Victoria 2013 Reports

[Swell Ride]

Hi all,
New to forum, but not to fishing. Lots of great info and knowledge sharing on here so hats off to you all.

Im posting due to cravens tape worm encounter. I also cleaned a 8 lbs hatch chinook last week with a MONSTER tape worm ...also caught on the flats. The fish also seemed healthy,...but this worm took up the majority of space in the fishes gut. Ive seen smaller worms in the past but nothing like this...this thing was a mass of slithering ball on the cleaning table. Like other things we notice,.ie increases in sea lice,...might be smart to keep tabs on this.
Info from the web on salmon tape worm: Life cycle of the tape worm occurs in the stream,...salmon fry eat tape worm larvae from bear scat,.....bear eat returning salmon,....or even sewage sludge disperses, tape worm larve and eggs, which are then eaten by feed of salmon (shrimp, sandlace etc) ,..cycle continues.

 

[jaymasta]

Looks pretty good for oak bay Hali fishing tomorrow, i am going to attempt to drift yet again as long as the wind keeps down

 

[jeffywestcoast]

Good luck Jaymasta, hammer one of them flat bellies for me!

 

[Dave S]

Went out yesterday by myself. Headed to the flats. Fish on within 10 minutes. Seal grabbed it while I was bringing it in and I turned the boat towards the seal after it popped up about 100' back. Played a bit of tug o war before it let go. I was about 4lb salmon but it was pretty messed up around the tail and jaw so I took it. Not much action after that until a big hit that just kept running. Chased this thing in the boat forever. It came to the surface, then went back down. Kept heading east into the ebb and it would let me gain some on it then gone again. Spooled me down to the knot attaching line to reel TWICE! It took me into the south end of the gap, and it was too much for me to drive boat and man rod. Think it may have broke off on downrigger line of a small zodiac fisherman that was just by the gap. 25 lb test and I put it to the test. Surprised it didn't bust off earlier with the pressure I was putting on it to bring this thing in. Any ideas what it could have been? No head shakes but definite runs and some heavy flex rod pump. Maybe a tailed salmon? Was about 45 minutes of **** show.

 

[Rockfish]

Went out yesterday by myself. Headed to the flats. Fish on within 10 minutes. Seal grabbed it while I was bringing it in and I turned the boat towards the seal after it popped up about 100' back. Played a bit of tug o war before it let go. I was about 4lb salmon but it was pretty messed up around the tail and jaw so I took it. Not much action after that until a big hit that just kept running. Chased this thing in the boat forever. It came to the surface, then went back down. Kept heading east into the ebb and it would let me gain some on it then gone again. Spooled me down to the knot attaching line to reel TWICE! It took me into the south end of the gap, and it was too much for me to drive boat and man rod. Think it may have broke off on downrigger line of a small zodiac fisherman that was just by the gap. 25 lb test and I put it to the test. Surprised it didn't bust off earlier with the pressure I was putting on it to bring this thing in. Any ideas what it could have been? No head shakes but definite runs and some heavy flex rod pump. Maybe a tailed salmon? Was about 45 minutes of **** show.

Had that happen once and it eventually came up and turned out to be a large seal hooked we think in the mouth. It had either grabbed the bait directly or hit a salmon right after hookup and got itself hooked, and if so the salmon was long gone. Both of us took turns fighting it until we learned what it was and it was like trying to stop a freight train. The nuckle buster reel ended up damaged and our hands were banged up and sore. It eventually went up onto the outside of Secretary by the outer reef and broke us off. It is also possible you got a large Halibut as I have had even small ones make a good initial run on salmon gear.

 

[Jacob's Ladder]

When I was in the flats this morning I was surronded by a half dozen seals. One of the reasons why I left. Even if I did hook up I think I would have been doing the Dave S shuffle. Sorry to hear that Dave. Too bad you didnt get a glimpse.


JL

 

[zed]

Similar thing happened to me two weeks ago at Constance - an epic battle - and it turned out to be a mouth hooked seal. I was bouncing bottom and got a strike. There was a short run then a very long and steady one with a few head shakes. I thought it was a large halibut. After a long battle and chasing down the line (two of us on the boat) it came to the surface a ways from the boat and I thought it got spooked by a seal at the surface because it dove to what seemed to be the bottom again. We played this game again twice before I realized it actually was the seal that reappeared on the surface - I saw the flasher draped across its back when it surfaced suspiciously at the exact same time as I finally dragged the line up again. Cut the line. Like rockfish my hands were banged up and the drag is hooped. I have had seals steal fish many times but never at hook-up before, usually close to the surface. I was dragging a squirt, so I don't think the seal grabbed the tackle, but who knows?

