Winter Harbour report

[Brokenrod]

Just got back from WH on the ,17,18,19th.The springs were few and far between. The commercial boys were having a tough time of it reporting very low numbers of springs. We worked hard for 3 springs, off shore 150'-170' in 240'-300' of water useing large herring. There were Pilchard in 2 of the 3 fish the other had needle fish in its stomach. The Coho were 50'- 10' limits no prob.The other boats in our party (2 others) had no luck with springs, using plugs, spoons,or hoochies.Chickens were plentiful as usual along with the normal amounts of lings and yellow eye. Very lumpy on Sat. Sun. was pretty good, Mon. was beautiful.
Brokenrod

 

[mikevv]

Thanks for the report. I start fishing on the 28 for 3 days. will report when I get home.
MikeVV

 

[Brokenrod]

br

 

[Brokenrod]

Mike I'll be up there again on the 1st of july for 3 days. Will you still be there? If you are say hi. I'll be in a 21' trophy hard top " seaya ll" Not real sure were we will stay yet.
The springs ranged from 18 lbs. 21, 26. Coho to 11lbs.
Brokenrod

 

[mikevv]

B.R. no we will be gone on the am of July 1, if you are there on the 30 of June, look me up we are staying at Wayne Ridleys fishing charters behind the store. were you out front of the light house for the springs and where did you get the coho at??
Mikevv

 

[Brokenrod]

We got the springs off Lippy 240'-300' of water,down 150'-170' useing large herring. The coho were 50-10 ft same area. We did get a 11 LB coho down 100' with herring. Word was that the week befor there were springs to 30lbs. The commercial boys off of Bamfield area cleaned up on the opening, 9500 fish in several days, the Winter Harbour fishery was extented to the 24th still havn't got there quote of 5500 springs.Seems that the fish that were caught in the south may have been the fish that were in the north the week befor.Hopefully another run will be in by the time you get there.If you are back the 30th let me know how you did, I'll be leaving Sat morning early the 1st.
Good luck
Brokenrod

 

[Brokenrod]

CS That will be great. Will you be in your filthy boat. I remember seeing you up there last year. I believe you are from Courtenay too.
Brokenrod

 

[soundpounder]

BR....did you get down to Lawn at all?? What was happening at Cliffe Pt., Kains, etc.?? Not able to head to my place in PA for a while yet, but I like to keep track so I know what to expect when I get there....Thx

 

[Brokenrod]

Lawn pt, Kains Island & Cliff pt were all pretty slow, a few coho a cfiff pt, not too many boats out yet.
CS what radio channel do you monitor, see you up there.
Brokenrod

 

[North Island]

Fishing at Cliff Pt yesterday listening to all the folks out at Cains singing the blues at the lack of fish. We got 2 nice Coho, all the Springs were small and had to go back. The day before we came back with 3 Coho.

Our best catch though, the rod on the downrigger was bouncing so much, we thought it somehow got hung up in the motor. Stopped and checked, all was well. Tried to pull in the line and it was coming in like an old tire was on the end. When it got to the surface, we were really scratching our heads saying "What is that?!?" Turned out to be a 14" rockfish, with a huge Lingcod's mouth wrapped around it. So we caught the Rockfish with the lure, and caught the Lingcod with the Rockfish. In the end, the Rockfish got away (only long enough for an eagle to swoop down and grab him, but we got the Lingcod. He was 38" long, what a monster.

Taking the day off, company coming, but we'll be back out there tomorrow!

 

[Brokenrod]

Thats great, those big lings are like pit bulls they just don't want to let go. keep the reports coming and good luck.
Brokenrod

 

[battaglino]

I am heading up there the first week of August for a week and I was wondering if there is any shrimping or crabing around winter harbor? This is my first trip and I just hope we don't get blown off everyday. It sounds like there is some decent fishing inside too. Thanks for all the information.

 

[Saltwater Cowboy]

Just returned from winter harbour on Friday was there since tuesday. Great weather small swells, great chicken hali fishing and lot's of lings and snapper. Battled a hali for almost an hour only budging it about 40 feet from the bottom and then it broke the spreader bar it was at least 200lbs so not a good keeper anyways. Spring fishing very slow had a double header of teenagers the first 5 minutes we were there and then lost a couple the rest of the time but didn't spend much time at it mostly concentrated on bottom fish and picked up all our limits on those. Spring fishing was starting to pick up the day we left though so that's good. Fished Lippy Point and straight out from the light house in 250-300ft of water for the hali's. Great trip and looking forward to mid august and some big springs in the sound!

SWC

 

[Brokenrod]

Sounds like you had a good trip. It's good to here that the springs are moving in again, any word on that scene?

 

[Brokenrod]

CS We'll be up sat morning. I'll give you a shout some time Sat afternoon. I'll be on Channel 6. If not see you at happy hour.
Brokenrod

 

[Gomesy]

I just back from 2 days fishing Quatsino Sound. I stayed in Port Alice and we ran out to the mouth of the sound wednesday and thursday. The weather was awesome, the calmest you could get on the outside. We trolled for about 3 hours each day and caught 4 springs on wed and 3 springs, one coho, and one pink on thurs. Largest was 25 pounds. We also did decent for bottom fishing considering we spent very little time fishing them. Didn't see many other people with fish. Most people we spoke to had only 1 or none. We were fishing 120 to 140 feet on the downriggers so more like 60 to 80 feet actual depth in about 180 feet of water with small herring in a teaser head and no flasher. We tried spoons as well with no success.