2017 Victoria and Oak Bay Reports

I hear you but this particular one had the genes for a 5 year old and should have therefore packed more meat on due to the longer ocean stay. The longer in the salt the bigger they grow. But it stayed as small as a 3 year old. My guess is food shortage.
 
I think you have to consider the genes involved. Unless they're selecting for large fish at the hatchery, you'll get a mix across the population that corresponds to the contributing parents' sizes. A few years back, it appears, such an approach was taken on the inside - Quinsam? I don't know details, sorry - and this year they had the best results in a long time at the Tyee Club: 44 tyee when I checked last. Coincidence?

That said, I have no knowledge of feed abundance "out there", and it is quite likely a factor.

Hi megabite :)
 
Hi I am away on vacation and looking at our web cams and it looks like a great day. I am looking forward to some winter fishing on my return. Any Fishing reports? I also wonder about prawning opportunities out front the last couple of crab traps Had at Willows had a few shrimp in them?
Tight lines
Tom
 
Thanks for the update! May I ask what depth you were finding them and what lures you were getting them to bite?
Cheers
 
Fished from 12:30 to 3:30 today. Grandson reeled in a 6lb hatchery Only hit of the day. Just off of brochie,,,near the bottom in 120ft of water.. Spoke to a guy who caught one, same size, same area but at 80ft.
 

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Saw a large Boston Walter at Constance a few weeks back with an islander logo on each side. Is islander reels doing fishing charters? Sure looked like they were keeping some awfully small fish... I'd be surprised if they were even legal.
 
Talked to a guy a couple of weeks ago he said islander bought a 30 Boston whaler with a couple big verados on the back and was going to start chartering
 
[QUOTE="Cmiles, post: 853941, member: 9135"]Talked to a guy a couple of weeks ago he said islander bought a 30 Boston whaler with a couple big verados on the back and was going to start chartering[/QUOTE]
another post today...
"Got out Saturday for the first time in a few weeks. Ended up with 2 trips morning and afternoon. Lots of fish all day. It didn't seem to matter where you were from the bluffs down to Wells O Weary. We hit fish everywhere between those two points. Fished 6 inch anchovy from 95 to 125 feet in 130 to 140 feet of water. Many of the fish where either just under or over the 18 inch mark"

Just have to get this off my chest and it may not be a popular opinion!
We can't be hammering these springs 12 months a year, especially when they are nothing more then barely legal.
 
[QUOTE="Cmiles, post: 853941, member: 9135"]Talked to a guy a couple of weeks ago he said islander bought a 30 Boston whaler with a couple big verados on the back and was going to start chartering
another post today...
"Got out Saturday for the first time in a few weeks. Ended up with 2 trips morning and afternoon. Lots of fish all day. It didn't seem to matter where you were from the bluffs down to Wells O Weary. We hit fish everywhere between those two points. Fished 6 inch anchovy from 95 to 125 feet in 130 to 140 feet of water. Many of the fish where either just under or over the 18 inch mark"

Just have to get this off my chest and it may not be a popular opinion!
We can't be hammering these springs 12 months a year, especially when they are nothing more then barely legal.[/QUOTE]

I think you are right, It seems a Chinook closure from the end of October to maybe the end of Feb would give all these little feeders a chance to get bigger. All the reports from every area in this forum are basically reporting the same thing, the odd legal fish and lots of shakers. Nursery areas are hit hard in the hopes of wading through enough undersized to get the odd legal one. A proportion of those shakers are going to die, so the sport impact on the young stocks is much higher than just the reported landed fish.
 
Especially when most are netted and brought into the boat to be measured.
Not all guys net thankfully alot of guys are going with the gaff poppoff
 
another post today...
"Got out Saturday for the first time in a few weeks. Ended up with 2 trips morning and afternoon. Lots of fish all day. It didn't seem to matter where you were from the bluffs down to Wells O Weary. We hit fish everywhere between those two points. Fished 6 inch anchovy from 95 to 125 feet in 130 to 140 feet of water. Many of the fish where either just under or over the 18 inch mark"

Just have to get this off my chest and it may not be a popular opinion!
We can't be hammering these springs 12 months a year, especially when they are nothing more then barely legal.

