M
Mortician
Guest
I was just reading this report...wondering what these spoons look like?
Spoons have been very effective at times and the Cop Car, Salmon Cruiser and Kitchen Sink
Salt Water Fishing for March 09
Overview
Fishing was GOOD overall for winter springs. However, a slot size restriction has been put in place. Effective March 11th through May 15th you can only retain spring salmon between 45 to 67 cm in length when fishing between Cadboro Point and Sheringham Point. Halibut fishing is GOOD and anglers have been getting fish up to 144 lbs! There have been changes to both the daily limit and possession limits for 2008, so be sure you learn the changes before you go out.
Sooke
Salmon fishing was GOOD for winter springs. Most anglers caught springs, mostly in the 7 to 9 lb range. Some boats even had limits of salmon. Garry Garrington caught a 27 lb spring off the Sooke Bluffs last week, the biggest one of the week for the south Island. Just like last week, the springs were being caught off the Bluffs near the Trailer Park and by Otter Point. The best depths have been from 115 to 150 feet. The best plastic baits to try are the Tiger Prawn, Glo Below or White hootchies or squirts. The best flashers have been the Silver/Green and the Jellyfish. With spoons try Army Truck, Mongoose or a Green/Glow color combinations with 4”, Gypsies, Titans and Coyotes. Anchovies are still catching fish and for teaser heads try Rhys Davis Anchovy Specials or JDF Teasers in Army Truck or Purple Haze.
HALIBUT Halibut fishing is OPEN but we haven’t heard of any coming from Sooke yet. . Extra Large herring and/or Octopus are the most popular baits. However, if the dogfish become a nuisance, you can use Mudraker or Lucky Jigs or the Glow in the Dark bullet Jigs.
Becher Bay
Salmon fishing was SLOW this past week. Most of the salmon have been small (3 to 7 lbs) and coming from Whirl Bay to the Bedford Islands. The fish have been close to the bottom in 160 or more of water. Very few fish were coming from the inside of Frazer Island between the island and the Flag Pole. Anchovy and herring are the popular baits these days for winter springs. Purple Haze gear (flashers, teaser heads, squirts and hootchies) has been producing well recently and would be a good bet. If you fish spoons, try Mongoose or Green/Glow color patterns. In plastic baits, Purple Haze and White hootchies have been effective. The Cricket squirt has also been good. The most productive flasher was the Purple Haze. Crabbing has been slow in the bay.
Pedder Bay
Salmon fishing was GOOD this past weekend. A lot of the action was coming from Pedder Bay, where anglers were getting springs near the Can Buoy. Most of the fish were smallish, around 5 to 10 lbs, but a few bigger ones were caught. Chris Veitch pulled a 27.3 lb spring from near the Can Buoy this past Sunday. He caught the fish on anchovy fished in a Red/Gold/Chrome Anchovy Special. There was some action in Whirl Bay and around Church Rock, but again, most of the fish were small, from 3 to 6 lbs in size. Anglers trolling bait should use medium anchovy or herring in Chrome, Purple Haze or Glow teaser heads. The best flashers have been the Purple Haze and the Jellyfish. If you prefer to fish artificial bait, give Mongoose, Green/Glow or Army Truck 4” or 5” Coyote, Gypsies or Titan spoons a try. For plastic baits, Cricket, Purple Haze or White hootchies and squirts are good for springs.
HALIBUT Halibut fishing was GOOD this past weekend. Extra Large herring and/or Octopus are the most popular baits. However, if the dogfish become a nuisance, you can use Mudraker or Lucky Jigs or the Glow in the Dark bullet Jigs
Victoria Waterfront
Fishing was GOOD this past week. Both Constance and the Waterfront produced fish. At Constance Bank, anglers reported that the salmon were close to the bottom and that the seals were still a problem. Many of the fish there were in the mid teens in size. Closer in, Albert Head, Esquimalt, Brotchie Ledge and Clover Point all produced well at times. Again the fish were close to the bottom feeding on needlefish and small herring. Anchovy or Strip fished close to the bottom seems to be producing more hits than spoons or plastics. Good flashers have been the Red/Glow and the Purple/Glow Hot Spots and Oki’s. Plastic baits such as Cricket, Tiger Prawn or Purple Haze squirts fished behind White Glow or Purple Haze flashers have been catching fish too, especially if the fish are deep. Spoons have been very effective at times and the Cop Car, Salmon Cruiser, Kitchen Sink and Mongoose patterns have been the best. There have also been reports of good herring fishing by the Admirals Road Bridge on the ebb tides.
HALIBUT Constance Bank was GOOD for halibut this past weekend. Several boats got limits. Neale Smith got a pleasant surprise while trolling a Coyote spoon along the waterfront for salmon when a 44.5 lb halibut grabbed the spoon. Most of the fish were in the 30 to 40 lb size range. Extra Large herring and/or Octopus are the most popular baits. However, if the dogfish become a nuisance, you can use Mudraker or Lucky Jigs or the Glow in the Dark bullet Jigs.
Oak Bay
Fishing was GOOD this past week. We’ve had reports of springs up to 10 lbs taken from the Gap and fish up to 18 lbs from the Flats. Scott Craven caught a 10 lb hatchery spring and released two others just off the Gap. Scott was fishing at 110 feet with a Mint Tulip squirt. The best depths to fish have been from 100 to 150 feet and you should fish close to bottom around the ledges and reefs. If you use bait, try small anchovies in Glow teaser heads. Also effective are squirts in Mint Tulip, J-79, or Purple Haze colors. Smaller Spoons such as 3.5” or 4” Watermelon and Cop Car Coyote spoons are always a favorite in Oak Bay at this time of year.