 

[Dave S]

Hmmm, maybe it was a seal. It had some rediculously hard and fast runs that if I did jam my hand in the reel, would have been a lot of hurt. I was running chovie so maybe...... Makes me feel better. I don't think a halibut would have ran into the current like that and also came to the surface right away. Maybe I just didn't see the seal pop it's head up before it went for a swim again, and again, and again.......

 

[scott craven]

When I was in the flats this morning I was surronded by a half dozen seals. One of the reasons why I left. Even if I did hook up I think I would have been doing the Dave S shuffle. Sorry to hear that Dave. Too bad you didnt get a glimpse.


JL

Seal are real bad on the flats, lost a nice mid teener wed, and another one yesterday to the
bugger's
takes the fun out of it for sure

 

[scott craven]

Just a reminder that wild (unmarked) Spring measuring 85cm or less can be kept effective tomorrow June 15
85cm = 34" = approx 15lbs

Effective 00:01 hours June 15, 2013 until 23:59 hours July 19, 2013 in Subareas
19-1 to 19-4 and Subarea 20-5 (those waters near Victoria between Cadboro Point
to Sheringham Point), the daily limit is two (2) chinook salmon per day which
may be wild or hatchery marked less than 85 cm or hatchery marked greater than
85 cm in length.

 

[Bugs]

OB Flats after work for two hours. One little 5 lb hatch on a straight Chovy and no other bites. The seals followed us but missed their chance. Saw the only other boat out there pick up one decent looking fish. Tight lines for the weekend.

 

[Gerry]

Launched at Esquimalt at 0415, anchored and fishing by 0500. Fishing was done by 0815. Tally was; 3 dogfish, 1 ratfish, 2 hali lost, and 1 hali in the boat. Pretty good morning, especially because I was on my own, couldn't find anyone to go fishing with me.

 

[Jacob's Ladder]

Left the dock at 530 ish to constance. Everyone was catching fish around me till...., Whamo. finally our only hit. turned out to be a 16.6 lb hatchery columbian (football). yes.

lots of boats with multiple fish caught. i believe the hali was good too. our salmon had humongous and midsize needlefish jn the belly. it also had mulitple tape worms in the stomach. which was weird as i had never noticed th before and it was metioned on this thread a couple of days ago by r.s.c.

The fish was 84 to 85 cm long and 55 cm wide( again it was hatchery so the length was not an issue. thought i would advise of weight and length as a reference)

My lil sister with the fish. she didnt catch it but she took the best picture.




JL

 

[kayladog]

launched at Cattle point 6:30 and fished the flats til 10:30 with no action except couple cod, moved to Constance where we picked up a nice 12lb wild Spring, that would have had to release the day before. Thankful for the 85cm reg change. Fished til 1:00 with no other bites. Didn't see much else being caught today.

 

[jarettv]

Nice fish JL! A great early season football. I'm wondering if you were still dragging bottom for it or if it was up in a higher water column? Thanks in advance

 

[Jacob's Ladder]

Nice fish JL! A great early season football. I'm wondering if you were still dragging bottom for it or if it was up in a higher water column? Thanks in advance

We were off the bottom with a coho killer.

JL

 

[poet1971]

Was out yesterday and got very little action while trolling. Decided to go out and jig the bottom. At least I didn't go home skunked. Got me a nice, edible 39 inch (100cm), 20 lbs ling. at least I'll eat.

 

[Bugs]

Braved the looming squall for a quick after work shot on the flats tonight. Hooked up just off bottom on a tiger prawn hootchy.... wife on the rod, nasty cross wind... the fish was strangely straight down and as the wind pushed us over it wrapped around both downrigger cables (fortunately braid not steel). Believe it or not i actually did this for a living once but I can still make a royal mess. by the time I got it off the downriggers line was still barking off and it was wrapped around the skeg........ trimmed up, line free, 15 lb halibut squarely in the tail with the hoochy hooks. Dropped again and picked up an 11lb hatchery spring on a straight chovy above a dummy flasher, then the rain started and with it the window closed.

Good times for a Victoria Monday after work.

 

[rockdog]

Anyone been out to Constance lately? I'm gonna head out tomorrow.

 

[rockdog]

Nice Ling Poet!!