Lost, confused and Now Scared

[Dgsafe]

Okay, I bought a brand new boat, been out several times and always had fun cruising around and sometimes dropping a line or two in the ocean (caught nothing, but managed to lose some gear)
Am I the only newbie that reads through DFO policies, regulations, closures, limits etc. and ends out knowing less when I started?
I have actually gotten to the point that I am afraid to catch a fish, cause I won’t know whether to club it, mark it, throw it back in, or take it home to put in my tank lol
I am having some relatives come over this weekend to try out my brand new ,very expensive gear and do some fishing, I think I should play it safe and just put everything back where I found it’s soon as I catch it, or maybe have one of you guys on speed dial
Any recommendations?

 

[Capt_Ed]

Keep it all and let God sort it out

 

[tinboatrobb]

Where will you be fishing?

 

[WetShoes]

Where are you fishing at?

To make a suggestion, what works for me - learn the areas/subareas from the DFO site.
From there, download the FishingBC app. Input the area you want to fish, the species you're targetting and it's quite straight forward from there. Learn to identify hatchery fish (with a clipped adipose fin) versus wild. Keep a measuring tape (soft cloth one works great on a boat).

Haven't had too much trouble deciphering the saltwater regulations, river fishing is a whole different story..

Good luck.

 

[Dgsafe]

Where will you be fishing?

Probably out by five fingers area, we’re coming out if Brechin, so open to any area around there. I have been with Haida on a charter and had good luck around Ballenas, but open to any recommendations, just need some blood on the boat that isn’t mine !

 

[Dgsafe]

Where are you fishing at?

To make a suggestion, what works for me - learn the areas/subareas from the DFO site.
From there, download the FishingBC app. Input the area you want to fish, the species you're targetting and it's quite straight forward from there. Learn to identify hatchery fish (with a clipped adipose fin) versus wild. Keep a measuring tape (soft cloth one works great on a boat).

Haven't had too much trouble deciphering the saltwater regulations, river fishing is a whole different story..

Good luck.

I do have the fishing app, and I know I’m in area 17, but I guess I fear getting the fish on the boat and stressing it out while I determine if it’s a keeper or not, and the worst fear DFO seizing my boat cause I’m an idiot,and kept something I shouldn’t have.
I heard about this happening last year at Brechin, I guess it put the fear of DFO God in me.
Thanks for the advice

 

[WetShoes]

You should have no prob getting some keepers around Nanaimo right now. You'll get a feel for them when they're on the line which ones might be keepers - once you get em close to the boat you'll be able to tell without getting it out of the water if it's atleast close - if it looks close, get it in the net and throw your tape on it (keeping it in the water) - this is less stress on em than throwing it on the deck and trying to measure there.
Good luck.

 

[Bearded wonder]

It’s pretty simple off Nanaimo in area 17. One chinook wild or hatchery between 62-80 cm per person. 2 coho hatchery over 30 cm. Can’t fish in harbour but you won’t anyways. The app is pretty straight forward. Fingers is the popular spot but don’t forget about Neck Point.

 

[hippaisland]

Okay, I bought a brand new boat, been out several times and always had fun cruising around and sometimes dropping a line or two in the ocean (caught nothing, but managed to lose some gear)
Am I the only newbie that reads through DFO policies, regulations, closures, limits etc. and ends out knowing less when I started?
I have actually gotten to the point that I am afraid to catch a fish, cause I won’t know whether to club it, mark it, throw it back in, or take it home to put in my tank lol
I am having some relatives come over this weekend to try out my brand new ,very expensive gear and do some fishing, I think I should play it safe and just put everything back where I found it’s soon as I catch it, or maybe have one of you guys on speed dial
Any recommendations?

Better to ask then not! Tons of experienced and helpful guys/gals on here. Also worth following some of the local guides on media. Super helpful if your unsure. Pacific Angler posted the regs with nice detailed maps prior to the opening. I’m sure there’s some on your side of the pond that did similar.(if you scroll over on their post it explains the slot limit etc).