I think you are right, It seems a Chinook closure from the end of October to maybe the end of Feb would give all these little feeders a chance to get bigger. All the reports from every area in this forum are basically reporting the same thing, the odd legal fish and lots of shakers. Nursery areas are hit hard in the hopes of wading through enough undersized to get the odd legal one. A proportion of those shakers are going to die, so the sport impact on the young stocks is much higher than just the reported landed fish.[/QUOTE]
I was heading home from vacation wanting to get fishing asap however after reading these posts I will use the time to get the boat ship shape and let the fish mature. I was reminded of when I discovered the booby fly and after the first time out remembering the awful feeling of not being able to safely release the trout I threw them all away!
 
"I think you are right, It seems a Chinook closure from the end of October to maybe the end of Feb would give all these little feeders a chance to get bigger. All the reports from every area in this forum are basically reporting the same thing, the odd legal fish and lots of shakers. Nursery areas are hit hard in the hopes of wading through enough undersized to get the odd legal one. A proportion of those shakers are going to die, so the sport impact on the young stocks is much higher than just the reported landed fish."

Don't you think we have enough closures locally already ??
be careful what you wish for, pretty soon we won't be able to fish at all !
 
Each license holder does have an annual limit for Chinook so I don't think there is also a need to shut down the fishery. During the winter months the pressure on stocks is reduced greatly by the weather and only a few protected areas remain actively fished year round. Also it is scientifically supported that of an anglers 20 Chinook annual limit it is far better for more of those fish taken be immature fish, rather than mature stream bound spawners.
 
Th
[QUOTE="Cmiles, post: 853941, member: 9135"]Talked to a guy a couple of weeks ago he said islander bought a 30 Boston whaler with a couple big verados on the back and was going to start chartering
another post today...
"Got out Saturday for the first time in a few weeks. Ended up with 2 trips morning and afternoon. Lots of fish all day. It didn't seem to matter where you were from the bluffs down to Wells O Weary. We hit fish everywhere between those two points. Fished 6 inch anchovy from 95 to 125 feet in 130 to 140 feet of water. Many of the fish where either just under or over the 18 inch mark"

Just have to get this off my chest and it may not be a popular opinion!
We can't be hammering these springs 12 months a year, especially when they are nothing more then barely legal.[/QUOTE]
Thank you for saying this first. I have been holding back on this issue. Catching those babies can’t be good for them in the long run.
Also the annual limit needs to be reduced to 25 max.
The Chinook populations are going downhill fast and we need to do our part, including ratting out any poachers even if they are your buddies
 
Yes because hammering them summer is way better.:rolleyes: Its sad the guys FROM OTHER AREAS and you know who you are feel the need to criticize a fishery that is open. Wow no wonder we are so ineffective as a group. Think before you post. It is hard enough to have the environmental groups bash this area and others to close down. Lets keep it to reports and move on. If you don't like it then start a thread somewhere else.
 
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Thank you for saying this first. I have been holding back on this issue. Catching those babies can’t be good for them in the long run.

Not sure I understand this one, do you think it's better to hammer the mature fish
returning to spawn ?
lets be reasonable, any fishing removes fish
 
"I think you are right, It seems a Chinook closure from the end of October to maybe the end of Feb would give all these little feeders a chance to get bigger. All the reports from every area in this forum are basically reporting the same thing, the odd legal fish and lots of shakers. Nursery areas are hit hard in the hopes of wading through enough undersized to get the odd legal one. A proportion of those shakers are going to die, so the sport impact on the young stocks is much higher than just the reported landed fish."

Don't you think we have enough closures locally already ??
be careful what you wish for, pretty soon we won't be able to fish at all !
I don't think we need a closure as all the great guides know how to release undersize fish properly and they need every winter charter they can get and every tourist who catches a keeper will share their excitement which can only help our guides in the future!
For me fortunate to live on Vancouver island I have decided to pursue other great fisheries available until spring. I still have a brown trout from the Cowichan river and a big cutty in the lake on my bucket list.
 
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