Winter Harbour Report
- Thread starter 17 ft sea ranger
- Start date
fishyboy99
Active Member
First report of the season
. It has been a great first week for us and the few boats in the harbour. Robertg is right about where the Springs are, lower half of Brooks Bay, anywhere from 140-170 for us, flashers and hoochies (greens and blues for us), have had two Chinooks at 30lbs in the last 3 days, along with about 10-15 between 24-30lbs. Overall, a larger average for both Chinooks and coho's this year compared to the last couple. Bottom fish is a usual, just put your time in. SE gales tomorrow, backing to NW this weekend, should make for a good Friday and Saturday fish. Harbour is fairly slow at the moment, but all the businesses are up and running. Road is in average shape, just have to follow the signs in from Holberg, as the 700 road is closed due to the bridges we lost back in November.
Regards,
Fishyboy
. It has been a great first week for us and the few boats in the harbour. Robertg is right about where the Springs are, lower half of Brooks Bay, anywhere from 140-170 for us, flashers and hoochies (greens and blues for us), have had two Chinooks at 30lbs in the last 3 days, along with about 10-15 between 24-30lbs. Overall, a larger average for both Chinooks and coho's this year compared to the last couple. Bottom fish is a usual, just put your time in. SE gales tomorrow, backing to NW this weekend, should make for a good Friday and Saturday fish. Harbour is fairly slow at the moment, but all the businesses are up and running. Road is in average shape, just have to follow the signs in from Holberg, as the 700 road is closed due to the bridges we lost back in November. Regards,
Fishyboy
SpringFever552
Well-Known Member
Fished out from Lippy at usual depths of 200-250ft on Tuesday
Water was very nice, calm with a low swell
Fished my favorite structure/pinacles with bait and spoons dragging bottom..easy limits of chicken halis and pumpkins(snapper)
Coho (small) were there and were hitting/following the lures as we let out or brought them in.. only hit one 15lb? spring out there..
Tried inside of Cains along kelp beds for a few hrs on Monday nothing there for us..
We released all salmon and kept all ground fish this trip to Winter Harbour.
P.s. I'm loving this new ride...
Water was very nice, calm with a low swell
Fished my favorite structure/pinacles with bait and spoons dragging bottom..easy limits of chicken halis and pumpkins(snapper)
Coho (small) were there and were hitting/following the lures as we let out or brought them in.. only hit one 15lb? spring out there..
Tried inside of Cains along kelp beds for a few hrs on Monday nothing there for us..
We released all salmon and kept all ground fish this trip to Winter Harbour.
P.s. I'm loving this new ride...
firelight
Active Member
Just back tonight after 4days in winter harbour, fish is cleaned and vac packed. It was different weather than we are used to up there, coming from the south instead of west. It allowed us to explore down to the brooks area where we hadn't been before. There was a report of salmon being caught down that way as a body of fish was moving through. We hit the tail end of the bite the first morning and brought in 3 springs to 17 lbs. those fish just kept going as the next day the guide boats were going even farther south. We couldn't go that far in my boat and the weather was going to come up at noon. We trolled bottom, jigged at the slack, and came up with a bunch a big kings and some small Hali. The next few days it blew up some and rain but we got out to fish. Some nice fish coming in from the guide boats but it seemed like they we working for there catch. Man it's over so fast. Tuna frenzy up there too, only 20 mile run. Charter guy up there with a 42' sea Ray that sleeps 6. 14' beam.
Capt. Red
Member
Traveller- Pulling a cut plug is my preferred method for Kings up there. We will occasionally use large spoons if the Coho are so thick we can't get a cut plug down through them.
fishyboy99
Active Member
Morning
Just a quick early morning update for this week. Love having the sun out, but we can definitely do with less wind LOL. With the heat, it seems like our ice is melting faster than our flaker can make it. Hoping for some cooler temps next week, but doesn't look like that will happen.
Leaving the dock at dawn to get the best weather window for the offshore stuff, working ourselves back into the sound as the day progresses. It has been one of the best June/July starts in about 7-9 years, larger than average Chinooks (few over 30lbs, consistent 22-27's), larger Coho, picked up a 9lb one at the helipad on Wednesday, just starting to get a hooked nose. Larger hali's are doing good, although the bigger seas are not helping the jigging and back-trolling for lings and undersized hali's, but if you can keep your gear down, you will get them.
