2016 Nanaimo Reports

fished yesterday from 4:30 till 7:30 boated a 8 pound fish in the first 10 minutes, let a couple just undersized go, decided to check my line for one of a couple dozen Pollack we had caught and on the reel up something large took the spoon, fought it for 5 minutes or so and lost it!! there are some decent fish out there for sure,cop car spoon and kitchen sink spoon, 2 miles past fingers,1000-1100 feet of water fishing 200 feet, ill be back out there this afternoon
 
I was out this morning got a6&11 lb in the cooler and lost a bigger one. First one was 2 minutes after putting the first line down. Green splatter back hootchie and white hootchie 140-170 in 300-500 between fingers and neck pt
 
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Was out mid day outside neck point and the fingers, lots of wind and big swells only was out for an hour and a bit
Lots of the anoying pacific cod
One undersized at 20" on a left coast lure down 190'
 
Out tonight and got a few nice ones and a bunch of shakers. Pacific cod were everywhere, you have to really watch the lines so you don't drag them around for an hour.
 
The secret is out! Everybody and there dogs were out there this afternoon... Lots of shakers and a few decent sized fish were caught. Almost every time I did a gear check there was a pac cod on the line.

I'm going to be out there all day tomorrow with the prawn traps and to battle the crowds.
 
Crowds??? There was a tea party off the Thumb most of the day. Lots of easy fishing elsewhere.
There were several dolphins/porpoises around too. My ID skills need polishing ;-)

Fish are 100-200 feet deep. Spoons and bait are good, the pcod liked rubber today.

Had a VERY close encounter with a HPV at the dock. Wow that was silly.
 
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It's still the spring, wait till summer, then you will see crowds! Try speeding up to avoid the pcod, anything under 3mph sog seams to attract them.
 
So I've never really got into bottom fishing before, but I'm looking to give it a go this week. I'm looking specifically for ling's. I've seen guys around Hudson rocks and entrance before, and was just wondering if anybody could help me out with any pointers to point me in the right direction. Is there a certain depth to start or any areas better then others? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance
 
Use your paper charts or Navionics web app and look for rock reefs with structure in the 40ft to 120+ft depth. Best structure I find has drop offs of 10-20 feet. Start shallow so you slowly drift deeper. Drop your jig or bait rig to the bottom crank up a couple of turns and jig, or drift your bait. When jigging, every 3-5 jigs I free spool back to the bottom. Key with lings is dropping it over those ledges. I find I get them when dropping from 40-60, 60-80, 80-100 etc. Jigging down the structure means fewer snags and you take advantage of the lings tendency to lurk at the edge or bottom of those drops looking to ambush prey. I don't find you need fancy gear - 8oz lead head and big power bait white grub or 6-8 oz banana weight to a short mono leader with a big hootchie and some bait - large herring, Octo, squid, mackerel, etc.

I run power pro main line as its thin diameter and low stretch make it easier to stay on the bottom and you don' those jigging action to mono stretch. Always a mono leader of 40-50 so it breaks not your main line. lead jig heads and grubs are relatively cheap and if you're not losing the odd one, you're not fishing the right areas or effectively. My set up is a 6ft trevala jigging rod with Avet SX loaded with 65lb power pro. Fast action to transfer jigging action and light enough to jig for a while. Love the Avet! Also have two lighter set ups when shallower - an Okuma Nomad travel rod with the fast tip on and a Daiwa Luna level wind - love the luna for salt and fresh. Also have a spinning set up for those who come on my boat who can't use a lever drag or level wind. Ugly stick with a Penn Spinfisher V.

Can't wait to get some fresh ling myself - beats halibut in my book!

Cheers!

Ukee
 
Took a motley crew of members from my hockey team over for a weekend of fishing. Here are a couple from the fingers over the weekend. We landed 5 over Saturday and Sunday morning while weeding through several dozen pollock. We tried running at 3 m.p.h plus, but didn't seem to much matter. All springs between 125 and 175 feet. All hatchery fish, 2 reds, 2 marbles and a white. Anchovies were preferred, but Irish creme spoon and glow tiger prawn hoochy also produced.

A proud angler.........

J-Bird's pollock.jpg

A first salmon (Rookie photographer - apologies about the blood)

O-Neill's first fish.jpg

On the way in

A good day's fishing.jpg
 
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saturday morning was decent enough, handful of legal fish to the boat, kept a few let a few go along with some small ones, nothing over 15 pounds. stayed off the Pollock for the most part.
 
Went out first light till 1
Fished off neck point and pipers got two back to back 26" and a 32" fish
On a outfitter fished off the fingers at thw hump bunch of undersized shakers IMAG1528.jpg IMAG1527.jpg and ap tackle herring black with glow strip

Managed to only get 3 cod
 
Was out tonight from 5 until 9. Got one 8 pounder and a few shakers. Didn't seem like there was as many fish out there as on the weekend but conditions weren't exactly ideal... Only a couple p cod, but I found like vanisland said if you keep your speed up you keep them off.
 
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Spent 2 1/2 days prawn fishing off Ladysmith and it was slim. We put the 8 traps in at 1500hrs on Sunday and pulled them 3 hours later and got 25.

Left the traps in overnight and pulled them at 0730 and got 120. New bait and back down by 0900. Pulled again at 1300hrs and got 71 prawns.

Third morning we did a little better and got 153 so new bait and down they go. 3 hours later we got a lousy 15 and then 35 the next pull.

In total we caught 319 prawns for all that work, yes it's better than nothing but IMHO the S#H*I^T%S.

3 years ago fishing the same area we were averaging 300 prawns per pull and would fish for 3 days and be done for the year.

Last year we noticed a big decline and it is way worse this year.

We are heading to Nootka for 4 days tomorrow and I hear the prawns a bleak there also. I'll let you know.

Codfather
 
The "sustainable" commercial fishery has absolutely decimated populations in many areas. Coupled with all the "ceremonial" prawns being harvested... Enjoy what's left while you can.
 
Spent 2 1/2 days prawn fishing off Ladysmith and it was slim. We put the 8 traps in at 1500hrs on Sunday and pulled them 3 hours later and got 25.

Left the traps in overnight and pulled them at 0730 and got 120. New bait and back down by 0900. Pulled again at 1300hrs and got 71 prawns.

Third morning we did a little better and got 153 so new bait and down they go. 3 hours later we got a lousy 15 and then 35 the next pull.

In total we caught 319 prawns for all that work, yes it's better than nothing but IMHO the S#H*I^T%S.

3 years ago fishing the same area we were averaging 300 prawns per pull and would fish for 3 days and be done for the year.

Last year we noticed a big decline and it is way worse this year.

We are heading to Nootka for 4 days tomorrow and I hear the prawns a bleak there also. I'll let you know.

Codfather

I threw a few prawn traps off the fingers on Sunday and let them soak for 8 hours, only got one tiny prawn... Seen the commercial guy out there last night dropping pots everywhere around the areas I had mine so there should be absolutely none left once he's done...
 
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