GDW...don't send it in..this is nothing new. It is a local parasite that has been around long before the farms. It is not becoming more prolific, I usually get 3 or 4 a season with them,this year 1 so far. I asked researchers (Nanaimo biological research station) who were doing work from my boat long ago and got the low down back then. Call it a fish tick if you like...about the same thing.
Sooke Reports - Spring and Summer 2012
- Thread starter Last Chance
- Start date
Englishman
Well-Known Member
Casper5280,
Your is the second post in a few days reporting a nice spring in nearly 500' of water. Sammyslabber had one a few days ago. Is this a common theme foir this time of year? Is this a new trend for chinook because they are now hanging out with the coho?? Sure beats worrying about hanging the gear on all those damn reefs in the usual spots!! LOL
Lots of springs pass by on the outside. Just less people target them there.
We tend to fish the bays, points and areas where it is shallower and more structure. Smaller area to target. If you are fishing under 100 feet of water you can cover most of it with 2 rods.
Fishing Springs on the outside is a big body of water (and depth) to target. Hard to know where to be and what depth to fish.
I also think the fish on the outside are moving along where the fish in shallower may hang out in an area for a while before moving on.
Tips
We tend to fish the bays, points and areas where it is shallower and more structure. Smaller area to target. If you are fishing under 100 feet of water you can cover most of it with 2 rods.
Fishing Springs on the outside is a big body of water (and depth) to target. Hard to know where to be and what depth to fish.
I also think the fish on the outside are moving along where the fish in shallower may hang out in an area for a while before moving on.
Tips
Rum Buddies
Well-Known Member
Casper5280,
Your is the second post in a few days reporting a nice spring in nearly 500' of water. Sammyslabber had one a few days ago. Is this a common theme foir this time of year? Is this a new trend for chinook because they are now hanging out with the coho?? Sure beats worrying about hanging the gear on all those damn reefs in the usual spots!! LOL
If you spend enough time fishing out in the deeper water you'll hit springs, they are out there for sure. Off Beechy head about 300' of water is more productive then 100' for example.
Sea Ranger
Active Member
I've been out every Saturday for the last 6 weeks and every trip I or at least someone in our boat gets a spring. This last Saturday the only spring we saw was a small undersize one. Trolled mostly Otter point in the morning but stayed in close and didn't go out deep. Lunch time we ran down to Secretery and fished in close with all the other boats and never saw a spring. I saw all the boats out deep and just figured they were fishing for coho. Wolf mentioned last week that the springs should still be out there cause there hasn't been any rain. So where are the springs hiding? I hear of some guys getting some good size springs but I think that over all the springs have not been as large on average this year.
Some times I'm wondering,
Do the springs run with the coho?
Are the springs holding below the coho?
I always thought the springs come up and in closer in the mornings and then in the afternoon they go out and down.... is this true?
Trolling speed comes in to play here too... you troll slower for springs and speed up for coho?(I'm not talking about bucktailing which by the way I haven't heard a lot of.)
Put in the hours, cover lots of ground try different depths... make sure to have the right bait at the right speed in the right spot and hold your tongue just right.... you might still get a spring over 20 pounds. For something that looks black and white catching fish sure has a lot of grey areas in it....lol.... Steve.
Some times I'm wondering,
Do the springs run with the coho?
Are the springs holding below the coho?
I always thought the springs come up and in closer in the mornings and then in the afternoon they go out and down.... is this true?
Trolling speed comes in to play here too... you troll slower for springs and speed up for coho?(I'm not talking about bucktailing which by the way I haven't heard a lot of.)
Put in the hours, cover lots of ground try different depths... make sure to have the right bait at the right speed in the right spot and hold your tongue just right.... you might still get a spring over 20 pounds. For something that looks black and white catching fish sure has a lot of grey areas in it....lol.... Steve.
sammyslabber
Active Member
As stated if you have fished long enough you'll catch springs just about everywhere. Think about it they fish the outer banks off of Renny, Tofino, the Juan de Fuca strait is a fish highway
The past weekend
Went out on friday to the 500 foot range straight out of sooke got into lots of coho but managed only one small hatchery. Went out again yesterday same place caught a small spring no luck for coho then moved closer to secretary and ran into a bunch of hatchery coho. Seemed to be swimming together, other boats were keeping them so it look like everyone was getting hatchery. Not like Friday where it looked like one in 7 was hatchery.
Went out on friday to the 500 foot range straight out of sooke got into lots of coho but managed only one small hatchery. Went out again yesterday same place caught a small spring no luck for coho then moved closer to secretary and ran into a bunch of hatchery coho. Seemed to be swimming together, other boats were keeping them so it look like everyone was getting hatchery. Not like Friday where it looked like one in 7 was hatchery.
Respectably high five...this is not weird stuff. Seriously this would be like going to emerg for a cold. This is a naturally occurring parasite that Coho can have and have had for a long long time. They will continue to have it as well. It is not a health concern to Coho that have it any more than athletes foot is to humans.
