2023 OFFISHALL Vancouver-Howe Sound-Sechelt Reports Thread

[Daveroo]

Lol, it sure does look like they are in the sanctuary from that view. Cool show either way. Never gets old.

Ha Ha. I thought the exact same thing. They at least seem to know where they are supposed to be.

 

[Tinny]

Adipose fin could make a decent key chain holder.

LOL. You've got my nomination for quote of the year.

Got out to the Bell this afternoon for a solo fish. Went 2 for 3 and landed a 75cm red and and 80cm white. Forgot how hard it is to solo land a fish! One hit on anchovy at 55', two on skinny G at 70' The one on the anchovy was odd in that this is the second time this has happened to me in the last week. I see a small tug, but it doesn't stick so after a brief wait I start reeling in to check the bait. BAM. Fish on. I suspect they are tail slapping them and then instinctively hit them when the anchovy tries to "escape".

 

[Maxpri]

Ha Ha. I thought the exact same thing. They at least seem to know where they are supposed to be.

Maybe that’s why nobody understands DFO regs, they’re being broadcast in whale instead of English

 

[Brett83]

I went out yesterday. I was solo, my partner's/father/boat driver is out for a while. Got a spring around 1000am. Around 13# on a plug at 65 feet. Then a bunch of wild coho, followed by a nice hatchery coho. Then it died right down until 330pm. Then it was on fire, got my second spring 15#, on herring at 65'. Then the other line went off as soon as I boxed it. Released a mid teen spring, on herring @ 65'. Put the coho gear down, coho killers at 40' and trolled faster. Bang double header lost one and released another chinook and got out of there with three and a spectacular whale show.

 

[A-a-Ron]

LOL. You've got my nomination for quote of the year.

Got out to the Bell this afternoon for a solo fish. Went 2 for 3 and landed a 75cm red and and 80cm white. Forgot how hard it is to solo land a fish! One hit on anchovy at 55', two on skinny G at 70' The one on the anchovy was odd in that this is the second time this has happened to me in the last week. I see a small tug, but it doesn't stick so after a brief wait I start reeling in to check the bait. BAM. Fish on. I suspect they are tail slapping them and then instinctively hit them when the anchovy tries to "escape".

2 of our fish did that same thing yesterday… although I wasn’t reeling it up I just lift my gear a bit after that happens. Also, I move my gear quite a bit when the bite is slow, up 10’ down 10’ etc. and I’ll get hits within 30 seconds of moving it. Same idea, the chase triggers the bite.

 

[RiverBoy]

Not sure if it’s appropriate but there’s a significant number of Bigg’s Orcas (mammal eater) in the Nanaimo - Parksville - Ladysmith area. Maybe it’s that pod? I saw lots of seals on opening day.

do they take requests? we got “sea lioned “ the other night in CR

 

[Blueback]

LOL. You've got my nomination for quote of the year.

Got out to the Bell this afternoon for a solo fish. Went 2 for 3 and landed a 75cm red and and 80cm white. Forgot how hard it is to solo land a fish! One hit on anchovy at 55', two on skinny G at 70' The one on the anchovy was odd in that this is the second time this has happened to me in the last week. I see a small tug, but it doesn't stick so after a brief wait I start reeling in to check the bait. BAM. Fish on. I suspect they are tail slapping them and then instinctively hit them when the anchovy tries to "escape".

That's how it went for the fish I caught on herring. Tail slapping! Interesting!

 

[samba123]

Anyone having success for chinooks this morning at sandheads? Seems like the bite has turned off compared to last few days during morning

 

[High Time]

Not unusual for the bite to drop off after a serious visit the day before by the Orcas. They get a instant urge to migrate up the river or disappear offshore.Sometimes a couple days to regroup.

 

[scotty]

Not unusual for the bite to drop off after a serious visit the day before by the Orcas. They get an instant urge to migrate up the river or disappear offshore.Sometimes a couple days to regroup.

Hopefully by Friday they will poke their heads back around

 

[The Weasel]

Currently at SH

3 Seine boats in the area.
14 pinks to the boat so far.
Flat calm
Been here since 3:30pm

 

[tubber]

It's a quota-based pink only fishery for the seines. The fishers are trying to make a few bucks on a run that is 3 times larger than anticipated. Nice avatar.

 

[Digger]

Fished SH today from 8-2
Managed to get a 22 lb white and a 12lbs red
Caught a few wild coho
Too many pinks
One dogfish

Everything caught on small herring
No love for the white hooch or the chovy

 

[Digger]

Forgot to mention that all coho were released successfully

 

[MR fisher]

Fished SH today from 8-2
Managed to get a 22 lb white and a 12lbs red
Caught a few wild coho
Too many pinks
One dogfish

Everything caught on small herring
No love for the white hooch or the chovy

I had about 3 hours fishing SH last night. I was shocked that my chovies didn't get touched the whole time. All my action on a white hoochie and a few bites on a blue/silver skinny G. The chovies crushed everything for me a week ago.

 

[Forza]

Fished Ambleside 1600-1900 today. Was tyee hunting and focused on 90-130 feet of water between the mouth and pink apartments but no joy. Time was almost up so we changed to 70-90 feet of water near the mouth, got a few hits and bonked a 14lb red off of the totem jetty.

 

[Morty]

Yesterday, got to SH at 11:00 to avaoid the forecasted rain (didn't happen). Four unsuccessful hours there in the Green Can area. 1 Pink boxed, 1 tail-hooked unclipped Coho released, 1 Grilse, 1 Spiny Dogfish. Decided to troll to T-10. By the time we got 1/2 way we had 2 more nice Pinks, and 12, 16, & 20lb Chinook in the box. Caught the 20 far away from the fleet in flat calm water so we pulled the other gear and shut the motor off. (THIS was great 'fishing'). It was a 'submarine', took long runs, and stayed down all the way to the boat. It actually took a few minutes AT the boat before we could even see the flasher. By then we were tired of fighting fish and called it a day. All fish caught on 3-1/2" spoon, green&silver bucktail, red&silver bucktail. 87' & 105' on the wire.

I'm not fishing bait anymore: too expensive, too much time wrestling treble hooks out of fish (and net mesh), too much time re-baiting and getting gear back down. With 'hardware' we simply: pop the hook, check it for bents or nicks in the leader, and get it back in the water. (if nicked or bent, just clip on a new pre-tie) After that, deal with the fish.

 

[sushieater]

Fished SH 11-3 on monday. Slow for us. Didn't see many nets out. Released 4 grisle, a dogfish, and a barely undersized spring. We were happy to come home w/ a small, but legal, red spring and a pink. Pink on tiny anchovy at 100', spring on large spoon at 39'.

 

[Pineapple Express]

20lb Chinook in the box. Caught the 20 far away from the fleet in flat calm water so we pulled the other gear and shut the motor off. (THIS was great 'fishing'). It was a 'submarine', took long runs, and stayed down all the way to the boat. It actually took a few minutes AT the boat before we could even see the flasher.

Nice report! Was this 20lb a white spring?

 

[Morty]

Nice report! Was this 20lb a white spring?

It was red. Considering the skin colour, i was surprised it was red.