OFFICIAL 2016 Vancouver-Howe Sound-Sechelt Reports Thread

Looks like we lost the last 2016 thread.

 

Heading out sunday... Any reports on the Hump yet?

 

Was out last saturday to fish The Bell with the rest of the Armada. We didn't get anything, then fished in the freighters, LOTS of bait swimming around. We had a few grilse then landed one 'nookie that was 52cm. Boba Looey had the gee-tar out ready to KABONG that smiley, but I made double sure it was legal. Back to the drink it went!

All fish taken on a Homeland Security behind a Purple Onion.

Yesterday we whipped across the straight to Active Pass and up to Porlier. Tooooo lumpy-wumpy to drop lines!

If the winds cooperate, I'll be out again soon! OLAY!

 

I am wondering about the Hump as well, as one of my nieces is coming out on the boat, on the 16th.
I checked pacific anglers, Bonchovy and Predators Pen, for their reports and Dave said a few have been caught out there already. He seems to think april 10th will be the time. Bonchovy gave some dates in April that marked the start of it, April 4th one year, versus april 18th another year.
The water colours are very dark and obscured at the bell buoy and horseshoe bay now, and brown plankton/muck on the lines.
If you get a chance, just go!
Dave says Nanaimo is still dead.

 

will be fishing this weekend taking Alex from Amundson out,
hope the winds stay calm and its sunny
about time i get some blood on the decks...lol

 

Out today in my zodiac, dropped prawn traps in a new spot +- 900 m NW of the Pt Atkinson lighthouse along the shore to avoid the cluster f@k around passage outside the sponge reef areas then fished for 3.5 hours along west van. Lots of suspended fish marked and some bait balls. 2 undersized not even close to legal. Went back to pull traps and the first one had under 20 in it and second one which was a double vanished. I'm hoping the buoy was just submerged with the tide change but skeptical, same amount of rope as the other but 2 traps and double the weight. Guess I'll have to go fishing tomorrow to check it out

 

Sunday fished the Bell to well past the QA for the morning through the low. One missed hit and an undersize, lots marking but just couldnt get into any action, mostly fished various size spoons and bait, howe sound was dead for us too through the afternoon. A buddy did pick one @ the bell later In the day though on bait. Prob wont make it out this weekend but last year we started hitting them the weekend of the 3rd so I wouldnt be surprised...

 

Was out last Sunday as well. A few hookups but nothing close to legal size. Going to try this Sunday again

 

Fished Hole in the wall and Cowan Point last weekend, got 8 undersized 20" was the biggest 14" was the smallest. Went over a huge bait ball, caught 4 cod as well. everything was caught up top nothing hit the riggers at 130 and 150 lots of small stuff. Lyman Plugs and Bucktails.

 

I wonder, was the bait ball at horseshoe bay? Some large herring reported there 2 days ago.
bait and hoochies are recommended!, perhaps save the Lymans and bucktails for Trout and char?

 

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss other people's choice in lures. As long as he's getting action, it's obviously working for him. I've had some of my most memorable and productive days fishing home made bucktails for coho on a fly rod on the west coast. I know this is not the west coast but bucktails and flash tails were once top producers for coho and springs here in the old days. After all, if you put a fly behind a flasher it's really not that different than a hoochy.

From what I've read on the forums he's not the only one who likes Lyman plugs for Salmon either.

I've gone out with many a guy and scoffed at their gear choice only to see it catch a decent Salmon. That's how you learnt to fish before the internet, by watching others, and not being dismissive of their techniques. An open mind goes a long way, fish can surprise you by taking the most outlandish presentation at times.

 

I agree with the big guy wholeheartedly. Sometimes I think if the fish are there and you are not in a crowd it doesn't matter what you present. When in a crowd if yours is different from the crowd that can be all the difference. All the different designs and new and improved lures seem to be more for the fisherman than the fish. There's no magic spoon. Just think like a fish. Which shouldn't really take that much.

Cant get out this weekend, but was out last Saturday. Started at the bell but that was a gong show of boats. After 45 minutes of navigating traffic moved to Tunstall. Fished for 4 hours hopping non stop to keep the riggers bouncing bottom. Landed 3 keepers - 2 around 9lbs, and one hatchery fish around 12lbs. Smallish but mmm tasty. One of the small fish had an 6" cod in its belly. Threw back 2 that were undersized, one small cod, and had another 4 hits that pulled the pin but didn't stick. The action was spread out as the tides that morning were not very active.

I think the glow helps when fishing bottom between 130'-160' but I noticed all of the hits were at least 15 minutes after the gear was down. IMHO some of the spoons today have too much glow and become effective only after some time in the water when they stop resembling neon signs. No glow isn't good, but too much doesn't resemble anything the fish naturally eat. For the better part of the day we fished a skinny G homeland security and a pesca green/white spoon (don't know the name). The skinny G was getting all the action, and then after almost an hour of being at the bottom the big fish of the day hit the pesca. My only explanation is that after an hour the pesca finally lost enough glow to look natural. Or maybe not. Just trying to think like a fish. Good luck to all those lucky enough to head out this weekend.

 

I hear rumours of a few decent Chinook being taken in Area 29-3 south of the North Arm...just rumours mind you...no pics.

 

We were out on the Hump this a.m. for a couple hours first thing and hit a few P Cod and had 1 solid fish hit but not stick ... should be any time now but not today. We moved over to Tunstall for an hour and a half and kept one very red spring that will be very good on the BBQ tonight.

 

Eating fresh Bell Buoy salmon tonight!

 

Was out at the bell bouy to Qa today and nothing larger than 18 inches. Crabbing was great. Next week going to give the hump a try.

 

need pictures, otherwise its just.......

 

fished grace today only for a legal keeper had quite a few hits but all undersize
a Gibsons local had a red letter day this afternoon with a 20lber and a 15lber double header,
he was only out for 45 minutes fishing keats

 

Back from a day at sea Bobba Looeys! Day started out purdy, then it got all grey, and at low tide was nice again.

Anchovies got three undersized smileys from the Bell. The water is murking up! Saw a few get KABONGED! But not on our tub. Hope to get back out there soon!

OLAY!

 

Bait Ball was just off the marker on cowan point, as for the bait and hoochies, I ran them all, Anchovies with glow head, army truck hooch and glow hoochie on green onion and lemon lime flashers, even tried a red racer with moon jelly. Only stuff that produced was the plugs and Bucktails, Im from Kelowna and have personally stopped into Lyman Lures and Seen his trophy picture wall and you wouldn't believe the springs that are on there with plugs hanging out of the mouths lol, also got a 16b red in Mable lake a couple years back on a white and green glow lyman plug. Gotta try anything and everything you have in your artillery nowadays, you never know whats going to work!