High Five...re Harrison fish...did I say it was a Cowichan fish? No I basically said it could be a fish from anywhere. There are only a couple of runs of fish that I see every year (at exactly the same time) that I feel knowledgeable and confident enough to say where they originate. This fish didn't fall into either of those two recognizable runs. When it comes to Harrison fish it has NOTHING to do with how they fight over other springs that may be swimming with them. So sorry I don't have Jedi super powers as someone else suggested. BTW Wolf 95% sure they were Harrison you caught. They showed up off the Victoria breakwater a few days later. (up to 40 pounds) I do have over 40 years of fishing experience in Juan De Fuca and can pick up distinct features that give me clues. Do all springs look alike? NO, some are long, short, big head, small head, small eye set far back, big back spots, few tail spots, heavy tail spotting, normal adipose fin, larger adipose fin. By the time you get into Sept when these fish migrate by us are there still dozens of runs mixed in with them that they could be? NO very few runs left. Are there any hatchery marked Harrison springs? I've never caught one, so they are always wild. Are these fish going to be as dark (in general) as local Sooke or southern Island springs? No, usually as chrome as a July fish. All I predicted was that it was NOT a Harrison (white) fish, and I was bang on.
Last edited by a moderator:
scott craven
Well-Known Member
I believe you are correct Pro.
Springs do not all appear the same, and after many years experience of
fishing and reading about the characteristic's of distinct runs I think you can identify
them within reason.
The Harrisons's, (Pitt/Vedder) whites are still chrome because they still have a long way to go
unlike the few local's which are darkening because they are close to the end of the road.
Springs do not all appear the same, and after many years experience of
fishing and reading about the characteristic's of distinct runs I think you can identify
them within reason.
The Harrisons's, (Pitt/Vedder) whites are still chrome because they still have a long way to go
unlike the few local's which are darkening because they are close to the end of the road.
tigerprawn
Active Member
Just to let you all know this parasite is very common in Coho. I have seen it in Sooke, Goldstream and Nitinat stock. As Profisher said it is like a tick and enters under the scales. The meat is not infected but I would not eat the skin. LOL
Sea Ranger
Active Member
I was hoping to get an answer for these questions..... anyone???
Here are your answers:
Do the springs run with the coho? - SOMETIMES
Are the springs holding below the coho? - SOMETIMES
I always thought the springs come up and in closer in the mornings and then in the afternoon they go out and down.... is this true?- SOMETIMES
Trolling speed comes in to play here too... you troll slower for springs and speed up for coho?(I'm not talking about bucktailing which by the way I haven't heard a lot of.) - SOMETIMES
= )
Tips
Do the springs run with the coho? - SOMETIMES
Are the springs holding below the coho? - SOMETIMES
I always thought the springs come up and in closer in the mornings and then in the afternoon they go out and down.... is this true?- SOMETIMES
Trolling speed comes in to play here too... you troll slower for springs and speed up for coho?(I'm not talking about bucktailing which by the way I haven't heard a lot of.) - SOMETIMES
= )
Tips
scott craven
Well-Known Member
I think what Tips is saying is that fishing is not a predictable science.
Often the fish change depths , bite times change, color preference changes.
What worked well yesterday may not work today.
Often the fish change depths , bite times change, color preference changes.
What worked well yesterday may not work today.
LMC
Member
came across this story in times colonist :
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/removal+could+salmon+critics/7258232/story.html
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/removal+could+salmon+critics/7258232/story.html
Lipripper
Active Member
Pretty sad isn't it. They also pulled the steelhead enhancement last year.
Sea Ranger
Active Member
Well that helps to clear things up...lol. I did some site surfing and found a thread that was very informative. It talks a lot about bait, some guys say to match the bait thats out there and some guys swear by.... bigger baits catch bigger fish and what works here might not work in other places. I have always wanted to troll a big herring with out a flasher, troll it deep in close to shore first thing in the morning. A glow bloody nose head or a green glow head. Will troll it slow with a tight roll. Now I don't know how successful I'll be but its worth a try. Is this set up something that the guides would use around here???? I don't think I'll ever be as good as some of the guys on this site when it comes to fishing but that doesn't mean the big one isn't out there with my name on it. On a side note I'm learning as much from this site as Englishman and I value the info gained from here. So if you want a good read try: http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum/showthread.php?18013-Large-Salmon
fish stalker
Active Member
Sicking. I hadent heard. Read up a bit more that I missed earlyer this year. http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum...als-Galvanize-to-Battle-Stupid-DFO-Move/page4 There must be something else going on logging and development plans I would guess. I really feel I should go back to school and get into oceans and science so I can try and make a difference. I would assume people who do do for the love and must feel extremely frustrated when there hands get tied on inside political dealings. Do we not have any ethical people in power anymore.
