2020 Victoria and Oak Bay Reports

[the gambler]

Was hoping to find some coho a little closer to home but nothing for me. Lots of mark's on the sounder 50 to 90 ft. Only caught rockfish. Crabbing wasn't good for me either. Perhaps the bait? I usually use Turkey drum sticks or necks and do great. Today salmon heads and just a pile of females and rock crabs.

Hey there Eroyd,
Done a lot of crabbing and experimenting over the years. Did a test with chicken backs and turkey wings years ago in a hot spot. Put two chicken backs and two turkey wings in each bait container in 4 different traps. 8 hour soak, came back and had decent crab in all 4 traps. Crazy part was ALL the chicken was gone (bones pulled through the mesh and gone) and the turkey wings were sitting in there pristine. Not a nibble on them. Not sure how a crab can tell the difference but there ya go.
Tried some older leftover fried chicken once and that worked AMAZING. Guessing the oils carried the scent?
Last note - NEVER use octopus. It's a crabs arch-enemy.
Cheers!

 

[tinboatrobb]

Eroyd, if you were in oak bay 2 different commercial crabbers have the area surrounded. I jigged up a spring about 12, 13lbs south of discovery Sunday morn.

 

[eroyd]

Eroyd, if you were in oak bay 2 different commercial crabbers have the area surrounded. I jigged up a spring about 12, 13lbs south of discovery Sunday morn.

Yeah. Those green floats are everywhere, even in tight where the paddle borders put their traps. Lots of locals seem to have traps out 24/7.
I'll stick to springs from now on. Trolling out deep is a waste of time out there.

 

[habberdasher]

Hey there Eroyd,
Done a lot of crabbing and experimenting over the years. Did a test with chicken backs and turkey wings years ago in a hot spot. Put two chicken backs and two turkey wings in each bait container in 4 different traps. 8 hour soak, came back and had decent crab in all 4 traps. Crazy part was ALL the chicken was gone (bones pulled through the mesh and gone) and the turkey wings were sitting in there pristine. Not a nibble on them. Not sure how a crab can tell the difference but there ya go.
Tried some older leftover fried chicken once and that worked AMAZING. Guessing the oils carried the scent?
Last note - NEVER use octopus. It's a crabs arch-enemy.
Cheers!

I never have leftover fried chicken

 

[Ghostprof]

Was hoping to find some coho a little closer to home but nothing for me. Lots of mark's on the sounder 50 to 90 ft. Only caught rockfish. Crabbing wasn't good for me either. Perhaps the bait? I usually use Turkey drum sticks or necks and do great. Today salmon heads and just a pile of females and rock crabs.

I remember that salmon used to pack the traps, but the last couple of times we've tried that we've had the same as you. Usually we use chicken backs and necks, and do better. Weird.

 

[John Ingram]

Gonzales Point report:
Fished this evening for a couple of hours between 5pm-7pm. Just to shake out the cobwebs. Windy from the south west.
Mostly sheltered at the Golf Course. Current was running quite fast as the tide was rising. Tons of bait fish all around the point.
Saw a couple of Salmon rise close to shore at about 6pm. Both looked to be in the mid teens. Fishing a 3" white and black zinger.
No takers

 

[Oakbayfishin]

Is nobody fishing the waterfront yet?

 

[Kildonan]

Is nobody fishing the waterfront yet?

I went out last Sunday with a buddy. We launched at 7:15 am, I was the second trailer in the parking lot at Esquimalt Anglers. Unreal!!

parking lot should be full by that time this time of year.

 

[Ghostprof]

I went out last Sunday with a buddy. We launched at 7:15 am, I was the second trailer in the parking lot at Esquimalt Anglers. Unreal!!

parking lot should be full by that time this time of year.

Did'ja catch anything?

 

[Ghostprof]

Went out in OB this afternoon in the new boat. Got 4 dungeness keepers (out of 4 traps), a couple of good sized rockfish and a big ol' Cabazon. One small lingcod who went back, and one dogfish. Gorgeous day out there, regardless. Still waiting for that first keeper Ling...

 

[habberdasher]

I went out last Sunday with a buddy. We launched at 7:15 am, I was the second trailer in the parking lot at Esquimalt Anglers. Unreal!!

parking lot should be full by that time this time of year.

Been watching the Esquimalt angler webcam this Morning many boats heading out on this beautiful morning we should get a few reports today

 

[Kildonan]

Did'ja catch anything?

A couple little coho that day. Nothing stupendous happened.

 

[cby]

Tough fishing again today. 5 hrs, tried for salmon on flats early for 2 hours. nothing, went out for lingcod nothing and end the day in Gap for 1.5 hrs nothing. End day with 2 huge and hard Dungeness crab.

Its definatly a battle out there right now.

 

[tinboatrobb]

No love in oak bay this morning. On the water 630 to 1230. Just a jigging trip. Lots of non salmon caught and released.we did not waste our time crabbing. Next weekend will be better...lol

 

[Fishtank]

Anybody have thoughts on the hali tides on Wednesday? Usually go out when the current is below 1 knot, thinking about going out in the am around the mud hole area. The tide is also not as flat as iam used to, just down wanna go set up and have my lines surfing in the current, too much. Thanks in advance

 

[gone fishin]

Anybody have thoughts on the hali tides on Wednesday? Usually go out when the current is below 1 knot, thinking about going out in the am around the mud hole area. The tide is also not as flat as iam used to, just down wanna go set up and have my lines surfing in the current, too much. Thanks in advance

Decent tide change around 8am.but if you are using bait be ready for a lot of dogs.
let us know how you do.

 

[Fishtank]

Decent tide change around 8am.but if you are using bait be ready for a lot of dogs.
let us know how you do.

But will I be able to keep the gear on bottom? Didn't find the dogs too bad last trip out usual

 

[Mako 22]

If doggy I would use something like this for Halibut. A 14 ounce PLine that I modified.

Tides here around Port Angeles look good tomorrow. I will be out out the south side side of the Border Wednesday, looking for Chinook instead of Halibut. Our Halibut season restarts the first Thursday in August

 

[vicsurfer]

Dogs are thick. I picked up a 25lb hali yesterday while going through a pile of bait. All 3 rods were constantly getting dogs biting at the same time.

 

[Original]

A bit late but we were out at Constance on Monday and the dogs were thick and the herring and mackerel weren’t lasting.One bite had 2 dogfish on it and a third followed it to the surface. Switched up to coho and pink salmon heads and finally got my first Halibut. Came as a double header with Salmon heads on both sides. Both were right on 90cm.