Fishing Report for Week Ending September 3, 2017

SALTWATER

OVERVIEW – The chinook fishing has definitely SLOWED DOWN. The Pink salmon run is FAIR with larger than usual pinks being caught. Coho fishing has IMPROVED. Due to the net pen collapse in Washington State, some Atlantic salmon escapes are being caught in local waters. Halibut fishing was EXCELLENT 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.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 – Salmon fishing remains HOT N COLD for springs averaging 10-20 lbs with the occasional larger fish into the upper 20’s. Off shore there are lots of coho, pinks and springs. 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. Bottom fishing has also been GOOD. Hunter Grant landed a 20 lb chinook and a 25 lb Lingcod, along with other fish, while filling our his limit in Port Renfrew.



SOOKE– The salmon fishing was SLOW TO FAIR over most of last week. Springs are spread sparsely throughout the area. 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, and the pinks have been as large as 9 lbs. Good choices for teaser head colors are red, chartreuse and Bloody Nose.  For flashers, the Delta Guide Series Outfitters, 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 or spoons if targeting the pink salmon. Spoons have also been catching salmon. Coho Killers and Skinny G’s have been good in No Bananas and Outfitters colors.



BECHER BAY– Salmon fishing was FAIR this past week for mostly smaller stuff.  The springs are spread out from the Bedfords to the Trap Shack. The best depths to fish for the springs have been from 40 to 70 feet. The pink salmon have been running from 7 to 9 lbs on the average and best fishing for them has been far out on the tide lines. Anchovies are the most popular bait. Good teaser heads have been the Bloody Nose, Mint Pearl and Chartreuse. The best color combinations for spoons have been Nickel/Blue, Outfitters and No Bananas. For flashers, the GIBBS Highliner Guide Series Outfitters and Lemon Lime, Gold Fever Hot Spot and Big Shooter Gold Betsey have been working well. Anglers casting off the rocks are also getting into some nice fish. Cheanuh Marina now has rental boats available.

 PEDDER BAY– Pedder Bay Marina reports FAIR salmon fishing.  All areas from Church Rock to William Head produced some Chinook salmon, but there was no real hotspot. There were more fin clipped coho come in and they, as well as the pinks, were mostly caught in 500+ feet of water. With the coho and the pinks, you were either in them or not. You just had to search for the schools and then try to stay with them. For chinooks, trollers are doing best trolling close to the shore and the kelp, from 30 – 70 feet on the downrigger and with anchovies for bait. Good teaser heads to fish have been the Bloody Nose, Chartreuse and Mint Pearl. Spoons are also producing well, especially the smaller ones around 3.5”. The most popular spoons have been Skinny G’s, Left Coast Hammers, AP Tackleworks herring and Coho Killers. 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 Gold Fever, GIBBS Guide Series Outfitters and Lemon Lime and Big Shooter Gold Betsey. Jiggers were also doing well fishing near the kelp beds and by Bentick Island in the Race.

HALIBUT– Halibut fishing was EXCELLENT 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 SLOW off the waterfront this past week. The most productive area was from Esquimalt to Clover Point. Most of the salmon caught were chinooks running from 8 to 15 lbs in size.  However, a run of 4 to 7 lb hatchery coho came through on Saturday. Some pink salmon are also being caught and they have been from 4 to 9 lbs in size. The best fishing for pinks was way off shore. Anchovies have been the best bet with 12 & 14 pack anchovies the best sizes to fish. The best teaser heads have been the Bloody Nose, UV green or red or Army Truck. Spoons have been somewhat successful in getting hook ups with 4” AP Tackleworks Moonglow Herring spoons, Irish Cream Skinny G’s and Green/Glow Coyote spoons good choices.

HALIBUT– Halibut fishing was EXCELLENT this past week. The halibut have been very deep with depths of over 300 feet the most productive. Many anglers that were fishing for halibut are using extra large herring, salmon heads and/or octopus for bait. Also working well was the 8” Powerbait Grubs and Delta Hali Hawgs.

OAK BAY– Salmon fishing was SLOW in Oak Bay this past week. There were a few salmon coming in from the Flats and the Gap but not very many. Anglers jigging have been catching more and larger salmon than those trolling. Good jigging lures have been 2¼ oz and 3 oz Point Wilson Darts, Deep Stingers and the Delta Mac Fish. The salmon are feeding on needlefish and have been at depths from 40 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 GOOD this past weekend. 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 FAIR in the Pender Island area. We did hear that there were some large pink salmon off Pender Island at 90 feet and an Atlantic salmon was also caught by there. Anglers also reported lots of small grilse in the area. A few springs were found much deeper at 150-180 feet. Hambley Point also held some springs with fish up to 12 lbs caught there. 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. Anglers jigging were also catching some fish. Good jigging lures have been 2¼ oz Point Wilson Darts, GIBBS Minnows and the Delta Mac Fish.

Notable Catches – Hunter Grant landed a 20 lb chinook and a 25 lb Lingcod, along with other fish, while filling our his limit in Port Renfrew.

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 – 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 fishing 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.

 

2017 Island Outfitters Leader Boards

Salmon

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

2) 25 lbs 9 oz – Frank Gibbons – Waterfront – Anchovy – August 23^rd

3) 23 lbs 7 oz – Edison Frando – Beechey head – Gibbs Minnow - July 15^th

4) 22 lbs 1 oz – Christa Fremont – Church Rock – Anchovy – August 3^rd

5)19 lbs 3 oz – George Kahan – Pedder Bay – Anchovy – August 9^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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