Spoons have been very effective at times and the Cop Car, Salmon Cruiser and Kitchen Sink
Salt Water Fishing for March 09
Overview
Fishing was GOOD overall for winter springs. However, a slot size restriction has been put in place. Effective March 11th through May 15th you can only retain spring salmon between 45 to 67 cm in length when fishing between Cadboro Point and Sheringham Point. Halibut fishing is GOOD and anglers have been getting fish up to 144 lbs! There have been changes to both the daily limit and possession limits for 2008, so be sure you learn the changes before you go out.
Sooke
Salmon fishing was GOOD for winter springs. Most anglers caught springs, mostly in the 7 to 9 lb range. Some boats even had limits of salmon. Garry Garrington caught a 27 lb spring off the Sooke Bluffs last week, the biggest one of the week for the south Island. Just like last week, the springs were being caught off the Bluffs near the Trailer Park and by Otter Point. The best depths have been from 115 to 150 feet. The best plastic baits to try are the Tiger Prawn, Glo Below or White hootchies or squirts. The best flashers have been the Silver/Green and the Jellyfish. With spoons try Army Truck, Mongoose or a Green/Glow color combinations with 4”, Gypsies, Titans and Coyotes. Anchovies are still catching fish and for teaser heads try Rhys Davis Anchovy Specials or JDF Teasers in Army Truck or Purple Haze.
HALIBUT Halibut fishing is OPEN but we haven’t heard of any coming from Sooke yet. . Extra Large herring and/or Octopus are the most popular baits. However, if the dogfish become a nuisance, you can use Mudraker or Lucky Jigs or the Glow in the Dark bullet Jigs.
Becher Bay
Salmon fishing was SLOW this past week. Most of the salmon have been small (3 to 7 lbs) and coming from Whirl Bay to the Bedford Islands. The fish have been close to the bottom in 160 or more of water. Very few fish were coming from the inside of Frazer Island between the island and the Flag Pole. Anchovy and herring are the popular baits these days for winter springs. Purple Haze gear (flashers, teaser heads, squirts and hootchies) has been producing well recently and would be a good bet. If you fish spoons, try Mongoose or Green/Glow color patterns. In plastic baits, Purple Haze and White hootchies have been effective. The Cricket squirt has also been good. The most productive flasher was the Purple Haze. Crabbing has been slow in the bay.
Pedder Bay
Salmon fishing was GOOD this past weekend. A lot of the action was coming from Pedder Bay, where anglers were getting springs near the Can Buoy. Most of the fish were smallish, around 5 to 10 lbs, but a few bigger ones were caught. Chris Veitch pulled a 27.3 lb spring from near the Can Buoy this past Sunday. He caught the fish on anchovy fished in a Red/Gold/Chrome Anchovy Special. There was some action in Whirl Bay and around Church Rock, but again, most of the fish were small, from 3 to 6 lbs in size. Anglers trolling bait should use medium anchovy or herring in Chrome, Purple Haze or Glow teaser heads. The best flashers have been the Purple Haze and the Jellyfish. If you prefer to fish artificial bait, give Mongoose, Green/Glow or Army Truck 4” or 5” Coyote, Gypsies or Titan spoons a try. For plastic baits, Cricket, Purple Haze or White hootchies and squirts are good for springs.
HALIBUT Halibut fishing was GOOD this past weekend. Extra Large herring and/or Octopus are the most popular baits. However, if the dogfish become a nuisance, you can use Mudraker or Lucky Jigs or the Glow in the Dark bullet Jigs
Victoria Waterfront
Fishing was GOOD this past week. Both Constance and the Waterfront produced fish. At Constance Bank, anglers reported that the salmon were close to the bottom and that the seals were still a problem. Many of the fish there were in the mid teens in size. Closer in, Albert Head, Esquimalt, Brotchie Ledge and Clover Point all produced well at times. Again the fish were close to the bottom feeding on needlefish and small herring. Anchovy or Strip fished close to the bottom seems to be producing more hits than spoons or plastics. Good flashers have been the Red/Glow and the Purple/Glow Hot Spots and Oki’s. Plastic baits such as Cricket, Tiger Prawn or Purple Haze squirts fished behind White Glow or Purple Haze flashers have been catching fish too, especially if the fish are deep. Spoons have been very effective at times and the Cop Car, Salmon Cruiser, Kitchen Sink and Mongoose patterns have been the best. There have also been reports of good herring fishing by the Admirals Road Bridge on the ebb tides.
HALIBUT Constance Bank was GOOD for halibut this past weekend. Several boats got limits. Neale Smith got a pleasant surprise while trolling a Coyote spoon along the waterfront for salmon when a 44.5 lb halibut grabbed the spoon. Most of the fish were in the 30 to 40 lb size range. Extra Large herring and/or Octopus are the most popular baits. However, if the dogfish become a nuisance, you can use Mudraker or Lucky Jigs or the Glow in the Dark bullet Jigs.
Oak Bay
Fishing was GOOD this past week. We’ve had reports of springs up to 10 lbs taken from the Gap and fish up to 18 lbs from the Flats. Scott Craven caught a 10 lb hatchery spring and released two others just off the Gap. Scott was fishing at 110 feet with a Mint Tulip squirt. The best depths to fish have been from 100 to 150 feet and you should fish close to bottom around the ledges and reefs. If you use bait, try small anchovies in Glow teaser heads. Also effective are squirts in Mint Tulip, J-79, or Purple Haze colors. Smaller Spoons such as 3.5” or 4” Watermelon and Cop Car Coyote spoons are always a favorite in Oak Bay at this time of year.
