Saanich Inlet

Rum Buddies

Rum Buddies

Well-Known Member
I don't usually post reports but the inlet is loaded with bait right now and we picked up a 15lb Hatchery last night at Bamberton. Outfitters report said there was a couple of 25's taken in Pat Bay last week as well.

I'll have to go back out and find out if there's more around, but definitely worth a troll if you're soaking traps.
 
You are a good Poppa. Thanks for the update.
 
I've noticed more and more bait in the inlet every year.Alot more wildlife as well.Seen a few dolphins one day I was out
prawning,and a sea lion another time.I think "The Dead Sea" is coming back to life!
 
I look out over the inlet...yet I drive to sooke or Vic...please, oh please start catching fish out here...I will start rowing for salmon.
 
Even though north saanich city sewers cost a bundle they have eliminated septic runoff on that side. Those are critical eelgrass beds with herring and salmon fry. The eelgrass is growing well, there is little septic smell, unless you dig down into the sand where prior decades of septic buildup still sits. It is a good time to support the peninsula streams group doing salmon habitat restoration on local creeks. Bring back the coho!
 
DVL - I'm on the Inlet as well, Willis Point................If you ever are short of company/cost sharing, I'm ready and willing, if a bit inexperienced having just moved here a year ago.
 
mrrig said:
DVL - I'm on the Inlet as well, Willis Point................If you ever are short of company/cost sharing, I'm ready and willing, if a bit inexperienced having just moved here a year ago.
Click to expand...


a few nights ago the water was boiling with bait from willis point down to mackenzie bight and beyond. The fish we caught the other night had a good sized 4-5" herring in guts as well.


As far as I know the great fishing that took place in the spring and early summer was always american fish stopping in to feed. The salmon didn't disapear but there was no bait to make them stick around. Well more and more there's been bait around so it makes sense that they might stop and feed. I'm willing to bet there's a lot more fish around the inlet then we think, there's just nobody fishing to find out.

The odd guy might give it a half butt troll while prawn fishing, get skunked and claim its the "dead sea". Well how often do guys get skunked in Victoria or Sooke? Doesn't mean there's no fish.

I'm headed out tonight for another look, so we'll see!
 
24 years ago , Henderson point, Cut plug , 6oz weight 40-100 pulls depending on day. Fish were mostly in the teens, my pregnant wife caught one in the 20's one night and lost a much bigger one at the net. Early morning or late evening at 40 pulls we seemed to do better rowing. My brother and I got our limit one morning as a friend of mine who ran a charter boat out of Brentwood was trolling around us in frustration. Used to catch a lot of salmon 5-15lb jigging off the points back in the late 70's early 80's , it would not be uncommon to see more than a dozen boats fishing Mccurdy's point on a hot summer day.
 
ah thanks for the history, makes sense as most of the inlet fish were American feeders, so lots of teens and 20's.


I think the anoxic water is mostly the deep water troughs as it doesn't get moved much, I'm thinking the top 100-200' of water still gets moved in and out.
 
I used to fish Bamberton in the early 80's once in a while. I'd start off shallow and slowly work deeper as the morning went on. Cranking up those manual riggers from 150 + feet was fun. Lol.

Apex lures were the ticket.
 
I fished it 35 years ago all my childhood, and it made me the fishing fanatic of today. Day of Gilberts Marine and Brent wood chuggers. Standard gear with old Alvey reels... Go across start at bamberton and tack into the cement plant.. Usually done in short time.

If you fished it you would understand why this collapse was very sad. The fishing we have even in other areas now doesn't even compare. I would like to think it would come back. But my feelings are those are just US fish migrating through...
If you can find areas open I did find them some time back ago. If you see those big schools of boat try jigging for them... I found them right against shore on the flood on any of the ledges....

BTW guys up here are very tight lipped so there are fish caught...But by no means is there tons as years ago...
 
The forecast looks a little windy for this saturday, so I might just give the inlet a try this sat. I'll let you guys know if anything happens...
 
Spring Velocity - they were always American fish in the inlet from the research I've done and the hatch job I caught the other night was surely American as well. Like I said, I don't think the fish disappeared, I thin they just had no reason stop and feed. Maybe a bit of fishful thinking, but there is bait around, so....

Not sure why anybody would be tight lipped about the inlet, its not like you're going to get hordes of people showing up taking all your fish. If anything a few extra rods in the water would help figure out where/if the fish are holding.


Rockdog, see you out there Satuday. I'll be in the B&W boat, tops off with burgers on the BBQ trolling around.
 
I think those big slabs caught in the 50's, 60's were Cowichan river fish when the river was alive and teeming with fish.
long before population grew and industry took it's toll.
JMHO
 
r.s craven said:
I think those big slabs caught in the 50's, 60's were Cowichan river fish when the river was alive and teeming with fish.
long before population grew and industry took it's toll.
JMHO
Click to expand...

For sure the big guys would be Cowichan and Fraser, but talking with a lot of old timers the majority of fish weren't slabs - just lots of teeners and 20's.
 
That not true....Lots of bigger fish caught there in 70's and 80's when I fished there. The fishing in there was very good.
 
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