Westcoast Pinks

[Scott2010]

Heading up island in a few day for some beach fishing. How's everyone making out, I hear it's a good year so far in CR . The site's been slow lets share some pics and stories.

 

[Big Green Machine]

Saw two tubbed at Nile a creek at high tide this morning. Not mine.

 

[Damien]

Waded into the Campbell two days ago. A lot of rods flogging away, saw two fish on the beach. I fished for 30 mins without seeing one caught within an eye shot up or down driver.

 

[Hyde-N-Seek]

It was slow over the weekend on the Campbell. Should be a few more fish in there from what I heard.

 

[eroyd]

Where were you guys fishing? I thought it was pretty good. I averaged about one hook-up every 15 mins. There were definitely lulls and bites as the fish are fresh and moving and staying more in the flow. A lot of people were dredging the deep pools. The fish are not stacked up there as of last weekend. Enough fish in the upper river where poachers were taking them. The boundary for keeping them is below the confluence of the Quinsam.

 

[Hyde-N-Seek]

I was fishing lower down near the bridges. There was not much fresh fish movement in the morning or early afternoon. Fish start coming in later in the afternoon. Should be more consistent now.

 

[eroyd]

Over the long weekend I fished above the Q and up into the fly water. Many of the fish had sea lice on them. They can move up the short river pretty fast. I'm sure as the fish start to "ripen" they'll be stacking up in the pools and slower water. Personally I hate it when they are so thick I foul one every cast.

 

[Scott2010]

When the school is thick, to avoid snags , try a floating gurgler type fly stripped fairly quick above them. Likely better in the ocean at the mouths, but could work on fresh ones if you are the first one there. We did well on the dry this week on the north island.

 

[eroyd]

I used gurglers and poppers up at Cluxewe two years ago. A very fun way to fish when they are thick and you can't even get through them with a wet fly circle hook without snagging.

 

[Hyde-N-Seek]

Definitely more fish in the upper Campbell area. The lower pools seemed to be less fish. Not much actions below the highway bridges. I heard there are lots fish up north and with this rain, there should be more fish showing any days now.

 

[roper]

I was on the river below Haig-Brown House yesterday (Thursday). Only saw one surface. Three of us on the river and no fish.
Caught one between three of us last Friday.

 

[Hyde-N-Seek]

What eroyd said. Lots fish in the fly zones from upper island to lower island pools.

 

[Ghost21]

We fished hard from the Brown house all the way up. Saw small schools of fish but nothing piling up. Lots of people practicing casting but I didn't see one person hook a fish. We did see a couple of fish rise but slow slow slow. Save your gas right now.

 

[Heavyc]

A good river for pinks in the CR area is the Oyster. The hatchery up there almost guarantees good returns. Plus the pool down from Fishermans pub is easily accessible.

Up island I've started fishing the Keogh mouth for pinks. Hooked up to 4 with my trout rod the other day & watched bears fishing the whole time. Heading back soon to try with my 5wt fly rod.

 

[Dave H]

I thought the Oyster was closed along with most rivers south of Campbell River last month???

Did I miss something?


Take care.

 

[Heavyc]

Just checked, and you're right Dave.

However, if you're fishing down by the pub or further to the sea, you may be in the tidal area of the river.

 

[Dave H]

As I recall the Tidal Marker is/was way downstream from there, by the campground and near the mouth of the river.

I once had a "go around" with a camper who was using cooked shrimp for bait and catching Cutties when I realized he was in the Freshwater Regulation area at the campground.

He wasn't happy but given I despise cheaters and poachers I didn't care and ran his butt off.

He was probably back at it the moment after I left though. Some people are like that.




Take care.