmon fishing has been ON & OFF in Port Renfrew along the beach. Inshore, it’s been best from East Point to Camper Creek. Anchovies, cut plug herring and 6” Coyote spoons have been the most productive lures recently. Halibut fishing has also been GOOD.

SOOKE– The salmon fishing was SLOW over most of last week but there was a good bite Sunday afternoon. Otter Point to Muir Creek has been good for springs. Most anglers fishing for springs are using bait with anchovies being the most popular choice. Fishing shallow and close to shore has been the key to catching the larger fish. The pink salmon fishing was best in the 400+ foot depths. The pinks have been as large as 8-9 lbs. Anchovies have been the best bait. Good choices for teaser head colors are red, chartreuse and Bloody Nose.  For flashers, the Delta Homeland Security, Gold Fever Hot Spot and Betsey have been working well. Hootchies in White, Glow/Green and Purple Haze have been caught some fish. Use small pink hootchies if targeting the pink salmon. Spoons have also been catching salmon and Coho Killers and Skinny s. G’s have been good in No Bananas and Outfitters colors.

BECHER BAY– Salmon fishing was FAIR this past week when it wasn’t blowing too hard.  Most of the springs were coming in from Aldridge Point to Beechey Head.  The pink run was a little slow this past week but some large ones were caught. The best depths to fish have been from 40 to 70 feet. Anchovies are now the most popular bait. Good teaser heads have been the Bloody Nose and Mint Pearl. Trolling Skinny G spoons on a 36” leader has been working great. The best color combinations being Nickel/Blue, Outfitters and No Bananas. For flashers, the Homeland Security, red/silver Hot Spot and Betsey have been working well. Anglers casting off the rocks are also getting into some nice fish. Cheanuh Marina once more has rental boats available for non boat owners.

 PEDDER BAY– Pedder Bay Marina reports ON & OFF salmon fishing.  The most productive area for trollers has been near the can buoy at the mouth of the bay and along the kelp beds. Trollers are doing best trolling from 30 – 70 feet on the downrigger and/or just off the bottom inside the bay. The area from Church Rock to the Bedfords picked up as well. Jiggers were doing better than the trollers and have been fishing near the Race.  Anchovies are now the most popular bait for trollers. Good teaser heads have been the Bloody Nose and Mint Pearl. Spoons are also producing well, especially the smaller ones around 3.5”. Needlefish spoons worked the best with Skinny G’s, Left Coast Hammers, AP Tackleworks needlefish and Coho Killers the ones to use. Hootchies and squirts with a green and glow, or UV white have been popular color choices this week.  Flashers that are popular include the Hot Spot Silver Fever, Bon Chovy and Betsey.

The Juan de Fuca Fishing Tournament was held this past weekend and Pedder Bay Marina was weigh in central. First place in the derby went to Shawn Davies for a 30.35 lb chinook. Second place went to Butch MacPherson for a 28 .30 lb chinook. Third place, as well as the largest salmon caught by a lady, went to Michele Thomson for a 25.80 lb chinook. The largest hatchery salmon caught was a 24.95 lb chinook caught by Garrett Boe. The largest salmon caught by a junior angler was an 18.40 lb chinook caught by Jaydon Hutchinson. The largest halibut prize went to Mike Koff for a 45.10 lb halibut.

HALIBUT– Halibut fishing was FAIR 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 are the 8” Powerbait Grubs and Delta Hali Hawgs.

 VICTORIA – Fishing for salmon was SPOTTY off Victoria this past week. The most productive area was Constance Bank early in the week and along the waterfront on the weekend. The area from Brotchie to Trial Island produced some fish.  Most boats fishing the waterfront came up empty.  Some pink salmon are also starting to be caught offshore. Spoons have been very successful in getting hook ups, Nickel/Blue Skinny G’s and Blue/Silver Coyotes, Coho Killers, 3.5” Cop Car spoons have brought some hookups.

The Clover Point Anglers’ Association held their 23^rd Annual Salmon Derby at Clover Point on the weekend. In spite of very rough conditions there was a good turnout and some nice salmon were caught. First prize winner was Tom Celuszak with a 20 lb chinook. Second place went to Lance Foreman with a 17 lb 2 oz chinook. Finishing third was Tom Vaida with a 16 lb 15 oz chinook.

HALIBUT– Halibut fishing was SLOW this past weekend. Earlier in the week, George Kahan landed a 131 cm, 74 lb halibut off Constance Bank, using salmon belly as bait. That’s the heaviest one so far this year and is now #1 on our leader board. The halibut have been very deep with depths of over 300 feet the most productive. 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 VERY SLOW in Oak Bay this past week. There were very few salmon coming in from the flats and the Gap. Anglers jigging have been catching more and larger salmon than those trolling. Good jigging lures have been 2¼ oz Point Wilson Darts, Deep Stingers and the Delta Mac Fish. The salmon are feeding on needlefish and have been at depths from 70 to 135 feet, depending on where the feed is located. Most of the anglers have been either bottom bouncing or jigging close to the bottom.

