2017 Victoria and Oak Bay Reports

[california]

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

Of course its true any fishing removes fish, but the point being made by several posters (and look at the reports from other areas - they are all the same) at this time of year the majority of fish caught (often the vast majority - (80%+) are undersized and have to be returned. There are lots of studies on mortality, and its estimated sport caught mortality on release is about 12% short term, and another 5% in delayed mortality. And that is assuming the fish are handled properly, I'm sure there are lots that are close to size that get to flop around on deck for a while to be measured, and not every fisherman handles their undersized fish optimally. So for every 5 shakers you catch there is probably at least 1 that doesn't make it assuming you handle them with care. This means there is a lot more overall mortality right now than later in the season when most catches are above the size limit, and therefore less shakers are returned. The mature fish are already targetted when they are returning to spawn, so its not an either or situation.

 

[scott craven]

I will say that using a single barbless hook, a shaker is very easily released with a gaff.
The fish we release swim away 99% of the time unharmed.
As this is a reports thread, this commentary should be moved to the conservation forum.

 

[Aces]

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 the baby salmon don’t survive that well from my 30 plus years of guiding.
I’m sure that my opinion on this subject won’t be too popular with a lot of people and I can accept that but beating up on babies trying to weed some keepers is no different than trying to catch a hatchery coho amongst a school of wild ones.

 

[chris73]

Again, merely an ethical aspect. Absolutely meaningless and inconsequential for the health of salmon stock when you consider the miniscule fishing effort during the winter. You want to leave small fish alone? Here is your chance, so find a bigger fish to fry! This topic is not worth it in view of the big issues at hand!

 

[halimark]

Guys its hunting season, what's fishing? Ha ha

Did get my best laker while up north this year, 26 lbs estimated as I released in water. I still say we MUST be united to be allowed to continue to fish. Way to many groups want our sport fish, lets stick together.

HM

 

[habberdasher]

I wonder if everyone is afraid to post or if no one is fishing? With this beautiful calm weather I hope some people are getting out and enjoying it. I hope to at least get out once while this weather is good. I would like to know where might be the best fishing spot to find 2 keepers and head home without having to release too many puppies? I might just try fishing without hooks so I can be fishn. Is there anywhere out front to set prawn traps or do I need to go to Brentwood? Thanks for and information
Tom

 

[Derby]

heard fishing has been good...most likely a little gun shy.. I say to all post away an enjoy the winter the winter fishery

 

[scott craven]

Local waters seem to be holding more undersize Chinook.
Was out on Sunday and released 3.

 

[Willyjim]

I picked up a 4 lb’er on Tuesday morning trolling from Esquimalt towards Albert Head, near the freighters that are/were out there. Near the bottom in 120 ft on No Bananas spoon. It got a little windier and choppier than I expected tho.

 

[Original]

Was out off flag pole to clover point from 11-3 today. Got a small one at 11am on bait near the bottom at the flag then at 2pm got a nicer one 10 lb off clover point also on bait near the bottom. Was about 6 boats out and I think a few fish caught. Both were red wild females with 6in needlefish in the bellies. Seen a few boats coming in from the bank and would like to know how things are going out there.

 

[ciacione]

Was out off flag pole to clover point from 11-3 today. Got a small one at 11am on bait near the bottom at the flag then at 2pm got a nicer one 10 lb off clover point also on bait near the bottom. Was about 6 boats out and I think a few fish caught. Both were red wild females with 6in needlefish in the bellies. Seen a few boats coming in from the bank and would like to know how things are going out there.

Constant s was to rough us for the first 2 hours. Clover point lovely weather but not love.

 

[Original]

Got out today off waterfront 10-2pm. Had one bite just after we dropped our lines off Brochie and landed a nice spring. I'll add a couple pics of what was in the stomachs of the last 2 I caught at or near the same spot. One looks to be the usual but the other with long beak looks strange & I was wondering if anyone else thinks so.

 

[Stoisy]

Quite sure that's a Tubesnout. Related to stickleback. Typically found in kelp and eel grass, they aren't as abundant as needlefish, which is why we don't see them as often.

 

[scott craven]

pipefish, or maybe just a needlefish ?

 

[Englishman]

Yep, pointy nose guy is a pipefish. Found in mostly eelgrass beds not in large pelagic shoals like herring or needlefish.

 

[Bugs]

Quite sure that's a Tubesnout. Related to stickleback. Typically found in kelp and eel grass, they aren't as abundant as needlefish, which is why we don't see them as often.

Agreed. It is a tubesnout... related to a stickback. Pipefish are in the same family as sea horses and a longer and slimmer

 

[Original]

You guys are good ! Tks

 

[WayWest]

Got out for a couple hours yesterday with AP on board and got a chance to fish his gear. Battery for depthsounder and gps was dead so we had to fish old-school by watching the rods bounce when we hit bottom (did have some help via gps on phone but batteries on the phones were also low).

After trying some deeper water with no luck we fished the waterfront for a few passes. There was just one other boat out there. Around 1:00 we got a strike on the AP needlefish spoon and landed and nice 9-10 pound spring. As soon as it landed the other rod went with the larger spoon but it was a small spring we released. Heard later that the other boat landed a 10.5 around the same time we did but other than that brief bite it was silent out there.

Dropped some traps and they came up full with undersized crabs and females. At least one female was loaded with eggs which was cool to see but left us without any keepers on the crab front aside from 1 legal male. Sent the rest back to the deep to get a little bigger.

All in all great day on the water

 

[Newf]

First day off the waterfront in a few weeks for me. Fished from 9am to 2pm, mostly from flag pole to Clover Point.. At 10am had a solid hit and while playing it the other side also hit ,,,, hard enough to release at the clip. Landed the first one, a nice 12.5 lb spring but unfortunately by the time I landed it the other side was gone. Near the bottom in 40M of water. It was a nice thick fish but had nothing in the belly. Released a couple of shakers from 11-11:30 am. That was it for me. Great day on the water.

 

[Andrew P]

Got out today off waterfront 10-2pm. Had one bite just after we dropped our lines off Brochie and landed a nice spring. I'll add a couple pics of what was in the stomachs of the last 2 I caught at or near the same spot. One looks to be the usual but the other with long beak looks strange & I was wondering if anyone else thinks so.

The second picture is definitely a Pacific Sandlance but the first could be a variety of Tube Snout for sure.

Here is a picture of tube snout that I scooped off the Esq Anglers dock this last summer with my boys. The one in the pic is a lot more silver than the ones we caught though.