2012 Vancouver, Howe sound and Sunshine coast reports thread

[tincan]

As for fishing reports, I'll be over in the gulf islands this coming weekend and may try out near Thrasher for a tide or two. Should be getting decent over there any time now.

 

[tulameentrapper]

Thanks for the info. It's a good idea to store these numbers below in your phone so you can make the call right away if you are witnessing something illegal. There is a boat in the gulf islands that does fishing charters and I've seen them with 6-8 guys jigging for bottom fish and keeping all sorts of undersized lingcod as well as small rockfish and greenling, etc. The groups would come across from the mainland for the day and head home with a cooler full of cod, etc., much of it undersized when I once peeked into their cooler. I will continue to look out for them and if I see them with illegal catch again will contact the ORR line below.

We did the same thing. There is/was a guide that docked at Sturdies and did this all the time. He would take his guests out and then wait out around bellhouse until the ferry would dock. They would have a white van in the lineup and as the van pulled up the dock, they would load the coolers into the van, and off they went. We called DFO a few times and they did nothing. Or they would show up after the ferry left. Very frustrating. We saw this happen pretty much every weekend sitting on the deck with binoculars, like clockwork. Saw in the coolers a couple times on the dock, and it was joke. Little tiny cod and ling. Way too many of them as well. This was a few years ago, so who knows if this guy is still around. Hopefully not.

 

[Old Seadog]

I finally got a chance to go out and enjoy the family boat on Saturday. After dropping the crab traps we decided to try south Bowen for a few hours. We setup shop on the east side of Cowen Point out of the wind. By noon it was like glass just in time for our hotdog lunch. With the BBQ smoking we got our one and only bite. 160ft on the rigger in 500ft of water with a green glow flasher and cop car coyote. White spring, no scale but figure it was in the high teens. Keep the posts coming! They helped improve on what was already a perfect day. Thanks!

A very nice fish and what a day on the water also !!!!!!!!!!
Keep it up

 

[cohochinook]

We did the same thing. There is/was a guide that docked at Sturdies and did this all the time. He would take his guests out and then wait out around bellhouse until the ferry would dock. They would have a white van in the lineup and as the van pulled up the dock, they would load the coolers into the van, and off they went. We called DFO a few times and they did nothing. Or they would show up after the ferry left. Very frustrating. We saw this happen pretty much every weekend sitting on the deck with binoculars, like clockwork. Saw in the coolers a couple times on the dock, and it was joke. Little tiny cod and ling. Way too many of them as well. This was a few years ago, so who knows if this guy is still around. Hopefully not.

The Fisheries Officers that I have talked with say you need to report this to the ORR line. You can also phone the local DFO Enforecment Office. The officers told me by having the ORR line called it helps them get the man power or budget from the higher ups. Without reports being called in the assumption by higher ups is everything is fine and you have no problems!

 

[fortyfour]

saw this same boat full of undersized cod as well. Did see them getting caught once...

 

[stones93]

Heading out tomorrow afternoon. Anyone know where the best bet for prawns right now would be? Had great success of crabbing last weekend. 14 keepers in just 2 hours! That was near Jericho.
Bon Chovy said they hit a couple nice ones today (chinooks) in just under 2 hours. Things may start heating up

 

[Jimmy]

i used to see this boat out fishing in active pass often.We used give him a rough time on the water and at the active pass gas dock. I know the past owner of the gas dock/gas station he and I cornered them one afternoon on the dock and from then on the guide was not allowed to buy gas there any more. Those guys and the guide(if that is what you want to refer to him as) didn't care or follow the regs. it got pretty heated the last summer I saw him around.

 

[Jahfreddy]

I have a place on Mayne Island, and would interested to hear which "guide" is pulling that ****.

My personal policy for rockfish is that even if I'm in an area where they are allowed, if I hook 2 in a row, I move. I also don't reel in like a madman when I hook anything bottom-fishing, so it doesn't screw up their air bladder, etc.

I will only keep one (legally) if it is hooked really deeply, and likely wouldn't survive being thrown back.


I've taken the (excellent) suggestion and put the ORR number into my phone for quick and immediate access if needed.


Poachers suck.

 

[sammyslabber]

The Fisheries Officers that I have talked with say you need to report this to the ORR line. You can also phone the local DFO Enforecment Office. The officers told me by having the ORR line called it helps them get the man power or budget from the higher ups. Without reports being called in the assumption by higher ups is everything is fine and you have no problems!

You must be joking - how can a hot line improve the DFO enforcement budget,sounds like they have bigger fish to fry, they're just plain lazy or perhaps they're sharing the proceeds from the TIP'S program

 

[Dogbreath]

You must be joking - how can a hot line improve the DFO enforcement budget,sounds like they have bigger fish to fry, they're just plain lazy or perhaps they're sharing the proceeds from the TIP'S program

If they can't respond they have evidence that calls are coming in that need to be dealt with.

 

[wildwest]

Off of Entrance Island ..10 or so of[IMPORTS] jigging for bottom fish.Finished their drift,gear up and ran back up the reef a bit,and there it went again...they sure sounded happy................................................................Do I have to say anymore?

 

[Sculpin]

So what is the name of this so called guide?. These forums work wonders for getting folks to keep there eye out for offenders. Post him up on the net.

 

[fortyfour]

So what is the name of this so called guide?. These forums work wonders for getting folks to keep there eye out for offenders. Post him up on the net.

