Fishing Report for Week Ending October 8, 2017

SALTWATER


OVERVIEW – Coho fishing has been FAIR to GOOD. If you find the schools you will do really well, but if you don’t find them it’s slow. The chinook fishing has definitely SLOWED DOWN.

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.

SOOKE– The salmon fishing was GOOD this past week but it did slow down on the weekend. The coho salmon fishing is now the main focus of local anglers. The best fishing was in the 500-550 foot depths and towards the international boarder. Spoons have been good for catching coho. Coho Killers, AP Tackleworks and Skinny G’s have been good in green colors. Chum salmon fishing is picking up though. Dave Monyard won this past weekend’s coho derby with a 14.28 lb coho. Spring fishing has really slowed down. The best locations to fish for springs and chum have been Possession Point, Otter Point and Muir Creek and close to the creek mouths. Most anglers fishing for springs are using bait, with anchovies being the most popular choice. Good choices for teaser head colors are 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.

BECHER BAY– Salmon fishing was GOOD this past week for coho. The best fishing was in the 500+ foot depths and towards the international boarder. Spoons and hootchies have been catching most of the coho with green being the most important color on the lure. Spring fishing has really slowed down. Anchovies are the most popular bait for springs while. Good teaser heads have been the Bloody Nose, Mint Pearl and Chartreuse. The best color combinations for spoons have lots of green on the spoon. For flashers, the GIBBS Highliner Guide Series Outfitters and Lemon Lime, Gold Fever Hot Spot and Big Shooter Gold Betsey have been working well..

 PEDDER BAY– Pedder Bay Marina reports GOOD salmon fishing. The coho salmon fishing is now the main focus of local anglers. The best fishing was in the 500+ foot depths and towards outer tide lines. With the coho, you were either in them or not. You just had to search for the schools and then try to stay with them. Spoons are producing well for coho, especially the smaller ones around 3.5- 4 inches. The most popular spoons have been Skinny G’s, Left Coast Hammers, AP Tackleworks herring and Coho Killers. Spring fishing has really slowed down. Trollers are doing best fishing close to the bottom with anchovies for bait. Good teaser heads to fish have been the Bloody Nose, Chartreuse and Mint Pearl.  Hootchies and squirts with a green and glow, or UV white have been popular color choices this week.  Flashers that are popular include the Guide Series Madi, Outfitters and Lemon Lime.

 VICTORIA – Fishing for salmon was SLOW off the waterfront this past week. The most productive area was Constance Bank. There were lots of springs there but they were mostly winter springs and not very large. The best fishing for coho was near the Yellow buoy and Border Bank.. Spoons have been successful in getting hook ups with 4” AP Tackleworks Moonglow Herring spoons, Irish Cream Skinny G’s and Green/Glow Coyote spoons good choices.

OAK BAY– Salmon fishing was SLOW in Oak Bay this past week. There were very few salmon coming in from the Flats and the Gap. There was lots of bait on the flats but not many salmon and those caught were not very large. The salmon are feeding on needlefish and have been close to the bottom where the feed is located. Most of the anglers have been either bottom bouncing or jigging close to the bottom.

SIDNEY– Salmon fishing was FAIR in the Sidney area. One boat landed 17, 15 and 10 lbs springs with the largest fish being a winter spring and the two smaller ones mature fish heading for the river. There were some 6- 9 lb springs caught near Hambley Point, Sidney Spit, the Powder Wharf and Saanichton Spit. 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.

Notable Catches – Dave Monyard won this past weekend’s coho derby in Sooke with a 14.28 lb coho.

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.

COWICHAN RIVER – The Cowichan River’s water level is still low. Fishing for trout in the fly only area has been GOOD. Now is a good time to start fishing egg patterns, especially below salmon redd. There will usually be trout just below the redd looking for an easy meal of salmon eggs.

TROUT– The Vancouver Island Fish hatchery has started the fall stocking program of catchable triploid rainbow trout in south Island lakes. On October 3th Elk Lake received 1,750 trout averaging 247.81 grams in size. Thetis Lake received 1,000 trout and Glen Lake received 500 trout averaging 267.89 grams in size. On October 2nd, Shawnigan Lake received 1,750 trout, Dougan Lake 1,000 trout and Spectacle Lake received 500 trout averaging 257.27 grams in size. On September 28th, Langford Lake received 1,161 trout averaging 681.67 grams in size. On September 27th, Langford Lake received 1,000 trout averaging 673.68 grams in size.

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. James Baluch caught a 3 lb 5 oz Rainbow trout at Langford Lake on a Big Gulp Leech on September 4th.

BASS– Bass fishing is GOOD as in the fall months. 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


Know your salmon! Wild chum and coho salmon look very similar to most anglers, but there are different retention limits for these species. And at this time of year you are apt to catch both in local waters.  Before you keep some to eat, make sure of what you’ve caught and refer to the fish identification pages of your tidal water Sport Fishing Guide if you have any questions.


 

2017 Island Outfitters Leader Boards


Salmon

1) 34.5 lbs – Ky Baumer – Pender Bluffs – Anchovy -September 10th

2) 28 lbs 4 oz – Allan Shoults – Otter Point – Anchovy – August 10th

3) 25 lbs 9 oz – Frank Gibbons – Waterfront – Anchovy – August 23rd

4) 23 lbs 7 oz – Edison Frando – Beechey head – Gibbs Minnow - July 15th

5) 22 lbs 1 oz – Christa Fremont – Church Rock – Anchovy – August 3rd

 

Halibut

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

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

3) 70.0 lbs – Ron Howard –Constance Bank – Herring – September 5th

4) 68.9 lbs – Duane Sapelak – Discovery – Herring – March 24th

5) 68.6 lbs – Chris Hansen – Oak Bay – April 22nd

 

Trout

1) 5 lbs 11 oz – Mike Harrington – Langford Lake - September 18th

2) 5 lbs – Chad Vandermolen – Langford Lake – April 29th

3) 4 lbs 9 oz – James Balluch – Langford Lake – May 27th

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

5) 3 lbs 11 oz – Marcel Allarie – Elk Lake– May 6th

 

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/

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