HALIBUT– Halibut fishing was SLOW this past weekend on the big tides and it was way too windy as well for most boats. 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 SPOTTY in the Sidney area. There have been a few fish coming from the Sidney Channel, Hambley Point and Fairfax. Mccallum Frame caught a 21 pound chinook salmon on Sunday on a watermelon Rhys Davis teaser head and a Madi flasher at 80 feet just off of Hambley point. We did hear that there were some large pink salmon off Pender Island at 90 feet and they were only hitting anchovies. There were also some springs running much deeper at 150-180 feet off Pender. Anglers jigging were consistently catching springs. Good jigging lures have been 2¼ oz Point Wilson Darts, GIBBS Minnows and the Delta Mac Fish. Anglers using spoons found Coho Killers, Gibbs Needle G and AP Tackleworks needlefish spoons the most productive spoons this past week. Suggested colours are Trap Shack and Bon Chovy. Anchovies and Tiny Strip were also good producers of fish with teaser heads in UV Purple.



Notable Catches – The Juan de Fuca Fishing Tournament was held this past weekend First place in the derby went to Shawn Davies for a 30.35 lb chinook. Second place went to Butch MacPherson for a 28 .30 lb chinook. Third place, as well as the largest salmon caught by a lady, went to Michele Thomson for a 25.80 lb chinook. The largest hatchery salmon caught was a 24.95 lb chinook caught by Garrett Boe. The largest salmon caught by a junior angler was an 18.40 lb chinook caught by Jaydon Hutchinson. The largest halibut prize went to Mike Koff for a 45.10 lb halibut. The Clover Point Anglers’ Association held their 23^rd Annual Salmon Derby at Clover Point on the weekend. First prize winner was Tom Celuszak with a 20 lb chinook. Second place went to Lance Foreman with a 17 lb 2 oz chinook. Finishing third was Tom Vaida with a 16 lb 15 oz chinook. Mccallum Frame caught a 21 pound chinook salmon on Sunday on a watermelon Rhys Davis teaser head and a Madi flasher at 80 feet just off of Hambley point.

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

 

FRESHWATER

OVERVIEW – Fishing was FAIR in most lakes for trout and GOOD for bass. No changes from previous reports.

COWICHAN RIVER – The Cowichan River’s water level is at summer levels, just under 0.4 meters. Lots of people are now using float tubes to drift down the river during the day, so that can put the trout down. Fishing for trout in the fly only area has been GOOD at dawn and dusk. Fish a Dry Fly in the early morning and later in the evening or fish a Nymph in the faster water.  Both have been working well.

TROUT– Trout fishing is FAIR on most lakes in the South Island. Trollers should fish at the thermocline, where the fish are suspended during the day. 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 most of the time to get into the cooler water levels. Trollers are catching trout with worms fished behind Gibbs Gang Trolls and on Gibbs Wedding Bands. 2” Tomic Plugs have also been working well for trout.

BASS– Bass fishing is GOOD as we enter the summer months. There have been many reports of good catches of fish as large as 6 lbs. Soft plastics rigged Carolina style and crank baits are working well. The most productive colors in 4” Yum baits are Smoke or Pumpkinseed. Top water plugs are also fun and effective in the summer, especially at dawn and dusk. 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 – Blake Armstrong caught a 3 lb 9 oz rainbow trout while trolling a gang troll and pink apex lure.Please send photos (in jpeg format) and descriptions of your notable catch to our email info@fishingvictoria.com

 

FISH TIP OF THE WEEK

When you see birds working a ball up, don’t troll through the ball up and the birds. Feeding salmon are mostly outside of the ball up looking for the crippled bait fish that are falling away with the tide or swimming away from the ball up. You should fish to the side and below the bait and not disturb the birds that are on the top.

2017 Island Outfitters Leader Boards

Salmon

1) 28 lbs 4 oz – Allan Shoults – Otter Point – Anchovy – August 10^th

2) 23 lbs 7 oz – Edison Frando – Beechey head – Gibbs Minnow - July 15^th

3) 22 lbs 1 oz – Christa Fremont – Church Rock – Anchovy – August 3^rd

4)19 lbs 3 oz – George Kahan – Pedder Bay – Anchovy – August 9^th

5) 17 lbs 7 oz – Ed McNabb – Waterfront – Anchovy – August 11^th

 

Halibut

1) 74.0 lbs – George Kahan – Constance Bank – August 1^st

2) 72.1 lbs – Trevor Skakun – Oak Bay – April 22^nd

3) 68.9 lbs – Duane Sapelak – Discovery – Herring – March 24^th

4) 68.6 lbs – Chris Hansen – Oak Bay – April 22^nd

5) 67.8 lbs – Trevor Sedonic – Race Rocks – May 18^th

 

Trout

1) 5 lbs – Chad Vandermolen – Langford Lake – April 29^th

2) 4 lbs 9 oz – James Balluch – Langford Lake – May 27^th

3) 4 lbs 7 oz – Mike Greenwood – Langford Lake – July 9^th

4) 3 lbs 11 oz – Marcel Allarie – Elk Lake– May 6^th

5) 3 lbs 9 oz – Blake Armstrong – Langford Lake– July 12^{t h}

 

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 31^st win a special prize.

See our event pages for details on upcoming events at http://fishingvictoria.com/events/

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