2015 Gulf Islands Reports

should be a prize for over 20lbs cause the average lings i catch are over 20lbd

I will give you a medal for "top" prize... then I'll help give your head a shake. Focus on the resource and smarts of it all and both you and I will be better off!
 
Hi folks, new poster here. I'm on the mainland, but may head over this week to fish Pender Bluffs or Porlier. Are these good spots this time of year, or are there better ones within reach? Any gear that's a favorite among the locals?

Thanks folks!
 
There is a derby in Sidney this weekend so Pender Bluffs will probably be busy as heck.

Can you get out to the Hump south of Bowen Island?

See the Vancouver/Howe Sound thread if this is attainable.

Apparently bait, the usual glow green spoons, and Nog's Needles have all been taking fish this week.

Cheers.
 
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Thats why your not hearing a lot of reports right now.. Everyone is tight lipped and a lot of good fishermen in this one.. I'll be out sniffing around myself..
 
There is also a derby out of Galiano island this weekend so it's gonna be busy on the water in the gulf islands this weekend! Hope there are a few fish around and the weather is good for everyone's sake.

Pender bluffs will be busy. I'm sure thrasher will as well.
 
Fished the ling opening on May 1st starting at porlier. Got our two lings before 9 oclock and decided to head to Thrasher to fish springs. When we got there, no one else was around. Threw our lines down 150 and 180. Trolled for a bit and checked lines. The 180 line had a pollock on it. Redid everything and changed to 83 and 130. Got a 10 pounder at 83 feet on a kitchen sink. Later on got an undersize followed by a 12 and 13 pounder on a homeland security at 155 feet. All in all a great day. We caught more springs than we did pollack and went home with a full fish tub.
 
Fished the ling opening on May 1st starting at porlier. Got our two lings before 9 oclock and decided to head to Thrasher to fish springs. When we got there, no one else was around. Threw our lines down 150 and 180. Trolled for a bit and checked lines. The 180 line had a pollock on it. Redid everything and changed to 83 and 130. Got a 10 pounder at 83 feet on a kitchen sink. Later on got an undersize followed by a 12 and 13 pounder on a homeland security at 155 feet. All in all a great day. We caught more springs than we did pollack and went home with a full fish tub.

Nice report - thanks!
 
Fished in the Galiano island salmon classic this past weekend out of montague Harbour. Overall the weekend was awesome but it was challenging fishing on Saturday with very strong winds. My boat managed just 1 keeper at Porlier on derby day but not a winning fish.

Yesterday was a different story. The sun was the same but no wind to deal with. Ended up fishing Salamanca pt and we got into a really good bite around noon -2pm. Saw 4 others boats out there and everyone seemed to be getting at least a few cracks at fish. We ended up with 4 legal fish in short order. All on chovies and at/ near bottom. We also released a few unders and missed one other good hit. Too bad it wasn't the derby day but that's how fishing goes.

Big thx to all of the organizers and I think it's safe to say the derby will grow even bigger next year as everyone I spoke to at it had a great time.
 
12Lb red hatchery spring, Salamanca an hour from low slack today, 120' contour, 135' on the down rigger using one of Andrews Sandlance spoons and a new rod and reel that was a gift. Kind of choppy so fairly exciting on my own :)

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Woohooo … caught an 8 and a 20 lb this A.M. along the Grande in 450 ft and 170 ft on the rigger. Never fished along there before but after seeing a few reports and looking at archived forum posts … gave it a whirl and it paid off !!!

Feels much better than last weekends skunk at Thrasher and Porlier and the conditions today vs that day … couldn't have been better … flat as could be.

The 20 lb'r had (2) 4-5" herring(?) in the gut … looked like little salmon to this relative rookie.

Cookies and Cream spoon with a Shock and Awe flasher.
 
Right on Benham congrats! Ya it was an amazing calm day out at the Grande today. I counted over 60 boats between Thrasher and the cliffs before 10:30 AM. People must actually read these reports eh :D :p :cool:
 
Awesome couple days on Gabriola

I spent Friday and this morning over at Gabriola. I moored overnight at Pages in Silva Bay. Friday I spent most of the morning fishing Thrasher without a sniff. Water was pretty choppy crossing over and the wind and water was pretty choppy fishing around Thrasher too. After a while at Thrasher I moved over by the Grande and bit NW of there and worked that area for awhile. I didn't hit anything there for the first hour or so and started fishing more towards the falls by the cliffs; a bit more NW from the Grande. (or what I refer to the Grande-between Thrasher and Silva Bay)
I hit three Springs there all in a short span of time. I tubbed a 17 and 14.5 and released one between 8-10 lbs.
Fridays Springs
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Got up at 4:30 AM Saturday morning, made some fresh coffee and bacon n eggs on the boat, tied up some bait leaders then hit the water at 5:15 AM

Saturday Morning Sunrise in Silva Bay
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My home away from home :)
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Got the lines down at 5:30 AM just NW of Silva Bay
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Didn't hit any fish for a couple hours but I wasn't discouraged cause the tide movement at first light was tiny. The big tide change was gonna start at 8 am so I kept tacking between the falls and Silva Bay. At about 8:10 AM i hit my first nice Spring on a purple/glow Hootchie

Saturday first Spring purple/glow Hootchie
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I lost two more Springs on Herring after that one. One of them was a heavier fish prob in the mid to high 20's.
I didn't hit any more in that area so I worked my way back to just a bit SE of the Flat Tops. At 10 AM I hit another Spring on Herring and tubbed that one. I was limited out and wanted to get home to get some brownie points with the family so that was it for me. An awesome couple days over on the other side. Can't wait to come back! Probably gonna head back over on Monday or Tuesday.

The four Springs; an 18.75, a 17.5, a 14.5 and a 14 lb
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Gotta eat good when fishing! :D
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I was fishing in 500-575 ft of water most of the time. I got all the fish from 70-90' deep. One was on a purple/glow Hootchie but all others were on Herring.

Why I like fishing Herring so much :) The Springs were all stuffed with them
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Hey PE ya man it really was. I enjoy being with buddies and family out on the water a lot too but being solo sometimes is actually really peaceful and for me its kind of healing in a way from getting away from all the hustle n bustle of every day life. Time to chill, gather our thoughts and enjoy mother nature at it's finest.
If you're out n about fishing and you know I'm out there somewhere give me a holler. I usually got the VHF on 88A. I notice you're from Bowen Island. I stay at the Union Steamship over there a lot during earlier Winter/Spring fishing. I love that place!
 
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