ECVI Nanoose, French Creek Report

[MRWood]

Thought I would start this year's thread. Did a search and found some old Nanoose threads from 2006. Mostly from Kelly. Back in 06 Kelly must have just gotten his license . Interesting posts.

Anyway, went out last weekend for the first time. Fished Easter Friday morning at Gerald and the green can buoy without any luck. Lots of bait in the water, more than I've seen in a long time, which is good to see. Mostly around Gerald. Looked small, about 2-3".

Sat morning concentrated on Mistaken. Fished it from every angle, circumnavigated it a few times . Nada. Lots of bait again. I did see something that I hadn't seen before. We came across a big bait ball, but instead of herring it was reddish pink creatures about 1-2" long. Anyone have any idea what they could have been?

Total catch (released) 1 ling, 1 quilly and 1 greenling. Still early yet.

 

[thegreatpumpkin]

In the old days there would be small shrimp that the bluebacks and the herring would feed on from april to late may. not sure if thats what you saw but if you got into them they would have been smaller like 1/4"-1/2" . They are as you described and you can scoop them up with a small mesh net. i fished that area 30 years ago and would see them there every year at this time.

 

[MRWood]

That must have been what they were. I might have been exaggerating at 1-2", after all I am a fisher man.

 

[wstcoaster]

a ball of krill no dubt

 

[lure-washer]

I`ve been out a few times off French Creek over the past few weeks, but no Salmon to bring home.
The last trip approx. a week ago, we did pick up a Halibut about 15 lbs.
Lure-washer

 

[lordofthesprings]

i heard theres a few around tribune bay and i also remember large schools of krill there was actually a commercial fishery for them . only 1 or two boats though they dragged a midwater trawl in the area

 

[Seafever]

They are krill....

 

[thegreatpumpkin]

Thats the name I was thinking of krill not shrimp.

 

[Western Star]

French Creek Winter Springs

Hey everyone, I've been having some decent fishing out in front of French Creek the last while. We caught our limit-4, with the biggest reaching 15 Lbs. this past Saturday. The Winter Springs are hanging around taking advantage of the abundant herring in the area. Lots of fish are border line for length-24.5", so practice careful release methods for the undersize. I heard of a 24 Lb. "White" Chinook taken in the area too. Nice to see some mirgrating Chinooks passing through, with more to come I hope. If you need a fishing update drop by the French Creek Marina Store and talk to the short white haired guy! See you out there...

Western Star

 

[JustFishing]

Nice fish!

 

[Seafever]

The "short white-haired guy" needs to take a happy pill......practically bites my face off every time I go in there....

 

[MRWood]

a ball of krill no dubt

I guess the little pink hootchie squirts are the krill imitations. I've always had good luck fishing the pink squirts. They're not just for sockeye, pinks or chum caught lots of big springs on the red gear.

 

[fshnfnatic]

I guess the little pink hootchie squirts are the krill imitations. I've always had good luck fishing the pink squirts. They're not just for sockeye, pinks or chum caught lots of big springs on the red gear.

You bet,MRWood. When I commercial trolled years ago,you wouldn't believe the hog springs we would incidentally catch
while the red gear was out for sockeye. If I could only have one lure in my tackle box,it would be a MP2 squirt. I've
caught every species of pacific salmon on that hoochie,and several hog springs,with a couple of them going over 30lbs.

 

[MRWood]

You bet,MRWood. When I commercial trolled years ago,you wouldn't believe the hog springs we would incidentally catch
while the red gear was out for sockeye. If I could only have one lure in my tackle box,it would be a MP2 squirt. I've
caught every species of pacific salmon on that hoochie,and several hog springs,with a couple of them going over 30lbs.

You're on the same page as me. I deckhanded on a commercial troller for a few summers back in the late 70's (out of Port Hardy) and caught lots of springs and coho when the red gear was out. Always thought the pink squirts were one of the most versatile hootchies. Last summer I was fishing Mistaken Isl with a friend of mine and his 15 year old son. When asked at the beginning of the day what he wanted to use on his line, the son picked the pink hootchie. He caught the only fish that day, a 21lb spring. He went home one happy camper.

 

[Charter Tofino]

http://vimeo.com/63615432#

Here is a throwback. Can't say i've hit to many steelhead at Gerald.

 

[Degree of Freedom]

http://vimeo.com/63615432#

Here is a throwback. Can't say i've hit to many steelhead at Gerald.

wow...does that bring back memories! I was 13 at that time and fished every day possible in the area of Winchelsea to Sangster to Gerald. Interesting to hear him say 'we don't have to worry about the coho'...at the time strict regs were in place for Chinook, but not coho. There were so many coho around an easy limit of 4 was the norm...4 years later the area coho were all but gone.

 

[fshnfnatic]

You're on the same page as me. I deckhanded on a commercial troller for a few summers back in the late 70's (out of Port Hardy) and caught lots of springs and coho when the red gear was out. Always thought the pink squirts were one of the most versatile hootchies. Last summer I was fishing Mistaken Isl with a friend of mine and his 15 year old son. When asked at the beginning of the day what he wanted to use on his line, the son picked the pink hootchie. He caught the only fish that day, a 21lb spring. He went home one happy camper.

I was a deckhand from '88 to '92 just when everything went for a loop,and the Coho tanked out.Too bad,it was the
funnest job I ever had,and would still be out there if there was any money in it.Great to hear about your friend's son.
Must have been a blast!

 

[Copper Moon]

I haven't heard of a fish brought in from Gerald/Ballenas/Winchelsea this year. We need to get BRS back from sabatical.

 

[Big Green Machine]

Steelhead heading for home on the Englishman River. Pretty cool to see that.

 

[MRWood]

Steelhead heading for home on the Englishman River. Pretty cool to see that.

That was a pretty cool video. I was thinking that is was a kelt because it was in May, looked kinda skinny