Victoria Reports 2015

Happy to hear they were not fishing halibut!
my second guess would be prawn fishers
the depth sounds right for prawns!
can look like crab pots from a distance.
Would be interesting for sure it they were fishing crab
those crabbers have extended their fishery for miles and miles....wonder how the crabs can sustain themselves.

They were 100ft off my port side and tossing back the underside crab. 100% positive on crab pots.
 
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Picked up this 63 lb beauty on Saturday off oak bay. Had a double header with a 46 lb on the other side which made it pretty exciting. Made for a pretty good birthday for my brother in law who I share the boat with!


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Good thing we were forced to launch at cattle point... I'm not sure we would have found that spot otherwise


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Out of Pedder for Haly,yestarday. On our way out to fish the mud flats between Albert Head and William Head seen a large crab boat. Went over to see if they where prawning or crabbing. I asked { three Asians } in the boat if they where crabbing or prawning and they indicated crabbing!! I seen the crab traps coming up the side and the traps stored on the aft deck where also crab traps.!This guys are grid-ding their gear from 250' to well out into the 300' depths. Had a buddy break one of his haly rods as those crabbers dumped there gear almost on top of them and when they picked up to leave they dammed neared flipped their boat trying pull the anchor up from the crab traps. Man its bad enough losing salmon gear to this guys off the Otter Muir, Point no Point etc typical salmon tacks. Now there out in our usual haly grounds. Sure wish there was someone I could write to about this guys!!
Enough is enough!! Cheers. Fah Cups
 
I thought they were halibut long lines until the first crab pot went in the boat. They were set in 270ft of water and along the 27 fathom patch. Other guys had the same issue further out. It didn't look like they were getting many crab, so hopefully it's the last time.

Yeah they are crabbing in 250ft of water here too.
 
Tried for hali on saturday evening near the shipping lanes off Pedder since I was forced to launch there. No love except for a battalion of Dogfish and one good strike that tore off the bait but didn't stick. Wow what an amazing evening though i can't remember the last afternoon that was that flat calm out there even out in the middle of the strait, and nice tides to boot. It's like we were anchored in esquimalt harbour.
 
Tried trolling for halibut on Sunday from about 930 to 1. Picked up a larger Ling and registered a few hits but no hali for us unfortunately. We were straight out from the Chain Islets probably 1-2mi from the shipping lanes.

Around noon, we watched this ship make the turn around Discovery headed out towards Trial. Usually the big guys stay well outside. A bit unnerving when the bow of one of these guys is pointed right at you. We make a turn towards shore to clear his path -- but so did he!!! Decided to make a 180 and head out offshore. He passed about 1/4mi inside us and he would have been in about the 140ft mark between Discovery and Trial.

https://goo.gl/photos/T3AD9ubiWasPexoW6

You can see his track here: https://www.vesselfinder.com/?imo=9392377
 
Hey TenMile,
FYI, the outbound traffic lane is less than 0.5 miles off of Discovery and Trial Islands, and 0.8 M off the Chain Islets.
From a position abeam of Trial island, the depth of water in the outbound lane is 124 to 214 ft.
 
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Ah right you are! Pulled up the Navionics app on the iPad -- the little elephant shaped reef off the chain islets is just inside the edge of the outbound lane. Confused the pink hashed Traffic Separation Zone with the Traffic Lane.

There was an inbound ship rounding Discovery at the same time along with a bunch of guys anchored out that way for hali. I am sure both factors made him choose to ride the inside edge of the lane. First time Ive ever seen one come in that close in the many years I've fished here.
 
Tried trolling for halibut on Sunday from about 930 to 1. Picked up a larger Ling and registered a few hits but no hali for us unfortunately. We were straight out from the Chain Islets probably 1-2mi from the shipping lanes.

Around noon, we watched this ship make the turn around Discovery headed out towards Trial. Usually the big guys stay well outside. A bit unnerving when the bow of one of these guys is pointed right at you. We make a turn towards shore to clear his path -- but so did he!!! Decided to make a 180 and head out offshore. He passed about 1/4mi inside us and he would have been in about the 140ft mark between Discovery and Trial.

https://goo.gl/photos/T3AD9ubiWasPexoW6

You can see his track here: https://www.vesselfinder.com/?imo=9392377

There is clearly a problem with halibut fishermen on anchor in the freighter lanes, particularly off Discovery in the early Spring and Fall.
Many halibut fishermen anchor in the no go zone between in and out bound traffic, however there are always a few who like to anchor in the area just sound of the no go zone and clearly in the inbound traffic zone.
Having said that, most in bound pilots choose to go south of those guys, HOWEVER A FEW pilots choose to set a course directly at the boats on anchor.
Some fishermen are forced off anchor and in some cases the freighter has gone over their buoys, taking out their whole anchor system.
It is for sure a dangerous situation getting worse as traffic increases.
Can't understand why the Coast Guard does not get involved?
 
Can't say I disagree with you. I'm not enthusiastic about anchoring for halibut in either JDF or Haro. Too much traffic and currents too strong. I've switched over to trolling or drifting for halibut recently. Too many scary stories and had a near miss anchor incident of my own a few years back. Trolling is just more relaxing.

If you look at the chart there's not a great deal of room if you wanted to be clear of the traffic lanes in either straight.
 
TenMile there is nothing wrong with fishing for Hali in the lanes as you described (trolling or drifting). You are however required not to impede the passage of a vessel following a traffic lane. You should be wary of deep sea ships within 3 miles and slower coastal traffic within a mile. Container ships especially could be on top of you in less than 10 minutes from 2 miles away.

For those anchoring IN traffic lanes, not only is it against the laws of courts and seafarers alike, it's foolish.
 
One hit wonder show today. One hit near the breakwater on salmon gear which resulted in a nice 28.5# spring (white). Fished 3 rods shallow, 2 anchovie and one AP Sandlance spoon - guess which got the fish? AP at 40'.

Then went to Constance for hali, one hit, one fish - 21#. That was it. Great day!

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Ramp closure esquimalt angers

Nice Work Christof!!!

You were heard , thanks to the anglers that took the time to let the township there feeling on the ramp , closure the FISH GODS were with us on the weather , they were over whelmed by the number of very upset people . Even non boaters , one lady councillor remarked why on a great hallie tide weekend , we. Kept checking found very little crowd , sat was little busier , Sunday very few , they wanted 6,000 foe 3 days , maybe 8 to 1000 were closer figures ., will keep you posted when we get the reports of the overall stats . The mayor was taken back also , feels our club doesn't promote our selves in our contributions to the municipal projects , and keeping the ramp operating , as the of floats belong and replaced as needed by us , thanks again
 
I'm sure the council heard us members but I'm not convinced it will result in no closure next year. It would be nice if our voice was heard again next year, during the sculpture splash planning meetings. Not when the closure is happening.

But, the launch is open again now and I'll be at it again this weekend.
 
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