2020 Campbell River Reports

[Gong Show]

Yesterday afternoon looked like mid-summer out there.
I am looking out there today and wanting to take a cruise to Sentry or Grants.
Thanks for not catching all the big'uns.

 

[HewesDart]

Out to Sentry again today. 5 unders for us as well. 1 was worthy of putting the measuring stick to it and was 61.5 cm. Back it went. Unbelievable day on the water. Feels like Spring is on the way........

 

[17 ft sea ranger]

fished today.......i had zero luck, not a bite........anyone else.....?

 

[CR Bill]

I drew a blank yesterday, fished the PM ebb- Green around to the Hump...lots of feed on the bottom. Good news was only a couple of prawns still berried from our take of almost 200.

 

[Bugs]

Did about two hours tonight at shelter and another at salmon point tonight. Nada. Was hoping for a final fish before the first. Might get out once more. Anyone finding them today?

 

[HewesDart]

Will try tomorrow if weather cooperates. Will report.......good or otherwise!

 

[Gong Show]

Made is out yesterday afternoon, just in time for the SE.
Bounced over to Lewis Channel and found two undersized, the bigger one could be 61 cm, but no way 62.
See you in July little guy!

Still good to be out on the water for the afternoon.

 

[RTDub]

Hi Campbell River.
Anyone ever catch a halibut in these waters?
Thanks.

 

[Gong Show]

Sure thing. I have caught a small, but still very tasty, halibut off Mudge.
My fishing partner went out front and caught a killer hali a few years back, without me.

Not common, but has been done!

 

[RTDub]

Sure thing. I have caught a small, but still very tasty, halibut off Mudge.
My fishing partner went out front and caught a killer hali a few years back, without me.

Not common, but has been done!

Thanks Gong Show. Will give it a try and report back!

 

[Foxsea]

Went out on a perfect day yesterday. Dropped the prawn traps and toured around Cortez Island. After a 4 hour soak came back to haul enough for a nice meal.

 

[Angry Angler]

Ripped over to Cortes yesterday to do some prawning and some sight seeing. Tried trolling in around 200ft of water while pots soaked. Dragged a white hoochie on bottom and a big 6 inch spoon at 80 ft. Fished 2-3 hrs thru the tide change and hooked in to 3 nice mid teens all on the spoon side, hoochie side kept getting ling cod around 30 cm. It was a pleasant surprise while I waited for the traps to soak. After 3 hrs I went back and 2 traps were empty (350ft) and two traps(275) had about 35 combined. Weather was so nice I said F—-k it and rebated and dropped back down in the area that produced. The weather was so nice and it was only 3 I decided to just spend the night in Desolation sound. Went and checked out the water fall in Teakren arm before it got dark then headed to refuge cove to tie up for the night ...was a cold night in the old 17ft double eagle lol
The next morning I headed over to check the traps and had just over 100. Baited reset and decided to troll and hooked into a couple nice chinook at tide change again on that same 6” spoon.
All and all it was a great trip! I only freaked out once after blowing the 40 amp fuse twice on my Ace Brutus and having to bypass fuse and run direct I ended up frying my switch
The other issue was try to release fish, I’d try to use gaff to remove hook while leaving in the water and half the time it work the rest of the time I’d have to net and bring aboard and use plier to remove hook.
Any tip on releasing? Was thinking I could just cut the line and leave the hook lol.

 

[RiverBoy]

Ripped over to Cortes yesterday to do some prawning and some sight seeing. Tried trolling in around 200ft of water while pots soaked. Dragged a white hoochie on bottom and a big 6 inch spoon at 80 ft. Fished 2-3 hrs thru the tide change and hooked in to 3 nice mid teens all on the spoon side, hoochie side kept getting ling cod around 30 cm. It was a pleasant surprise while I waited for the traps to soak. After 3 hrs I went back and 2 traps were empty (350ft) and two traps(275) had about 35 combined. Weather was so nice I said F—-k it and rebated and dropped back down in the area that produced. The weather was so nice and it was only 3 I decided to just spend the night in Desolation sound. Went and checked out the water fall in Teakren arm before it got dark then headed to refuge cove to tie up for the night ...was a cold night in the old 17ft double eagle lol
The next morning I headed over to check the traps and had just over 100. Baited reset and decided to troll and hooked into a couple nice chinook at tide change again on that same 6” spoon.
All and all it was a great trip! I only freaked out once after blowing the 40 amp fuse twice on my Ace Brutus and having to bypass fuse and run direct I ended up frying my switch
The other issue was try to release fish, I’d try to use gaff to remove hook while leaving in the water and half the time it work the rest of the time I’d have to net and bring aboard and use plier to remove hook.
Any tip on releasing? Was thinking I could just cut the line and leave the hook lol.

to do the gaff release properly you have to get your hand holding the line lower than the hook; effectively having the hook upside down if you will. i see a lot of ppl get super aggressive with the gaff acting they’re on tv or something. be gentle with the fish. give a shaker a chance to get big

 

[quicksixq6]

Here's a fishing video I made for a school I work at that is about prawning near Cortes:

 

[17 ft sea ranger]

nicely done!!

 

[sawbill]

Here's a fishing video I made for a school I work at that is about prawning near Cortes:

Here's a fishing video I made for a school I work at that is about prawning near Cortes:

you get much better results if you attach the bungee cords between each entrance hole inside the traps.

 

[MRW]

Hey coming camping up in Campbell River in a couple weeks. We are staying at one of the local lakes . Was wondering if crabbing in elk bay or near by area is worth the effort. Any advice would help.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Hey coming camping up in Campbell River in a couple weeks. We are staying at one of the local lakes . Was wondering if crabbing in elk bay or near by area is worth the effort. Any advice would help.

Never did well there tried a few times and got nothing with 2 traps.
Fished off the mouth of some creeks near Elk Bay.
Some great |Ling fishing up that way however.
Chinook fishing not open until 15 Jul I believe.

 

[MRW]

Never did well there tried a few times and got nothing with 2 traps.
Fished off the mouth of some creeks near Elk Bay.
Some great |Ling fishing up that way however.
Chinook fishing not open until 15 Jul I believe.

Thanks barnacle bill. I guess I’ll leave the traps at home.

 

[CR Bill]

Any reports of coho action around the Hump, Francisco, or Green Can areas?