It wasn't a "guide" rather a boat (14-16ft grey and blue aluminum with a honda outboard) that was left tied up at the sturdies bay dock for years and groups of people would walk on the ferry from Tsawassen with their coolers and fishing rods and spend the whole day filling their coolers with anything and everything and walking back on the ferry and going back home. I heard they were from Richmond.... Im sure they've been reported dozens of times. The boat is gone now and hopefully we dont see it here again!

 

[Blackmax]

It wasn't a "guide" rather a boat (14-16ft grey and blue aluminum with a honda outboard) that was left tied up at the sturdies bay dock for years and groups of people would walk on the ferry from Tsawassen with their coolers and fishing rods and spend the whole day filling their coolers with anything and everything and walking back on the ferry and going back home. I heard they were from Richmond.... Im sure they've been reported dozens of times. The boat is gone now and hopefully we dont see it here again!

So this went on for years and no one did anything? Groups of people with coolers on the ferries and thry couldn't be caught, sounds like they were not reported. I would have got a couple of buddies together and sunk the boat.

 

[cohochinook]

If they can't respond they have evidence that calls are coming in that need to be dealt with.

That's it exactly Dogbreath! The Fisheries Officers I have spoken to say without reports of violations or evidence, it's very hard for them to patrol an area or respond to a problem. This is the unfortunate reality of budget cuts. Phoning Observe, Record and Report hotline also helps the officers get funding or budget for an area or problem, if they can go to the higher ups and say we've got calls on Observe, Record and Report hotline about this problem.

Here's the info on Observe, Record and Report phone line again for those who missed it. Put it in your cell phone:
1-800-465-4336 or in Greater Vancouver: 604-607-4186

An important goal of enforcement is the prevention of violations before damage is done. The watchful eyes of everyone can provide a strong deterrent to potential violators and stop offences before they happen.
Observe: Some common violations are:
•exceeding the daily limit
•fishing in a closed area
•using illegal gear
•damage to fish habitat and pollution


Record: Carry a pencil and record your observations
•Date, time and location (e.g.: nearest town, fishing location)
•Identity or description of violators (e.g.: height, weight, hair colour)
•Boat or vehicle description (e.g.: licence, colour, make)
•Evidence at the scene
•Action of violator(s)

Report

Violations should be reported as soon as possible to DFO’s ORR phone line:
1-800-465-4336

or in Greater Vancouver:
604-607-4186

The provincial Ministry of Environment has established a toll-free hotline, Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP), which allows you to report known or suspected poachers and polluters. For any fish, wildlife or environmental offences in non-marine areas, please call the provincial RAPP line at: 1-877-952-RAPP (7277)

The British Columbia Wildlife Federation offers rewards of up to $2,000 for information leading to charges being laid against a person harming fish and wildlife and their habitat, as well as to private property belonging to mining, forestry, farmers and ranchers or other private concerns. Call the RAPP line.

For information, consult the BC Wildlife Federation's Wilderness Watch Program, or contact the Federation at:
1-888-881-2293

 

[stones93]

Headed out yesterday afternoon just after low slack. (2 ish) Set crab traps on Jericho shoreline at about 50-60ft, went to passage island and set 2 prawn traps around 200ft. By time we got back to Bell buoy we were in a bad time between tides so didn't expect much. Marked tons of fish and bait balls between the QB marker and the freighters. The fish seemed to be in 180ft of water, some on bottom some at 130ft and some at 90. We didn't leave lines down too long as we needed to haul our traps and get home for the nucks game. No prawns? We also had a 15lb rigger ball on the line that somehow fell off (or stolen?) Didn't see any other boats around but strange that the ball was gone and nothing in the trap? Anyways, the crabbing was amazing. 95% males, 50% keepers. We were throwing back 7inch crabs after we had our limit of 12 (3 on the boat). We must have caught 18 keepers in just over 2-3 hours. Awesome weather and a great day on the water.

 

[Blackmax]

When we took the dogs for a walk at Barnet park there were a bunch taking undersisize crab and keeping them in garbage cans in the back of trucks. We called the right people including RCMP and no one came, these guys took off 4 hours later. The courts won't even bust people at the Canucks riot that are on video.

 

[pescador]

Actually, DFO does hassle lots of people. Mostly honest fishers on the water minding there own business following the rules. Seen it plenty of times over the years up a Nootka Sound. They cruise around in a rib stopping plenty of boats. These are primarily people who respect the fishery, follow the required laws and many catch and release. Seems to me that that DFO need to better manage their resouces. They need to apply "six sigma" and other "process engineering" principals to their enforcement process. Its like strip searching an 80 year woman named Anne Smith on her way to Florida through airport security because she was randomly selected as a potential terrorist. Focus attention where you can get results, where harmful activities effect the habitat ,not wasteful legacy practises that are for optical effect. Our judicial system is a joke, and getting worse. We allow a bunch of drug addicts to invade city hall last week and do nothing about it because they have rights? Don't get me started.
This is supposed to be a fishing report sticky....apologies for the diatribe.

 

[sammyslabber]

"Yep don't get me started" I've seen this go on for years even before the new rules were put in place for rock fish.Moving forward I see the same rape and pillage mentality in todays fishery.
Not trying to race gender but i feel bad for you honest fisherpersons on the mainland...anyways all this crab talk is making me hungry for a crab feed

 

[Dogbreath]

Talked to some sport prawners @ Porteau Cove this AM-they had little to show for their efforts.