2022 Secret Cove, Pender Harbour and Texada Reports

[Brett McK]

Was out Saturday for a few hours of Bjerre and Epsom, bit of chop thorough welcome pass after we launched out of coopers around 10, dropped in at the south side of Bjerre for the flood and tacked up the shoal. Hooked into one nice one that didnt pop the pin on the Rite Angle Pickled Herring green spoon green flasher and lost it 20’ off the boat. Seemed like a keeper too.

The only ofther fish were two just unders off of epsom on the same rig and missed a pin popper on spatterback blue and uv flasher same outer epsom tack. Was back at the launch by 2pm


Besides that I caught a sun and wind burn but no blood on the deck.



I also checked out the inlet yesterday and made tacks at 9 mile and Tuwanek with nothing to show for it. Lots of seals at 9 mile.

 

[Lost Boys]

Any fishing reports coming outside of Pender? We are on week two of our annual Summer trip and striking out hard! Fished Hodgson islands, A-frame, Quarry Bay and have a sun burn to show for it. Marking tons of bait and fish on the sounder but can't seem to pull one in the boat. Whats working for everyone?

Picked up 2 at the pilings the last 2 days

 

[ab1752]

Any fishing reports coming outside of Pender? We are on week two of our annual Summer trip and striking out hard! Fished Hodgson islands, A-frame, Quarry Bay and have a sun burn to show for it. Marking tons of bait and fish on the sounder but can't seem to pull one in the boat. Whats working for everyone?

Have you guys asked around the docks how its going around Egmont? What are you guys running for a boat? It's definitely still producing around Epsom Point, Upwood and Sangster as of this afternoon.

 

[ab1752]

Picked up 2 at the pilings the last 2 days

Great spot to fish, hope to hit it once more this season.

 

[sherrett]

Great spot to fish, hope to hit it once more this season.

Where is pilings?

Checked the archives here and a few references but no location. Seems around Pender Harbour / Quarry Bay?

 

[Rain City]

Where is pilings?

Checked the archives here and a few references but no location. Seems around Pender Harbour / Quarry Bay?

In front of the power lines on the North side of Texada

 

[sherrett]

Got out for a quick evening tack last night at Epsom. Fished the SW side of the bank, from shallow to deep. Found lots of bait, marked lots of fish, and even managed to hook a few.

Lots of feeder residents in <100’ of water. Got out deeper ~140-170’ and found my 74-year-old mom a nice slot fish she wrangled in and she decided to release. Didn’t measure it but would have been mid 60s.



Also pulled in this guy from 140’ and wondered: is that a big flounder or small halibut?



Verdict? I’m still wondering. Great night on the water.

 

[ship happens]

Looks like a sole

 

[Hardy Guy]

Thats a petrale sole or a flat head sole. If it was toothy (more than one row of teeth) than it was a petrale One of the best eating fish in the ocean. Flat heads are good eating also

 

[Chefthatlikesfishing]

Able to get out yesterday. Couple of unders in 170’ of water at quarry.

Headed over to entrance if Aframe and lost a big boy right by the boat after get tangled in the others side downrigger.

They are still out there! Heading to Pilings in the next couple of days before heading back to Van.

 

[Chefthatlikesfishing]

Pulled a nice 10# out at Quarry this morning. 97’ in 300’ water. Army truck hootchie with similar flasher. Let’s go!!

 

[Howesoundhound]

Never tried jigging for salmon before but would like to try. Anyone have advice on the max size of the herring that should be used? Thanks in advance.

 

[Tighthead]

Never tried jigging for salmon before but would like to try. Anyone have advice on the max size of the herring that should be used? Thanks in advance.

Jigging lead. Mac deep, Mac fish, lil' nib, and/or butterfly (flat fall) in the 1oz to 5 oz range, depending on depth.

 

[Bruno]

Jigging lead. Mac deep, Mac fish, lil' nib, and/or butterfly (flat fall) in the 1oz to 5 oz range, depending on depth.

There's a great forum on sportsfishingbc.com -- just Google high tech jigging and read Waterwolf's suggestions -- first item on the forum from 2017. It works great.

 

[sherrett]

We did a lot of jigging this year through July and August around Epsom and Upwood, especially if you mark fish on the troll and can’t get a bite. We would double back and drop the jigs. Worked lots of times and also gave us a chance at lings. And it entertained the kids if they were bored.

My buddy’s 16 year-old son came fishing for the first time and landed this solid fish on the jig. We’re all getting rigged up. He’s first in the water and all of a sudden, “I think I’ve got something.”



To his credit, he didn’t panic and listened to instructions and brought it in. That was on a green/blue P-Line 3 oz.

The one change I’d suggest for all the jogs I’ve seen is swapping a single gamagatsu size 5 hook for the trebles the jigs ship with. The trebles can bend and break off with big fish.



Got this one off Upwood on a silver / black P-Line 3oz.

Should also mention (in case you’re new to jigging like I was) that getting an open face reel to a really fast action rod with braided line to a barrel swivel to a short ~2’ leader of heavy line like 50 lbs to a snap swivel to change jigs is the ticket. Then count your drop to the bottom to see how fast your jig drops, and use that to guess your depth.

 

[Howesoundhound]

Thanks for all the great jigging advice, fellas. Looking forward to trying that, as well as mooching.

 

[sly_karma]

Use Depth Hunter braided line and there's no guesswork on depth. Made by PowerPro and has a new colour every 25 ft. Agree on the 50 lb stiff Fluoro leader material, works well for preventing tangles.

I too did a lot of jigging during my two weeks around the Secret Cove area. With current and wind moving things around a lot, I found myself almost exclusively using Shimano flat fall jigs in the 160 g (5 oz) size. Has the mass to get deep in a fairly wide range of drift conditions. I didn't see much downside in keeping the heavier jig on if I drifted into shallower water. 130 g was ok as well, but more in and out of gear required on the back troll.

My best session was an afternoon where the coho were stacked at Pirate rock and just kept smashing the flat fall jigs right off the drop. Crazy violent takedowns, especially with all braid and only 30-40 ft down. Not one of the f@#kers was clipped, but such fun fights on the light short Trevala rod so it mattered not.

 

[Netanyahu]

Snuck out in the wind off Epsom yesterday for a quick afternoon look. Lumpy but wife boxed a decent one, one wild Coho in with the mix of unders we released. All on bait 100-125. Hope to try again this weekend if wind permits.

 

[Fasty]

Hi
Up at Egmont
Any tips on where to fish up here?
- it’s beautiful up here

 

[sly_karma]

No posts in 10 days. Is it all over, nothing left but feeders? I might go back to the cabin first week of October; I take it salmon is a dead horse by then?