 

[Prawn Hub]

If your in area 17 call the DFO Rapp line at 1-800-465-4336 ask to speak be given a local field officer. Last I heard the main supervisor was monte bromley. If that doesn't work could give monte.bromley@dfo-mpo.gc.ca an email or go one step further and contact the area.
Chief - South Coast
Telephone: 250-363-0225
Email: James.McEachern@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Telephone: 250-363-0225
Email: James.McEachern@dfo-mpo.gcca
It's very hard to get contact info for dfO officers unlike the province which has a directory you can use. At the end of the day they are public servants and should be available to talk to.

 

[Thunder21]

It shouldn’t take you long to memorize what is legal if you fish the same areas. The best thing to learn is how to identify the species before it’s right beside the boat and in your net. You’ll be catching mainly Chinook and coho I would think and they look much different in the water. Once you figure that out you’ll be able to make a decent guess whether it fits within the slot. You’ll want to look for the adipose fin in the water also and a lot of times you’ll determine whether it’s a keeper or not without it thrashing around the boat.

 

[pescador]

Perfectly honestly phased question that highlights how our government has turned a simple process into an excercise so complex it needs fishers to have a Phd in Astrophysics and Interpretive Dance. We need spreadsheets to understand sub area nuances, different lengths by species,clipped not clipped, non binary dates, last minute changes, no barbs but ok from ground fish, RCA’s, Resident Orca no fish zones, surfline restrictions on the west coast and so on. All engineered to scare people and encourage them to stop fishing. I would take any fine to court and challenge DFO if they ever issued me anything. Don’t break rules but I understand your frustration in keeping fish. It’s confusing.

 

[ab1752]

One thing about finding aps, they don't seem to dig deep into local restrictions. So, to be 100% safe, make sure you read the local restrictions and even better, learn to decipher the most recent fishery notices for your area. Aps don't seem to have deep integration into the govt systems.

 

[eroyd]

I agree, it is scary. Gov't types seem to thing everyone has the latest technology in their hands, to use apps, GPS mapping etc. Big NOPE. Many of us, especially the older struggle with the basic cell phone and the basic desk top at home. These slot limits, last minute regulations postings, heavily layered gov't websites are killer.

 

[gone fishin]

For the life of me, I don't understand in this day and age of communication why DFO could not arrange a web site where all you had to know was the area number of where you were planning to fish.
You would then enter that area number and see all the up to date information for ALL the rules for ALL species of fish, retention, annual, size limits, closures and speed limits. AND update it regularly with current information.

 

[Local Hali Hunter]

Okay, I bought a brand new boat, been out several times and always had fun cruising around and sometimes dropping a line or two in the ocean (caught nothing, but managed to lose some gear)
Am I the only newbie that reads through DFO policies, regulations, closures, limits etc. and ends out knowing less when I started?
I have actually gotten to the point that I am afraid to catch a fish, cause I won’t know whether to club it, mark it, throw it back in, or take it home to put in my tank lol
I am having some relatives come over this weekend to try out my brand new ,very expensive gear and do some fishing, I think I should play it safe and just put everything back where I found it’s soon as I catch it, or maybe have one of you guys on speed dial
Any recommendations?

Create a picture guide so you can identify what species of salmon you just caught. Take pics of the mouth and tail.

Stand up and better yourself. You're the captain of your boat, either way you its your responsibility.

 

[Brando]

Search your area here.

Pacific Fisheries Management Area maps | Pacific Region | Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Pacific Fisheries Management Area maps

www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Once identified use the top search bar and type the area in “area 17” for example.

BC tidal area 17 - Nanaimo: Recreational fishing limits, openings and closures | Pacific Region | Fisheries and Oceans Canada

BC tidal area 17 - Nanaimo: Recreational fishing limits, openings and closures

www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

while it’s not perfect you should be able to locate most of any information within each area map.

for example under “salmon” tab you can find a management measures resource that shows you the chinook and coho measures in place. Either print or copy the link for this information if you’ll have service to use if you have any questions. You can also make a cheat sheet and keep it with your license for reference. https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/tidal-maree/co-chq/17-chq-eng.pdf

this doesn’t solve all the issues as there are in season closures etc to be concerned with but in all likelyhood it should give you the information you need and if there is a special circumstance you have a document to show the fish cops where you got your information from..

