2024 Victoria and Oak Bay Reports

[kayladog]

Went to Cattle today was fine to launch in morning but coming back in at super low tide when there is no dock means jumping out of the boat and getting wet to save your hull. Hate using that launch but paid off with a nice 14lb hatchery today. Delicious bbq with maple orange ginger glaze. Only one other hit that didn't stick. Caught on bait.

 

[eroyd]

Finally a gorgeous day that I can go fishing. Trolled the gap for a while but nothing. Tried for Lings but only a couple of under's. Strong currents made it tough. Around the low slack tried for halibut but only had one on briefly. The boat next to us got a chicken. Heard of a 15lb chinook off the flats mid afternoon. Creel survey guy said it had been slow.

As for the tide and ramp. I was fine today. The end of the ramp at cattle still had a foot of water. On a minus tide I have had to drop my trailer wheels over it, which is no big deal with a light rig. As long as I don't have to drop my truck tires over. Sure miss the easy loader, roller trailer.

 

[kaelc]

Not a report but a question: What are the lowest tides local boat ramps can be used? Flemming. Cattle. Sidney?

I won’t launch at a really low tide at Sidney, seen lots of people have to sink their rear axle. Pedder Bay is the best launch for low tides I feel like, but ask around, and it’s based on your boat and trailer combo. I’ve had troubles at Flemming too.

 

[Newf]

I've launched at Flemming,Sidney,Pedder and Cheanuh. For my boat and trailer combo Cheanuh is the best at low tides with Pedder coming in 2nd. I have a 20-24" keel so have to really pick the tides at Flemming because of the low slope angle of the ramp.

And because this is a report Thread, I was out on Friday (Cheanuh, wrong thread I know) and not a nibble for 4 hours on multiple spoons at different depths. We kept a couple of rockfish while trying to find a ling. No luck on the ling but I'll keep searching for a spot.

 

[eroyd]

Having bad chinook withdrawals. A quicky today. Launched at Flemming at 9:00. Really quiet. Trolled around Brotchie for a bit but weed became annoying. Went over to Albert Hd. area and did a figure eight around the two humps in 100-120 ft of water. Nothing going on. Headed back in dodging crab traps while bouncing bottom in 75' of water. Some bait in shallower. Minutes before the noon cut-off pulled one line, turned around to bring in the other and it got pounded! Great fight! Turned out to be a low teen's unclipped fish. Swam off healthy.

Super shallow at the launch. Managed without having to soak my truck wheels but wouldn't want to have a deep v at very low tides.

 

[Slack-tider]

A little late on this report but relevant to the questions above. I went out of Esquimalt on Friday about 830. Saw one boat land a fish around 930 which looked like 8-10 pounds. About 30 mins late in the same area I had a similar fish along side. Straight out from Sacs Point 130' of water. Playing it softly and trying to see if the fish was a wild or hatchery it spit the hook out. I always like to release fish along side and not net them unless absolutely necessary.

I have a 16.5 double eagle. I attempted to pull the boat out a 11am. The tide was at -1 and I was stuck in the mud about 20 foot shy of recovering my boat. So back out fishing until 1pm where I struggled but got the boat on the trailer. Moving forward, I won't launch or recover unless there is 1.5-2' of tide. Oh, and not a bite on my second trip of the day. Green flasher with skinny gee, no bananas