The harbour is a little slower than previous years, no crowding at the lighthouse or over at Cliff Point (which has been producing well for both springs and coho), few commercial boats working the area, but pretty quiet up in our neck of the woods. For all you regulars who will be showing up in the next week or so, good luck and see you on the dock.
Regards,
Fishyboy
Just a quick early morning update for this week. Love having the sun out, but we can definitely do with less wind LOL. With the heat, it seems like our ice is melting faster than our flaker can make it. Hoping for some cooler temps next week, but doesn't look like that will happen.
Leaving the dock at dawn to get the best weather window for the offshore stuff, working ourselves back into the sound as the day progresses. It has been one of the best June/July starts in about 7-9 years, larger than average Chinooks (few over 30lbs, consistent 22-27's), larger Coho, picked up a 9lb one at the helipad on Wednesday, just starting to get a hooked nose. Larger hali's are doing good, although the bigger seas are not helping the jigging and back-trolling for lings and undersized hali's, but if you can keep your gear down, you will get them.
The harbour is a little slower than previous years, no crowding at the lighthouse or over at Cliff Point (which has been producing well for both springs and coho), few commercial boats working the area, but pretty quiet up in our neck of the woods. For all you regulars who will be showing up in the next week or so, good luck and see you on the dock.
Regards,
Fishyboy
spring fever
Well-Known Member
Spring Fever II traveling gong show and circus will be off Kain island by 1400 fri-staying til sun evening. Green and white Orca-listen on ch 6. I share info-just ask. Have a good one!! Will post mon evening
spring fever
Well-Known Member
Will listen for you! Good Luck!
TyeeSlayer
Member
Arriving in Quatsino Village late Friday. Fishing Saturday through Wednesday. We will monitor Ch 6 and share info. Wolff Boat ( all aluminum ) with maroon awning.
LEFTY 338-06
Member
Just got back from W/H 04 to 07 limited out on springs 15 to 28 , coho 8 to 12 best fishing at light house off Kains Is 90 ft anchoives and spoons , Cliffs point was also good but we found that the coho where smaller there maybe just a new bunch at Kains . Got all our halleys at the 300 ft line weather was good but got foggy on the 7th . More springs than coho good problem to have ,tried outside Lippy for fish but inside was hot for us .
Jetboater
Member
I will be up there for 20 days starting on the 17. I'm always on ch 68. In a red 28 ft kingfisher.
was that inside or outside Kains Is Lefty?
spring fever
Well-Known Member
Very disappointing!! Very hot fishing from mon thru wed-slowed thurs-we arrived fri 1400-SW wind starting to pick-up-tried Kains,cliffe etc-got pretty ugly that evening. Next morning nasty southerly swell with 20 knots out of the SE-tried grants, lippy point -out to 300ft-lots of radio traffic reporting nothing-wx was ugly but I managed 2 hi teens at 200ft of wire in 200 ft of water on a chovy off LIPPY. Most boats gave up by 10-we stuck it until 11-the wind would not relent-left very little fishable water anywhere. Tried again this morning-the water was even worse-got one hit and landed a spring. Talked to lots of guys but the fish have gone-worst I have seen it in 20 years of fishing WH. It's true the weather was a huge factor-if you chose one area that was it because you had no time to go elsewhere. Never go to WH if there is a sw or se wind forcast-no matter how small-because if it does get up there is no place to fish inside. Sorry for the bad news-it will change-we'll get another wave in but it isn't there today.
Halilogger
Active Member
I will be up there for the next three days, 25' Kingfisher, looks like we may need to go searching. Thanks for the not so good report, spring fever sounds like you got beat up a bit on the trip....hate the SE up there!
Will monitor 68 & 16 give a shout if I've had any luck I'll let you know.
Will monitor 68 & 16 give a shout if I've had any luck I'll let you know.
spring fever
Well-Known Member
Hope you get a bit better wind-looks like it might swing a bit-if I had it to do it again I would head south -lawn point and farther and troll north-you might be able to stick it longer and the fish were definitely not north. My guess is Nootka should be on fire today or tomorrow. LOL Let us know-good or bad!
scobo
Member
I finally broke down and booked a 3 day charter with Greg at the Outpost and Rob at Qualicum River Resort for my dad and I for his father's day gift. Although i usually don't have much trouble catching fish in the Vancouver area its time to break out of my shell and go deep for some flatties, bing lingers and whatever else we can dig up. I am so excited I can hardly sleep, my dad the same. Unfortunately its not until Aug 3-5th so its going to be a rough few weeks for sleep. I'll be sure to post the results!
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