 

[Unreel]

Okay, I bought a brand new boat, been out several times and always had fun cruising around and sometimes dropping a line or two in the ocean (caught nothing, but managed to lose some gear)
Am I the only newbie that reads through DFO policies, regulations, closures, limits etc. and ends out knowing less when I started?
I have actually gotten to the point that I am afraid to catch a fish, cause I won’t know whether to club it, mark it, throw it back in, or take it home to put in my tank lol
I am having some relatives come over this weekend to try out my brand new ,very expensive gear and do some fishing, I think I should play it safe and just put everything back where I found it’s soon as I catch it, or maybe have one of you guys on speed dial
Any recommendations?

2 Things. First, Yes it can seem overwhelming at first with all the restrictions but it is your responsibility to know the rules in the area you are going to fish. Good on you for asking for help. Area 17(Nanaimo) is pretty straight forward, one chinook hatch or non 62-80cm 1 per person. Measure those on a gaff or stick and mark with tape, then when you pull the fish up to the boat you can try and get an eyeball with your measuring stick in the water before netting. Also the measurement is from the tip of the nose to the fork in the tail, not the ends of the tail. There is pretty much zero coho around so 99% chance if you catch a salmon right now it will be a chinook. Look up the Identify Your Catch- Salmon on the dfo site, take screen shots if you want quick access. Black mouth with sharp teeth and spots on the tail are the biggest identifiers, also if it starts pulling line off your reel its probably a chinook lol.

Second, The weather. The area you want to go is going to be hit with 15-25knot NW winds from Sat morning to most likely Monday or Tuesday due to the high pressure ridge building up. Im not sure what size boat you have but i would HIGHLY recommend you dont go out in anything close to that. Unfortunately there is really nowhere to hide and fish from the nw winds. If you still want to get out I would suggest launching from Ladysmith and do some gulf island cruising and maybe drop a line by Tent Island.

I run a charter out of Nanaimo (Unreel Charters), if you want any more info feel free to PM me or you can text me at 250-802-3816, I am out most days right now.
Blake

 

[nicnat]

put some sticky tape on both sides of your boat at 62 cm and 80 cm or cut a couple of sticks to those 2 lengths and you should be able to lean over the side and get a good idea (with the fish in or out of the net) before bringing it aboard if you aren't sure. you should be able to do it without the net.

 

[Dgsafe]

2 Things. First, Yes it can seem overwhelming at first with all the restrictions but it is your responsibility to know the rules in the area you are going to fish. Good on you for asking for help. Area 17(Nanaimo) is pretty straight forward, one chinook hatch or non 62-80cm 1 per person. Measure those on a gaff or stick and mark with tape, then when you pull the fish up to the boat you can try and get an eyeball with your measuring stick in the water before netting. Also the measurement is from the tip of the nose to the fork in the tail, not the ends of the tail. There is pretty much zero coho around so 99% chance if you catch a salmon right now it will be a chinook. Look up the Identify Your Catch- Salmon on the dfo site, take screen shots if you want quick access. Black mouth with sharp teeth and spots on the tail are the biggest identifiers, also if it starts pulling line off your reel its probably a chinook lol.

Second, The weather. The area you want to go is going to be hit with 15-25knot NW winds from Sat morning to most likely Monday or Tuesday due to the high pressure ridge building up. Im not sure what size boat you have but i would HIGHLY recommend you dont go out in anything close to that. Unfortunately there is really nowhere to hide and fish from the nw winds. If you still want to get out I would suggest launching from Ladysmith and do some gulf island cruising and maybe drop a line by Tent Island.

I run a charter out of Nanaimo (Unreel Charters), if you want any more info feel free to PM me or you can text me at 250-802-3816, I am out most days right now.
Blake

Thanks for the great info Blake, it’s a 23 foot Campion and I was hoping to go out early, take my kid over to Newcastle for a few hours and then try and see what the weather brings late in the afternoon. I imagine Northumberland/Dodds channel will be the same.
I got caught last year coming back through Dodds and it wasn’t fun travelling at 5 knots, should have bought a bigger boat
Windy App shows 10-15 knots, maybe I will take your advice and drive to Ladysmith and find a boat launch, hopefully the flags aren’t flying
Thanks again for the awesome advice from this forum, The Best !